Homeschooling Heroes: Jill Ker Conway

by Christina Yeager

When we think of heroes, we often times think of the kind with “super” in front of it. Superheroes. We don’t really think about the everyday individuals who are heroes in their own respect. In the same way, we tend to have this same thinking concept when we think about successful individuals: Steven King, Beyonce’ & Warren Buffet. These are all individuals, among others, that may come to mind. We think of the people who are often in the spotlight, or frequently discussed on news stations or blog posts.
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These aren’t the only successful people out there though!

Heroes and individuals who are successful are all throughout history, often times without a huge spotlight on their works. You would also be amazed at how many of those successful people were actually homeschooled as well.

From learning to teaching
Jill Ker Conway is one of those heroes. She is one of those successful individuals who didn’t always make the headlines. She is also a successful individuals brought up in a homeschooling environment.

Conway grew up on a large piece of family owned property and often times had no one to play with other than her two brothers. Being in such a solitary environment, Conway was also homeschooled solely by her mother. Her whole education was taught to her through her mother, with the help of a few primary school resource materials.
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"And I felt totally indulged, and I've never felt about learning any other way."
--Jill Ker Conway

So what makes her so successful?
Jill Ker Conway was the first female president at Smith College. That’s a pretty big deal, don’t you think? She also had a number of autobiographies written, including a memoir. Going from being homeschooled to being the president of an entire college is amazing. This is especially true for those who tend to be somewhat skeptical about the quality of education homeschooled children receive.

Among her achievements; she was a visiting professor at Massachusetts Institution of Technology, honored by the National Women’s History project, being designated a Women’s History Month Honoree, and even a recipient of the National Humanities Medal.

Who would have thought a homeschooled education would be lead down such a path? 
If you are currently homeschooling, and wondering if it will be worth it or not, the answer is yes. It can definitely be worth it. You must ensure, however, that you are not just teaching curriculum to your kids, but also allowing them to begin to understand the value of learning. Do they have a passion for a specific topic? Cultivate that passion. Encourage them to know and get an understanding of how education will benefit them in the long run.

This is not to say that if your child is currently in public school they cant become successful or have a passion for learning, but these are still things that must be reiterated, or sometimes iterated, at home first. Teach your kids about some of these homeschooled heroes. Let them know if they are struggling with the arrangement of how many individuals are out there who still accomplished great things without being around many other students.
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