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Generation Homeschooled: A Collection of Essays from Unconventionally Schooled Learners and Alumni Across the Country
Foreword
By Nasiyah Isra-Ul
I grew up in the early 2000s, during a time when most people had never met a homeschooler. Although the modern homeschooling movement began in the 1960s (with roots dating back to the early founding of America) and had steadily gained momentum in the following decades, it was still largely on the educational fringe. To most people, learning anywhere outside a brick-and-mortar school building was a foreign concept. I remember being questioned when people would see me out running errands with my mom on a weekday morning. The questions always started off the same: “Why aren’t you in school?”
No one ever stopped to think about whether “school” as they knew it was effective. Whether I was learning more or better than kids in “school” as they knew it. Whether learning was more fun outside of “school” as they knew it. The expectation was that every school-age child was to be at a desk for at least six hours, and anything less was inadequate. When they looked at me, they saw me outside the norm, and drew conclusions that were undoubtedly false.
The pandemic was a catalyst for changing this attitude, introducing the world to our way of learning, known more broadly as unconventional education. Homeschooling has become increasingly popular, in addition to other forms of unconventional education, such as microschools, learning pods, and similar types of learning communities. In the midst of people calling for presumptive bans on homeschooling, or floating the idea of increased restrictions on traditional schooling alternatives, unconventional education became wildly popular.
Many families discovered that they liked homeschooling and related learning models during the pandemic and have continued to learn outside of a conventional classroom since then, inspiring others to do the same. The impact this shift has had in the US is still being felt. Millions of learners are now engaging in educational models that feed their curiosity, empower them to discover their passions, and center their unique needs and preferences. That’s absolutely beautiful.
It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come from the early days when homeschooling and unconventional education were practiced only at the margins. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that homeschooling existed long before there was any clamoring media attention or widespread policies protecting it. Long before the general public knew of the benefits or approved of the practice. Long before I was even born.
In all the discussions surrounding parents, educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders, we must never forget the generations of young people who are or were homeschooled. Our experiences on the receiving end of the homeschooling process allow us to have something unique to bring to the table. Our voices matter.
That’s why I developed the idea for this e-book. I like to call us “Gen H,” Generation Homeschooled. We are the most recent generation of young people who did not attend conventional schools for all or most of our K–12 education. We are those who looked at the world and said, “Different is okay.” Those who fought their way past the prejudice and stereotypes associated with being homeschoolers to show the world that learning happens anywhere.
What are we thinking about education? What changes are we hoping to make? We didn’t do things the way everyone else did, and that gave us freedom and passion. What will we do in this evolving world where now, people are looking for a better way? This e-book explores some answers.
Unconventional education is a mindset, not just an alternative to traditional education. It teaches you how to think outside the box, to create new things, and never to accept the status quo. It empowers you to stay curious long after elementary school, embrace child-like wonder, and pursue careers and activities that are meaningful and impactful to the world around you.
Homeschooling didn’t just keep me out of public school. It equipped me with a mindset that has encouraged me to help others, to find solutions to problems, and never to stop learning. The essays featured in the following pages tell more than just a story. They are written by homeschoolers and other unconventionally-educated individuals from various stages of life, representing different values and perspectives. Some of the authors are still students, while some are alumni, but they all reflect on their unique educational backgrounds. They describe a future in which learning is no longer forced, restricted, and one-size-fits-all, but liberating and deeply personalized. We, Generation Homeschooled, have been reaping the benefits of an educational solution the world is just starting to recognize and appreciate fully. There’s so much to learn from our experiences and ideas. I can’t wait to see what we create. Enjoy!
Liberty, Learning, & Leaps: My Homeschool Memories
By Adelyn Valencia
My perception of the importance of liberty has been strongly influenced by my education. Not because of what I was taught, but how I was taught. My sister and I were both homeschooled.
Instead of sitting in a classroom working at a desk, much of our learning during our younger years consisted of play and exploration. We dubbed one of our favorite games “wounded soldier”: one of us would pretend to be injured during the Crimean War, and the other would act as Florence Nightingale coming to the rescue. Our dolls often joined the Green Mountain Boys or went on factory strike. One year, we had a medieval feast for our family’s Christmas dinner, complete with costumes and entertainment. We participated in a nature program where we went maple sugaring, butchered poultry, and waded into bogs. Trips to the local library were the highlight of my week; our mom had to impose a limit of checking out only ten books per trip for each of us.
As I grew older, my family joined a homeschool co-op program where we met with other homeschooling families once a week. I participated in speech and debate, read Cicero in Latin, and acted out Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew with my co-op class. We participated in a mock trial competition in the courthouse. I learned about America’s founding documents by reading and annotating the actual documents. Rather than learning from excerpts and multiple-choice tests, I read entire classic works of literature, wrote persuasive essays about them, and discussed the works with my class through the Socratic method.
My education wasn’t necessarily conventional, but it was perfect for my family. Learning wasn’t bound by the confines of a classroom, and I was able to explore what I was truly interested in. Looking back on my educational journey, it’s hard not to miss those homeschooling days. Many of my favorite childhood memories revolve around these experiences.
As I began my college application process, I was often met with skepticism from those unaccustomed to homeschooling. Would a homeschooled education be enough to get me the test scores I needed to attend the university I wanted? The answer was yes. I attended university on a nearly full-ride scholarship and graduated last year debt-free. My sister is currently attending her dream college on a substantial academic and athletic scholarship and will graduate next year debt-free as well.
I noticed that homeschooling prepared me for the independence that college requires. Attending a conventional school means that your day is mapped out for you. As a homeschooler—particularly in high school—I was given a substantial amount of freedom to plan and organize my own time. I was equipped with the skills to manage my time and build discipline at a much younger age, as I operated without the structure and boundaries conventional schools demand. In my senior year of high school, I dual-enrolled at my local community college full-time. After graduating from high school, I already had earned an entire year of college credits. I also already knew how to navigate a college campus, plan my own schedule, register for classes, and submit assignments electronically. With a full year of credits—primarily general education classes—out of the way, I was able to complete two majors in a normal four-year time frame and could have graduated at least an entire year early.
As an adult, I realized that homeschooling allowed me to discover and pursue my talents and interests at a very young age. I now work as a grant writer for the James Madison Institute. In college, I majored in English and Political Science. These accomplishments came as a result of exploration in high school. As a high schooler, I expressed an interest in mock trial, speech and debate, writing, and literature. I toyed with the idea of potentially going to law school, becoming a librarian, or getting involved in politics. My parents encouraged me to seek opportunities that would allow me to explore these interests. I volunteered at my local library and our county’s teen court program weekly. I entered writing contests, judged mock trials, and attended a summer camp at the capitol. Participating in these programs allowed me to explore my passions and interests, and to gauge whether there could be a future career for me in those areas. My high school exploration allowed me to feel surer of myself as I entered college and eventually the workforce. Homeschooling allowed me the time and gave me the creativity to find out what I love. Education freedom is crucial because when every student is funneled through the same educational system, creativity and originality are lost. Education is not one-size-fits-all, and students and parents need the freedom to learn and educate in their own ways. Homeschooling is not strange or underground; it is a fast-growing and effective schooling method that deserves recognition. It allows Americans the freedom to be individuals. Rather than forced conformity to a mass-produced education system, school choice produces unique and independent citizens more able to reach their full potential.
Empowering Teens Through Homeschooling
By Amaressa Banducci
I’ve been homeschooled my entire life from Pre-K, which is 11 years thus far, and that has been one of the biggest blessings in shaping who I am. Homeschooling has given me the freedom to personalize my schedule and learning style, allowing me to pursue my dream of becoming an author. It also keeps my parents—especially my mom—deeply involved in my education and passions. She’s been my teacher from the beginning, encouraging me through every interest I explored. Because of that flexibility, I have been able to take ownership of my education and customize it around what matters most to me.
Reading has always been one of my biggest hobbies. I read classic literature on school reading lists, but also explore genres and topics that inspire my own writing. Many of the books I choose are for research—ideas that feed directly into my stories. That blend of structure and freedom has helped me become a self-directed learner. In addition, my mom found writing courses for me, taught me lessons herself, and gave me the time and space to develop my voice as a writer.
Alongside writing, homeschooling has given me room to explore other passions. For nearly four years, I dove into fiber arts—knitting, crocheting, looming, and even spinning my own yarn. As soon as I showed an interest, my mom found a spinning class and enrolled us both. More recently, I was finally able to pursue something I’d dreamed of since childhood: martial arts. I always loved movies with fight scenes and the idea of being able to defend myself and others. When my mom found a local jiu-jitsu dojo, she signed up my brother and me right away. Homeschooling hasn’t just educated me—it has empowered me to grow as a whole person.
One of the biggest myths about homeschooling is that we don’t get enough socialization. The thing is, homeschooling makes socialization a choice—one that families can shape with intention. It lets parents build communities around shared values and goals. When my family moved to a small town in the woods five years ago, we didn’t know anyone. So my mom created a way to connect with our new community. She met another homeschooling parent, and together they built a weekly co-op. It began with a handful of families and now serves nearly 40 kids. But co-ops aren’t the only answer. True socialization means connecting with people of all ages—not just peers.
Lately, I’ve also been spending time with one of my neighbors, an older woman who has dementia, keeping her company and building a strong friendship with her. Her stories have taught me more than I ever expected. These intergenerational relationships help shape who we become. Homeschooling provides me with opportunities not only to shape my schedule around my social life and community activities, but also to spend time around individuals of different ages and backgrounds.
In contrast, traditional public schools often take a very different approach—one that doesn’t always work for every student. The system is designed for mass efficiency, not personalization. Every student learns differently; yet many schools rely on one-size-fits-all models that can’t always meet individual needs. Students are restricted to a curriculum with little room to explore their passions or set their own pace. Even essential life skills—like writing a check, changing a tire, or preparing for a job interview—are often left out. Unless you take a specific class like business or home economics, you may graduate without knowing how the real world works.
There’s also the problem of standardized testing. Too often, schools teach to the test, not to the student. Exams like the SAT become the ultimate measure of intelligence and worth, placing enormous pressure on teens to perform rather than learn. Memorization can be prioritized over curiosity, and critical thinking and creativity could suffer as a result. Emotional education—how to process feelings, set boundaries, and build healthy relationships—is often largely ignored within traditional educational models, even though it’s just as vital as academic success.
Rather than only criticizing what’s broken, it’s important to recognize what alternative approaches get right. Unconventional education, especially homeschooling, can offer benefits that go far beyond academics. One of the biggest is parent involvement. When parents take an active role in their children’s learning, family relationships grow stronger. Kids learn how to communicate across generations, model emotional health, and build lasting bonds. Homeschooling also weaves real-life learning into academics—budgeting, cooking, job skills—and allows space to explore “non-core” subjects that could one day become careers.
Looking forward, my own experience has shaped what I hope the future of education will look like—not just for me, but for other students, too. I want to see schools and parents working together, not around each other. Right now, teens are often underestimated. It’s expected that we’ll waste our teen years coasting until adulthood hits. But that mindset limits our potential.
One of the biggest shifts I hope to see is in how we treat teens: not as irresponsible kids, but as capable young adults. These years are meant for growth and challenge. We could be shadowing professionals, launching small businesses, learning trades, or exploring creative paths. We could be forming habits and values that shape our futures. Teens can do hard things; we just need the trust and tools to get started. If education helped cultivate initiative and responsibility, we’d all be better prepared for life after school.
All of these reflections point to one core belief: education should prepare you not just to pass tests, but to live a meaningful, self-driven life. Homeschooling has given me the freedom to dream, to act on my ambitions, and to take ownership of my future. It has helped me grow, not just as a student, but as a person.
So if you’re considering homeschooling but feel uncertain, here’s my advice: give it a real chance. Try it out. Let it become what you need it to be. Because the best kind of education doesn’t just fill your head—it fuels your heart.
The Freedom to Learn
By Brooklyn Goodale
Imagine if students learned things that truly mattered, skills they could carry with them for life. My education has looked very different from the typical. I’ve spent my time asking questions about things I didn’t understand, chasing answers out of curiosity, and building things that mattered to me. I learned what I wanted to learn, when I wanted to learn it, and because of that, it stuck. I wasn’t just memorizing something to pass a test; I was learning because I was interested. That freedom to explore and go deeper is what sets me apart from kids who are in a more conventional school setting. Homeschooling has given me something solid to stand on, a foundation that was built not on grades or rules, but on creativity, confidence, and purpose.
Over the past nine years of being homeschooled, I have had the opportunity to personalize my learning to meet my personal needs and goals. I’ve been able to move faster in the subjects I love, like reading, music, and art. I dove deep into the things that I enjoyed, which helped me grow in ways that go beyond school. At the same time, I’ve moved more slowly in areas like math and geography. And you know what? That’s been okay, too. I’ve felt no pressure to keep up with anyone else’s pace or skip over things I didn’t understand. Instead, I learned to enjoy the process. Learning has become something I want to do, not something I have to do. When you actually like learning, you stay curious. You keep going. You try new things.
Homeschooling has given me space to do all of that. It’s also given me the freedom to test out different paths, explore my passions, and gain life skills that a classroom simply can’t teach. I am currently building my business called Spark and Grove, where I am creating a curriculum for students like me who have struggled to find a curriculum that fits their learning style or interests. Personally, I am a very hands-on learner, and finding a curriculum that reflects that is very difficult. My solution: create it. I am currently building a curriculum suited for hands-on, visual, auditory, and reading/writing learners so that they can learn faster and more efficiently. They will also be able to learn what they want, when they want. I know this seems like a big goal for a 15-year-old to accomplish. However, my experience with homeschooling has prepared me for real-life experiences like starting my own business.
When I imagine the future of education, I don’t imagine more screens, harder tests, or longer days at school. I envision something that is new and reshaped to introduce an innovative way of learning to the world. Every student is different, and education should reflect that. I’ve learned the most when I’ve been given the freedom to follow my curiosity, whether that’s launching Spark and Grove or practicing my violin. I want to see other children given that same freedom—to learn in ways that they learn best. Education should also include teaching real-world skills. Creating a business has taught me more about graphic design, marketing, and time management than any textbook ever could. I believe that school should include real projects, real work, and the freedom to learn the ways students learn best. While technology can be an amazing tool, I think that it should support learning, not replace thinking. Overall, I hope that learning becomes something people enjoy, not something they just try to get through. I hope that it is something they want to do for the rest of their lives. My hope is that more and more students will be able to have the same experience that I have had.
If I could change a few things about education, I’d start by giving students more ownership of their learning journeys. When you’re trusted to make choices about your learning, you become more motivated and confident. I’ve experienced this firsthand. I’ve also learned how important it is to have mentors who are willing to guide you, give you the support you need, and challenge you. Instead of fitting everyone inside the same mold, I would like to see schools actually personalize their lessons to each student. I think education should be shaped more around joy and purpose. Not all students learn the same way or have the same passions. I would love to see personalization become the norm, not the exception.
Unconventional education has given me the space to grow beyond what I ever could have in public school. It has allowed me to follow my passions, take on real challenges, and become confident in what I bring to the table. Because of it, I have been able to dream big, and instead of waiting years to pursue those dreams, I am pursuing them now. The way I’ve learned has shaped everything I do, and more students deserve this kind of freedom and purpose in their education.
Microschools, Mowing Lawns, and the Future of Education
By Caleb Haskins
There’s something slightly poetic about a kid in muddy boots showing up to do school with grass clippings still stuck to his hoodie—and not getting in trouble for it. That kid was me. And the reason I could pull that off without detention? Unconventional education.
I didn’t follow a traditional school path. I started off in public school like most kids, but by 5th grade, my educational path turned into something much more flexible, much more personal, and—let’s be honest—much more my style. I was homeschooled from 5th to 8th grade, then attended a Christian microschool with about 40 other students ranging from 1st grade to 12th. And now? I’m ten months into a year-long internship at a church in Cardiff, Wales, learning about community service, charity work, and how not to mess up tea time.
This unconventional path gave me more than just an alternative way to learn algebra. It gave me a foundation for who I am and who I want to become. It taught me the value of freedom, the power of self-direction, and that education isn’t supposed to be one-size-fits-all. And honestly? It’s the reason I was able to buy my first car—debt-free—at age 15. Thanks, homeschooling!
How Unconventional Education Built My Foundation
The thing about homeschooling and microschooling, which can be structured as learning programs for homeschoolers or small private schools with a personalized curriculum, is that they hand you the steering wheel a lot sooner than traditional education does. Instead of being strapped into a yellow bus headed toward a fixed curriculum and a sea of locker combinations, I was given way more room to figure out who I was and what I was aiming for.
When I started homeschooling in 5th grade, I didn’t fully realize the gift I’d been given. At the time, it meant I could sleep in until 10 AM, do math in my pajamas, and take snack breaks whenever my highly sophisticated 11-year-old brain deemed necessary. But as I got older, the real benefit became clear: freedom. Freedom to move at my own pace. Freedom to focus on what actually mattered to me. Freedom to work a full-time landscaping job as a teenager and still complete my schoolwork.
That landscaping job wasn’t just a paycheck—it was education in action. I learned how to manage money, plan ahead, deal with customers, and budget for a big purchase (like my first car). My schedule wasn’t built around school bells; school was built around my life. That level of flexibility taught me that education isn’t just about hitting academic benchmarks—it’s about building a life.
Later, at the Christian microschool I attended, things got even more personal. My teachers weren’t just instructors; they were mentors who saw me as a whole person, not a grade point average. They helped design a path to graduation that aligned with my interests and long-term goals. When I was considering a career in nursing, they helped me pursue dual-credit classes at my local community college, giving me a head start on my prerequisites and a deeper understanding of what I really wanted. Spoiler alert: I didn’t end up in nursing—but the point is, I had the chance to try.
Most importantly, my education was grounded in faith. Every subject, whether it was literature or science, was taught through a Christian worldview. That shaped my character as much as it shaped my academics. It reminded me that education isn’t just about what you know; it’s about who you are and who you’re becoming. That foundation is what ultimately led me to my current internship in the United Kingdom, where I get to live out my values daily through community work and ministry.
Unconventional education didn’t just teach me math or grammar—it taught me that life isn’t supposed to be boxed in, and neither is learning. It showed me that I could create a life of purpose, work, faith, and freedom—and that I didn’t have to wait until “after college” to get started.
The Future of Education (In My Eyes)
If you’d told 10-year-old me that the future of education might include learning on laptops in coffee shops, apprenticeships in landscaping, or doing community service while living in another country, I probably would’ve said, “Cool, but does that mean I still have to do math?” (Spoiler: yes.)
But now that I’m older, and I’ve seen the beauty of education that adapts to the student—not the other way around—I believe that the future of learning won’t look like one big school building anymore. It’ll look like many little doors opening in many different directions.
We’re already starting to see it happen. Kids are learning in microschools like mine. They’re doing online dual-credit programs, internships, co-ops, job shadowing, and YouTube deep dives on everything from calculus to car repair. Education is becoming more like a buffet than a fixed menu—and that’s a good thing. In my experience, when students are given the freedom to explore, they don’t just coast—they engage. When education is flexible, students can take on real jobs, develop real-world skills, and discover what they love before racking up tens of thousands of dollars in student debt for a degree they may or may not even use.
The key isn’t to scrap public education entirely, or to act like everyone should homeschool. It’s about options. It’s about building a system where learning can happen in different ways, at different speeds and paces, and still lead to a successful, meaningful life. Whether that means trade school, a microschool, a coding bootcamp, or yes, even a traditional university—students should have a say in how they’re educated. Of course, this kind of future requires trust—trust from parents, from teachers, and from the government. We need policies that support innovation, not red tape that strangles it. We need partnerships, not mandates. If the state and federal systems can cooperate with private and alternative models, I believe we’ll see a future where every student has a chance to thrive—not just the ones who fit the mold.
What I’d Like to See Happen Next
Here’s my honest take: college isn’t for everyone. And more importantly, it was never supposed to be. For decades, students have been told that the only way to succeed is to get a four-year degree—preferably from a big-name school with a football team and a terrifying tuition bill. But what happens when that path doesn’t make sense for your goals? Or your financial situation? Or your passions?
From where I stand (or, currently, sit at a fish and chip shop writing this essay), the future should be filled with more ways to win. That means trade schools, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship programs, creative arts training, and on-the-job learning. We need more pipelines that lead to real jobs—not just degrees.
I’d love to see a culture that celebrates students who take alternative routes. Imagine a society where starting a landscaping business is just as respected as earning a business degree. Where spending a year in ministry work is considered just as valuable as studying sociology in a lecture hall. Where debt-free living and meaningful work are the actual goal—not just a paper diploma. Now, I’m not anti-college. I’m anti-debt-for-the-sake-of-it. I’m anti-“Everyone must do the same thing at the same time in the same way.” That’s not how life works, so why should education be that way? Unconventional education has shown me that learning can (and should) be built around life—not the other way around. And I hope that we build a system that reflects that, one opportunity at a time.
Conclusion: More Than a Classroom
When I look back on my educational journey—public school, homeschool, microschool, online college, and now full-time ministry—I don’t see a straight line. I see a winding road full of unexpected turns, some potholes, and a few stunning views. That road taught me more than how to pass a test. It taught me how to manage money, how to follow God’s calling, how to work hard, dream big, and serve others. It taught me that flexibility isn’t a weakness in education—it’s a strength. It’s the space where real growth happens.
My dream isn’t just to find a great job or build a great business (though a landscaping company might still be on the table!). My dream is to glorify God, love my community well, and help others break free from systems that don’t serve them. Education was the start of that dream, and I believe that it could be the start of many others, if we’re brave enough to rethink how we teach. So here’s to the future of learning. May it be flexible, meaningful, purpose-driven, and maybe even a little bit weird—in the best way.
Homeschooling: The Door to Opportunity
By Caleb Otey
My parents’ goal in life was to prepare me and my brother for the rigors of the future, and they chose to do so through homeschooling. Every lesson and experience that they gave me throughout my educational journey has shaped me into who I am today. Homeschooling has provided me with a firm foundation for the future by broadening my horizons, strengthening my familial connections, and giving me a head start at college and in life.
I’ve been traveling for as long as I can remember. By the time I turned 18, I’d visited a large portion of the United States and at least three foreign countries. Homeschooling gave me the freedom of taking my lessons and homework with me wherever we went, so I could accompany my parents as they flew and drove to various speaking engagements. While we traveled, they used my surroundings to teach me. For example, afternoon visits to downtown Montgomery became perfect opportunities to learn about the civil rights movement, while trips to Washington, DC, were interspersed with rich cultural museums. Our mission trip to Kenya allowed me to meet other young people of African descent and allowed us to compare our experiences. Traveling so extensively at such a young age broadened my horizons—allowing me to connect with people from around the globe—and kindled a love of exploration and new experiences within me. Now, I am considering moving to another region of the United States to experience the culture there and begin engineering graduate studies after graduating from college. I believe that future students would benefit just as strongly as I did from an education that emphasizes travel and alternative perspectives.
When I was 14, my father’s position as a law professor allowed me to take free classes at a local university, so by the time I turned 16, I had already finished high school and earned enough credits to enter university as a junior. I’m now 19, a college senior instead of a freshman or sophomore, and I anticipate graduating this coming year with two degrees. Thanks to my parents, I will graduate nearly two years before nearly everyone else in my field and be able to leverage that extra time for career growth, further studies, and travel. In the future, I would like to see other driven students taking free or low-cost dual-enrollment courses and enjoying the same head start that I was given.
Finally, and most importantly, homeschooling helped me foster strong connections with my family. My immediate family has never lived in the same place as the rest of our extended family. However, my parents still made a point of taking us to see them whenever possible, even during the week if necessary. Being able to take our schooling on the go allowed us to travel, spend time with our extended families, and still be productive. Homeschooling also strengthened my connection with my little brother and mom, who stayed at home to teach us during the day. Instead of spending only mornings and evenings with them, as most conventionally educated kids do, I was blessed to be with them for the entire day. My brother and I could play outside together during every break, or wrestle inside the house, or struggle for victory on Wii Sports. We also shared meals, took day trips to the park, and forged bonds with one another and with my parents that I can cherish forever.
I believe that the purpose of education is to equip students with the tools that they need to live successful, moral lives, and to encourage them to do so. However, it is impossible to achieve monetary success or learn to live a moral life without diversity and opportunity. The public school system, like any system, has flaws, and can sometimes fail to encourage diversity and provide opportunity. However, parents and families can push for change and support any weak areas in the education system. Diversity is important because it allows us to look at life from alternative perspectives that may be more accurate than our own. So, if a local school system lacks diversity in its curriculum, then parents should advocate for it while also discussing alternative perspectives in the home. At the same time, parents can encourage their kids to take any available opportunities to advance their education, and help create them if they are not readily available. Ultimately, by becoming more involved in their children’s education, parents can bring their families closer together and provide their children with a strong support network from which they can forge into the future.
Homeschooling has unlocked the potential for my future. It broadened my perspective of the world, gave me a head start in life, and reinforced my connections with my family. Now that I’m approaching the end of my college career and have a plethora of aspirations for the future, I know that my parents have given me the learning and experience from which to achieve them. In the immediate future, I plan to study engineering and human-digital interactions in the humanities at the graduate level, work and potentially start my own business, and travel. While continuing to learn about engineering will help secure my financial future, studying the humanities and traveling will broaden my perspective on life and morality.
My Homeschool Journey: A Vision for Education, A Future of Purpose
By DeTiege Dickerson
Homeschooling wasn’t just an educational choice—it was a life-changing decision that restored joy, confidence, and direction to my learning journey. Over the past two years, I transitioned from a traditional school setting to the flexibility of homeschool life. That shift was invigorating. It reignited my love for learning and became one of the greatest joys of my life—a foundational pillar shaping not only my academic path but also my spiritual, emotional, and moral development.
Homeschooling gave me the freedom to discover my spark, drew my family closer, and helped me gain confidence in myself. In this new environment, I rediscovered the value of learning for wholeness over performance and purpose over pressure.
From the very beginning, I thrived. My gifts, talents, and interests were not only acknowledged but strengthened. I poured my compassion into caring for my aging grandparents and offered encouragement in friendships. Homeschooling gave me the time and space to lean into who I am—a diligent, self-motivated, spiritually grounded young woman who genuinely wants to make a difference in the world for the Lord.
I surprised myself by how I began to take ownership of my education. I developed stronger study habits, sought out peer communities through my homeschool groups, and constantly pushed myself to meet the goals I set. My mom no longer needed to remind me to do my homework (she still did, but not as much as she used to) or join a study group. Freed from the constraints of rigid school schedules and surface-level learning, I became more focused and deeply engaged. My interests—from animal carer to youth leadership and dance—were no longer just hobbies but intentional pursuits of purpose.
My volunteer work as a Girl Scout helped me grow into a young leader with a heart for service. I worked as a ride operator at Six Flags America, a job I truly enjoyed, which taught me responsibility and how to advocate for myself. Participating in the Marion Barry Youth Summer Program deepened that growth, and in January 2025, I began an internship with their High School Program—an exciting next step on my journey.
One of my biggest tests of perseverance came when I auditioned for a high-level dance company. The experience stretched me both physically and mentally, especially while balancing school and work. There were moments of doubt, but I chose to press forward. Not only for my personal growth, but also for being an example to the younger dancers. I wanted to show them that fun, perseverance, and hard work matter. In doing so, I learned to lead, to mentor, and to overcome. That kind of learning can’t be found in a textbook.
As a family, homeschooling gave us the ability to tailor my education to fit my interests, calling, and strengths. My love for animals, passion for environmental care, and desire to study Animal Science are rooted in a deep sense of stewardship. Homeschooling allowed those roots to grow strong.
What I Believe About the Future of Education
I believe the next generation of students will thrive not because they memorize the most facts, but because they know who they are, how they learn, and how to apply what they’ve learned with conviction and clarity. Homeschooling gave me a start in developing these very skills.
As I look toward college and beyond, I see how my homeschool experience has equipped me in ways traditional school settings often cannot. Homeschooling cultivated in me:
- Self-motivation and discipline: I learned how to manage my time better, set goals, and complete assignments without constant supervision. These are critical skills for college and life.
- Adaptability: From balancing dance and work to completing academic requirements in a non-traditional format, I learned how to problem-solve and stay focused under pressure.
- A love for learning: Free from the burnout caused by standardized systems, my passion for learning grew. I pursue knowledge with curiosity and confidence—not just to pass exams, but to understand.
- Stronger study habits and initiative: With more freedom, I experimented with study strategies, took initiative in seeking resources, and took full ownership of my academic success.
- A clear sense of purpose: Homeschooling drew me closer to God and my family and helped me discover and nurture my God-given interests in animal science, dance, and leadership.
- Communication and confidence: Through presentations, real-world work, interviews, and service, I learned how to articulate my ideas clearly and confidently—skills that will empower me to thrive in college and beyond.
- A community-building mindset: Far from being isolated, I developed meaningful connections with mentors, classmates, teammates, and fellow learners. I know how to work as part of a team and lift others up as I grow.
Homeschooling prepares students not just to succeed in school, but to thrive in life—with courage, character, and a heart to serve.
When I look to the future of education, I see something beautiful: students growing with purpose, families leading with confidence, and learning that speaks to the whole person—mind, heart, and spirit.
Homeschooling has given me a glimpse of that future—and the good news is, it’s already happening.
For students like me, the future isn’t just bright; it’s full of endless possibilities.
What Is the Purpose of Education?
By Eliana Boerner
My family’s homeschooling journey began in 2005. The quality of the schools in our area was poor, and my mom saw that my older siblings were being held back instead of challenged academically. My mom and dad then decided that the best solution was to homeschool. With my dad being an engineer and my mom a certified teacher, they made sure that all of my siblings had a rigorous education. From Latin to astronomy, all subjects were covered.
Several of my friends decided to go to traditional school during high school, and at the time I wanted to join them. I felt as though I would be left out if we didn’t go to school together. When my parents decided that this was not the best idea for my education, I was extremely disappointed at first. But looking back, I am grateful that I remained homeschooled through the high school years.
Homeschooling didn’t just afford me unparalleled opportunities to learn and grow; it also helped me take time for the things and people I valued most. When I was 11 years old, my older brother was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma stage four cancer. We were not sure how many years we would have with him due to the mortality rate of his specific cancer diagnosis. Homeschooling allowed me to change my schedule so that I could spend a lot of time with him. As his cancer progressed, my siblings and I also had the flexibility to visit him in the hospital during his last few months in hospice.
During his cancer journey, my family found out that childhood cancer research is severely underfunded, leading to fewer treatment options for patients. To honor my brother, I took up fundraising and advocating with a nonprofit dedicated to funding early-stage pediatric research. Because of the flexibility of homeschooling, I had more opportunities to advocate for childhood cancer research during what would have been “traditional” school hours. Whether that was attending a company’s meeting to speak, or taking calls from CEOs regarding my family’s story in the middle of the day, homeschooling provided me with the freedom to advocate for change.
As I have transitioned into college, I have decided to pursue advocacy for childhood cancer research as a potential career choice. The flexibility to explore what that would look like in high school helped me to be certain of my choice. The connections I was able to make in high school also helped me to find an internship as a young college freshman with no experience. Homeschooling has provided me with a solid foundation to pursue future goals and to understand what my gifts are and where to focus them. Going into my last three years of college, I am confident in my choice of major and what I want to do after college. I want to focus on finding opportunities to gain experience and continue to meet others in my field.
I am incredibly grateful and proud that I was homeschooled from preschool to my senior year of high school. As I look to the future of education, I hope that we can continue to make learning more relevant and meaningful for all learners so that every child can have a chance to become who they want to be in life; that all learning formats have effective accountability, engagement, and flexibility to help learners thrive. The beauty of homeschooling is that it gives you the chance to explore your interests so that you can build a future. Because, in the end, that’s the purpose of an education.
How Homeschooling Helped Me Achieve
My Dreams
By Grace Lever
Homeschooling equipped me with life skills that I still carry with me today. Homeschooling has helped me build micro-skills, allowing me to achieve far beyond my peers who were otherwise engaged in a traditional setting. It gave me flexibility, allowing me to set my own schedule, which enabled me to grow my business, while also teaching me a critical lesson: no one else is responsible for your success but you. It also gave me the structure to explore my special interests, which ultimately led to a fulfilling position producing art professionally. Traditional schooling would never have supported me in becoming an expert in my field so early—let alone encouraged my love of art history before I could even read.
A pivotal moment in my education was the opportunity to spend a year abroad in Mexico during high school to study land management. What began as a focused educational trip evolved into a gap year, during which I formed global connections and embraced solitude on horseback. That freedom to choose my own path, paired with confidence in my abilities and a solid sense of self, became the foundation that fueled my many adventures. After fulfilling my dream of cowboying in Mexico, I sought even more experiences—this time across the Atlantic.
In Germany, I nurtured my passion for fine art and committed to making it my mission. Careers in the arts that offer both travel and income are rare, making the search for the right fit a challenge. I gave myself a deadline, creating the competitive edge I needed to succeed. Many emails later, I landed a position in animal artistry that couldn’t have been more perfect—one that combined art, travel, and adventure, all waiting for me on the other side. I design habitats for natural history museums and private exhibitions. It is a very unique experience in the art world.
Not every stop was fun; I had many roadblocks and direction changes. But my ability to improvise, adapt, and overcome them made a smaller impact. I had multiple adventures not turn out, get canceled, or simply not be as intended. Homeschooling helped me to learn to appreciate resilience in the face of hardship.
And the cool thing is, education does not stop once one reaches a certain age or status. I continue to learn and grow, becoming more educationally unruly as I mature. I aspire to compete in national and international shows as I progress in my medium, all while nurturing my more cerebral passions in my spare time. Much like how I would change a math program if it didn’t suit my learning style, I will shift directions if a job isn’t challenging or advancing my skill set.
I’m comfortable with change; I’ve had years of practice managing my affairs. Raised with a world-schooling mindset, I think that I must maintain my somewhat nuanced education well after the usual stop in intellectual progression. It has proven invaluable in conversation and in building connections that may serve me well in the future.
Writing is a newer passion that has helped me grow more confident in my ability to convey complex feelings and ideas—hopefully inspiring others to follow their own path. While living in Mexico, I had the opportunity for mentoring sessions with a former newspaper owner. During our sessions, she would critique my writing and give me ways to improve. I made this contact with the help of another friend who has written and published his book on world travel and land management.
I believe no one should dictate what you can or cannot do when it comes to education. Personally, I would like to see school-choice programs like ESAs (education savings accounts) available in every state—or, ideally, to see government regulation on education removed entirely. The power should lie in the hands of the parents, if not solely the student.
The rise of microschools and learning centers across the country could benefit far more people than just those formally enrolled. Creating an environment that encourages educational freedom would establish a new kind of generational wealth—one rooted in intellectual stability and individual growth. That foundation would far outweigh the manufactured need for rule-following citizens.
Experts in their field should be honored for the immense work they’ve put in. Whether or not they hold a degree shouldn’t matter if they have the skills to do the job. As someone in the art world, I would love to see more industries adopt a grandmaster-apprenticeship model. You should be able to seek out the best in any field and pitch yourself as a worthy mentee. That’s how I’ve found my way into many fascinating adventures—whether in art, land management, or business. Providing the populace with an avenue for individual freedom of expression will make us stronger as a whole.
From Dostoevsky to the Dinner Table
By Hannah Langdon
In The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes (2001), Jonathan Rose documents the efforts of British workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries to educate themselves. One reviewer wrote:
[A] miner who reads Plato underground, a servant girl found with a volume of Shelley in her apron pocket, a baker’s son quoting Ruskin to an indifferent magistrate. These were not exceptions. They were, for a time, the rule. In their diaries, in oral testimonies, in battered memoirs, the question is not “Why would they read this?” but “How could they not?” Reading was a lifeline, a solace, and an assertion. “I read,” said one ironworker, “because I wanted to say what I thought, not what I was told.” The autodidacts of the Victorian and Edwardian years were not guided by syllabi or triggered by texts. They read for transformation.
The description of ordinary people cultivating an intellectual life in their spare hours resonates with me. It speaks of an approach to education separate from test scores, state systems, or career demands. It encapsulates much of the value I found in a homeschool education. It was learning for transformation, not metrics.
My homeschool experience encouraged me to approach education as an end in itself, not as a means to making my way through a system. The skills and habits I built while homeschooling did help me win a full-tuition scholarship, graduate with honors, and gain work experience in politics, agriculture, and education. But, more importantly, it gave me a thirst for knowledge, grew my faith, and cultivated my family roots.
Full bookshelves line the walls of my childhood home. To this day, when first-time visitors walk into my parents’ house, they inevitably wander over to the collection—seeing across the shelves a history of my dad’s political and theological development, and viewing the “Hall of Fame” of novels that my siblings and I read and reread over the years.
The goal of my education (which has continued informally after graduation) is to be an integrated human being with strong moral character. Someone who can work with excellence at school or the workplace, but who also understands that the most valuable things in life cannot be measured by dollars, test scores, or résumés.
The freedom that homeschooling provides to choose a custom curriculum and schedule gave me the opportunity to pursue my interests, be entrepreneurial, and learn practical skills. I thrived on intense seminar-style classes for literature and humanities, but personal tutoring with a family friend helped me understand math, which didn’t come as naturally to me.
I read voraciously and had the freedom to follow my interests, even when they were maybe unusual. I spent 11th grade studying the life and literature of Fyodor Dostoevsky—not because I was required to for graduation or because I thought it was going to be a résumé-builder. I liked the teacher, and was fascinated by the depth of the characters’ spiritual conflicts and by the strange intensity of Russian culture.
Because I was studying for understanding rather than for the test, I absorbed the knowledge into my worldview. I found that Dostoevsky’s writings about the psychology of prison and criminals gave me insight into the criminal justice system, which was the topic of my extracurricular debate league that season. And, years later when I was at a personal crossroads, wisdom from his characters resurfaced in my memory to help my decisions.
The flexible schedule also allowed me to develop skills beyond graduation requirements and gain work experience. The last two years of high school, I assisted the bookkeeper and office manager at my dad’s law firm, which gave me skills I’ve used in every job since. Because family, school, and business were connected, it didn’t require special scheduling to get this experience. One or two days a week, I would go to work with Dad and do homework during the times of day when I wasn’t working. At other points in my family’s life, the flexible school schedule allowed us to focus on helping elderly relatives or friends who were going through a rough spot—we could just rearrange our school schedule rather than having to work around it. Rather than having to choose between academics, family time, service, and work experience, I learned to integrate them.
This has been formative for my post-grad life, where I manage the differing demands of work, personal study, friends, and family. I have a more intuitive sense of how to adapt my work schedule to the (sometimes unexpected) happenings of life and a sense of my priorities and how to fit my life to them.
In the emerging AI age, I’m increasingly appreciative of how my homeschool experience shaped me as a person—not just my test scores and production potential.
In a New York magazine article, “Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College,” James D. Walsh commented that the ubiquity of using AI to complete college assignments is simply the natural result of “a society that treats schooling as a means to a high-paying job, maybe some social status, but nothing more.”
When the emphasis is on grades rather than understanding, education becomes a game to see who can best “play the system.” Educators (in both traditional and nontraditional environments) will be challenged to create assignments that measure a student’s ability to master, rather than manipulate, the material. I suspect that AI will widen the gap between those who learn to understand and those who learn for a grade.
I hope that, in the future, educational institutions will spend less time trying to justify themselves by how their students perform in the job market, and that educators spend less time on politically-motivated trends like critical theory. Both motives are outcomes-based and miss the point of education as a process of shaping a student’s understanding and ability to reason and work through a problem.
A good education is valuable even if the student never ends up getting a paycheck. And prioritizing classics and the basics of “reading, writing, and arithmetic” are more valuable than critical race theory and other ideologies that may become irrelevant as soon as the political tides change.
The practice of a disciplined pursuit of my interests built habits that helped me do well on standardized tests and AP exams, and in college. But, more importantly, it gave me a richer understanding of the world. I’ve found that if you aim at understanding and excellence in education, success in school and career often results. But if you aim at success in school and career by any means, understanding is often lost.
As AI rapidly enters schools and changes education, I hope that our societal definition of a “successful education” (in any school—homeschool or not) will recognize the aspects of our intelligence that cannot be reproduced or replaced by artificial intelligence. As Dr. Zena Hitz, author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life, writes, “the value of intellectual life lies in its broadening and deepening of our humanity.” This life can be grown anywhere (even by candlelight in a 19th-century tradesman’s room), but in my life, it was through homeschooling that this life was able to flourish, and for that I’m grateful.
Citations
Colin Lewis, “Reading by Candlelight and Coal Dust,” The One Percent Rule, Substack, April 24, 2025.
James D. Walsh, “Everyone Is Cheating Their Way through College,” Intelligencer by New York magazine, May 7, 2025.
Zena Hitz, Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life (Princeton University Press, 2020).
Unconventional in Alaska
By Sabre Wilmeth
Unconventional education is a very common method of schooling in Alaska, where I live. I’ve grown up learning in ways that many people don’t have the opportunity to. There have been many times when my family decided to head out and go on a hike, or do something out of the house. We call that school, as we’re learning no matter what we do. My school, or learning place, is everywhere, and anywhere.
Homeschooling has given me time, opportunities, and a love of learning. By taking the unconventional education route with homeschooling, I have been able to do many things that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise and follow my passions. My schedule is flexible, and I can choose what I will fill my learning time with. I can pick when and where I want that learning time to be. Homeschooling has allowed me to interact with people of all ages, instead of just kids my age, which has equipped me with good communication skills I will use throughout my life. I’ve been lucky to have parents who are fully supportive of my ambitions.
With all of my many interests, homeschooling has given me the freedom and flexibility needed to pursue a multiplicity of projects, activities, and interests. If I wasn’t unconventionally educated, I would certainly have had to drop one or more of them by now. I wouldn’t have even half the time I currently have to focus on my passions, nor would I have had the experiences that greatly shaped my character and defined who I am today. Through homeschooling, I have really been able to dig into what I am interested in, work through something until I understand it, and have the time to figure out what I want to do and learn. Learning is limitless, a path you can follow forever.
With all my passions and interests, I am not yet sure what I want to do in the future, but I know I want to continue learning and growing, whether through college or trade school, or maybe something else entirely. I want to continue being engaged in athletics, like hockey, and academics, like my math competitions. I want the future of education in the US to embrace empowering students to chase their dreams and achieve mastery of subjects essential for success, or subjects that they truly are interested in. I have seen many aspects of how others learn, from the conventionally schooled, to more unconventional approaches. I’ve noticed that those like myself, who are unconventionally-schooled, push for content mastery and center personal achievements over test scores or scheduled learning slots. We can take as little or as much time as we want to learn a subject or concept proficiently.
As a math aficionado, I love math and would like to see others love it, too. I would love to see math less stigmatized. And honestly, that goes for any topic. I don’t want to see people saying that they’re bad at something, and never trying to get better. I want to see a more open-minded world of education and learning, a world that works to fit everyone’s needs and ways of learning, even if that means that schools or classes become smaller and more individualized, so that the students can work with people at the same level and/or with the same interest as them. I have found that I learn more from being in the middle of a group than I do at the bottom, or at the top. This is because I can learn from those better than myself, and teach what I know to those who know less, which really helps me cement what I know.
Unconventional education has given me so much that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. I have learned how to problem-solve, I have found and explored my passions and interests, and I have been able to meet some amazing people, mentors, and friends, among many other experiences. I don’t know where the future will take me, but as for education, I will never stop learning. I will continue using what I have learned so far and building on it, teaching others when I can, and growing an open-minded learning community.
Loving to Learn: How Unconventional Education Changed My Life
By Savannah Forgy
The best thing that ever happened to me was the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the tragic event it was for many, it is the reason I attend the school I do today. It’s the reason I wake up excited and why I am sure I want to be an entrepreneur. Ultimately, it’s the reason I still love learning.
At the age of two, I was enrolled in a small Montessori school in rural Illinois. Education to me meant curiosity and discovery about the world. I had no concept of what grades or levels meant, as there were no such comparisons. We learned by doing, and for many years, I was oblivious to how learning looked just down the street at the local public school and the Christian private school.
This story changed when I was eight years old. My Montessori school, which I had loved so dearly, shut down, and I was faced with attending a traditional public school. I still remember the feeling of walking into my 3rd grade classroom and being in a “real” school, with rows of desks and behavior charts.
I soon realized what it took to succeed here wasn’t curiosity, or how you applied what you learned to the real world, or the depth of your questions. Rather, success was about how well students performed on paper. Talking and questioning in class was no longer allowed, the curriculum was structured independently with no relation to other subjects, and being quiet and still was expected.
Soon enough, grades became my new measure of success. I believed that not questioning, not being overly curious, staying silent, and getting an A+ was what a “good” student did. I conformed. I didn’t dispute it, and neither did my peers.
Now, years later, I can confidently look back and say that the sad reality is that for the vast majority of students, this is normal. The real problem wasn’t just the constraints on my curiosity; it was that I had become so accustomed to them that I didn’t even recognize what I was missing. It wasn’t until COVID-19 struck and the world paused that I reconnected with the educational paradigm I had inadvertently lost. For many, it was a period of uncertainty about how their lives would continue, but for me, it was my turning point and a return to the education where I flourished.
Moving my education online highlighted the inadequacies of my previous schooling. As our world went digital, new schooling opportunities emerged, leading me to the Academy of Thought and Industry and later to The Socratic Experience.
It was these experiences that brought me back to the way I felt years prior in my Montessori classroom. Community, even though we were online, developed much more quickly than it did in public school. We engaged in Socratic discussions on great works and were challenged to problem-solve and think strategically—a place where questioning and thinking deeply were encouraged. I felt alive.
It reminds me of the words often attributed to Einstein: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” It was only at this point that I realized I was that fish, and I could finally swim.
This experience has shaped my vision of education for the betterment of students, parents, and society as a whole. I want to see unconventional education become conventional. We are currently witnessing alternative education approaches shift from the margins of society to the mainstream. This has already started to shape how the general public views education.
Much like buying shoes, there is no one-size-fits-all solution that truly suits all of the unique qualities of a student. Just as we shouldn’t expect one shoe to fit everyone, we shouldn’t expect one education to fit all students.
This is why, as a graduate of alternative schooling, I think it’s important that this is a market process, so that students and parents alike have a say in their education and can choose what best suits them. I have been able to work on many things I wouldn’t have had otherwise with the independence and guidance I was given from my school.
I have witnessed that a single education doesn’t work for every student. While many alternative practices offer a much better education than can be received in a traditional setting, the key is choice. The diversity of options is what will continue to fuel innovation and improve outcomes for all students.
As this shift continues, I believe that education will become much more affordable to families. Innovation and competition will reduce the cost of pioneering schools. Diverse options will flourish, and quality in one’s education will become accessible to every family through grants, scholarships, and new funding models. Education, as a result, will become more accessible, not less.
From personal experience, I can say that alternative education changed my life. It was only through a willingness to try something new that I found my way to the ample opportunities that I have been given. The schools that value independence, curiosity, and critical analysis are the ones that will produce students who go on to shape the future of society. I want to see unconventional education become the norm for every student and for every student to have the chance to be curious, to question, and to love learning.
Finding Success: How Homeschooling Helped Me Discover My Passions
By Wyatt Eichholz
Growing up, the only public education that would have been available to my siblings and me was the Milwaukee Public School system. When my parents were making decisions about how my younger siblings and I would be educated, MPS already had a reputation for poor outcomes, discipline and safety issues, and ideological bias. (Since then, these problems have only worsened.) My parents believed that my best chance for a good education and future success would be found outside the walls of an MPS school.
Thus, one of the most important decisions of my life was made on my behalf by my parents before I had even the slightest idea of what it would mean. My parents refused to send me to MPS but did not have the means to send me and my three younger siblings to an elite private school. However, before having kids of her own, my mother had been a teacher. Confident in her abilities and willing to make sacrifices for our future, my parents decided to educate us at home.
In the early years, my upbringing would have barely been recognizable as an education by today’s public education standards. As an elementary student, I didn’t spend hour after hour shuffling between classrooms while occupied with busy work, as many students in the traditional classroom might. My education was a mix of interactive learning, one-on-one instruction, self-directed study, and free, unstructured play. I fondly recall playing with building blocks or science kits while listening to my history textbook in audio format. I believe that this period was crucial because it taught me that education could be an enjoyable activity, something I could look forward to, rather than just dreaded work.
I was an avid reader during those days. My mom took my siblings and me on frequent trips to a library where we would check out more books than I could hope to read. Sometimes I would read novels for fun. The Mysterious Benedict Society series was one of my favorites. Other times, I pursued more academically-oriented books, on topics as varied as the military history of the Roman Empire or textbooks on chemistry. When it came time to introduce my siblings and me to classic literature, my mother began by reading passages aloud to us. While she read, she would let us play with LEGO or build pillow forts on the couch. Afterward, she would ask us to recite or write summaries of the story, helping us to retain and internalize the lesson of the passage.
(The one school subject that I always avoided was math. I could never get over the notion that math was pointless work, and neither could my brother. He once wrote a poem about how much he hated math. This was especially ironic given that we both ended up graduating from college with degrees in mathematics fields.)
It is often assumed that when one decides to homeschool, it comes at the expense of extracurricular activities. This assumption could not be further from the truth. As it happens, within the homeschool community, there are many offerings available to homeschool students. In my area, there were several homeschool sports teams that would compete (and beat) local schools in the area.
Indeed, it is surprisingly common for people to switch to homeschooling specifically because of their elite pursuits. Plenty of musicians, athletes, actors, and other young performers opt to homeschool because of the flexibility it gives them to pursue their craft at an elite level. The upshot is this: if there is an activity that a student is extremely interested in and dedicated to, homeschooling is an attractive option to make that dream a reality.
I was most involved in speech and debate. Through forensics, I learned skills of communication and persuasion, research skills, and the fundamentals of policy analysis. The lessons I learned through debate not only helped me to excel in high school and college academics but directly translated to my internships and full-time work after college. In this Christian, homeschool-specific league, we focused on tailoring our speeches to a general public audience rather than experienced coaches and alumni, something that directly translated to other public speaking contexts.
As much as they believed in homeschool education, my parents did not want me to feel that I had been “trapped” at home, so as I approached the end of 8th grade, they offered me the choice: if I could earn a scholarship, I could attend a private school for my freshman year. After touring several options and receiving a scholarship for my top choice, I decided to make the leap.
It turned out to be a smashing success. I easily transitioned into a private school setting, quickly overcoming social barriers and making friends despite the aroma of “homeschooler” that no doubt followed me those first few weeks. I excelled academically and finished the year at the top of my class. I got involved in sports and clubs and made tons of great friends. Still, by the end of the school year, my parents and I made the decision to return to homeschooling, believing that I would get more out of a homeschool education.
Homeschooling for the high school years looked different from how it looked previously. I took many classes online from virtual academies, including AP courses for future college credit. While these virtual academies offered programs for students to enroll “full-time” and graduate with an accredited diploma, they also allowed students to take classes à la carte as a way to supplement their other academics.
Through these providers, I studied high-school-level history, science, math, and economics from experienced instructors and professors from across the country and collaborated virtually with students from all over the world.
The mix of homeschooling, private schooling, and extracurricular activities all culminated in my attending the University of Alabama with a full-tuition National Merit Scholarship to study economics, finance, and mathematics. Through their accelerated master’s program, I also pursued a master’s in economics. Now, I work as a policy associate for a free-market-oriented think tank.
My life story is just one example of the homeschooling journey that one may take. I’ve known countless other homeschoolers over the years whose paths looked different compared to mine, including my own siblings. It’s not unheard of to have “mixed” households where some students are schooled at home while others pursue traditional means. The common denominator is always parental choice partnering with the passions of students to unlock their full potential.
And with each passing school year, the potential options available to families multiply. Gone are the days when being homeschooled meant that you spent all your days at home. Today, there is a vast (and quite overwhelming) menu of options to choose from. Forced by the necessity of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a great deal of experimentation with online education, homeschooling “pods,” and microschools. As technology progresses and adoption of nontraditional education continues, the barriers to homeschooling will continue to decrease.
The development of artificial intelligence is a double-edged sword with respect to education. It’s well known by now that students have been using AI to cheat. At the same time, it also has the potential to be an incredible tutor and educational aid. It already can easily summarize and explain complex topics in nearly any field to a student at his or her own level and learning pace. As the field innovates, expect to see AI-powered curricula and tutors that can coach a student through the subject matter for hours on end, with no lack of patience. This could make it easier for any parents to provide their child with a thorough education at home.
I will always be grateful to my parents for putting in the effort and making the sacrifices they did to invest in my education. Even in less-than-ideal settings, parents who show investment in their children’s education will watch them reap huge rewards down the road. I believe that, more than the unique characteristics of a particular school or program, it is the intentionality and purpose with which parents pursue the best possible education for their children, more than any other factor, that determines their ultimate outcomes.
