Our Roots
Nicole founded Homeschool Living to help families take the reins to their children's education and not be dependent on the public school system. She likes to refer to herself as a "rehabilitated teacher." After teaching for nearly a decade, she began to recognize the academic and cultural shortcomings of the public school model. Her unique experience that spanned across 13 districts in southeastern Michigan reinforced that this was not a unique problem isolated to a certain area, but widespread in public, charter, and even private schools. That's when she redirected her focus and talents on the homeschool community and continues to help families navigate the process of detaching from the public school mindset into the freedom that comes with homeschooling.
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Nicole has been homeschooling her own children for the past 6 years and works with the homeschool community in her area. She also has over 20 years experience working with troubled youth in Metro-Detroit. She has participated in educational conferences in Detroit and in Tuscola County and is currently on the leadership team for her Homeschool Co-op where she works alongside the Director to help teach and assist in making program decisions.
Nicole Sherman
Homeschool Living Founder
We Believe in Parents
Parents are responsible for raising their children, which includes providing them an education. We believe they are capable and can provide the best education for their child when they are well-equipped. Just because parents may not be experts in educational theory, we believe they are experts on their child. So we work hard to provide parents with the information, resources, and empowerment to give their children the most superior form of education - a personalized learning plan from home!
We Believe in Freedom
Education is so much more than concepts and academic skills. We believe families have the right to provide an education that helps their child flourish in the skills, content, styles, and values they want to emphasize. We support keeping homeschooling free from the involvement and influence of the system we believe is failing students.
We Believe in Personalization
An individualized learning plan is the most effective form of education. Teaching to a child's strengths, interests, and learning style - while addressing their weaknesses, is where students thrive and homeschooling excels. We help families customize their child's education with the best curriculum styles and lesson ideas to fit their needs.
We Believe in
Real-world Education
We are not shy about the fact that we believe the public school system is becoming ineffective. Its original intent has been met and it is becoming a failing institution. It only provides a basic-level education, which is why studies have consistently shown homeschoolers outperform their public school peers. We believe that true education is best met outside of the four walls of a building and in the real world where students learn skills that a manufactured classroom experience simply cannot provide. While we know there are dedicated and devoted teachers, the public school system is limited by its own design. It fails to meet the needs of students to be successful in the real world because of logistical limitations and policy missteps. The homeschool student is free to explore and create and participate in life through field trips, community service, and an engaging, personalized curriculum. This is something the public school system cannot provide.