Ex-Homeschoolers Club

About Ex-Homeschoolers Club

Welcome to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club! This is the place where we talk about the Good, Bad, and Ugly of growing up inside the homeschool world. Each episode showcases personal stories and experiences around social development, religious influence, family dynamics, education gaps, identity formation, and rebuilding community in adulthood. Whether homeschooling shaped your life in helpful ways, harmful ways, or something in between, this show welcomes the full spectrum of experiences.

Publisher

Jacob Gooden

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Jul 2024

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

87 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   How a Homeschool Dad Uses AI and Travel to Teach Critical Thinking

   If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclubJoin Book ClubGrab a copy of the book "A Well-Trained Wife" by Tia Levings: https://bookshop.org/a/128680/9781250898050 Join the discussion over on the Fable App: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145 The landscape of homeschooling has shifted dramatically over the last decade. In this episode, host Jacob Gooden sits down with homeschool parent and tech entrepreneur Oshri Cohen to discuss modern education strategies, navigating neurodiversity, and leveraging contemporary technology. Oshri shares his family's journey into homeschooling after traditional public, private, and Montessori school environments failed his two dyslexic sons. Rather than forcing rigid structures, Oshri and his wife focus on teaching applied knowledge, critical thinking, and real-world experience. Throughout the conversation, Oshri explains how his family integrates cutting-edge tools into their daily routine. His children use artificial intelligence daily to ask deep questions, explore complex topics, and learn via the Socratic method. Oshri also highlights the concept of worldschooling, sharing how living in places like Bulgaria, Costa Rica, and Panama provides his sons with hands-on history and cultural lessons that books alone cannot replicate. The discussion also tackles common homeschooling misconceptions, including the ubiquitous question of socialization. Oshri explains why interacting across diverse age groups and real-world environments fosters stronger communication skills than standard classroom settings. He offers valuable encouragement for parents contemplating homeschooling, emphasizing that the biggest hurdle is often shifting the adult mindset around how learning is measured. Key Takeaways Focus on applied knowledge and real-world context rather than rote memorization or standard testing metrics. Integrate interactive AI tools to encourage children to think critically through Socratic questioning. Embrace worldschooling and travel to give children firsthand exposure to culture, economics, and history. Reframe socialization around meaningful communication across all age groups rather than strict peer groups. Shift the parental mindset from measuring schoolwork completed to evaluating actual learning and curiosity. Resources / Links Watchly Player: https://watchlyplayer.tv/en (https://watchlyplayer.tv/en) Support the Show BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/exhsclub Check out our Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com Email Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/Message Me On Socials Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub Threads: https://www.threads.com/@exhsclub Listen on Podcast Players Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1hIhpMeEy6VJuqNUwfz5TE Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ex-homeschoolers-club/id1641525487 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ex-homeschoolers-club-201877573Chapters 00:00 Welcome Back to the Ex-Homeschoolers Club 02:46 Meet Oshri Cohen 04:16 Why We Chose Homeschool 06:06 Testing ADHD and Dyslexia 08:08 Quebec Curriculum Reality 09:54 Teaching Real History 12:26 Applied Learning Tools 16:14 Writing and AI Skills 18:59 Libraries and Classics 23:03 Understanding Dyslexic Minds 33:05 Hard Conversations at Home 36:25 Context Not Control 37:31 Peer Influence Reality Check 38:31 Homeschool Socialization Myth 42:57 Worldschooling Hubs Explained 46:11 Travel As Real Education 49:26 Tech Tools At Home 53:33 Building A Safer YouTube 01:01:20 Teaching Critical Thinking 01:03:44 Homeschooling Is More Not Less 01:06:26 Parent Mindset And Measuring Learning 01:08:33 Final Thoughts And Wrap Up

2. 

   18 Sept 2026

   3 Things I Loved About Being Homeschooled (And 2 I'd Change)

   If you want to support the channel, like, comment, share, or consider buying me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub ------------------------------------------------------------- Join Book Club Grab a copy of the book "A Well-Trained Wife" by Tia Levings: https://bookshop.org/a/128680/9781250898050 Follow for updates on the email newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/ Join the discussion over on the Fable App: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145 ------------------------------------------------------------- On today's show, I dive deep into my personal journey growing up as a homeschool kid in Southern California. From starting out in public school to transitioning into home education for 2nd grade and going all the way through high school, this is a candid reflection on how my upbringing shaped my independence, routine, and confidence. I open up about the positive aspects (such as building strong time-management skills and thriving in unique extracurriculars like swing dancing and mime troupe) while addressing the flaws, including creationist-focused science curricula and a lack of exposure to diverse worldviews. Finally, I share my current perspective on the homeschool debate, advocating for common-sense regulations to protect children while emphasizing the need for nuanced, open conversations. Key Takeaways Transitioning to homeschooling requires intentional structure, but finding the right curriculum and building a strong local community are key to long-term social and academic success. Experiencing home education can foster strong self-reliance, time-management capabilities, and the flexibility to pursue unique hobbies or business ventures. A lack of diverse perspectives in faith-based curricula, particularly around science and contrasting worldviews, can create significant knowledge gaps later in life. Evaluating homeschooling should be done on a case-by-case basis, with an emphasis on common-sense regulations to ensure child safety and educational standards. Favorite Quote "It's not as simple as yes regulation, no regulation. Like, it's not as simple as just saying, 'Let's take existing rules and slap them on this thing.' It's not that easy. It's very much a conversation that needs to continue to happen and evolve with lawmakers, with alumni, with current homeschool families, with the education systems that are building the curriculums that are being used for kids." — Jacob Gooden ------------------------------------------------------------- Support the Show BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/exhsclub Check out our Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com Email Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/ Message Me On Socials Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub Threads: https://www.threads.com/@exhsclub Chapters 00:00 Welcome To The Ex-Homeschoolers Club 01:33 Support The Show and Join Book Club 03:30 My Homeschool Experience 18:39 Homeschooling Is A Privilege 19:47 Getting Into College 24:41 If You've Got Questions, Ask Them 25:12 Would I Have Succeeded In Public School? 27:24 3 Thing I Liked About My Homeschool Experience 33:17 Some Things I'd Change About My Homeschool Experience 39:55 Where Do I Stand Today With Homeschooling? 47:48 One Of The Biggest Criticisms Of The Show 48:55 Do You Want To Be A Guest On The Show? 54:13 Recap and Wrap Up

3. 

   11 Sept 2026

   How Homeschooling Left Me Unprepared for College and Adulthood

   Jodie is currently looking for people to participate in her documentary, including homeschool alumni, educators, people with experience in law or politics, and anyone with relevant experience to share. Reach out to her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodie_justice/ Jodie was homeschooled from preschool through high school in a very Christian, Independent Baptist environment. Her mom gave her a lot of freedom to explore subjects she was interested in, but often relied on textbooks and self-teaching instead of actually teaching the material. Over time, Jodie fell behind academically (especially in math) and entered college realizing just how many educational gaps she had to overcome. In this episode, Jodie shares what it was like discovering that college was even an option, catching up academically as an adult, and realizing how homeschooling had affected her. We also talk about religious deconstruction, coming out as gay, family reactions, and the supportive role her wife has played. Jodie also shares her plans for a documentary exploring homeschooling, its lack of regulation, and the stories of people affected by it. In this episode, we talk about... Growing up in a strict Christian homeschool environment The challenges of self-teaching and falling behind academically Entering college and discovering just how much catching up was necessary Religious deconstruction and coming out as gay Why Jodie believes homeschooling requires community, accountability, and support Her upcoming documentary about the realities of homeschooling Connect with Jodie Jodie is currently looking for people to participate in her documentary, including homeschool alumni, educators, people with experience in law or politics, and anyone with relevant experience to share. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodie_justice/ Support Ex-Homeschoolers Club Have a story or thoughts you'd like to share? Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhsclub Email me at exhsclub@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exhsclub/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@exhsclub Newsletter: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/ Substack: https://exhsclub.substack.com If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might benefit from hearing this story. Chapters 00:00 Meet Jodi and the Show 00:31 Newsletter and Episode Setup 01:08 Jodi Homeschool Background 01:41 Curriculum Chaos and Sale Bins 03:50 Co-ops and the Church Bubble 05:34 Religion in the Mix 08:05 I Got To Pick My Electives But No One Was Teaching Me 11:05 Self-Teaching Lead To Me Falling Behind 16:46 Finding Motivation For College And Catching Up 22:17 Discoverying My Career Direction 24:39 The Making Of A Homeschool Documentary 26:24 Unregulated Homeschooling Reality 29:10 Realizing How Homeschool Harmed Me 30:20 Finding Ex-Homeschool Support 31:16 How Educated By Tara Westover Radicalized Me 34:06 Grieving The Past And Rebuilding For The Future 36:59 Partner Support System 41:18 What Did Coming Out Look Like For You? 49:29 Family Reactions To Coming Out 52:42 Where Do You Stand With Homeschooling Today? 56:40 Documentary Call For Help 59:41 Final Thanks And Wrap Up

Who has been a guest on Ex-Homeschoolers Club

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Marsh
• Charlie Monroe
• RB

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

143,730

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

95

Social presence

91

YouTube

82

Engagement

32

Contact Ex-Homeschoolers Club

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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