Voice Notes from the Organized Homeschool

About Voice Notes from the Organized Homeschool

Sending voice notes to all my homeschooling besties! Listen in on my personal and guests' reflections, learnings, advice, stories of homeschooling, and more. We'll chat getting and staying organized, planning lessons, activities, playdates, prepping for the day and anything else homeschooling that comes up! theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com (https://theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

by Erica Harrell of Homeschool For Freedom

Category

education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Jun 2025

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

54 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Season 3 Episode 5: Learning Isn’t Linear — Joy Golden on Leaving the Classroom and Supporting Struggling Writers

   Joy Golden never set foot in a public school until she was hired to work in one. Five years of teaching made her more certain of what she’d always believed: her own kids would learn at home. In this episode, I chat with Joy Golden, a former third grade public school teacher and homeschool mom of two little ones. She grew up unschooled, homeschooled, cyber schooled, and privately schooled. Joy talks about the classroom moments that made her decision to homeschool final, why she sees public education as flawed rather than broken, and how her iceberg framework shows everything hiding under a struggling writer’s page. You’ll hear: * The intruder drill with a carpet full of wide-eyed third graders that sent Joy home in tears, and the student she wished she could take on a picnic * Why Joy calls public education “flawed, not broken,” and what an overflowing sink has to do with it * How reading groups and grade-level bars teach kids who’s “smart,” and why that sense of “should” follows them into adulthood * What she’s keeping from early elementary classrooms: rhythm, soft starts, calendar time, and getting dressed for the job * Simple shifts for struggling writers: dictate first and copy later, pick one goal per task, and stop piling writing on top of math * Her answers to the three doubts that hold parents back from homeschooling: qualification, socialization, and actually making it happen ✨ Whether you’re a former teacher or have a reluctant writer at your kitchen table, this conversation is full of hard-won perspective and practical next steps. About Joy Golden: I am the Managing Partner of a small nonprofit— but that really just means I am a Stay-At-Home homeschool mom of 2. I have a diverse educational background (homeschool/unschool/truant & private school… it’s a long story). I left public education to be with my kids & I work from home as an educational strategist. I virtually support new PreK-4th grade homeschool families to get clarity & structure their home education program in a way that works for their individual lifestyle, children & goals. I also support families with struggling writers. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & meet Joy01:28 – Unschooled, homeschooled, cyber schooled & private schooled10:42 – Feeling “behind” as a kid & realizing she was smart in college14:28 – Why Joy homeschools & why she got her teaching degree19:17 – The intruder drill that stayed with her21:40 – When “everybody gets to learn” isn’t the reality23:46 – Kids with trauma & compliance disguised as support29:28 – Is there a fix? Flawed vs. broken & the overflowing sink39:34 – Joy’s homeschool now & the vision of always learning45:48 – What she’d borrow from classrooms: rhythm, soft starts & repetition48:55 – Getting dressed for the job & homeschooling with intention58:17 – Benchmarks, reading groups & the weight of “should”1:03:03 – Little geniuses & the kid who’d rather rebuild an engine1:06:08 – Growth mindset vs. a system built on grades1:15:13 – Why her third graders didn’t love writing & the writing iceberg1:17:49 – Dictate, then copy: help for a reluctant writer1:19:22 – Resistance isn’t laziness: pick one goal per task1:22:10 – Copy work, modeling & the “translation leaps”1:25:13 – Why writing during math makes kids shut down1:29:20 – Three doubts: qualification, socialization & making it happen1:36:58 – “Do less better,” where to find Joy & a listener offer Resources & Links Mentioned: * Connect with Joy on Instagram: @thejoygolden (https://www.instagram.com/thejoygolden/) * Joy’s free Writing Snapshot: link in her Instagram bio * Listener offer: the first five people to DM Joy on Instagram and mention this podcast get a free 40-minute Zoom writing consultation * When You Wonder, You’re Learning by Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski: Hachette Book Group (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/gregg-behr/when-you-wonder-youre-learning/9780306874741/) * Follow me on Instagram: @theorganizedhomeschool (https://www.instagram.com/theorganizedhomeschool) * Subscribe to the Voice Notes from The Organized Homeschool podcast on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voice-notes-from-the-organized-homeschool/id1821652066), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0j45Sxj9CYwmtDcdFJnXri), or Substack (https://substack.com/@theorganizedhomeschool) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com (https://theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Season 3 Episode 4: You Can't Teach Everything — Margie Figueroa on Outsourcing With Confidence

   She spent a full year supporting homeschool families before she homeschooled her own kids. By the time she started, she had already built a network of tutors, classes, and resources. In this episode, I chat with Margie Figueroa, a former public school teacher and reading instructional coach in South Florida who now homeschools her 15-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son while running her own online tutoring and homeschool consulting business. Margie shares why she and her husband decided to homeschool after watching their kids lose their love of learning, how she framed the move differently for each child, and why she sees outsourcing as a further step in personalizing your child’s education. You’ll hear: * Why she and her husband decided to homeschool after watching schoolwork become a checkbox, with much of what their kids learned being how to take a test * How a year spent supporting other homeschool families, before homeschooling her own, built the network of resources she later used for her own kids, without her meaning to * The different case she made to each child: no more honor roll pressure for her high-achieving daughter, and freedom to move for her son with ADHD, who was above grade level but always in trouble for being himself * Why outsourcing isn’t failing, and why she handed writing to another tutor so her reluctant writer wouldn’t reject the subject just because Mom was teaching it * Her two-part filter for choosing who to outsource to, and why the best fit doesn’t always have a teaching degree * What Florida’s testing load looked like from both sides, as a teacher and as a mom, and why she’s not against assessments, just against building a whole education around them ✨ Listen in if you’ve ever felt like outsourcing means you’re failing as a homeschool parent. Margie makes a strong case for letting go of that stigma. About Margie Figueroa: Margie is a former public school educator and instructional coach. She is now a homeschool mom of 2 and continues to work in education as a homeschool consultant and online tutor. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & meet Margie00:49 – From teacher to reading coach to business owner03:54 – Why they chose to homeschool05:06 – A year of prep before homeschooling her own kids05:59 – How she talked to her daughter about homeschooling07:24 – Freedom to move for her son10:01 – What she saw as a teacher and coach15:24 – A system problem, not a people problem16:26 – Their eclectic homeschool approach18:14 – Outsourcing writing for a reluctant writer19:05 – Novel studies and enjoying reading again20:25 – Science, geography, and staying active22:32 – Starting dual enrollment at 1528:28 – Homeschool mom, business owner, house manager29:10 – Building a homeschool network before day one32:08 – Why outsourcing isn’t failing34:14 – Trust and expertise: how she chooses39:33 – Florida’s testing load, by the numbers45:35 – The fish, the tree, and assessments50:16 – From “I have to” to “I get to”52:35 – Where to find Margie Resources & Links Mentioned: * Connect with Margie on Instagram: @funshine_edu (https://www.instagram.com/funshine_edu) * Email Margie: info@funshineeducation.com (mailto:info@funshineeducation.com) * Dimensions Math by Singapore Math: singaporemath.com (https://www.singaporemath.com) * Florida Virtual School: flvs.net (https://www.flvs.net) * Follow me on Instagram: @theorganizedhomeschool (https://www.instagram.com/theorganizedhomeschool) * Subscribe to the Voice Notes from The Organized Homeschool podcast on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voice-notes-from-the-organized-homeschool/id1821652066), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0j45Sxj9CYwmtDcdFJnXri), or Substack (https://substack.com/@theorganizedhomeschool) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com (https://theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

3. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Life is Learning: Katie Doughty on Service Learning and Letting Go of School at Home

   One December, Katie Doughty set aside math, language arts, writing, and everything else on the schedule for almost three weeks. Her kids came out of it with about 50 comfort kits for people experiencing homelessness, and Katie came out of it seeing learning differently. In this episode, I chat with Katie Doughty, a former first and second grade teacher in Seattle who is heading into her sixth year of homeschooling her two kids, ages 10 and 13. Katie shares how a temporary COVID plan turned into a way of life, why being a teacher meant more unlearning than people expect, and how her KIND method turns any topic, from dogs to civil rights, into a kid-friendly service project. You’ll hear: * Why “permission to pivot” is the most helpful thing she’s learned as a homeschool mom, and the shiny object trap she still has to watch for * The Yellowstone road trip moment when she realized homeschool could be so much bigger than school at home * How “planning from behind,” an idea from Brave Writer’s Julie Bogart, helped her see how much learning was hiding in a simple grocery run * The advice from one of her professors in teacher training that still shapes her homeschool: don’t do what your kids can do * Her KIND method (Know, Inquire, Noodle, Do), and how her dog-loving daughter ended up sewing tug toys for a local shelter * Why she thinks community service gets a bad rap, and how she’s working to flip that narrative for kids ✨ If you’ve ever worried about falling behind when you set the curriculum aside, Katie’s stories will show you just how much learning happens when you do. About Katie Doughty: I am a former elementary teacher now homeschooling my two kids. I love writing books, creating service projects for kids, and learning through travel. When I’m not in mom-mode I’m playing in a steel drum band. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & meet Katie00:45 – From classroom teacher to COVID homeschooler03:31 – Bringing the classroom home to the basement05:23 – The Yellowstone trip that changed everything07:20 – Why former teachers have so much to unlearn08:16 – Permission to pivot (and the shiny object trap)14:27 – Planning from behind with Brave Writer15:48 – Setting aside the curriculum for a service project19:17 – Weaving learning into everyday family life21:28 – A typical week: classes, nature class, and Field Trip Fridays25:37 – The teacher rule she still uses at home29:00 – Secret Scrap: a classroom cleanup game at home29:58 – Why she brings community service into homeschool31:23 – The KIND method: Know, Inquire, Noodle, Do34:05 – Starting hard conversations with picture books37:07 – Why community service gets a bad rap37:32 – Her guides and the Soulcial Studies library39:31 – Doing it messy while building something of your own42:25 – Her biggest advice: you do you43:43 – Where to find Katie Resources & Links Mentioned: * Connect with Katie on Instagram: @teamkindhumans (https://www.instagram.com/teamkindhumans/) * Katie’s website, KIND method guides, and email list: teamkindhumans.com (https://www.teamkindhumans.com) * Kind Classroom: kindclassroom.com (https://kindclassroom.com) (Use code organized20 for 20% off anything in the Kind Classroom) * Listen to Katie’s podcast, Raising Kind Humans: Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-kind-humans/id1629236027) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/79psN0yitNhKGhcrzu9r5D) * Brave Writer (https://bravewriter.com), founded by Julie Bogart * Babies of Homelessness (https://babiesofhomelessness.org) * Homeward Pet Adoption Center (https://www.homewardpet.org) * Follow me on Instagram: @theorganizedhomeschool (https://www.instagram.com/theorganizedhomeschool) * Subscribe to the Voice Notes from The Organized Homeschool podcast on Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voice-notes-from-the-organized-homeschool/id1821652066), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0j45Sxj9CYwmtDcdFJnXri), or Substack (https://substack.com/@theorganizedhomeschool) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com (https://theorganizedhomeschool.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

Reach and audience

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

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100

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

Quality

33

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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