What happens when a public school principal decides to homeschool her own children?

After nearly a decade as a principal, literacy specialist, and educator, Liz Powell never imagined that homeschooling would become part of her family's story. But motherhood—and especially thinking about what her own children needed to thrive—changed the way she looked at education.

In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, Kaitlin Zara talks with Liz, known online as Principal in Pajamas, about what she learned from seeing education from both sides of the classroom.

Liz shares why she left school administration to homeschool, what public schools do well, and what she believes homeschooling makes possible that even excellent classroom teachers can struggle to provide. She and Kaitlin also talk about individualized learning, ADHD and movement, creating structure at home, letting go of the fear of “falling behind,” teaching real-life skills, and why parents don't need a teaching degree to be effective homeschoolers.

John Paul the Great Catholic University in California offers hands-on programs in creative arts, digital media, theology, and business within a faithfully Catholic environment.

Apply for free and explore free online storytelling courses for homeschool students at:

https://jpcatholic.edu/homeschool

Follow Liz Powell — Principal in Pajamas:

https://www.instagram.com/principal_in_pajamas/

Homeschool Connections:

https://homeschoolconnections.com/

Kaitlin and Liz discuss:

• Why a longtime public school principal chose to homeschool her own children
• How becoming a mother changed Liz's perspective on education
• What public schools and classroom teachers do well—and where the system can make individualized education difficult
• Why one-on-one attention is one of homeschooling's greatest advantages
• Homeschooling a child with ADHD and incorporating movement and breaks naturally into the day
• Why “connection before curriculum” matters
• How to give children structure without recreating school at home
• Visual schedules, movement breaks, and other practical ways to make homeschool days run more smoothly
• Why it's okay to close the workbook when a curriculum isn't working
• How parents can let go of homeschool guilt and the fear of falling behind
• Why former teachers may actually have some things to “unlearn” when they begin homeschooling
• Whether you need professional teacher training to successfully homeschool your children
• Incorporating cooking, homemaking, nature, and other real-life experiences into education
• How Liz's definition of a successful education changed after leaving school administration
• Why education doesn't have to revolve around test scores, reading levels, or college readiness
• Encouragement for parents whose children are struggling academically

You don't need to recreate a traditional classroom to give your child an excellent education.

Liz encourages parents to remember that homeschooling allows them to do something classroom teachers often wish they could do more easily: slow down, change course, take a movement break, follow a child's interests, spend more time on a difficult concept, or set aside the workbook when it isn't serving the child.

Most importantly, parents know their children in a way no outside teacher can. Homeschooling gives families the freedom to build education around the individual child rather than requiring the child to fit the system.

Liz Powell is a former public school principal, literacy specialist, homeschool mom, and content creator living in coastal Maine with her husband and three young children.

After nearly a decade serving as a public school principal, Liz stepped away from her career following the birth of her third child and embraced life at home with her family. She began her career through Teach For America, taught in multiple states, and later earned her literacy specialist certification.

Today, Liz homeschools her two oldest children and shares practical teaching strategies, literacy support, homeschool ideas, and encouragement for mothers through her Instagram page, Principal in Pajamas. Her perspective combines years of educational leadership and literacy expertise with the everyday experience of homeschooling her own children.

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. She combines her classroom experience with the everyday realities of homeschooling to encourage parents to approach education with confidence, flexibility, and joy.

Does history sometimes feel like a disconnected collection of names, dates, and events? What if your children could begin with people they already have a reason to care about? Their own ancestors?

In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, host Kaitlin Zara welcomes longtime Catholic educator, homeschool mom, and curriculum creator Maryanne Patterson for a fascinating conversation about teaching history through genealogy and family stories.

Maryanne explains how researching her family tree became one of her family’s most memorable homeschool experiences. By placing their ancestors on a 400-year timeline, exploring the places they lived, and connecting their lives to wars, inventions, saints, immigration, and major historical events, history became personal, meaningful, and unforgettable.

This approach also transformed history into a whole-family, interdisciplinary study that incorporated geography, writing, art, research, science, faith, and prayer.

Then Maryanne brings the method to life by revealing what she discovered about Kaitlin’s Italian ancestors. It is an emotional and unforgettable reminder that our lives were made possible through generations of love, prayer, courage, sacrifice, and faith.

This Episode Is Sponsored by John Paul the Great Catholic University

John Paul the Great Catholic University in California offers hands-on programs in the creative arts, digital media, theology, and business—all within a faithfully Catholic environment.

Apply for free and explore free online storytelling courses at:

https://jpcatholic.edu/homeschool

Resources

Explore Family of God and Maryanne’s Approach

See photographs, examples, project ideas, and information about using genealogy to teach history:

https://allfortheepublications.godaddysites.com/

Download Family of God: A Study of History Through Genealogy for Catholic Homeschooling Families

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Family-of-God-A-Study-of-History-Through-Genealogy-for-Catholic-Homeschooling-14937312

Contact Maryanne Patterson

[email protected]

In This Episode

• Why family stories can give children an engaging doorway into history
• How Maryanne turned genealogy into a multi-age, whole-family homeschool study
• Creative project ideas, including ancestral timelines, scrapbooks, maps, biographies, and family interviews
• Why stories help children retain historical facts better than memorization alone
• How genealogy can build gratitude, empathy, resilience, identity, and a sense of belonging
• Simple and affordable ways to begin researching your family tree
• Helpful genealogy resources, including Ancestry, FamilySearch, Ellis Island records, and Find a Grave
• How family history naturally integrates history, geography, writing, art, science, faith, and prayer
• Why speaking with living relatives and preserving their stories should be a priority
• Maryanne’s moving discoveries about Kaitlin’s Italian ancestors and their connections to immigration, saints, military service, New York City, and centuries of history

One Big Takeaway

History becomes more meaningful when children understand that their family did not exist apart from it.

Their ancestors lived through wars, migrations, political changes, inventions, epidemics, economic hardship, and cultural transformation. They worked, prayed, sacrificed, raised families, and made decisions that eventually led to the lives we have today.

You do not need to research hundreds of years of family history to begin. Start with one photograph, one name, one date, or one conversation with a living relative.

About Maryanne Patterson

Maryanne Patterson is the creator of the Family of God curriculum and a longtime Catholic educator, homeschool mom, and parish ministry leader.

A mother of six and grandmother of four, she spent 15 years homeschooling her children while actively serving her parish in numerous educational and ministry roles, including preschool teacher, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist, ministry coordinator, and Vacation Bible School leader.

Inspired by a lifelong interest in genealogy and family history, Maryanne developed Family of God: A Study of History for Catholic Homeschooling Families to help children connect faith, family, and Catholic heritage in meaningful and memorable ways.

Her passion is creating resources that strengthen family bonds while fostering a deeper love for the Catholic faith.

About Your Host

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her homeschool blog posts here:

https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991

Kaitlin Unscripted Episode 13: No scripts, no interviews—just homeschool real talk.

What if you could design the perfect school for your child? Choose the curriculum, class size, teachers, and everything else? Would you still homeschool?

Kaitlin's answer is yes.

In this episode of Kaitlin Unscripted, Kaitlin shares why homeschooling has become much more than an alternative to traditional school for her family. It's a choice she would make even if every other educational option were exactly what she wanted.

Kaitlin talks about:

• The freedom to follow a child's interests and individual learning style
• Why the whole world can become a homeschooler's classroom
• How children learn from far more people than just Mom
• Letting learning fit naturally into family life instead of arranging family life around school
• Creating a healthy rhythm of busy days, quiet days, work, play, and even boredom
• Why one-on-one attention allows parents to recognize what makes each child unique
• The irreplaceable love and attention parents bring to their children's education

Homeschooling doesn't have to be something families choose because other educational options have failed them. It can be something they intentionally choose because of what homeschooling uniquely offers.

For Kaitlin, that means freedom, flexibility, learning woven into everyday life, and the opportunity to give her children an education shaped by the people who know and love them best.

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her related blog posts here: https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991

“Are you going to homeschool through high school?”

For many homeschool parents, that question carries an unspoken warning: high school is different, more complicated, and perhaps too difficult to manage at home.

Rachel Kovac offers a very different perspective.

In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, host Kaitlin Zara welcomes Rachel, author of Their Future Is Shining Bright, for an inspiring and practical conversation about the tremendous possibilities of homeschooling the high school years.

Together, Kaitlin and Rachel discuss college preparation, alternative pathways, standardized testing, internships, career exploration, screen habits, peer pressure, and the lasting value of simply enjoying life with our children.

This Episode Is Sponsored by John Paul the Great Catholic University

John Paul the Great Catholic University in California offers hands-on programs in the creative arts, digital media, theology, and business—all within a faithfully Catholic environment.

Apply for free and explore free online storytelling courses at:

https://jpcatholic.edu/homeschool

Resources

Read Rachel Kovac’s Substack

https://substack.com/@rachelkovac

Follow Rachel on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/rachelstitchedtogether/

Learn More About Rachel’s Book, Their Future Is Shining Bright

https://mediacenter.tyndale.com/search?q=Rachel%20Kovac&c=

Find the Book on Amazon

https://amzn.to/3UB6OJi

Kaitlin’s blog article, 10 Benefits of Homeschooling Through High School

https://homeschoolconnections.com/10-benefits-of-homeschooling-through-high-school/

In This Episode

• What a successful homeschool high school experience can look like
• Why faith, family connection, healthy relationships, and vocation matter alongside academics
• How interest-led learning and strong core academics can work together
• Why the high school years offer time for internships, businesses, creative projects, volunteering, and career exploration
• How homeschooling helps teens develop independence, self-direction, and time-management skills
• How peer pressure and the desire to belong can shape teenage choices
• Why homeschoolers can still enjoy proms, graduations, friendships, and other memorable high school experiences
• How job shadowing and real-world experience can help teens make wiser college and career decisions
• Why college is not the right path for every student
• Why teens benefit from relationships with people of many different ages
• How books, conversation, faith, and family culture continue forming students into adulthood
• Why enjoying our children now can help build strong relationships with them later
• Rachel’s encouragement for parents who feel weary in the work of homeschooling

One Big Takeaway

Homeschooling gives teenagers time to pursue academics, develop independence, explore possible careers, serve others, deepen their faith, and discover the interests and gifts that make them uniquely themselves.

Just as importantly, it gives families more time for the ordinary moments that form lasting relationships.

Rachel reminds parents that this work is worth it, even when it becomes tiring. The love poured into our children is never wasted.

About Rachel Kovac

Rachel Kovac brings a fresh and much-needed voice to the homeschooling community, focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities of the often-overlooked high school years.

As a writer, speaker, and educator, Rachel understands the uncertainty many parents feel when deciding whether to homeschool through high school. Drawing from years of experience homeschooling her own children and helping them enter college with scholarships, she empowers families with vision, practical guidance, and encouragement.

Rachel helps parents approach academics, college admissions, and alternative pathways with confidence while nurturing a home life rooted in connection, purpose, and love.

She lives in Texas with her husband and four of their six children, while their two eldest attend college. When she is not writing or homeschooling, Rachel enjoys photography, sewing, gardening, baking sourdough, and learning Italian.

About Your Host

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her homeschool blog posts here:

https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991

We spend a lot of time thinking about how homeschooling is shaping our children—but what if it's shaping us just as much?

In this episode of Kaitlin Unscripted, Kaitlin gets candid about five things homeschooling has exposed in her own life: tying her worth to productivity, wanting immediate results, trying to control the schedule, rushing through the day, and realizing just how much grace she needs.

She shares how homeschooling has taught her to loosen her grip on perfection, trust the learning process, slow down for the moments that matter, and remember that connection matters more than completion.

Kaitlin talks about:

• Why a completed to-do list doesn't determine your worth as a homeschool mom
• Learning to be patient when your children don't grasp something immediately
• Trading rigid schedules for more flexible rhythms
• Choosing which moments of family life you refuse to rush
• Giving yourself grace when homeschooling doesn't go perfectly
• How homeschooling can form parents as deeply as it forms their children

Perfection isn't the goal. Faithfulness is. Homeschooling gives us countless opportunities to grow alongside our children—to try again tomorrow, apologize when necessary, laugh when things fall apart, and trust God with the children He has entrusted to us.

About Your Host

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See Kaitlin’s homeschool blog posts here: https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991

Does Your Preschooler Need a Curriculum?

For many new homeschool parents, this question comes with a surprising amount of pressure. Should a four-year-old be learning letter sounds, practicing handwriting, and completing structured lessons? Or should the early years be filled with stories, mud, blocks, imagination, and unhurried family life?

In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, host Kaitlin Zara welcomes veteran homeschool mom, consultant, and speaker Jenny Bales back to the show for an encouraging conversation about play-based learning, school readiness, and what young children truly need before formal academics begin.

Jenny explains that parents do not necessarily have to choose between learning and play. Young children can learn letters, numbers, language, motor skills, habits, and social skills. However, the way they learn in the early years should look very different from traditional classroom instruction.

Together, Kaitlin and Jenny discuss how to recognize readiness, introduce early academics without pressure, establish peaceful family rhythms, and trust that children are learning far more through ordinary life than parents may realize.

This Episode Is Sponsored by Into the Deep

Catholic homeschool moms, we’ve got something you’re going to love! If you’re looking for beautiful Catholic faith formation, practical homeschool encouragement, and lots of free resources, you’ll feel right at home at Into the Deep.

Visit: https://intothedeep.co today! Use code HOMESCHOOL10 to save 10%.

Resources

Visit Heart of a Mother

Find encouragement, consulting, and practical support for Catholic homeschooling mothers:

https://heartofamother.net/

Join the Free Heart of a Mother Facebook Group

Connect with Jenny and a community of Catholic homeschool moms:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartofamothermoms

Helpful articles on homeschooling preschool: https://homeschoolconnections.com/category/homeschool-preschool/

In This Episode

• How a child’s readiness and interest should guide the timing of instruction
• Why early learning looks different from upper-elementary learning
• How pushing academics too early can affect curiosity, attention, self-regulation, and a love of learning
• The difference between “we have to” and “we get to” learn
• How routines, hygiene, dressing, chores, and cooperation prepare children for later academic success
• Ways to teach letters, sounds, shapes, counting, and early writing through games and everyday life
• How read-alouds build vocabulary, listening skills, attention span, comprehension, and patience
• How to tell when a child is ready to hold a pencil, learn to read, or begin foundational math
• The foundational skills Jenny recommends before formal academics
• How to help a child learn to play independently without relying on screens
• Affordable ways to make room for messy play without overwhelming your home
• How to introduce reading, handwriting, and foundational math gently
• Why formal sit-down learning may only need to take about 30 minutes a day at this age

One Big Takeaway

Young children do not need their days recreated to look like a traditional classroom.

They are learning when they listen to stories, build with blocks, paint, dig in the mud, help with chores, dress themselves, talk with adults, negotiate with siblings, explore outside, and live alongside their families.

As Jenny reminds parents, the early years are not a race toward formal academics. The goal is to preserve curiosity, create good habits, build foundational skills, and help children see learning as something joyful.

Live life with your children. They are learning simply by living beside you.

About Jenny Bales

Jenny Bales is a Catholic homeschooling mom, homeschool consultant, and speaker whose mission is to share her love of homeschooling while helping mothers gain confidence, grow in peace, and homeschool with joy.

She has homeschooled her four children for the past 19 years, including graduating two students who were homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Jenny loves Jesus in the Eucharist and days when her entire family is together and laughing. A full-blown extrovert living among introverts, she jumps at any opportunity to spend time with other women. When she is home, she enjoys college football, detective novels, jigsaw puzzles, and sweet tea.

Connect with Jenny and discover her support for Catholic homeschooling mothers at:

https://heartofamother.net/

About Your Host

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her homeschool blog posts here:

https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991

We often talk about all the ways homeschooling benefits our children, but what if homeschooling is changing you, too?

In one of her most personal episodes yet, Kaitlin Zara shares something she's rarely said out loud: homeschooling isn't only a gift for our children, it's a gift for us as parents.

From having a front-row seat to childhood to creating a home culture your family loves, Kaitlin reflects on six unexpected ways homeschooling has enriched her own life. Through heartfelt stories and honest encouragement, she reminds moms that it's okay to acknowledge the joy, growth, and fulfillment that homeschooling brings to them as well.

If you've ever wondered whether it's okay to admit that homeschooling blesses you too, this episode is for you.

Homeschool Connections partners with Catholic homeschooling families by providing live online courses taught by outstanding instructors. Whether you're looking for academic support, enrichment, or help teaching challenging subjects, Homeschool Connections is here to serve your family while preserving the flexibility you love about homeschooling.

Learn more:

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her related blog posts here: https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991 

Please share this episode with another homeschool mom who needs the reminder that homeschooling blesses her, too.

Does your homeschool ever feel rushed, overloaded, or focused more on getting through the curriculum than enjoying your children?

Slow schooling offers another way.

In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, host Kaitlin Zara welcomes educator, homeschool mom, and author Leslie Martino for an encouraging conversation about restoring balance, connection, and wonder to homeschool life.

Leslie explains that slow schooling is not about laziness, avoiding academics, or following one particular homeschool philosophy. Instead, it is an intentional approach that values depth over breadth, connection over control, and meaningful learning over simply checking boxes.

Together, Kaitlin and Leslie explore how families can use curriculum without becoming controlled by it, preserve play throughout the middle and high school years, assess progress in more meaningful ways, and create space for curiosity, boredom, creativity, and stronger family relationships.

This Episode Is Sponsored by Ascension Press

Pillars of Faith from Ascension Press is a brand-new K–8 Catholic curriculum deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition and designed to evangelize the whole family.

Learn more about Pillars of Faith for your homeschool:

https://ascensionpress.com/pillarshomeschool 

Resources

The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning by Leslie Martino

https://amzn.to/4irdVhm 

Visit Leslie’s website

https://lesliemartino.com/ 

Follow Leslie on Instagram

@lesliemmartino

In This Episode

One Big Takeaway

Slow schooling is not primarily about moving at a certain pace. It is about making choices that reflect what your family truly values.

Instead of asking whether you completed every lesson or checked every box, consider asking: Did we experience joy? Did we connect? Did we learn something deeply?

Leslie encourages parents to see curriculum as a helpful tool—not a master—and to resist making decisions out of panic, comparison, or fear.

One practical place to begin is to ask: What is one area of control I can exchange for greater connection with my child?

About Leslie Martino

Leslie M. Martino is the author of The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning: https://amzn.to/4x0LJ9w 

She has more than twenty years of teaching experience as an elementary school teacher, home educator, and adjunct lecturer for graduate courses focused on the teacher’s role in supporting children’s individual work preferences.

Leslie homeschools her four children and works as an educational consultant, writing curricula, training teachers, and coaching parents to approach learning in an interest-based and connection-rich way. She is also a speaker on education and motherhood and a contributing writer for Wild + Free and other publications within the homeschooling community.

She lives in sunny Florida with her husband and children.

About Your Host

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her homeschool blog posts here:

https://homeschoolconnections.com/author/?n=245991 

Kaitlin Unscripted Episode 10: No scripts, no interviews—just homeschool real talk.

Should your family join a homeschool co-op? Or would a hybrid school be a better fit?

In this episode of Kaitlin Unscripted, Kaitlin Zara explores one of the biggest questions homeschool families face as they build a learning environment that works for their unique season of life. While co-ops and hybrid schools may seem similar on the surface, they offer very different levels of structure, parental involvement, academic support, and flexibility.

Rather than telling you which option is "best," Kaitlin walks you through the key differences between the two models and shares the questions every homeschool parent should ask before making a decision. She also offers a behind-the-scenes look at her own family's experience with a hybrid program and why it's been such a blessing during this season.

The Homeschool Dictionary

More Episodes on Homeschool Co-ops & Hybrid Programs (including the one mentioned in today's episode):

This episode is sponsored by Homeschool Connections.

Homeschool Connections partners with Catholic homeschooling families by offering live online courses taught by outstanding instructors. Whether you're looking to outsource a challenging subject, enrich your curriculum, or simply lighten your teaching load, Homeschool Connections offers flexible options that complement virtually every homeschool style.

Learn more at:

If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with another homeschooling family!

What happens when your child says, “I’m just not good at math” or “I can’t do this”?

Those simple statements can reveal something important about the way children view their abilities and how they respond when learning gets difficult.

In this episode of the Homeschool Connections Podcast, host Kaitlin Zara welcomes developmental and educational psychologist Dr. Kristi Moore for a fascinating and practical conversation about growth mindset: the belief that our abilities can grow and develop through learning, practice, perseverance, and even mistakes.

Dr. Moore explains the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset and shares how seemingly innocent messages, including repeatedly telling a child how “smart” he or she is, can unintentionally make children afraid of challenges or failure.

Drawing from psychological research, her experience as a professor, and life as a Catholic homeschooling mother of six, Dr. Moore gives parents practical strategies they can begin using right away.

And Kaitlin gets a surprise along the way when Dr. Moore challenges one of her long-held beliefs about “learning styles”!

Pillars of Faith from Ascension Press is a brand-new K–8 Catholic curriculum deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition and designed to evangelize the whole family.

Learn more about Pillars of Faith for your homeschool:

Using Praise to Build a Growth Mindset by Dr. Kristi Moore

Other homeschool articles by Dr. Moore

Explore Dr. Moore’s High School Courses with Homeschool Connections

Meet Dr. Kristi Moore

Instead of focusing on whether your child is naturally “good” at something, focus on progress.

Challenges don't mean a child lacks ability. They provide opportunities to develop new skills, discover what may be missing, learn from mistakes, and keep moving forward.

As Dr. Moore reminds us, the goal isn't perfection. We want children to learn that setbacks are okay: get back up, keep going, and keep making progress.

Dr. Kristi Moore is a Catholic wife and homeschooling mother of six children. She holds a PhD in developmental and educational psychology and serves as a professor of psychology at Angelo State University.

Her areas of specialization include child and adolescent development, with research interests focused on motivation and self-regulation. Dr. Moore also teaches psychology courses through Homeschool Connections and seeks to encourage parents in their vocation by sharing insights from psychological research as well as her own experiences as a homeschool mom.

Kaitlin Zara is a veteran educator, homeschool mom, and host of the Homeschool Connections Podcast. See her homeschool blog posts here: