About Simple Homeschool

Stefani Austin

Stefani is an old fashioned girl living in a house full of southern gentlemen. As a homeschooler, she spends her days identifying beetles, drawing maps of imaginary worlds, reenacting the great battles of history and otherwise trying to keep up with the insatiable curiosity – and appetites -  of her three young sons.

Stefani is passionate about living slowly and creatively in order to better preserve the simple joys of family life. In an effort to help other families do the same, Stefani and her sons have created The Book of Days, a seasonal ezine full of fun ideas for families. Stefani also writes about her journey to mindful parenting at her blog, Blue Yonder Ranch.

Jena Borah

Jena’s career as an education philosopher began at the age of six, playing teacher with her little brother.  Years later, she earned a teaching certificate and accepted a position in an ideal classroom, full of her favorite learners. Her first graduate was her son, a National Merit Scholar who is now on a full ride scholarship at the University of Chicago. Next in line is a daughter who will graduate homeschool in 2010 and is accepted at the college of her choice. Her youngest child attends public high school after enjoying elementary school at home.

Jena lives in a 100-year-old church building with her husband, two daughters, and hundreds of mason jars (for their Etsy store Midwest Finds). Her blog, Yarns of the Heart, gives a glimpse into her passion for parenting and her firm belief that homeschooling can be as simple as following your heart.

Amida Lee

Amida is the mom of a middle, grade, and preschooler. She started homeschooling her first born when he was three-years-old and hasn’t looked back since. In addition to having fun at home, she and her family treks all over the San Francisco Bay Area looking for adventures. So far, they’ve visited numerous science museums, participated in historical reenactments, taken lessons in art museums, witnessed the flowering of the rare corpse plant, studied woodlands, towed plankton, attended ballets and symphonies, as well as volunteered many hours in habitat restoration and beach clean ups.

Aside from homeschooling, Amida is a crafter at heart who loves to make stuff for next to nothing, a homebody who loves to venture outdoors, and above all else, a dedicated mom with the goal of raising happy, healthy, and well-adjusted lifelong learners. She used to stress about state standards and test scores but has since come to her senses and enjoys blogging about her family’s journey into unschooling.

Brenda Sain

Brenda has homeschooled since her first son’s birth, as she’s always believed that homeschooling is a lifestyle choice. She now has a grand total of five children and is one busy mama!

Brenda is a classical eclectic home educator. She’s discovered that many philosophies overlap and that while a classical education teaches the mind, to reach her children’s body and souls she has to venture beyond the classical realm. Doing the things that require her family to spend quality time together like nature studies and conversations that stem from reading and narrating “living books” have lent their hands to nurturing their body and souls.

She founded Our Lifestyle of Learning in 2009, and it continues to grow as an online homeschool community.  After scouring the internet to find trustworthy homeschool reviews she started Curriculum Choice, a collaborative blog of homeschool moms writing about the curricula that they use. Brenda also writes frequently at her personal blog, The Tie That Binds Us, about her day-to-day homeschool life, while finding time to manage her home, drink lots of tea, bake, admire anything vintage or old, craft and travel.

Heidi Scovel

Heidi spent her own idyllic childhood out in the country, scheming with her two sisters, and imagining a future filled with children. After homeschooling for her junior year of high school, she added education to her list of passions. Heidi now lives her dream life. She lives out in the country, just down the road from her childhood home. Her wonderful husband provides her with unfailing support. Their three vivacious boys provide endless entertainment.

More than a decade of educational research and planning has turned her passion into a living, breathing reality of life learning. Heidi spends her days up to her elbows in literature, Latin, and laundry. New bookcases and a housekeeper top her wish list. Heidi documents her pursuit of Living. Lovely. at Mt. Hope Chronicles, where she shares her love of homeschooling, photography, family, good books, and the little things in life.

Misha Thompson

Misha was born in a war zone, raised in a red-light district, and has traveled all over the world. She survived seven years of illness, a near-death experience, a coma, and raising toddlers born sixteen months apart. She had red hair as a little girl, was taught four languages in high school, and never, ever thought she would homeschool her kids. She is an avid runner, an obsessive reader, and loves the colours cherry red and sunlit turquoise–she loves splattering them all over her life. “Writing is my passion,” Misha says, “that and salty licorice, homeschooling two little midgets and being married to a Kiwi who makes me laugh.”

Misha is also a university instructor and a freelance writer when she is not homeschooling her two elementary-aged children. She is the co-founder, with her husband, of Giving Anonymously and has recently been profiled on NPR, NBC nightly news and in the New York Times for their work together. She writes at her blog, Beauty and Joy.

Renee Tougas

Renee has been an educator since 1993. Her background is in science and environmental instruction with a bachelor’s degree in education. But with the birth of her first child Renee joyfully embraced the role of home educator instead of classroom teacher. She has been homeschooling her now elementary-aged children ever since.

As a homeschooler Renee spends her days learning with her three creative kiddos. She also spends a lot of time in the kitchen, digging in her garden and behind the camera. When they’re not at home you’ll find Renee and her family exploring the outdoors together, preferably hiking in the mountains near their home in Maine.

Renee writes about natural living, family life, creativity and homeschooling at her blog FIMBY, Fun In My Back Yard. She also contributes to a collaborative blog with her husband called ADVENTUREinPROGRESS — encouraging families to get outdoors and experience adventure.