A holistic approach...
Homeschooling should be a child-centered journey that places your kid at the
heart of everything you do. I believe in integrating life and learning—kids
absorb knowledge from everything around them, including books, nature,
technology, art, and physical activity.
My vision combines intellectual growth with emotional intelligence,
encouraging time for play, creative exploration, and physical development.
At its core, this approach helps children retain and nurture their natural
curiosity, empathy, and kindness. And it sparks their lifelong love of
learning.
Child-Centered Learning
We need to see kids as people first. My mission is to help children become
the best version of themselves by honoring their unique learning styles,
interests, and pace. Every child is naturally curious and motivated to learn,
and each one is different. By adapting our teaching to fit each child’s needs,
we can create an educational experience that is personal, supportive, and
effective.
Real-World Learning
Kids are constantly learning—through real-life experiences, community involvement, and hands-on projects, just as much as through textbooks and worksheets. I believe education is about finding a balance between mastering academic skills and developing real-world abilities like creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving—skills they gain naturally through real-world learning.
Active Learning
I emphasize learning through hands-on activities and exploration, connecting textbook lessons to real-world experiences so that learning becomes active rather than passive.
Critical Thinking and Independence
Kids thrive when they develop strong critical thinking skills, a sense of independence, and a love of learning. Through exploration, engaging projects, and an “I can” mindset, they gain the confidence to learn and grow on their own terms.
Curriculum and Assessment
I believe that a diverse curriculum that covers basic subjects—reading, math, science, history, social studies—but also incorporates stories, projects, play, and traditions from a variety of world cultures, helps kids develop a sense of empathy and respect for others.
Assessment and Evaluation
I do not focus on testing or traditional grades. I focus on qualitative assessments and constructive feedback designed to help kids grow and gain mastery in learning. My focus is always on mentoring kids to grow, and become resilient, self-reliant, lifelong learners.
Family Involvement and Mentoring
As parents, our relationship with our kids is essential to building a strong foundation for learning. By acting as mentors rather than traditional teachers, we support their learning journey, encourage continual growth, and inspire a love of lifelong learning.
Social Skills and Community
Kids develop social skills, empathy, and a sense of community through collaborative learning activities and mixed-age group settings. Providing opportunities for learning in unconventional environments empowers them to build valuable social-emotional skills.
Hi, I'm Shari
I’m an educator and former academic with a doctorate in cultural anthropology (UT Austin 2000), world traveler, lifelong learner, and social entrepreneur (with a fair trade business in Jaipur, India, and a lot of travel with our three kids between North Carolina and India when they were young!).
I have three grown kids and was a homeschooling mom of all three for over sixteen years, from kindergarten through high school. Homeschooling has been one of the most rewarding, fulfilling, . . . and humbling experiences of my life.
I started Quest Schooling after developing my own engagement-centered process and project based learning curriculum for our kids. As we worked our way through projects, quests, hands-on learning, scavenger hunts, and experiments, I saw what a difference inquiry-based learning makes.
When my kids graduated from high school and went on to college and to own a business, I missed the engagement with them and our activities.
So I decided to take what I’d developed and launch Quest Schooling. I create flexible project based learning activity bundles, courses for kids and courses and coaching for parents on how to use my Learn by Doing framework. All resources are user-friendly, accessible, and affordable.
The resources here are for everyone—they are both secular and inclusive. And they work for both non-traditional schooling and traditional schooling approaches. They incorporate play, games, observational learning, hands-on learning, and real-life learning as part of the schooling experience.
Through student-centered learning, parents and teachers become mentors, helping kids learn how to learn. And kids learn how to take an active role in their education.