About The Author

My Name Is Sharron Martell 

And I Was Homeschooled

     I was always taught to start at the beginning, and so that is where I will start.

     I was born in 1992, an identical twin.  That’s right; I had my very own look-alike, best friend and sister.  We were premature, weighing less than 5 pounds each.  I was born with  talipes equinovarus a slight form of clubfoot where my foot turns inward (it is hardly noticeble anymore), but I was definitely up for the challenge and excitement of life!

     Actually, we were a surprise.  Yes, my mom knew she was having a baby, but she didn't know it was going to be twins.  In fact, the doctor had told my mom that it was just going to be one, big boy.  I guess that was the age before ultra-sounds were really popular.  It was also the age before modern cellphones, i-pads, laptops, and dvds.  

    Anyway, my parents weren’t prepared for two baby girls.  We both went home in blue sleepers.  As the years progressed my mom noted that it took longer for my sister and I to do the things other babies did.  We were delayed in our motor skills, coordination, and our speech.

    In fact, my twin sister and I had our own special language that only we could understand.  Because of our speech impediment, my mom began to realize that it would be very difficult for us to go to a public school.  No one could understand what we were saying.  How could we learn if we couldn't communicate with others outside of ourselves and the immediate family?

    I remember the very first (and last) time my mom took us to see a speech therapist.  The frowning specialist who shook his head at my mispronunciation of sounds did more than just intimidate me.  I was a very shy child who rarely ever spoke to adults.  I began to wonder if something was wrong with me.

    I don’t remember much more about the exam except that I went home feeling miserable.  Tears welled in my eyes, I glanced at my mom in the mirror and she smiled back at me.  That made me feel better.  I suppose that might have been when my mom decided to start homeschooling us.  I don’t know if she ever intended to teach us past elementary school, but she did.  All the way to High School!

    It wasn't always perfect, we certainly had our struggles.  I was a terrible reader and when I began to learn how to write; I couldn’t hold a pencil.  My coordination was so poor that it took both hands to write.  Once the pencil was in my hand I couldn’t seem to figure out how to get the pencil to touch the paper.  Finally, when I was able to get the pencil tip on paper, I wrote… backward.

     Homeschooling was just what I needed though.  In public school, the teacher's attention would have been divided between me and perhaps twenty other children.  Though I am sure the teacher would have tried to help me,  I would have continued to trail behind the class and probably would have been held back.  I would have struggled through Elementary, Middle, and High School; and probably would have never gone to college.

    My sister struggled right alongside with me, though I don’t remember her having quite so many problems.  It was fun though, because I always had someone else around to do school with. As the years progressed, we thrived.

     Then my younger brother joined the family and that changed everything!  Micaiah was very smart, and probably too smart for his own good.  Long before he started Kindergarten, he knew his colors, alphabet, numbers, and even some of the poems we were memorizing in 2^nd Grade.  He loved getting his coloring books and pretending to do schoolwork just like us.  He also loved every opportunity he could get to hide our erasers and pencils.

    Homeschooling left plenty of room for flexibility.  We took our workbooks everywhere!  We worked in the car as my mom drove to do Monday's errands or as she made trips to the store.  We did our school in the lobbies at the bank and doctor’s office.  We even did school on long road trips.  Everywhere we went; our books usually went with us.

    Our youngest sister and last sibling joined the family about five years later.  My mom was now teaching Elementary and Middle School.  At this time, we were introduced to Switched-On Schoolhouse from A-Beka.  My sister and I loved it!  It was so much easier doing work on the computer than in a book.  We enjoyed the “click-ons” as we called them, short animated clips that went along with the lesson.  It was great for visual learners.

    The years went by, eventually I graduated from High School and went on to college.  Because of my strong foundation and well-rounded learning, I was able to excel in higher education.  In 2014, my twin sister and I graduated from Adams State University with our Bachelor’s Degrees in Early Childhood Education.  We now teach at an Elementary School.

    The purpose of this blog is to share my experiences as a homeschooler and how these experiences benefited me as an adult.  I also want to encourage those who are homeschooling.  It may be hard at times, but the end is very rewarding.  :)

     Homeschooling is an adventure.  I don’t think very many homeschoolers are ordinary, but I believe they are extraordinary.  Those who are homeschooled are very blessed indeed.  Our parents help to make sure that our individuality stays intact, instead of trying to conform us to the world's standard of 'normal'. 

     Hopefully, this blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and resources.  God bless you!  Thank you for reading and please share!