From Classroom Teacher to Homeschool Mom: Finding Your Family's Educational Cocktail with Jamie Lesko | OpenEd

When Jamie Lesko - a former special education teacher, first started homeschooling, she did what many teachers-turned-homeschoolers do: she recreated school at home. Desks. Rigid schedules. Planners. Her son regularly melted down on the floor.

Then one day, she found all three kids doing schoolwork atop a closet loft.

Her first instinct? Worry. But then she had an epiphany: "Why do they have to learn at a desk?"

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come when we stop trying to replicate what we know and start building what works.

In this episode, Jamie Lesko takes us through her family's unexpected journey into homeschooling, and how the pandemic led her to a more personalized approach for her three children.

We explore:

- Why traditional teaching credentials aren't always the most important qualification

- How to transition from "bringing school home" to true homeschooling

- The power of letting children choose when and where they learn

- Creating an "educational cocktail" unique to each child

- Managing full-time work while homeschooling

- Building independence and problem-solving skills

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to OpenEd Podcast

00:35 Jamie's Family Educational Journey

01:45 Transition to Homeschooling

03:55 Homeschooling Challenges and Discoveries

05:24 Charter School Experience

08:29 Homeschooling Realizations and Community Support

11:29 Adapting to Homeschooling

16:33 Balancing Homeschooling and Family Life

16:59 Flexibility and Autonomy in Homeschooling

18:27 Choosing the Right Curriculum

20:40 Adapting to Individual Learning Styles

24:35 Teaching Problem-Solving Skills

27:13 Parental Roles in Homeschooling

34:10 Rapid Fire Questions and Insights