Never Say Never: Why I’m Helping Homeschool Families

Written By Melissa Lammers

If there’s one lesson life has taught me—again and again—it’s this: never say never.
For years, if you had asked me whether I’d ever work with homeschool families, I would have smiled politely and said, “Probably not.” My world was the traditional classroom: my training, my routines, my identity—everything centered around public education.

But life has a way of stretching us, nudging us, and opening doors we never thought we’d walk through.

A Shift I Didn’t Expect

Leaving the classroom this year was both the hardest and the most liberating decision I’ve ever made.  I loved my students and teaching, but I also felt a deep pull to serve learners and families in ways the traditional structure couldn’t accommodate.

Through tutoring, structured literacy coaching, consulting, and supporting dyslexic learners across all ages, I met families whose needs didn’t align with a public school schedule.  Families who wanted flexibility, Families looking for specialized support.  Families seeking guidance, structure, expertise—and community.

Slowly, the “never” I’d always said began to soften.

Discovering What Homeschool Families Truly Need

As I worked more closely with learners outside the school day, I realized something important:

Homeschool families aren’t trying to replace teachers; they’re looking for partners.

They want:

  • Evidence-based literacy instruction

  • A scaffolded curriculum without hours of research

  • Clear plans and accountability

  • Support with executive functioning and academic gaps

  • Enrichment rooted in authentic learning, not busywork

  • A judgment-free relationship with an educator who understands their child

These were needs I could meet.  These were families I wanted to serve, and this work energized me in a way I never anticipated.

Never say never.

Secular in Morals.  Agnostic in Curriculum: The Frontier of School Choice—Redefined.

As education evolves, one truth becomes clear: families want choices that reflect their values, their needs, and their children—not a system.

At Lammers Scholars, I honor that with a simple guiding principle:

Secular in morals.  Agnostic in curriculum.

Secular in Morals

I center universal human values:

  • Respect

  • Responsibility

  • Curiosity

  • Compassion

  • Integrity

  • Hard work

These morals are not tied to religion or ideology—they are foundational for every learner.  Families of all backgrounds, faiths, and philosophies can feel at home here.

Agnostic in Curriculum

I do not subscribe to one boxed curriculum, publisher, or educational trend.
Instead, I commit to what works, guided by:

  • The science of reading

  • The science of learning

  • Student needs

  • Family goals

  • Flexibility and personalization

Some families want classical approaches.
Some prefer project-based learning.
Some want structured sequences.
Some need remediation or enrichment.
Some want a hybrid or custom-designed model.

Every path is honored—because learning is not one-size-fits-all.

A New Era of School Choice

“School choice” used to mean choosing between buildings.
Now it means choosing between learning models, structures, philosophies, and supports that truly fit the child.

Homeschool families are pioneering this frontier.
They are innovators.
Architects of individualized learning.
Proof that education can be built from the inside out—not the top down.

I’m here not as a gatekeeper, but as a guide—supporting families as they design the learning journeys that work for them.

Bringing My Strengths Into a New Space

My background—14 years in the classroom, a dyslexia specialist endorsement, and experience teaching future educators—aligns naturally with the needs of homeschool families.

But beyond the credentials, I simply love creating meaningful learning experiences tailored to each child.

Homeschooling doesn’t mean “doing school at home.”
It can be creative.
It can be flexible.
It can be joyful.
It can be deeply enriching.

And I realized I can help families build that.

Why I’m Saying “Yes” Now

I’m helping homeschool families because:

  • Every child deserves high-quality literacy instruction

  • Parents deserve support, expertise, and community.

  • Flexible learning can be powerful and joyful.l

  • Homeschool students need access to specialists, too.o

  • I believe in empowering parents as much as students.

  • And because life surprised me in the best way.y

Stepping into this new chapter feels exactly right.  The work is meaningful.  The impact is real.  And the families I’m meeting are incredible.

The Lesson in All This

If you had told me five years ago—or even last year—that I’d be partnering with homeschool families, I would have laughed and said, “Never.”

But “never” has a way of transforming when your heart is open.

Needs change.
Families change.
We change.

And sometimes the opportunities we never expected are the ones that lead us exactly where we’re meant to be.

So here I am—saying yes, showing up, and helping homeschool families thrive.
 Never say never.


Melissa Lammers
Next

The Longest Goodbye.