[Podcast #309] Redefining Homeschool with Alisha Brignall from Canada

Brave Writer Podcast

Welcome back to the Brave Writer Podcast! This week, Julie sits down with Alisha Brignall, a Canadian homeschooling veteran and educational leader with over 15 years of experience guiding families through their unique learning journeys.

With a Master’s in Education and her work as a Home Education Manager at an independent school, Alisha brings a wealth of knowledge about both the philosophy and the practical realities of homeschooling. She’s also the founder of INSPIRED, Alberta’s only secular homeschool conference, dedicated to creating inclusive and supportive communities for families.

Alisha Brignall
Alisha Brignall

In this warm and deeply insightful conversation, Alisha and Julie explore how homeschooling has evolved over the past two decades—from early pedagogical pioneers to today’s eclectic mix of families seeking flexibility and connection. They:

  • unpack the differences between Canadian and American approaches to home education,
  • discuss how to cultivate confidence as a parent educator,
  • and highlight the growing landscape of hybrid models and secular learning spaces.

Together, they reflect on what it truly means to measure success in education, nurture a love of learning, and prioritize family relationships as the foundation for meaningful growth.

Show Notes

Homeschooling Then and Now

Alisha began homeschooling when her oldest child—now a thriving young adult—needed something different than what traditional education could offer. What began as a personal experiment grew into a lifelong vocation of understanding and supporting diverse learners. Julie and Alisha discuss how homeschooling’s motivations have transformed since the early 2000s: where once parents were often pedagogically motivated, steeped in John Holt or Charlotte Mason, many families today are driven by necessity, seeking refuge from overstretched systems or wanting a more flexible, inclusive approach.

The conversation delves into how these changing motivations affect the homeschool experience. Alisha observes that modern families often come to homeschooling unsure of their educational philosophy, juggling dual careers and new hybrid models. Yet, even amid the complexity, both she and Julie see the same spark of possibility—parents rediscovering confidence as educators and children finding joy in self-directed learning.

Confidence and Connection in Learning

A recurring theme throughout the episode is trust—trusting children, trusting yourself, and trusting that meaningful education looks different for every family. Alisha shares stories from her work as a mentor and from her own homeschool, where allowing her son with dysgraphia to create his own set of Pokémon-style “Gogemon” cards led him to become a film student with a love of storytelling. These moments, Julie reflects, are the heart of learning: when curiosity is met with freedom and encouragement, growth naturally follows.

Julie and Alisha also explore how the metrics of “success” in homeschooling can differ widely among family members. Alisha recalls a time when her family realized they each defined success differently—mom wanted growth, dad wanted measurable progress, and the kids just wanted peace and joy. Recognizing those different values became the turning point for their homeschool harmony, and Julie encourages listeners to ask their own families what success truly looks like.

The Future of Home Education

Looking forward, Alisha sees both challenge and promise in the future of education. The landscape is expanding: AI tools, hybrid programs, and microschools are changing how families approach learning. But what remains constant, she says, is the relationship at the center of it all. Whether schooling at home or within new systems, children thrive when they feel connected—to their parents, their communities, and their curiosity.

Julie echoes that sentiment, reminding listeners that homeschooling has always been an act of faith in connection: parent to child, learner to subject, family to world. As more families experiment with what education can look like, that foundation of love and trust will continue to guide the way.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA

Brave Writer Podcast

Posted in Podcasts | Comments Off on [Podcast #309] Redefining Homeschool with Alisha Brignall from Canada

Does Writing Instruction Require Suffering?

Brave Writer

One of the reasons that people struggle with writing is that it doesn’t feel easy.

But what if it could be?

What if your child experienced self-expression as something they enjoy, as something they deserve to have in their toolbox of being human?

I noticed when I interviewed adults that the scars of criticism from writing instruction linger into adulthood. A lot of times those scars make them adopt the same methods that harmed them when they teach their own kids to write. That’s not surprising because we’ve also been taught that learning that is effective should be difficult and a struggle.

It’s almost like we can’t value learning that feels good.

But when we write freely and from the heart, it does feel good. In fact, it is therapeutic and deeply satisfying.

Every person has the craving to self express and be read and heard. This is our birthright. I wrote my newest book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing, to help you reclaim that birthright on behalf of yourself and your kids.

Help! My Kid Hates Writing

Posted in Homeschool Advice | Comments Off on Does Writing Instruction Require Suffering?

What AI Can’t Write

Brave Writer

AI can write anything!

Almost. 

But you know what AI is terrible at writing?

  • The quirky way your daughter tells a joke.
  • The exuberant way your son describes kicking the winning goal.
  • The vivid way your child describes the freezing-cold river water running over their toes.

Those moments? They’re real. They’re human. 

So—how do you help bring them to the page while keeping your child’s authentic voice alive?

  • You pay attention. (You take their struggle seriously!) 
  • You Jot It Down. (You become their secretary until they can do it on their own!)
  • You partner with them. (You provide help that actually helps!)
  • You become the writing coach they need to gain both competence and confidence.

Need help?

Growing Brave Writers

Growing Brave Writers is your guide to leveling up your teaching skills—so you can nurture your child’s voice and love of writing.

And here’s the best part: the skills you learn (and they learn!) will serve you again and again and again. 

Unlike one-and-done curricula, this guide grows with your child—from age 5 to 18 and beyond! 

  • One purchase.
  • Years of writing instruction.
  • A lifetime of authentic expression.

If you’re worried about AI taking over creativity… or if you want your child to tap into what makes them beautifully, unmistakably human—Brave Writer has the key.

Stop the worry and start the writing!

Get Growing Brave Writers today! 

Growing Brave Writers

Posted in Writing about Writing | Comments Off on What AI Can’t Write

[Podcast #308] Julie’s Brief History of Homeschooling

Brave Writer Podcast

On today’s podcast we go on a sweeping journey through the history of homeschooling, weaving together Julie’s story with the larger movement that reshaped education in America. From the experimental classrooms of 1970s California to the early legal battles of the 1980s and the faith-driven conventions of the 1990s, Julie shows how homeschooling evolved from a fringe experiment into a mainstream educational choice.

Along the way, she shares the moment she first heard the word “homeschool,” how early influences shaped her teaching philosophy, and why the movement looks so different today—with growing diversity, secular options, and new opportunities for connection.

This episode dives into:

  • Landmark cases like Wisconsin v. Yoder and their impact
  • The rise of Christian homeschooling and its cultural influence
  • How COVID-19 sparked a new wave of homeschoolers
  • Brave Writer’s unique role as a non-sectarian home for all families

Julie’s personal history is a reminder that homeschooling has never been static—it has always been about reimagining education for the times we’re in.

Show Notes

The Early Days of Homeschooling

Julie begins with memories of her own education in 1970s California—an era of creek-side science lessons, Renaissance fairs, and hands-on learning experiments. She then introduces the early influencers of the homeschooling movement, such as John Holt and Raymond Moore, and landmark legal cases like Wisconsin v. Yoder that carved out space for families to educate outside the system.

Homeschooling in the 80s and 90s

Through personal anecdotes, Julie recounts first hearing the word “homeschool” in the 1980s and discovering its promise of tailor-made education. She describes the rise of Christian homeschool conventions and curricula in the 1990s, the challenges of record-keeping in some states, and how communities were built—often through church networks.

Homeschooling Today

Fast forward to the present, where homeschooling has become both more mainstream and more varied. From the surge of new homeschoolers post-COVID to the growth of secular and religiously diverse communities, Julie highlights how Brave Writer continues to create a non-sectarian space that welcomes families of every background.

Homeschooling has always been about more than just academics. It’s a way to reimagine education to serve children and families in meaningful ways.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA

Brave Writer Podcast

Posted in Podcasts | Comments Off on [Podcast #308] Julie’s Brief History of Homeschooling

The Foundation of Self-Worth

Brave Writer

I found this little gem in my Instagram drafts and it brought a tear to my eye. I recorded it in the spring of 2024. My mother was still alive at the time.

It struck me as I re-watched it that the foundation of self-worth is the faith that my parents have in me. Each of them have expressed in many different ways that the person I am is someone they are proud of and that they love.

They have weathered all kinds of changes in my beliefs, in my choices, in how I conduct myself as a grown-up. They haven’t always agreed with all those choices.

But at the core of my identity is the deep knowledge that both my parents love me and are proud of me.

If you’re worried about your kids right now and the choices they’re making, what matters more is that they know that they are important to you and that you are proud to be their parent.

You can’t protect your children from making choices they regret. But you can be the person that supports them no matter what.

So go forth and tell your kids today, “I think you’re the bees knees.” Then give them a big hug and tossle their hair.

Watch the Video

Brave Learner Home

Posted in Parenting | Comments Off on The Foundation of Self-Worth