Meet the Creators!
It all begins with an idea to help homeschoolers through the chaos of homeschooling. Gathering amazing creators who have the same vision and viola! Welcome to our THIRD ANNUAL A Simplified Year!
Crystal Wiley // Simple Studies
Crystal is a homeschool mama since 2014 and Founder/Creator of Simple Studies, an award-winning, Charlotte Mason-inspired homeschool curriculum serving thousands of homeschoolers worldwide.
You can often catch this mama her kids hiking, Baja racing, identifying birds, camping and playing sports. @Simple.and.Free_ or @cm_simplestudies
Lauren Giordano // Chickie & Roo
Lauren Giordano is an author, illustrator, and owner of Chickie & Roo, an educational curriculum and resource company for families and schools. She home educates her two children in Florida and teaches in her local homeschool co-op community, where she leads nature classes. Lauren is passionate about bringing children closer to nature and helping them develop a deeper understanding of our natural world. Her work has been published and featured in Quarto Book:Nature School, The Peaceful Press, A Year of Learning, Chickadees Wooden Toys, Wild & Free Co., FunSchooling Books, and more. You can find her work at chickieandroo.com. @chickieandroo
Erin Cox // The Gentle + Classical Press
Erin is a joy-chasing homeschool mama to 4 babies, ages young adult down to elementary. She married her grade-school sweetheart over 20 years ago, and lives to love him well. Erin writes about homeschooling, taking hard moments captive for Christ, and loving her family well at Life, Abundantly. She is the author of multiple early-years Charlotte Mason and Classically-inspired programs at The Gentle + Classical Press. @gentle_classical_press
Stephanie Hathaway // Stephanie Hathaway Designs
Hi! I’m Stephanie, a Kansas City area artist and homeschooling mom of two sweet boys. I create unit studies and educational resources inspired by nature, art, science, and the magic of everyday life. I intend to help the next generation to be kindhearted, life long learners and well-rounded people who are prepared to take on the exciting challenges of the future! @stephhathawaydesigns
Whitney Newby // Brighter Day Press
Hi! I'm Whitney. I’m a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mama to four incredible children. I have a Bible degree from Moody Bible Institute, am a registered nurse, and since 2018 I have enjoyed delving into homeschooling more than I ever could’ve imagined. At Brighter Day Press, we create life-giving educational resources that are literature-based and gospel-centered to help families navigate the world from a biblical perspective. Charlotte Mason guides our methods in her spreading of a "feast" full of truth, beauty, and goodness. @brighterdaypress
Laura Stroup // Firefly Nature School
Laura is the founder of Firefly Nature School, a nature study curriculum designed for homeschooling families, co-ops, and classrooms. She has a degree in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University with an emphasis in natural resource education. A former zoo educator and science teacher, she now leads a nature school in her community. Helping inspire her family and others to appreciate the great outdoors is one of Laura’s greatest joys. @fireflynatureschool
Rebecca Zipp // A Humble Place
Rebecca has been teaching her two kids using Charlotte Mason's philosophy since they started homeschooling in 2016. She enjoys the freedom found in a Charlotte Mason education and the fact that it not only nourishes the minds, hearts, and souls of her children but hers as well. @ahumbleplace
Hannah Stevenson // Lily & Thistle
Created by Hannah Stevenson, Lily & Thistle offers online art courses perfect for the whole family. From Watercolor School to Nature's Art Club to Art Makes Me Smart, there is something for all ages. New courses coming soon! @lily_and_thistle
Amanda Overman // Organized.Homeschool.Mom
HI! I'm Amanda. I'm a former public school teacher turned homeschool mom and resource creator. I love making unit studies that add beauty to our school day and I'm proud that I get to share them with other families as well. When I'm not creating resources or spending time with family, I'm an avid reader of all genres! @organized.homeschool.mom
Cherelle German // Embracing Homeschool
Cherelle is a busy, extroverted mama to three wonderful children and one who's deeply immersed in eclectic homeschooling. Through her website, Embracing Homeschool, she's on a mission to help fellow busy moms not just survive, but thrive in their homeschooling journey. Her passion for helping busy moms also shines through her eclectic and family-style curriculum, The Simplified Feast, where she offers them an easy way to provide a rich and abundant learning experience for their children, simply.
Lisa Wilkinson // A Year of Learning
Lisa Wilkinson is a wife, homeschooling mama of 9, grateful grandmother, a writer of the heart, and a curriculum developer who lives in New England. Lisa has a heart to encourage families to home educate gently, bringing connection, in a thoughtful and intentional way. Her hope is through these gentle resources and an encouraging community A Year of Learning will bring joy and warmth into many homes while providing carefully curated curriculum and collections for families to use while gathering together. @ayearof_learning @wilkinsonnest
Christina Franco // Rooted Homelife
English teacher turned homeschooling mom of five, from preschoolers through high schoolers, Christina is passionate about learning through play, family-style learning, and learning through travel and experiences. She creates learning resources for her children and shares them on Etsy at Rooted Homeschool, and shares all about homeschooling, and her lean towards unschooling on Instagram @rooted_homelife and YouTube at Rooted HomeLife. She’s passionate about showing other families the freedom available to them through homeschooling. @rooted_homelife
Katie Chancellor and Leslie Rutland // Learning Through Literature
Leslie and Katie are the mother-daughter co-creators of Learning Through Literature (learningthroughliterature.com) where they are dedicated to helping families navigate the world of children’s literature. They’re passionate about sharing the power that great stories can have to influence hearts and minds and create strong connections to knowledge. As a former homeschool mom (Leslie) and a current homeschool mom of teens (Katie), they both love to help families who are seeking resources for meaningful literature-based learning. @learningthroughliterature
Leah Martin // Thinking Love
Leah Martin is a former teacher who learned about the Charlotte Mason philosophy when she was hired by a private school. The philosophy changed the way she viewed education, and she began implementing it in her home. After leaving her job to be with her children, she continued to learn about Charlotte Mason, and wanted to share it with others. She started My Little Robins in 2016 as a way to connect with like-minded parents and as a way to keep teaching outside of the classroom. Leah lives in Colorado with her husband and three children. @mylittlerobins
Min Jung Hwang
Min could not have imagined God’s plans for her as a Pastor’s Wife with four creative children, getting to live out her passion for Christ through homeschooling, mentoring mothers, and capturing beauty through art for Truth and Beauty Studio. She is the founder of the Life-giving Motherhood nonprofit, and shares her homeschool resources on her ever-evolving website, MinJungHwang.com, while also serving on the Charlotte Mason Institute’s Board of Directors. Min’s desire is to help mothers curate the Christ-centered education their hearts ache to give their children —cooperating with God to build a legacy aligned with His everlasting Kingdom. @min.j.hwang
Amy Fischer // Thinking Love
Amy Fischer stumbled into a love for education during a year studying abroad. After leaving work to care for her first child, her enthusiasm led her to look into home education, and, eventually, to the Charlotte Mason Way. Amy blogs at Around the Thicket, where she posts about the Charlotte Mason philosophy, homeschooling, and parenting. She can usually found reading or planning her next hike. Originally from Indiana, Amy resides in England with her husband and three rambunctious boys. @amy.e.fischer