How We Found Our Way to Alternative Education

Homeschooling was never the original plan.

Although we had discussed it as an option, my career was flourishing and demanded most of my attention. For the first few years, our oldest son attended a highly reputable daycare. Overall, we had a wonderful experience, and he loved his teachers.

When our second son was born, I became a stay-at-home mom and decided to keep our oldest home with us so he could enjoy the company of his new little brother. Eventually, we transitioned to public preschool. We were excited. We had bought our house in a high-performing school district, and we were ready to see those property taxes pay off through a “free” education.

Until they didn’t.

Shortly after the school year began, we realized our original plan wasn’t going to work. As the days and weeks passed, that gnawing feeling that this simply wasn’t the right fit for our family continued to grow.

Truthfully, I had a hard time adjusting to him being away for such long periods of time. I missed our slow mornings, long afternoons at the park, and the play-based learning that naturally happened throughout our days. And he missed being home, too. His anxiety grew, and he continually told us that he was bored at school.

So, our journey into alternative education began.

What is alternative education?

The first step was figuring out what our options actually were.

Growing up, I attended private school. My siblings experienced a combination of private school, Montessori, public school, and homeschooling, while my husband attended public school. We had all experienced education differently, but I realized that I had never really taken the time to understand the philosophies behind the many alternatives available to families.

As I began researching, I discovered approaches like Montessori, which emphasizes independence, hands-on learning, and a carefully prepared environment; Waldorf, which places a strong emphasis on imagination, creativity, movement, and experiential learning; and Reggio Emilia, which views children as capable and curious learners whose interests can guide their learning.

There was also unschooling, a highly learner-directed approach centered around a child's questions and interests; nature-based education, which uses the outdoors as a primary classroom; and Charlotte Mason, which emphasizes literature, nature study, narration, habit formation, and rich ideas rather than relying heavily on worksheets and textbooks.

And then came the bigger question:

Which one?

Finding What Worked for Us

Because private and Montessori schools were what I knew best, we started there. The school we explored was beautiful, organized, reputable, and in a great location. But the more I learned about Montessori, the more I realized that much of what they would do at school was already happening naturally in our home.

We had the space. I had the time. And I love learning, which meant I could do the research and preparation necessary to bring many of these ideas into our home.

And just like that, homeschooling came back into the conversation.

Ultimately, we decided to keep our children home and homeschool them. It has been one of the best decisions we have made for our family.

Our homeschool doesn't follow one philosophy perfectly. Instead, we’ve created our own approach by borrowing pieces from several educational philosophies and adapting them to our children.

We’ve created a Montessori-inspired environment at home, giving our children access to educational toys, activities, and resources they can explore independently. We spend lots of time outside—playing in the mud, swimming, observing insects, and exploring nature. We bake, make play-doh from scratch, and create our own sensory activities.

We have a math and reading curriculum that we approach with patience and curiosity. We read aloud constantly and make frequent trips to the library to explore whatever catches their attention. (You have no idea how many shark books we have read!)

We’re part of a co-op where our children play, socialize, learn science through hands-on activities, and go on field trips. They take art classes, participate in sports, and have online courses through Bloom Scholars for subjects I’m less comfortable teaching—and because I believe there is tremendous value in learning from someone other than Mom.

And, importantly, there is still plenty of downtime.

Our days are filled with learning, play, exploration, connection, and rest. This combination of flexibility and intentionality is something traditional education simply couldn't have given our family.

Alternative Doesn't Mean Unstructured

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that alternative education does not mean unstructured education.

A student can have an individualized academic plan, clear goals, progress monitoring, and skilled instruction while still learning through project-based, experiential, inquiry-based, or personalized approaches.

There is no single “right” way to educate a child.

For families considering alternative education, perhaps the first step isn’t choosing between Montessori, homeschooling, public school, unschooling, or any other philosophy. Instead, start by asking:

Who is my child? How do they learn best? What do they need? And what kind of educational environment will allow them to thrive?

From there, you can begin building your plan.

And remember: that plan doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

It just needs to work for your child, your family, and the season of life you are in.

Sometimes, finding the right educational path is less about following a philosophy perfectly—and more about paying attention, staying curious, and being willing to bloom in your own direction.

An article by Fernie Cosgrove.