Secular Homeschool Revolution

Ashley
  • 4.6 (18)
  • Kids & Family
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the "Secular Homeschool Revolution" podcast, where we go on an exciting journey into the world of homeschooling from a progressive and secular mom's perspective. Join us as we explore the ins and outs of the homeschooling arena with over six years of hands-on experience and the delightful chaos of raising three wonderful kids.

  1. The Conservative Homeschool Pipeline and Anti-LGBTQ+ Messaging

    6d ago

    The Conservative Homeschool Pipeline and Anti-LGBTQ+ Messaging

    In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, host Ashley breaks down how anti-LGBTQ+ messaging shows up in homeschool spaces and how it is often packaged through softer language like “parental rights,” “protecting children,” “traditional values,” and “just biology.” This episode connects to the larger conversation about the SAHM-to-homeschool mom-to-trad wife pipeline and how conservative messaging can slowly enter homeschool communities through social media, parenting content, homemaking content, and fear-based education rhetoric. Ashley challenges progressive homeschoolers to look deeper at the language being used around LGBTQ+ people, queer families, trans kids, banned books, Pride, gender identity, and inclusive curriculum. Because homeschooling outside the public school system does not automatically create liberatory spaces. A homeschool can be secular and still be anti-LGBTQ+. A homeschool can be secular and still erase queer history. A homeschool can be secular and still teach children that some people deserve less dignity. This episode is a call for secular progressive homeschoolers to move beyond tolerance and into real affirmation. Because LGBTQ+ people are not inappropriate. Queer families are not political. Trans kids are not debate topics. And Pride belongs in our homeschool conversations, bookshelves, curriculum, and communities. Secular Homeschool Revolution is for progressive, secular homeschoolers who are reimagining education for their kids unapologetically.

    23 min
  2. I made a Juneteenth Unit Study

    Jun 17

    I made a Juneteenth Unit Study

    I Made a Juneteenth Unit Study  In this mini episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, Ashley shares the heart behind her new Juneteenth Unit Study and why this resource is such a meaningful next step for the brand. Ashley talks about creating homeschool lessons informally for years, working with her husband to fine-tune the curriculum, and building a resource that helps families teach Juneteenth with truth, care, joy, and a decolonized lens. This episode also explains how to use the unit study, including the parent guide, student workbook, decolonized vocabulary, hands-on activities, and the importance of helping kids think like historians by asking questions, noticing missing voices, and thinking critically about history. This Juneteenth Unit Study is designed for secular progressive homeschool families who want more than a surface-level holiday lesson. It invites children to understand Juneteenth as a Black freedom story, a Texas story, a resistance story, and a celebration of Black joy. In this episode: Why Ashley created a Juneteenth Unit Study How the parent guide and student workbook work together Why decolonized vocabulary matters for adults and kids How to help kids think like historians Why Juneteenth should be taught with truth and joy How families can use the unit across one day, a few days, or a full week Why Opal Lee’s story matters in teaching Juneteenth Shop the Juneteenth Unit Study and other resources: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/secular-homeschool-revolution Watch/listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi_mia6H3kA Thank you for supporting Secular Homeschool Revolution as we continue creating secular, truthful, culturally grounded resources for homeschool families. Like, follow, subscribe, and share this episode with a homeschool parent who wants to teach Juneteenth with truth, care, critical thinking, and joy.

    15 min
  3. What is Juneteenth? Why should it be taught?

    Jun 16

    What is Juneteenth? Why should it be taught?

    In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, Ashley explains what Juneteenth is, why it matters to Black families, and how secular progressive homeschoolers can teach it with honesty and care. Juneteenth is not just a holiday or a craft day. It is a reminder of delayed freedom, the ugliness of American history, especially Texas history  and the power of Black survival, resistance, family, and joy. This episode also covers what allies should and should not do when teaching or honoring Juneteenth, including how to avoid performative lessons, center Black voices, and make Black history part of your homeschool all year long.   Lower Elementary Juneteenth Resource List Best for ages 4–8 / Pre-K–2nd grade Books Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper A gentle picture book that introduces Juneteenth through family memory, celebration, and history. All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson Beautiful for read-alouds. Best with adult support because the emotions are big. Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free by Alice Faye Duncan A strong introduction to Juneteenth and Ms. Opal Lee’s work to make it a federal holiday. NMAAHC includes this title in its Juneteenth reading list. The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. Agostini Good for explaining the timeline and how Juneteenth celebrations grew. Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle Short, poetic, and good for discussion. Activities Create a simple freedom timeline: slavery, Emancipation Proclamation, June 19, 1865, and Juneteenth today. Ask: What does freedom mean? Let kids draw or write their answer. Read a book, then cook or share a red food or drink while explaining that food can carry memory and culture. Attend a local Juneteenth event and talk before and after: Why are people gathering? What are they remembering? What are they celebrating? Parent/Educator Guides NMAAHC Kids Juneteenth Resource Guide Helpful for explaining Juneteenth to young children in honest but age-appropriate language. PBS Parents Juneteenth Book List Good for finding picture books that help families start conversations about Freedom Day. Upper Elementary Juneteenth Resource List Best for ages 9–12 / 3rd–5th grade Books The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers by Arlisha Norwood Good for kids ready for more historical context. The Juneteenth Story by Alliah L. Agostini Works well for upper elementary because it explains how Juneteenth began and spread. Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free by Alice Faye Duncan Still useful for this age group, especially when paired with a discussion about activism. The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson Not only about Juneteenth, but helpful for giving children a broader understanding of Black history before and beyond slavery. Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson Pair with Juneteenth to connect freedom, protest, and children’s role in justice movements. Lessons & Discussion Ideas Compare Juneteenth and the Fourth of July. Ask: Who was free in 1776? Who was not? Study Galveston, Texas on a map and talk about why Texas matters in the Juneteenth story. Introduce the difference between freedom on paper and freedom in real life. Ask: What happened after slavery ended? Why did freedom have to be enforced? Why is Juneteenth both a celebration and a reminder of injustice? How did Black communities preserve this holiday before the country recognized it? Strong Online Resources Zinn Education Project: Juneteenth: Teaching Outside the Textbook Best for justice-centered teaching and connecting history to resistance and today’s world. Learning for Justice: Teaching Juneteenth Good for framing Juneteenth around justice, history, and anti-bias education. New York Public Library Juneteenth Kids Resources Includes books, activities, and kid-friendly explanations of Juneteenth. NMAAHC Juneteenth Resources Best for historically grounded explanations and family learning.

    23 min
  4. What Does “Educated” Actually Mean in 2026?

    Jun 9

    What Does “Educated” Actually Mean in 2026?

    What does it really mean to be educated in 2026? In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, Ashley explores why education has to mean more than grades, test scores, memorization, and compliance. For progressive secular homeschoolers, being educated is not just about being “good at school.” It is about raising kids who can think critically, ask better questions, understand history honestly, navigate technology and AI ethically, build community, know themselves, and care about the world around them. Ashley breaks down why modern homeschooling allows families to move beyond traditional school measures and create an education rooted in curiosity, justice, cultural literacy, digital literacy, emotional intelligence, and real-world learning. This episode is for secular homeschool parents who are reimagining education beyond worksheets, standardized testing, and fear-based ideas of success. Like, follow, subscribe, and share this episode with another homeschool parent who is ready to define education beyond grades, tests, and compliance.

    36 min
  5. Black, Brown & Queer: Why Intersectionality Matters During Pride

    Jun 3

    Black, Brown & Queer: Why Intersectionality Matters During Pride

    In this Pride Month special, host Ashley digs into the connection between queer liberation, racial justice, disability justice, immigration justice, and gender justice. Because the first Pride was a riot. And the people who started it deserve to be named. WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE: ♿ The connection between disability justice and queer liberation 🌍 Queer and trans immigrant experiences and why immigration justice and LGBTQ+ rights are the same fight for millions of people   BOOKS MENTIONED & RECOMMENDED: Picture Books (Ages 3–8) Intersection Allies: We Make Room for All by Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council & Carolyn Choi — a picture book explicitly about intersectionality When We Love Someone We Sing to Them by Ernesto Ortíz — a bilingual picture book about a Mexican family with a gay son I Am Marsha P. Johnson by Alex Gino — picture book biography of a queer liberation icon Neither by Airlie Anderson — about not fitting into either/or categories Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders — accessible queer history for young children Middle Grade (Ages 8–12) George (now Melissa) by Alex Gino — a trans girl of color navigating identity and belonging Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender — a queer Black Caribbean protagonist Pet by Akwaeke Emezi — speculative fiction with a nonbinary Black protagonist The Pants Project by Cat Clarke — a trans boy, a school dress code, and a fight worth having Young Adult (Ages 13+) All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson — a Black queer coming-of-age memoir. Essential reading. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas — a queer Latinx ghost story with gorgeous representation Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender — a trans Black teen navigating identity and love The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed — race, class, and identity through a queer Black teen's eyes History & Nonfiction for Kids and Teens Queer, There, and Everywhere by Sarah Prager — 23 LGBTQ+ people who changed the world, including BIPOC figures across history Brave. Black. First. by Cheryl Hudson — 50 African American firsts, including queer trailblazers Gay & Lesbian History for Kids by Jerome Pohlen — comprehensive and accessible For Parents & Educators Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde — essays and speeches from one of the most important queer Black feminist voices in history Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldúa — foundational text on identity, queerness, and the borderlands experience The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor — radical self-love at the intersection of body, race, gender, and disability All About Love by bell hooks — on building a culture of love rooted in justice So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo — direct, accessible, essential CURRICULUM & ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED: GLSEN — K–12 inclusive education resources and lesson plans Learning for Justice — free lesson plans on identity, intersectionality, and justice Black Lives Matter at School — curriculum centering Black queer and trans lives Zinn Education Project — people's history curriculum with LGBTQ+ and racial justice intersections Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement — Latinx-centered queer advocacy and education Sylvia Rivera Law Project — trans rights resources with explicit racial justice framing Disability Justice Culture Club — Mia Mingus and others on disability justice DOCUMENTARIES MENTIONED: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (Netflix, 2017) Paris Is Burning (1990) — Black and Latinx ballroom culture (parents preview first) Disclosure (Netflix, 2020) — Laverne Cox on trans representation in media Whose Streets? (2017) — Ferguson uprising centering Black queer voices IF THIS EPISODE MOVED YOU, SHARE IT WITH: ✔ Secular homeschool parents looking for intersectional LGBTQ+ curriculum ✔ Progressive homeschool co-ops and learning pods ✔ Parents of LGBTQ+ kids building affirming home education ✔ Educators looking for queer and racial justice resources for kids ✔ Anyone done with the sanitized version of Pride TAGS & KEYWORDS: secular homeschool, progressive homeschool, LGBTQ homeschool curriculum, intersectionality for kids, Pride Month education, queer liberation racial justice, Black queer history, trans liberation homeschool, Marsha P Johnson kids, teaching intersectionality, homeschool Pride Month, secular homeschool podcast, queer affirming homeschool, BIPOC LGBTQ books for kids, disability justice homeschool, immigration justice LGBTQ, gender justice homeschool, unschooling LGBTQ, homeschool for the culture, Ashley secular homeschool revolution   Support SHR- https://buymeacoffee.com/secularhschoolrevolution

    36 min
  6. 5 Controversial Hot Takes Every Homeschool Family Needs to Hear

    May 28

    5 Controversial Hot Takes Every Homeschool Family Needs to Hear

    As a homeschool parent and community leader, I'm bringing five hot takes that range from unschooling, all-in-one curriculum programs, indoctrination in secular spaces, who homeschooling is actually for, and the dark side of our community that we need to stop avoiding.  Let'ts get into the convo!   In This Episode Why unschooling without intention and accountability crosses a line What all-in-one programs like Time4Learning and Mia Academy are quietly doing to your child's critical thinking skills Why secular homeschool families are not exempt from indoctrinating their kids  and what liberatory education actually looks like Why homeschooling is not for everyone and why that is completely okay The dark side of homeschooling and where we are deciding to stand.    Connect With Us 🌐 Website: www.secularhomeschoolrevolution.com 📸 Instagram: @SecularhomeschoolRevolution 🎵 TikTok: @SecularhomeschoolRevolution Support the Show If this episode made you think, made you uncomfortable, or made you feel seen  consider buying me a coffee. This show is a labor of love and every contribution keeps the mic on and the honest conversations coming. ☕ buymeacoffee.com/secularhschoolrevolution   Enjoyed This Episode? Please follow or subscribe wherever you are listening  it is the single most powerful way to help this show reach more BIPOC homeschool families who need these conversations. And if this episode resonated, share it. Drop it in your homeschool group chat. Send it to the family who needs to hear take number three. Our voices belong in this space and the only way we get louder is together.

    27 min
  7. Homeschooling, Parenthood and Inner child

    Feb 25

    Homeschooling, Parenthood and Inner child

    Homeschooling has impacted me in ways I expected flexibility, freedom, and the ability to build an education around my kids’ interests and our values, but this episode is about the part I didn’t expect. In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, I’m sharing a personal reflection on how homeschooling has become an unexpected journey of inner child healing. What started as an educational choice has also become a deeply emotional process of witnessing my kids receive support, patience, and room to grow in ways that can feel healing to witness as a mom. I talk about the moment that cracked this open for me: watching Cari’s week eight of horseback riding lessons after she set a goal for herself was incredible!  Watching her move through fear with support reminded me how powerful consistency, patience, and staying present can be.

    22 min
  8. Mastery-Based learning in Homeschooling: Why Grades Don't Equal Understanding

    Feb 17

    Mastery-Based learning in Homeschooling: Why Grades Don't Equal Understanding

    What is mastery-based learning  and why does it matter for homeschoolers? After referencing it in last week’s episode, Ashley realized not everyone may be familiar with what mastery-based learning actually means. In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, she breaks it down in a clear, practical, and supportive way. Mastery-based learning shifts the focus from finishing the curriculum and chasing grades to building true understanding. Instead of asking, “Did we complete it?” this model asks, “Do you understand it?” What mastery-based learning is (in simple terms) Why grades don’t always equal comprehension How mastery looks in real-life homeschool moments The difference between memorization and deep learning How to maintain accountability without recreating school at home Why slowing down can actually increase rigor If you’ve ever worried your child is “behind,” this episode will reframe that narrative and remind you that depth over speed is a radical, intentional choice. Mastery isn’t about perfection. It’s about confidence rooted in real understanding.   Resources & Links ☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/secularhschoolrevolution 📲 Connect with Ashley on social media: Follow Secular Homeschool Revolution on Instagram & Facebook 🎧 Subscribe, rate, and review to help more secular homeschool families find this spac

    25 min
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4.6
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Welcome to the "Secular Homeschool Revolution" podcast, where we go on an exciting journey into the world of homeschooling from a progressive and secular mom's perspective. Join us as we explore the ins and outs of the homeschooling arena with over six years of hands-on experience and the delightful chaos of raising three wonderful kids.

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