From Classroom to Living Room: A Homeschool Student Shares Their Story

Introduction

Welcome back, reader! I recently had the pleasure of connecting with homeschool student, Adrian Martinez, who is 16 years old and building an AI-powered education platform that aims to make school "flexible, enjoyable, and truly tailored to each student (quoted from Adrian's response below)." Adrian and I connected on Reddit over a post I shared about my blog. Adrian loved the concept, and after chatting in the comments, shared with me that he is homeschooled and runs the business, Infinilearn. Curious, both about his experience with homeschooling and Infinilearn, I asked if Adrian would be willing to share his perspective with my readers. He agreed, and the conversation that followed shed new light on the homeschooling experience for me. I also had the joy of learning a little more about Infinilearn, and the goals he has for this AI-powered education platform.

The Interview

As with any interview, I had more questions than would fit in a blog post of reasonable length, so I tried to narrow it down to a select list that would both allow Adrian to share about his business, and discuss his views on homeschooling. Below are his answers.

1. Tell me about your experience as a homeschool student.: I started homeschooling around middle school after struggling in public school. The transition was amazing because we created our own personalized curriculum, which helped me overcome earlier difficulties. It gave me tons of flexibility, so I had the freedom to dive into projects like my business, Infinilearn, and it completely transformed the way I viewed learning.
2. What are some of your favorite memories of being homeschooled?: Some of my favorite memories are the hands-on projects, like building a robot from scratch, or taking spontaneous educational trips. Although my social circle was smaller, the friendships I made were deeper and more meaningful.
3. In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of homeschooling?: The biggest benefits were the freedom, flexibility, and efficiency. I could deeply explore subjects I was passionate about, spend more time on projects like my startup, and generally learn more effectively compared to my experience in traditional school.
4. What was your personal favorite part of the homeschool experience?: Definitely having the freedom to work on my passions – especially my business, Infinilearn. Homeschooling allowed me to blend my interests and education seamlessly, giving me control over what and how I learned.
5. Do you believe there are downsides to being homeschooled?: Yes, there can be some downsides – mainly, fewer daily social interactions and having to take more initiative to find resources or extracurricular activities. But overall, the quality of my social interactions improved, even if the quantity decreased.
6. What was your least favorite part of being a homeschool student?: My least favorite part was occasionally missing out on some traditional experiences. Also, the constant self-motivation required could sometimes be challenging, and some people wanted structure to be handed to me.
7. Do you feel you've been well-prepared for college?: Absolutely. Homeschooling taught me independence, self-discipline, and adaptability, all of which are crucial for college success. While there might be small gaps, like standardized test practice, I've learned how to seek resources to bridge those gaps.
8. What would you like people to know about your business, Infinilearn?: Infinilearn was created from my own homeschooling experience, aiming to bring personalized learning to everyone. It's more than just a business - it's a mission to make education flexible, enjoyable, and truly tailored to each student.

A Little More About Infinilearn

Outside of the interview, Adrian shared a little more about the AI-powered education platform he created based on his personal homeschool experience. Infinilearn is an L.M.S., or Learning Management System similar to Google Classroom or Canvas. The difference with Infinilearn is that Adrian adds an element of fun to education by including gamification aspects such as leaderboards, quests, and streaks. He also aims to personalize the experience of each student on Infinilearn by using AI that learns and grows as the student does. Infinilearn is currently only available for Apple devices with the promise of Android and Quest friendly apps in the near future. For more information, or to download the app for the student in your life, click here.

Conclusion

As we wrap up, it's impossible not to feel inspired by Adrian Martinez – a 16 year old who found a love for learning through homeschooling and continues to prove that traditional paths and age don't have to define success. Adrian's experience with education - transitioning to homeschooling in middle school and going on to create his own education platform - reminds us in a powerful way that passion, resilience, and a commitment to learning can take you farther than you ever imagined.

Whether your child's in preschool - like mine - or in middle school as Adrian was, this story challenges us to rethink education and take a new look at how our kids learn best. If every child had the opportunity to learn in a way that is best suited to their needs and interests, imagine what we could do. Adrian's perspective on homeschooling and his experience with being able to pursue his passions - Infinilearn - while meeting academic standards gives prospective homeschool parents some food for thought as they consider what might be the best route for their child's education. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this insider's perspective on homeschooling.