Hawaii homeschoolers focus on creating ‘lifelong learners’ within their families 

Melissa Scott, a homeschool mom in Hawaii, wants her five children to develop a lifelong love for learning. 

“With the Internet, there’s so much information out there, but it’s not just about finding answers,” she told KHON2 News. “It’s about knowing how to vet information, how to think critically, and how to analyze sources.” 

Scott exemplifies the growing number of families homeschooling not only in Hawaii, but also nationwide. 

The Aloha State saw a surge in reported homeschooling around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers have continued at a higher rate than before, the Johns Hopkins University’s Homeschool Hub reported. 

For example, an average of 4.1% of K-12 students were homeschooling in Hawaii for the 2022 and 2023 school years, compared to just 1% in 2019, according to U.S. Census data. 

“There are so many resources available today,” Scott said of homeschooling growth since the state legalized it in 1989. “There are national organizations, statewide groups and tons of online platforms where parents can share ideas and learn from one another.” 

‘Whole-person learning’ 

A typical homeschool day for Scott’s children involves chores – including getting their own lunch for themselves and their siblings – as well as academics. 

“I’m very thankful because that’s something that we would be trying to squeeze into the cracks of just, like, how do you live life,” Scott said in a video describing her morning schedule. “How do you do grocery shopping and budgeting, and make meals? So all of that, we try to roll into their whole-person learning.” 

Learning styles vary by child, so Scott has learned to adapt her teaching accordingly. For example, she discovered her son was thriving in math and needed a challenge. 

“It took me a while to figure out that he was bored,” she said. “He knew the material already, so we moved him up several levels and now he’s taking pre-calculus as a freshman. He’s loving it.” 

Meanwhile, Scott’s daughter prefers literature and the arts to mathematics. 

“She loves drawing, she loves books. So we’ve been able to give her more freedom to dive deep into those areas. It’s about finding what excites them and encouraging them to explore that while still fulfilling the basic academic requirements.” 

Having multiple ages and grades can also help siblings practice educating one another, Scott notes. 

“It’s a great learning opportunity for both the older and younger kids. When my older kids teach the younger ones, they reinforce their own learning. It’s a win-win.” 

As her children gain skills for life in the real world, Scott focuses her homeschool on character-building as well as academics. 

“When kids are little, discipline is all about the basic rules – no hitting, no stealing. But as they grow, the challenges become more nuanced – attitudes, eye rolls. That’s where homeschooling really shines. I can catch those moments right away and address them.” 

For Scott, the benefits of homeschooling have outweighed any challenges she’s faced over the years. 

“It’s like when you see your child take their first steps – the joy when they finally get something you’ve been working on for so long,” she said. “It’s so fulfilling.”