Guess who's back?! Hell yeah Baby, we're back again. Just when you thought you had gotten rid of us, not so fast! I gotta be honest with you, I have no idea what this episode is about, it has literally no direction. BUT, it is highly entertaining. So if you've been missing Julie's laughter, Karen's talking and Sara's occasional comment, then this episode is for you!

In all seriousness, we have MISSED you! And here is a little catch up to see where we are at after 1 year locked up raw with our children! We hope you enjoy and we're so happy to be back at it!

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Shannon Stewart creator of the Hip Homelife blog joins us today on the podcast! Shannon is a Home school mom of 2 boys from San Diego, CA. Shannon breaks down the basics of homeschooling and helps us navigate the curriculum circus! She shares her personal story and gives beautiful insight into what a day in the life as a homeschooling family entails. We loved getting to know her better and getting inspired as we move forward in our new journey as homeschoolers ourselves! Shannon gives incredible, honest curriculum views and home school basics on her blog theHipHomelife and her Instagram @thehiphomelife

Karen, Julie, and Sara bitch about discuss the ups and downs of the decision making process, as well as ALL of the schooling options that the pandemic has brought. They share their personal decisions about how they plan to navigate their children’s education during this year. Don’t miss Karen’s HEALTH CORNER, where she shames us educates us on keeping our children away from processed food, lol...or rather tips for boosting their immune system. Also, if you’d like to feel like your crazy kids are normal, then listen to Sara’s personal stories about her child’s...“interesting” behavior. You don’t want to skip the intro where Julie learns the in’s and out’s of abbreviating words through Karen. We hope you get a good giggle over this one...and also we hope you SHARE with your friends; like all of them! 

Are you choosing a new school journey for your family this year? Then email us at [email protected] We’re looking for 3 families to check in with throughout this year! 

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Resources:

• Book: The Call of the Wild + Free by Ainsley Arment; parent resource. Follow on Inst @wildandfree.co
• Book: The Braver Learner by Julie Bogart; parent resource. Follow on Inst @juliebravewriter or @bravelearnerhome
• Propolis Throat Spray by @beekeepers_naturals
• Elderberry Syrup can be found on Amazon, grocery stores, Etsy, or Farmer’s Markets
• Raw Unfiltered Honey; best from local Farmer’s Markets but can be found anywhere as well!

Amy Marotz joins us to share her personal journey and insights on Microschools. Amy is the founder and Lead Teacher of a holistic, nature-based, student-led microschool called Awakening Spirit School based in MN. She walks us through her upbringing in Iowa and where her schooling went from struggling to thriving. She eventually found a calling for teaching her own children at home. This caught the attention of a few like minded parents and families that wanted to offer the same beautiful experience for their children, and her Microschool was born. Her lower level “one room schoolhouse” in her home, will be expanding this fall to a larger space complete with a farm. Amy believes students should be seen as individuals and goes out of her way to provide a calm environment for highly sensitive learners. She is an inspiration and will leave you wanting to start your own microschool...trust us! Enjoy!

Do you have more questions for Amy? Follow us on Instagram @chasingeducationpodcast to keep an eye on our Stories, then be sure to Subscribe to our Newsletter found at our website Chasing Education Podcast.

Resources: 

• Awakening Spirit School
• Instagram @awakeningspiritschool
• Microschool Builders

Your third host brings us all together. She’s Karen’s sister, Sara’s wife and your future friend. Find out about the path she has been on, why she likes to ask personal details of guests, and how she made it through school with that classic wheezy laugh. With a passion for bringing diversity to public schooling, she hopes to challenge people’s traditional views of education.

Get to know your host Sara on a deeper level.  Having your dad as a teacher can be stressful, especially when you have a hard time focusing in school.  While sitting in a desk may have been hard, she had the black hills of South Dakota to keep her happy and occupied.  This was the foundation for her love of the outdoors and passion for nature based exploration and learning.  While choosing schooling for her four children (ages 9, 8, 6, & 5) she is constantly assessing their personal needs.  Through this podcast, she is hoping she can help narrow in on some great options we have in our reach.

Dive deeper into the life of one of your hilarious hosts.  Karen Holman is a dedicated professional in the educational health of our children.  She brings us on a journey through her own secular schooling and into the future of what she envisions for her children as they grow.  Making the sometimes unpopular choice to listen to them as they tell her what they need in their educational journey, she has ventured into public schooling and homeschooling for her three children (ages 13, 9, & 5).

Meet your hosts!!! Julie, Sara, and Karen fill you in on how Chasing Education came to be! As educators and parents, they give their insights into why they're on this journey and what they will be bringing every week. Through school memories of embarrassing stories you can get to know your hosts on a personal level.