Homeschool moms have big feelings about AI. And honestly? They’re valid.

Most of us have heard enough scary stories to wonder:

"Is using AI in my homeschool unsafe for my kids?"

In today’s episode, I brought on someone who has spent years solving that exact problem: Zach Jones, co-founder and CEO of Learnology AI, a homeschool-focused platform designed with built-in guardrails, child-safe architecture, and adaptive learning that actually supports how your child thinks… not just what they’re supposed to memorize.

We get into:

• What makes general AI tools (like ChatGPT) unsafe for kids
• The three biggest problems Zach saw when moms tried using regular AI for lesson planning
• How AI can support creativity, critical thinking, and mastery (when it’s designed to)
• How moms can use AI to gain back time, confidence, and flexibility with homeschooling

If you’ve been curious about AI but hesitant about safety, privacy, or losing the human piece of homeschooling… this conversation is for you.

Connect with Zach and Learnology AI:

Use my affiliate link and code "LAIHOMESCHOOL" for 50% off your first month: https://learnologyai.com?fpr=natalie38

Connect with Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

When your child shuts down and says, “I can’t do this,” it can feel like all your effort as a homeschool mom just hit a wall.

In this Q&A episode, Natalie Burns talks about what’s really going on in those moments, why your usual strategies (like taking breaks) don’t always work, and how to respond in a way that builds resilience instead of resistance.

Learn what to say, what to stop doing, and how to create calm connection so learning feels safe again.

Free Download:

Say This, Not That: Scripts For Tricky Homeschool Teaching Moments:

assuredpodcast.com/saythis

If you’re looking to unpack long-held beliefs and habits with learning, come get support inside the Teaching Inspired Community!

assuredpodcast.com/community

Connect with Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

I sat down with Jill Baumann from Self-Directed Success to talk about gaming, motivation, and how to build real independence without destroying your relationship.

We talk about:

🎮 The secret sauce inside games (progress tracking, clear goals, immediate feedback, safe failure, autonomy) & how to steal those elements for your homeschool

🎮 How to shift from “do 4 more pages” to “you’ve mastered this concept, you level up now”

🎮 The difference between gamified learning and basic bribery (“finish math and I’ll let you play”)

🎮 How this all ties into resilience and independence, not entitlement

We also talk about something that doesn’t get said enough:

When our kids get older, they don’t always want to learn from us anymore, and that can feel like rejection. Jill walks us through how to keep your relationship strong while letting your child step into ownership.

Connect with Jill:

• Sign up for the "5-Day Gamify Your Homeschool" Email Course (Free Series)→ https://quest.self-directedsuccess.com/5-day-gamification-course

• Join the Free “3 Steps to Teaching Your Teen to Homeschool Independently Without Micromanaging or Nagging” webinar → https://quest.self-directedsuccess.com/webinar-registration.

• Get the “Gamification Starter Kit” → https://quest.self-directedsuccess.com/gamification-starter-kit

• Enroll your teen in “Scholar’s Quest for Independent Success” → https://www.self-directedsuccess.com/scholars-quest-waitlist

You can help your child learn in the way that works for them. If you’re looking for some practical tools to bring these ideas into your homeschool, come join us inside the Teaching Inspired Community!

assuredpodcast.com/community

DIY your own unit study for a game (or use one of my 2 novel examples): homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/novelstudy

Connect with Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

You don’t need to control your child’s narrative if you help them write it well.

In this final episode of our season about literacy, we zoom out and look at the big picture: how to help your homeschooler build a narrative thread for their own life — the story they tell about who they are, what they’re capable of, and where they’re going.

Literacy isn’t just reading and writing anymore. It’s now about communication and connection. And a connected life needs a connected story.

We’ll talk about:

🌟 Why helping your child understand their own story matters

🌟 What a “narrative thread” looks like across ages

🌟 How to build an internal template rooted in purpose, value, and resilience

And a little reminder: You’re doing more than teaching subjects. You’re shaping a life that feels whole.

Join the Teaching Inspired community to get deeper support around literacy and critical thinking at homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired — use code ASSURED to get your first month for just $1

Contact Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

If writing assignments feel like a chore — for you or your teen — you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by Justin McGeary, a writing instructor who works with upper-level students using an Oxford-style essay approach that treats writing not as a product… but as a thinking tool.

We talk about:

• Why the essay process matters more than the final product (and how to shift this for your teen)
• The role of AI in supporting — rather than shortcutting — thinking
• And how writing well can impact everything from time management to self-confidence

If you want your teen to be more than just articulate — to be thoughtful and grounded in what they say and believe — this episode is a must-listen.

Connect with Justin:

Website: trinityhousetutorials.com

Email: trinityhousetutorials@gmail.com

Instagram: @justinattrinityhouse

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Your Homeschooler Critical Thinking:

Help your child unlock self-awareness, responsibility, and initiative in their learning and for their life… in 5 simple steps

assuredpodcast.com/ultimate-guide

Connect with Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

As the world becomes increasingly digital, we face a problem in our homeschools… is reading from a phone or tablet going to harm your children?

You know by now in this season about literacy that we’re not just talking about how to read and write… buckle up. Because digital literacy is the new must-have skill your kids need — and it's shaping how they think, what they believe, and how they show up in the world.

This episode is a special adaptation from one of the trainings inside of the Teaching Inspired membership!

So head over to homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired to sign up and download the workbook pages.

As a listener of the assured podcast, use the code mentioned in this episode to get your first month for just $1!

Go to homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/teachinginspired to get your digital literacy resources PLUS monthly trainings and weekly live calls.

Connect with Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

Helping your teen develop literacy skills looks a lot different in the high school years! So how do you decide your level of involvement and what areas to focus on?

I’m joined by seasoned educator and homeschool curriculum writer Julia Novoa to break down what literacy looks like in the high school years.

We’re bridging the gap between basic reading skills and sophisticated communication — with plenty of permission to modify, adapt, and individualize.

In this episode, we unpack:

• • How to move from phonics sounds all the way to essay writing
• • Signs your teen still needs literacy support (and what to do about it)
• • How to set up opportunities for reading comprehension
• • Why differentiated instruction isn’t a crutch, but rather, the best way to teach (and how to do that with book reports)

• 
  

  Whether you’re raising a budding writer or a reluctant reader, this one’s packed with the practical teaching strategies you’ve been craving!

  
  

  Connect with Julia:

  Free Planning Workbook: https://www.mytexashomeschool.com/mytexashomeschoolshop/p/plan-your-year-workbook

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/planandpivothomeschool/

  
  

  The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Your Homeschooler Critical Thinking:

  Help your child unlock self-awareness, responsibility, and initiative in their learning and for their life… in 5 simple steps

  assuredpodcast.com/ultimate-guide

  
  

  Connect with Natalie:

  natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com

If the thought of teaching science from a dusty old textbook makes your eyes glaze over, this episode is for you. 🌿

I’m joined by Kelly Dowd of The Field Trip Academy, and we’re exploring how outdoor literacy can change everything about how your homeschooler understands science - even if they hate writing.

🎧 In this episode, we unpack:

• How to teach scientific literacy without long-form writing
• Creative ways to meet literacy and science standards through experience
• How to differentiate instruction for neurodivergent and hands-on learners

This one’s full of practical strategies, mindset shifts, and a whole lot of inspiration!

Connect with Kelly:

Explore the Digital Marketplace (Freebies & Membership):

products.thefieldtripacademy.com/products/courses/view/1161224

Social Media: @thefieldtripacademy

Check out what Kelly and Natalie talked about at the Deschooling Homeschool Roundtable:

homeschoolteachingsimplified.com/roundtable-deschooling-2025

The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Your Homeschooler Critical Thinking:

Help your child unlock self-awareness, responsibility, and initiative in their learning and for their life… in 5 simple steps

assuredpodcast.com/ultimate-guide

Connect with Natalie:

natalie@homeschoolteachingsimplified.com