Category Archives: Homeschooling

For many – THIS is the one singular option that is available. It is not for everyone, as there may be family and/or other issues which would prevent this option – however – think back – at one point in time – our parents were teaching us at home – from the very beginning. In the early days of this nation – all of the teaching was done at home. If one has concerns for the future of their children – THIS is where you SHOULD be looking.

Homeschooling in Missouri: A Quiet but Seismic Shift

Get your children OUT of the System – NOW – and keep them OUT!

Historically, homeschooling rates in Missouri hovered around 3% — roughly one in 30 students (Getty Images)

Over the past few years, education in Missouri has undergone a quiet but seismic shift. What’s most interesting about this change is that it’s happening outside of schools. Continue reading

Homeschooling Rates Surge Across the Country in the Wake of COVID

Homeschooling is growing across the country following the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report.

The Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy’s Homeschool Research Lab reported its analysis of the homeschooling rate for 21 states for the 2023-2024 academic year. The report also noted that only 30 states keep track of their homeschooling numbers.

Among the 21 states that reported their homeschooling participation for the 2023-2024 school year, only two showed a decline. The other 19 states showed increases, ranging from slight to significant. Continue reading

Couple Buy Abandoned Boy Scout Camp to Homeschool Kids — Tell Their Wild ‘Unschooling’ Strategy

The Morans “unschool” on an abandoned Boy Scout camp, where they live in rural Arkansas. Courtesy of Taylor Moran

Raising homeschooled kids on an abandoned Boy Scout camp means never having clean hands – as they build log cabins, tree stump sundials, and a lifetime of memories of fishing by the creek.

The microbes in dirt are great for kids!

So says Taylor Moran, 33, who graduated to be a public school teacher but opted out of teaching in public schools. She prefers to educate her children at home, ideally outdoors. She believes microbes build our immune systems and help our brains produce serotonin. Continue reading

Illinois Dad Homeschools 3 Kids on Adventures ~ Cliff Jumping, Carp Shooting to Raise ‘Brave’ Kids

The Wallicks along on their adventures in homeschooling. Courtesy of Nate Wallick

When dad Nate Wallick had to choose between enrolling his three young kids in public school or leading them on adventures – cliff jumping, canyoneering, and carp shooting across America – it was a no-brainer. Adventures would be had, and there’d be no public schooling at all.

So Wallick, 40, a firefighter from Chicago with a phys-ed degree, and his wife, Sally, packed their furniture and fled the suburbs for a farm a few miles outside Peoria, Illinois. He got his captain’s license, bought a boat, and started leading extreme fishing tours to hunt the carp that teem and jump like crazy from the Illinois River. He takes clients out to shoot the fish from motorboats with bows and arrows tied to strings.

Sometimes they even do this on waterskis.

When their kids were old enough, the family pointed to places on a map where they’d never been and hit the road in the RV they got just for this purpose. The kids didn’t enroll in public school. Instead, they experienced homeschooling as few know it. Wallick and his wife had discussed this before they married. Continue reading

Homeschooling Numbers Continue to Climb After COVID-19 Pandemic

‘The growth is not driven by a global pandemic or sudden disruptions to traditional schooling.’

Sharomka/Shutterstock

New data from the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy’s homeschool research lab show that 90 percent of states reporting data saw an increase in homeschooling in the 2023–2024 school year.

The report examined data from 21 out of 30 states that collect or report homeschool participation information. The other nine states are expected to report data in the coming months. Continue reading

5 Suggestions for New Homeschoolers

The most important thing is to stick with it and believe you can.

Homeschooling can be daunting, but it is a task that you can definitely take on. (Julija Sulkovska/Shutterstock)

As summer winds down, millions of families are gearing up to begin a new homeschool year. For some, it will be their first foray into homeschool life. The homeschool path, of course, isn’t the easiest choice, and starting out into the unknown tends to be the hardest part of the journey.

So, for those brave parents choosing for the first time to take back the reins and steer their own children’s education and development, here’s some advice… Continue reading

Sharing Her Unique Experience: Former School Teacher Turns to Homeschooling Her Gifted Child

A mom of a gifted child – with 15 years of experience in the teaching profession – is sharing her unique experience of homeschooling her daughter and how it’s been a blessing and growing experience for her family.

Caroline learning the alphabet. (Courtesy of Sallie Borrink)

“As we approach the end of our [homeschooling] journey, I can say it has been completely worth it,” Mrs. Sallie Borrink told The Epoch Times. “We can see how all of the hard work spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally has paid off.” Continue reading

Unschooling: The Radical Education Trend Raising Eyebrows

Some parents are letting their children lead their education

Without direct instruction, will kids pick up reading and math naturally? (Image credit: llustration by Julia Wytrazek)

Since the pandemic, there has been a noticeable surge in homeschooling. Now, a different pedagogical trend called “unschooling” is gaining momentum, sparking controversy and debate online.

In June, spiritual influencer Mami Onami went viral after discussing unschooling or “free schooling” her children. “We don’t teach our children anything,” she said in a TikTok video. “Everything that they learn is in response to either their interest or their questions.” With no set curriculum or school hours, she and her partner “just respond whenever [her kids] wanna know something and do our best to make sure they really get it.” Mami Onami’s declaration has led to backlash on social media, with many commenters questioning her parenting. However, she is not alone in pursuing this alternative route to educating her children. Continue reading

Homeschooled Girl Started College at Age 14, Will Graduate This Fall at 19 With a Bachelor’s Degree

“For anybody going into this … you need to have that discipline to get to see it through.”

Ms. Kyles with her Pi Sigma Alpha certificate for academic excellence in the field of political science. (Courtesy of Melissa Wheeler)

A homeschool student who began attending college at age 14 is gearing up to complete her bachelor’s degree, graduating from the University of the Pacific this fall.

Abigail Kyles, 19, is a college student from California and the daughter of Melissa Wheeler, 44, who directs a homeschool resource center.

Born and raised in Bakersfield, Ms. Kyles was homeschooled through high school, which enabled her to begin attending Bakersfield College, a junior college, when she was just 14. This made her a college freshman and high school freshman at the same time.

“She graduated high school at 16 years old and is now finishing up her four-year degree at University of the Pacific,” the proud mom told The Epoch Times.

Although many public schools offer dual enrollment, they do not allow students to take a heavier college course load the way Ms. Kyles did. Ms. Wheeler believes homeschooling was the secret to her daughter’s success, allowing the teen to take all the college courses she took and graduate at a young age. Continue reading

Teen Breaks Homeschooling Stereotypes, Reveals How It Strengthened Her Family Bond, Confidence, and Faith!

(Illustration by The Epoch Times, Courtesy of Nadine Lauffer, Courtesy of Emma Reese Photography)

Eighteen-year-old Nadine Lauffer has become part of a movement of homeschooling families who are debunking myths surrounding the community. With her weekly podcasts, she’s also been helping teens homeschool fearlessly through high school.

Ms. Lauffer, currently based in Pennsylvania, spent years growing up in the Netherlands and Florida as her dad used to work in chemical engineering sales.

At the age of 3, she began her educational journey at a Dutch-speaking school. However, when her family moved to Florida, she had to restart kindergarten since she didn’t know any English but successfully overcame that challenge. Continue reading

Are Public Schools in Decline? Survey of Teachers Says Yes!

Eighty-two percent of teachers say that the general state of public K-12 education has gotten worse over the past five years. This is according to a new Pew Research Center survey conducted in October and November of 2023. That’s not the only shocking statistic from the survey, either, which overall offers a grim statistical map of the fault lines fracturing our education system. However, these trends may offer some insight into how to fix our schools.

First, the teachers. Most teachers (77 percent) find their job frequently stressful, and a large majority (70 percent) say their school is understaffed, which may contribute to the fact that over 80 percent of teachers say they do not have enough time in the work day to complete all necessary tasks. Continue reading

Scientific American Declares War on Homeschooling, Calls for Fed. Regulations

Donya Grant, works on a homeschool lesson with her son Kemper, 14, as her daughter Rowyn, 11, works at right, at their home in Monroe, Wash./AP Photo

Scientific American magazine urged the federal government to regulate homeschooling and suggested that parents of homeschooled children should “undergo a background check.” Continue reading

How to Fix American Education: The Parallel Education System

Millions of Americans have woken up to the fact that their education system is rotten to the core. As elite universities are engulfed by antisemitic riots, their veil of prestige has been torn to shreds. It is by now clear to many that, in the words of Christopher Rufo, the radical left has conquered everything.

What, then, is to be done? Many, Rufo included, are doing their best to stem the tide of revolutionary ideology through direct political engagement. Their hard work is paying off. In recent months, universities are beginning to move away from mandatory diversity statements. This is just the beginning…
Continue reading

The Hidden Benefits of Homeschool (From a Homeschool Graduate)

These days, it’s almost common knowledge that homeschooled students have a better academic education, do better in college and careers, and are regarded as “smarter” than students from public schools. Homeschooling families typically gravitate toward this educational lifestyle to avoid the public school environment, to prioritize their faith and family values, to adjust to a more flexible and forgiving lifestyle, and to offer their children a better childhood than that found in public schools. Yes to all! These are wonderful reasons to choose homeschooling and should be widely shared and celebrated. Continue reading

Homeschoolers Don’t Need Government Regulation

Since 2020, the number of families participating in homeschooling has increased significantly, and with it, discussions about regulations. Currently, regulations of homeschoolers are a state-by-state phenomenon, with Pennsylvania and New York among the states with the most regulations and Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma with the least. Examples of regulations include requiring parents to submit a letter of intent to homeschool prior to removing their children from the classroom, having teaching qualifications, teaching specific subjects, having evidence of vaccinations, schooling each child for a certain number of hours, and more.

One of the many reasons for the push for regulations has to do with the desire to protect children from isolation, educational neglect, and other more-violent forms of abuse. Continue reading

Streitel: Public Schools Have No Respect for the Students or Their Parents

Some of us may remember the Helen Lovejoy character in The Simpsons, who would appear any time some catastrophe befell the town and plaintively wail, Won’t someone please think of the children?!

The joke here, of course, is that as long as you do something in the name of helping children, it must be right, and you must be virtuous.

Such sentiments are easily ridiculed in cartoons, but unfortunately, they take root in reality like Russian knapweed despite copious evidence undermining their veracity. Consider your own government-school experiences, whether as a student, parent, or interested observer… Continue reading

A Hybrid Homeschool That Gives Control to Parents, Focuses on Tradition — and Includes God

(Courtesy of Renae Zentz)

Ten years ago, a visionary mom embarked on a homeschooling journey with a heartfelt admiration for traditional American values, a never-ending love of learning, and a mission to spread kindness. Many families came on board, one after another, and together they are creating a subtle yet significant difference in our society.

I know this woman and her family personally and feel honored to be one of the teachers at this hybrid homeschool. Let me take you on an educational adventure to this institute that embraces God and prioritizes families. Continue reading

Feeling Unqualified to Homeschool? 8 Resources to Get Started

If you’re feeling unqualified to homeschool, you’re not alone. The question of what and how to teach stressed me out early on in my homeschooling journey.

I found that having a good curriculum did a great deal to reduce my fears of not being qualified to teach. I wanted to strike a balance between bookwork, memorization, and fun interactive activities. I wanted to make sure to impart to my kids the basic body of knowledge necessary for a good education, yet I didn’t want to burn them out with endless worksheets. Continue reading

The Inspiring Front Lines of the 20th-Century Homeschool Revolution

          “We’re having a Revolution uh-huh…”

When she was a young girl, Sandra Day O’Connor began her education at home. Her early years of schooling on an Arizona ranch were sitting at the kitchen table with her mother, learning to read, and taking long nature walks.

I read this, and this scene of serenity, this future Supreme Court Justice, beginning her education at home, formed an image in my mind of what might be possible. Continue reading

The Side of Homeschooling We Don’t Talk About Enough

As a veteran homeschooler, I am well aware of what a marathon this lifestyle can be. There’s no break when you live and work in the same place.

It’s time to take a deep breath and assess the situation. Burnout is a normal part of homeschooling. Everyone experiences it at one time or another, and it’s often associated with feelings of being distracted, overworked, and overwhelmed. Continue reading