The Edvantage

When Michael Perrone and his wife started homeschooling their five children, joining a co-op wasn't in the plans. It wasn't long, however, before they not only were a part of a co-op, but they were the ones who started it. 

In this focused and direct interview, Michael shares how anybody can start a co-op, why being a part of one is advantageous, and why we should keep things simple and manageable for the sake of all involved....

If you have ever seen Chrissy Barco's YouTube and Instagram content, you might presume that literature has always been a central part of her life. You would mostly likely never guess, however, that she grew up in a home where books were seldom read, discussed, or owned. In this episode Chrissy shares how she was able to discover her own love of reading as a young mother, and how she went on to share that passion for literature with...

When Melissa was pregnant with her and Rob's first child, she had a fateful conversation with a retired teacher who challenged her to ask folks about their experiences in middle school. She did, and after talking to dozens of people it became clear that almost everyone's experience was largely negative. This opened her mind to the possible benefits of homeschooling at some future point, but she continued with public education for h...

When Steve Robe was young, his dad told him if he didn't want to go into the military he should get really fast to earn a scholarship for college. Steve did get really fast and earn his way through college, and he hasn't slowed down since. Now as a homeschool dad and self taught real estate broker he takes every opportunity to educate, challenge, and encourage his kids. 

Steve and his wife, Zayra Vega (of @willowtree_schoolhou...

Since he was ten years old, Tyler Davis has been preparing to start the wildlife control business that he now runs. He didn't exactly know it at the time, but as a homeschooler he was allowed to follow his passions, work with a mentor, and gain valuable real world experience. Most importantly, he was able to cultivate and preserve a love for learning, which helped him realize he could learn anything he wanted to, with or without a ...

Homeschooling wasn't always a part of Shelley Vaughn's life. That is, until she met her husband, who was homeschooled, but she figured that would be the extent of her experience with it.

Imagine her surprise now as she is a little over a year into homeschooling her three young children, has a popular Instagram account (linked below) dedicated to motherhood and homeschooling, and is an active advocate for the benefits of homeschooli...

At first glance, Sabah Hashmi's life homeschooling her children in a small town in Pennsylvania may not seem that surprising. But for most of Sabah's life, her goal was to become Prime Minister of Canada where she was born and raised. This aspiration led her to earn a Master's Degree in Public Policy and Administration and ultimately to work with the Government of Canada tracking and combating financial crimes at high levels. 

When Zayra Vega pulled her son out of private school in 2020, she thought it was going to be for a a brief period of time. As with many of us, however, the experience of homeschooling helped her realize how much she loved the lifestyle, and she has since become a prolific influencer in the homeschool community. 

Through her Instagram account as well as her YouTube channel, both of the same name, Willowtree Schoolhouse, Zayra o...

With a name like the "School Sucks Project" and "School Sucks Podcast," it's not hard to guess what Brett Veinotte is passionate about discussing. Once you hear him speak, however, you quickly realize that his critique of traditional school settings goes much deeper than a bad experience, a vendetta, or any of the usual politically driven reasons folks rail on schools today. 

In this interview Brett explains why the very struc...

We've all heard the trope, "I don't want to homeschool my kid because I don't want them to be sheltered." This week's guest, Monica Ann, and her husband defy that generalization on every front. They have built their marriage around adventure, and welcoming kids into their family was not about to slow them down. 

In this episode Monica talks about how homeschooling has afforded her family the flexibility to incorporate vacation...

When most folks hear the term "unschooling," they assume it means some sort of chaotic free for all in which very little learning takes place. When Leah McDermott is the one talking about unschooling, however, you will quickly recognize how far off that assumption is, and how natural and powerful of an approach it can be. 

In this episode, Leah and Todd discuss how many of the best practices taught in teacher training programs...

When Gabrielle (Gabs) Clark sent her son to high school, the last thing she expected for him to experience was an infringement of his civil rights. When she spoke up about it, the last thing she wanted was to get the run around. When she realized she wasn't getting anywhere with his school, she realized it was time to file the first federal lawsuit against indoctrination. 

Whether it's CRT, SEL, or religious ideologies, Gabs h...

In the debate between public school and homeschool, there are few who can better understand the nature and value of each than Stephanie Cavin. As a homeschool mom and full-time public school teacher in Northern California, Stephanie often finds herself defending public school teachers and homeschool parents with the same level of passion and concern. Her popular Instagram reels are full of advice, encouragement, and cathartic humor...

When it comes to simplifying your approach to homeschooling, Zara Fagen, PhD is on a mission to prove that LESS really is MORE! As the author of the book, Minimalist Homeschooling, and the creator of the "Simple is The New Smart" podcast and membership, Zara has become a favorite mentor among the homeschooling community. 

In this episode, Zara shares about her own experiences of feeling compelled to hide her abilities from pee...

If you've ever had your doubts about homeschooling, Yvonne Strachan has a message for YOU. Combining her experience homeschooling her five children over the last thirteen years with her convictions of faith, Yvonne shares in this episode stories, wisdom, and real talk about the struggles and triumphs of homeschooling that make it all worthwhile. As you listen to her, it will be no wonder that she is a successful blogger, speaker, c...

Like many parents during 2020, today's guest found herself rethinking her original take on homeschooling--which was the assumption that she could never handle it. On this episode, Todd interviews the mother and teacher of his four children, his wife, and business partner, Amber Michael. In this episode Amber explores her own public school and college experiences, her transition from being intimidated by to embracing homeschooling, ...

In this debut episode of The Edvantage, host Todd Michael interviews his mom, Gail Michael, about her own education, her decision to homeschool, and her views on education today. Gail is an OG homeschool mom who was among the few who dove into homeschooling in the early 90's when there was very little available support, and everyone assumed you were either living on a compound, a religious extremist, or both. She recounts the exper...