Homeschool Talks: Ideas And Inspiration For Your Homeschool

Dr. Brian Ray has been studying homeschooling before we even knew what to call it! Brian and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) discuss advocacy research, conflicting worldviews at play, and the importance of peer reviewed studies protecting against these biases. You won’t want to miss this insightful conversation on home education research and what the next generation of research may look like! “What are [homeschoolers vs public schoolers] doing now in life, you know, occupation. Are they married? Do they go to college or not go to college? Do they vote? Do they volunteer? Are they happy or not? Are they depressed or not? Do they feel fulfilled in life or not? Group study can help us know what is happening. And if we think these five things are good things, what was going on growing up that was connected? So I think a piece of the new generation of research is going to be looking within groups.”—Dr. Brian Ray

Homeschool moms juggle many different roles, and Anne Miller is no exception! But for her, one of those roles led to becoming a key advocate for homeschooling in her state. Join Anne Miller, Executive Director and President of the Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV), and Jim Mason, President of HSLDA, as they reflect on the importance of advocacy, 40 years of homeschool freedom, and the incredible growth of the homeschooling community. Hear Anne's inspiring journey from volunteering with HEAV to leading the organization as Executive Director and President! “There are vast numbers of homeschool families now. We're not alone anymore. I'll tell you, in the 1980s, we felt very alone. We only knew one family. And then we found this small group that we didn't even know existed! But now, everybody knows a homeschooler. There are homeschoolers probably right on your block or around the corner. They're everywhere.”—Anne Miller

Being present and giving the attention and experiences your child needs to flourish is important. That’s why Houlie Duque, Founder of Homeschool to Go, wants you to find your family’s rhythm! Join Houlie and Will Estrada (HSLDA Attorney) as they discuss her bilingual curriculum, how she is supporting parents in their homeschool journeys, and how her own childhood homeschool journey of just three months propelled her to the top of her class. “If you give your children that presence and that attention, you will watch them flourish. That's all that a child needs. When they're little kids in kindergarten and they're like ‘look what I can do!’, they are in a constant search for [affirmation]. From experience, but also from studies, I know this to be one of the most determining factors in flourishing and becoming of an individual. So when I say truly present, it really is as simple as that is. Sitting down eye level with your child and doing something together when you're not distracted by external responsibilitie

Dr. Brian Ray and Professor Danish (Dany) Shakeel launched their investigation into calls for homeschooling bans—when no significant data exists to justify these demands. After conducting an in-depth study that shed new light on the factors contributing to child welfare, their research revealed that risks were double outside the home, proving that the family plays a crucial role in protecting children—and home is the safest place to be. Join Jim Mason, HSLDA President, and Dany Shakeel as they dive into these findings and discuss what his research means for the homeschooling community and how it disproves the recent, unsupported allegations that homeschooling leads to abuse. “If you compare the numbers, the statistics—the incidences of abuse are double in social settings as compared to at home, which means that the family is the protector of children, as compared to someone else. This makes theoretical sense because any nonsocial actor who is not a part of a family is not likely to care about the child. And

Homeschooling doesn’t mean doing public school at home, and it doesn’t mean you have to homeschool like your friend with 15 years of homeschool experience. Your journey is unique! Dena Bless joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in an encouraging conversation about beginning your homeschool journey, the importance of community, and how to (and why you should) connect with your state organization or local homeschool group. Enjoy their discussion on the benefits of homeschooling and fostering relationships with your children. “I remember when I started [homeschooling], I was afraid. Can I actually do this? Will I do enough? Will I do too much? Will I ruin my kids? Will I never graduate [my kids] or never have enough knowledge or whatever? I think a big part of what [community] does is provide that support of, yes, you can do it and your homeschool doesn't have to look like everybody else's home school, right? Your family is different.”—Dena Bless

Jeffrey Lewis, President of Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE), joins Jim Mason, President of HSLDA, in this second part on what is happening in Illinois. They discuss the recent call for more homeschool regulations in Illinois, and what homeschool families can do to face this new wave of opposition to homeschool freedom happening in the United States. “Government officials want to do things that are going to make society better. And they feel like counting things, tallying things, registering things is often a way to help. It's an expensive thing to do. But it doesn't always do much other than count things. . .And so all of the families, the thousands and thousands of families in Illinois, who've been doing a great job schooling their children at home, now are going to have an extra burden that could put them in jeopardy if they don't comply. And they haven't done anything wrong.”—Jeffrey Lewis

Meet Jeffrey Lewis, homeschool dad, attorney, and president of Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE). In part 1 of this conversation with Jim Mason, HSLDA President, learn about the current legal landscape of homeschooling (especially in Illinois,) the media attention on further restricting home education freedom, and how Illinois homeschool families engage with lawmakers. “We've encouraged our homeschooling families: get to know your local lawmakers, get to know your local senators and representatives, so that they actually know who you are and where you are. Not so they can count you, but so that they know that you’re good, upstanding citizens that work in your communities, who vote, and [who] play a role in trying to do the right things that a society needs in order to keep being that society.” — Jeffrey Lewis

What does the future hold as we face a new wave of opposition to homeschooling? In this episode, Jim Mason highlights how homeschooling can provide real solutions for society, and how homeschooling has evolved from a movement into a mature and enduring institution. This transformation is largely due to the crucial role families and state organizations have played in advocating for homeschool freedom alongside HSLDA. “Healthy institutions play a vital role in positively shaping the character of those they serve by encouraging and modeling virtue, which in turn encourages and models virtue to their communities. Could it be that we have already built a new institution, an institution built up around a community voluntarily associating together for a healthy purpose?”—Jim Mason

HSLDA is committed to continually improving homeschool laws in every state—like HSLDA’s attorney for Ohio, Amy Buchmeyer, just assisted with! Ohio's archaic homeschool law, dating back to the 1980s, was finally updated thanks to the tireless work of homeschool families alongside HSLDA. Join Amy and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in a conversation about the evolving legal landscape across the states, as well as the increased media attention on homeschooling. Amy, a homeschool graduate turned attorney, will share her unique perspective on defending homeschooling rights and the significant improvements she helped achieve. “There’s something about being homeschooled, about getting to have the space to learn at your pace, to learn with your family, to get out and have hands-on learning. You don't always get that when you're sitting at a desk from 8 to 3. When I was homeschooled, I could read in a tree. I could do all kinds of things to keep myself engaged in the learning process. And it worked. My mom instilled in al

Whether you homeschool or not, it's crucial for freedom-loving people to be aware of the recent legislative offensive against homeschooling in West Virginia and other states. Tune in to the first part of our series where Kevin Boden, HSLDA Attorney for West Virginia, and Jim Mason, HSLDA President, examine why there has been recent opposition to homeschooling that is making headlines. Kevin and Jim will focus on why West Virginia is pushing for more homeschool regulation and highlight how HSLDA is standing with the homeschool community. Don't miss this essential discussion on safeguarding our rights and freedoms, not just in West Virginia, but across the United States.

Entrepreneurship is a fundamental aspect of homeschooling: figuring out what works best for your child’s education and finding resources to support that. Join Dr. Brian Baugus (Associate Professor at Regent University and Author of An Economic Theory of Homeschooling) and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in a discussion on how homeschooling springs from entrepreneurship, fostering individualized education as parents invest in new ways to teach their children. “One of the sure signs that a homeschool was bound to have problems, and maybe even fail, is that they were trying to recreate public school. . .The most successful homeschoolers are the ones who jettison that entire model for a different kind of model. Those are the ones who are investing their time to figure out what works for their child. In the most efficient way possible, [they are] frequently going out and finding [or] building new networks. I think network school is a more accurate description of what a successful homeschool does. The parent is a gene

Explore the connection that strong family relationships and church community have on the next generation. Dr. Terry Linhart, founder and CEO of Arbor Research Group and Executive Director of Bethel University’s Extension Studies joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in a discussion on his various research projects. Together, they delve into an insightful discussion on the influence of familial relationships, the next generations societal well-being, and how our upbringing can shape virtues through institutional frameworks. “I think the child centered approach to education and individuality is very important. And that's the richness of why we love homeschooling, isn't it? It's the thing that we get to focus on the child and help. One of the loud cries from our research of parents in a local community is that about 20% of them just really would love to see a healthy mentor for their kid. . . That’s what I see with homeschooling and my grandkids and the kids in our community [who] are involved in homeschooling. [Ho

Sue Manning’s homeschool journey began while her family was stationed in Japan with the military. Embracing the freedom and flexibility that homeschooling offers, she wants other families to experience the same! Join Sue (Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators) and your host, Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in a discussion on finding and fostering connection in the homeschooling community.  “Comparing yourself to other families is tough, [especially] in this day and age of social media. If you're a homeschool mom and you have made this choice because God directed you to do it, just keep swimming. . .find a friend that you can talk to. My biggest encouragement is: Stop comparing yourself [to others] and find a friend.” –Sue Manning

When faced with difficult life situations, it is critical to be resilient. As a homeschooling parent navigating through numerous life changes, Shari McMinn understands the challenges of adapting your life to fit your homeschool and family priorities! Join Shari and Darren Jones, HSLDA Group Services Attorney, in a conversation about the journey of single parenthood, adoption, and balancing work and homeschooling.  “This is a season of your life that will pass, and God will see you through it. Your children will be forever grateful that you said, you know, ‘I'm going to give up [or] I'm going to cut back on things. I'm going to prioritize so that I can support my family [and] homeschool my children.'”—Shari McMinn

Parenting isn’t always a peaceful journey, but in Marisol Rodero’s household, home education fosters a lifestyle of learning and discovery. Join Marisol and HSLDA Senior Counsel, Will Estrada, to discuss the joys of homeschooling and how a unique journey can be tailored for each student. Marisol’s wisdom springs from her own experience as she went from attorney to full-time homeschool mom and founder of Nobis Pacem, a bilingual homeschool curriculum! “You can do [all the same things with each of your students]: talk about books, talk about learning, make it fun for them. In the end, you can't really expect all your kids to love learning the same way, but they all will [love learning] in their own unique way. That’s freeing.”—Marisol Rodero

Phylicia Masonheimer, homeschool mom, graduate, and founder of Every Woman A Theologian, joins your host Jim Mason, President of HSLDA, in an encouraging conversation about embracing the calling of homeschooling. In this episode, they discuss Phylicia’s ministry, how she has learned the importance of patience on her homeschool journey, and her advocacy work for homeschool freedom.  “One of the things that people often say to homeschool parents is, well, I could never do that. I'm not patient enough. And it's a frustrating thing for homeschool parents to hear because it's actually quite dismissive. It says that patience is something inherent, that you're born with it. That is really dismissive of how much work it is for homeschool parents to show up every day. Patience is a discipline. It's a fruit of the spirit. It's something that we have worked in us by doing hard work over and over, by being willing to sacrifice and lay ourselves down. Patience is a muscle. It grows as it is used.”—Phylicia Masonheimer

How do we embrace change? Sometimes, it’s hardest to do at home. Howard Schmidt joins your host, Jim Mason, to discuss Howard’s homeschool journey as a parent, his career as Vice President & General Manager at Lennox International, and his newest adventure working in the academic setting at Patrick Henry College as Executive Vice President. Gain insight into how he is equipping leaders to view challenges as opportunities in an ever-changing environment.  “Maybe you're going through a time of flux [in your home education journey], maybe it’s a difficult time. Just hit the slow down [button] (but never [the] stop button) and pray about it! Find some people to sit down and have the discussion. Why are we here? Why do we do this? And I can tell you, the purpose of homeschooling is so immense”—Howard Schmidt

Protecting homeschool freedom means protecting the home. HSLDA co-founder Mike Farris joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in a discussion on 4th Amendment cases that HSLDA has taken on over the years. Protecting homeschool freedom starts with protecting families in their homes from unreasonable searches and seizures. Learn from them why it is important for parents to know their rights, know when and how to respectfully assert them, and know when to call HSLDA–here to help you should problems arise.  “We have information on our website [for parents]. They don't need to be experts [to know homeschool law]. They just need to know the basics. Our attorneys can [handle these situations quickly]. Other attorneys could figure it out in due course, but it's expensive, and it would take them a while. HSLDA’s ability to turn it around rapidly is because this is our expertise.”—Mike Farris

Lauren Gideon saw her children struggling with their workbooks and became determined to find a curriculum that worked for her family. Join Lauren and your host, Jim Mason, as they discuss children’s individuality and the need for a unique education that fits their needs. Discover how parents can enjoy the freedom and opportunity to define their educational goals! “Enjoy [homeschooling]. Kids learn a lot more when they're having fun. Assume that you won't get it right the first time! And that's okay. I probably have pivoted more than most in homeschooling, and each time I learn something. I learned what I didn't want to do in my homeschool. And through that, I [have] curated a vision for what I wanted”—Lauren Gideon

Meet Abraham Hamilton, general counsel of American Family Association and host of the Hamilton Corner, a daily radio program. Abraham joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) to explore the power of discipleship in homeschooling and Abraham’s dedication to homeschooling, a commitment that he and his wife made long before welcoming their own children into the world. “[Homeschooling] has been a phenomenal journey. One of the things we found is that our children have cultivated a voracious appetite for learning; they view learning as an outgrowth of their commitment to Christ”—Abraham Hamilton