Homeschool Talks: Ideas And Inspiration For Your Homeschool

Rogers Hellman is an innovator and pioneer for homeschool families and those in need. He initiated a healthcare computer system for underprivileged nations, sowed the seeds of HSLDA’s Compassion Fund, and delivered a moving presentation before the Panama parliament. Rogers joins Jim Mason, HSLDA's President, to engage in an uplifting conversation about small beginnings paving the way for the most beautiful and impactful journeys of making a difference in the lives of others. “I try to give myself the same grace that I give others. We're all struggling, but that's okay. You know, we've got a role to do, and we've got things that we need to do. And loving one another and serving one another is way up there on the list”—Rogers Hellman

When Katy Van Horn asked her mom to homeschool her, her mom didn’t feel equipped. But then, a friend encouraged her that “Christ equips the called”.  This encouragement sparked the beginning of Katy’s homeschool journey. Now, 22 years later, she is taking her own experiences and using them to encourage other families. Join Katy and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) to discover how homeschooling provides an individualized and flexible education that focuses on the heart of your child, and reaches the whole person.  “Having the opportunity to encourage these families [and] say, ‘I know that you can't really see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. And this is looking difficult. But let me tell you, I've been there, and I can tell you there's so much blessing to be had from this choice that you've made to homeschool your kids’”—Katy Van Horn

Aziza Butler's journey from a public-school teacher in Chicago to a passionate homeschooling advocate is inspirational. Frustrated by the overwhelming focus on managing children rather than actual teaching, Aziza decided to homeschool. In her pursuit, she uncovered a powerful truth: the ultimate qualification for being the best teacher for your child is being their parent.  Join Aziza and Jim Mason, President of HSLDA, as they discuss how your heart for your child and commitment to your child’s success that is the center of an excellent education.  “You don’t know who your kids will touch because of how you invest in them. You never know who you might impact because you have reached out and told [them] about homeschooling. [You] gave them permission to think and dream differently for their family and for their community.”— Aziza Butler

Historically, child protective service investigations happen at the school; however, for homeschooling families, education happens in the home. When investigating homeschoolers, officials must knock on the door of the single most protected place under the United States Constitution: the home.  HSLDA President, Jim Mason, shares his first-hand experience with defending member families with a common thread: infringement of their 4th Amendment rights.  Rest assured, HSLDA is just a phone call away to protect your rights and your innocence, and to give you peace of mind just like these families.  “We have [cases like the Berryman’s to create precedent] from what happened to the Curry family [from happening again]. But that doesn't happen without years and years and years of laboring in that vineyard and actually understanding the law.” —Jim Mason

Servant leadership and parenting go hand-in-hand. Leading your family well is no small task! As a homeschool parent, it can be hard to see the fruits of your labor some days, but as Phil Tuttle (Walk Thru the Bible) finds, Christ equips the called, and parenting is one of the greatest callings and expressions of leadership. Join Phil and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) as they discuss parenting, leadership, and the culture of today.  “I think parenting is one of the greatest expressions of leadership there is. I may just be focused on my four kids or my seven grandkids, you might say. ‘And how is that ever going to change the world?’ You never know. What you trade for breadth you make up for in depth. And then that is released in all sorts of ways by God. So, I mean, I'm always going to put the spotlight on parenting as the best laboratory of leadership development that there is.””—Phil Tuttle

The modern era of home education began in the 1950s and has continued to grow dramatically since. Join Jim Mason (HSLDA President) and homeschool mom and researcher Dixie Dillion Lane as they discuss the history of homeschooling through the lens of Dixie’s doctoral thesis, “Leaving School.” Dixie provides a historian’s perspective on the various eras of homeschooling and Jim details HSLDA’s role in establishing and maintaining homeschool freedom. Dixie also shares the immense joy that she has found in homeschooling her own children. “This feeling that the legality is gray, that you're in a gray area of the law? Not so much anymore, but for many, many decades that really affected the behavior of homeschoolers. Well, this is a really intriguing story […] One that involves both determination and fear and how the fear eventually became smaller and the determination stronger” —Dixie Dillion Lane

Did you know that HSLDA has helped members in a wide variety of homeschool-related cases from veteran affairs and social security benefits to issues with local school districts? Listen in as Kevin Boden (HSLDA Staff Attorney) and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) discuss past cases that have had significant influence on homeschool freedom and why these cases serve as a reminder that we must, as James Madison said many years ago, “take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties.”  “It would have been really easy [to comply with the school district]. . . . [But] by standing up at that very early intrusion into liberty, not only do other school districts in Virginia not follow suit . . . but it also [tells] these officials that homeschoolers know the law; they respect and follow the law, but they want you to do that too. And they will make you do it if you don’t do it in the first place.”—Jim Mason

Each child is unique, and so is their learning style. Join Jim Mason and entrepreneur Greg Heinemann for a discussion on the entrepreneurial spirit and how homeschooling facilitates outside-the-box thinking, allowing parents to create an environment that fits the needs of each student, helping them grow into flourishing adults.   “The beauty of homeschooling is that the parents have already rejected the normal way of doing something. . . . [These kids] tend to be born into entrepreneurial thinking or an alternative way of thinking. [Homeschool students and graduates] are better critical thinkers. . . . They often have better work ethic because the parents instilled that in them through the homeschooling process. They know how to get information and solve problems.”—Greg Heinemann

Melissa Capps never wanted to be a teacher—until she sat in a school conference with her oldest son’s first grade teacher. She decided, right then and there, that it was time bring her child home. Despite the challenges that lay ahead—homeschooling children with special needs and navigating her husband’s unemployment in 2020—Melissa has persevered, seeking out resources and community that equip her to keep homeschooling.  “A lot of moms start homeschooling and they get about a year or two in and send their kids back to school. That’s the [encouragement] I want to give: we need to reach out to other moms. . .to get confidence, [to] find community that can step in and encourage you along the way … There are many, especially young, homeschool moms that [feel overwhelmed]. But, [homeschooling] is really about the heart and your connection with your kids.”—Melissa Capps

What will be your family legacy? For author and speaker Ainsley Arment, it starts by defining and then creating a family culture together with your kids. Join Ainsley and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) for a conversation about Wild + Free Homeschooling. In this episode, they discuss how homeschooling is much more than an educational option—and how it can lead to an amazing connection with your children.   “I want moms to know that they’re not alone. I want them to know that if they desire to create a family culture that goes against culture and society, that they’re not alone, that they’re doing an incredible work. I want moms to feel encouraged on the days when they are tired and weary, or when they don’t feel like their efforts matter. I want to remind moms that they matter, that everything they do matters, and that they are creating an incredible legacy with the work that they’re doing, day-to-day.”—Ainsley Arment

At 13 years old, Ian Reid was a homeschool student in Northern Idaho, creating fun videos as a hobby with his friends. That year, he came up with the name for his future company: Distant Moon. He now runs Distant Moon full-time, directing projects for clients across the US. In this episode, Ian (founder of Distant Moon) joins Jeremiah Lorrig (Deputy Director of HSLDA’s Generation Joshua) to discuss how homeschooling provided the opportunity to foster creative skills. They also chat about Ian’s latest project—an online civics course.  “I think if you homeschool, you have the opportunity to dive into these things at the level to which you personally feel driven, if you are driven to become someone who understands how to tell stories … dive into history, dive into philosophy, dive into theology, and study what has come before you, because only then will you understand how you, as a human being, can participate in the great tradition of storytelling.”—Ian Reid

As soon as she dropped off her eldest daughter at public school for her first day of classes, Latasha Fields knew she needed to homeschool. Now a homeschool mom and advocate for parents rights, Latasha Fields joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) to discuss the amazing journey that homeschooling has offered her family. She shares how she is reaching other families in the Chicago area to offer support and raise awareness that homeschooling is possible! “It just does my heart so well because what my children have, I didn’t have. Seeing through them and seeing how they light up with me and their dad—I just love it. I just love homeschooling, and I love my kids.”—Latasha Fields

He hadn’t even turned 1 before she realized he was gifted. As a toddler, Casey Amarnek’s son displayed a remarkable understanding of letters and words—even before he was speaking. Having firsthand classroom experience as a public school teacher, Casey decided that the flexibility and customization of homeschooling was just what her son needed. And the result has been life-changing for both of them. Join Casey and Daniel Heffington (HSLDA’s Generation Joshua) as they discuss the blessings and adventures of homeschooling—and how HSLDA Compassion was able to come alongside Casey in her homeschool journey. “There’s going to be hard days. There’s going to be easy days. There will be a whole lot of fun along the way. And just look for the good, because it will all end up coming together at the end.”—Casey Amarnek  

How can the flexibility of homeschooling allow your child to chase their passions? Allison DeMarco (Sacred Music Florida Competition) joins Jeremiah Lorrig (HSLDA’s Generation Joshua) in this conversation on all things music. They talk about ways that parents and children can learn together—and how homeschooling paved the way for Allison’s daughter to study music at Juilliard! “I really don’t know how [my daughter] could be where she is right now without homeschooling. . . . She basically practiced and practiced for two solid years [after completing high school early and entering a dual enrollment program online]. And before that she was taking regular lessons and doing a lot of work. But I said, ‘If you’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right. And we have to work hard.’”—Allison DeMarco

What does healthy independence for kids look like? Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow has been studying this idea ever since she made headlines for letting her 9-year-old son ride the subway home by himself. In this episode, Lenore joins HSLDA President Jim Mason to discuss what she’s learned about unstructured play and child independence. Lenore and Jim also chat about the recent bill that passed in Virginia to revise the law regarding parental supervision—and how these types of bills affect homeschooling families. “None of us wants a job where we’re micromanaged. Neither do kids. You want an employee, an adult, and a child to be able to figure some things out for themselves. . . . There are all those social and emotional skills that they learn—like how to get along, make something happen, or deal with conflict—that [kids] learn when an adult is not running the deal for them.”—Lenore Skenazy

During the pandemic, Carla Konta saw homeschooling become a viable option in Croatia. With the support of other families and a global homeschooling network, she co-founded a homeschooling organization that is seeking to legalize homeschooling in her country. In this episode, Carla joins Kevin Boden (HSLDA Director of Global Outreach) to share her vision for homeschooling to be legally recognized in Croatia.—They also examine the perspectives of other homeschooling families, who look to the United States as an example of freedom in educational choice. Now, with the Croatian Ministry of Education launching a pilot program for homeschooling, Croatian families are one step closer to securing this freedom! “Education is changing worldwide. And this is a process that is going on in many countries and [parents] have many dissatisfactions [with the school system]. . . . We don’t have to wait for this change. To have this international community means that you can . . . work on solving the problems now.”— Carla Konta

No matter what military base your family is assigned to, HSLDA is here to support you in your homeschool journey! Natalie Mack (HSLDA Military Outreach Coordinator) is working hard to create a positive and nourishing environment for military homeschooling families by fostering connections within the military community. In this episode of Homeschool Talks, join Jim Mason (HSLDA President) and Natalie for a conversation about how HSLDA is serving homeschool military families in many different ways: from communicating with school liaison officers from different military branches, offering education to military recruiters, and sponsoring military homeschool events, to connecting with military installations across the country—and the globe! “I want recruiters to know how qualified homeschoolers are! I want the recruiters to understand what [homeschool] transcripts tend to look like and the quality and caliber of students that are graduated as homeschoolers. I want them to see how awesome homeschoolers are in term

What are Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)—and what do they mean for homeschool freedom? Join Amy Buchmeyer (HSLDA Staff Attorney) in this discussion with Jim Mason (HSLDA President). They’ll talk about: The arguments surrounding ESAs How public funding for homeschooling could increase regulation What Amy and Jim are seeing in the current 2023 legislative season Why HSLDA, a liberty-based organization, is regularly opposing ESA bills  “Where the focus isn’t on liberty, accountability is going to be the focus. And some of these bills, they mean tremendous amounts of money are flowing, which is sort of alarming because I homeschooled seven children over almost 30 years, some of these bills would have brought in tens, maybe hundreds, of thousands of dollars over that time. There’s an enormous fiscal impact that I don’t hear a lot of people talking about.”—Jim Mason 

For Shirley Calabretta and her family, a normal homeschooling day in October 1994 quickly turned into a nightmare when a social worker and police officer entered their home without a warrant—only an anonymous tip. Shirley quickly called HSLDA, who took her case. What happened next would end up helping thousands of families, protecting their right to homeschool moving forward. In this episode, Shirley joins HSLDA President Jim Mason to share her story. “I have heard from a lot of parents since this [case], and they let [CPS] in because they have nothing to hide. They trust them because they are there to protect the law and you feel like they are obeying the law. They are under authority and should know the limits to their investigation—but that is not always the case.”—Shirley Calabretta  

In 2023, HSLDA is celebrating its 40th anniversary! To celebrate, HSLDA President Jim Mason is looking back with our two founding Mikes—Mike Farris and Mike Smith. Listen as they recall some of the cases and countless families that HSLDA has defended over the past 40 years and how HSLDA is looking towards the future with hope and more determination than ever to keep making homeschooling possible. “The need [for HSLDA and homeschool state organizations] is as great today as it was then, because the legislature is going to be where the primary battle will be on homeschooling to maintain our freedom.”—Mike Smith