Spotlight on Home Ed Alumni – Jess Shepstone

Spotlight on Home Ed Alumni

Jessica Shepstone

Hi, my name is Jessica Shepstone. I graduated from home education in 2010. I am an art teacher who runs home-based art classes to children of all ages (primarily home-educated). 

I started home education when I was 11 years old, having attended school from Prep to Year 5. I enjoyed school, had good friendships and great teachers. But being a child with learning difficulties, who struggled to read and write, school was also very challenging for me. In a busy classroom, I couldn’t keep up with all that was going on and often felt left
behind, not knowing what to do. Both my parents were working busy jobs and had little time to help me with homework, so life was very stressful and overwhelming for me. Luckily, I always had good teachers who encouraged me in what I loved and was good at, which was art! 

When my parents asked if I wanted to start home education, I was very relieved. We had just moved interstate and it felt like a new chapter for our family. Getting to learn at my own pace was revolutionary; having one-on-one time with my mum teaching me, investing in me, was truly amazing. Learning actually became fun. I was able to choose the curriculum I was interested in and I learned to read using books I enjoyed, whilst Mum read aloud classical literature and other thought- provoking stories. Many areas of education were tailored to my passions and I participated in various creative and explorative classes, including oil painting, art history, pencil drawing with a local wildlife artist and adult watercolour classes too. 

We joined a Friday Activity Day where I made a lot of friends, collaborating in junkyard wars, apologetics, drama, debating, pottery design, and more. I was able to advance more quickly with my mathematical learning online rather than being held back by the pace of others. 

I loved home education so much! Every year, my mum asked if I wanted to go back to school and every year I said no! It was an educationally rich and freeing way to grow up and I have always felt very blessed. 

It was not always easy, but the joys definitely outweighed the struggles. It shaped who I am today, helped form a broader view of the world and instilled in me the value of people, community and a strong bond with my family. Home education allowed me to develop my innate creativity and freed me from ‘the box’. As I began to thrive, my confidence was boosted and that enabled me to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. 

After I finished home education at the age of 18, I enrolled in TAFE and received a Certificate IV in Interior Design. Everyone in my class was at least ten years older than me, but as a home ed student I was very used to spending time and conversing with people of all ages, so I fitted right in. After that, I continued studying and completed a Diploma in Photography and despite my learning difficulties, I maintained High Distinctions in my assignments and was awarded top of class.

Looking back, I built such an incredible relationship with my parents, especially my
mum. Some of my fondest memories of home education are simply spending time with her at galleries, the theatre and exploring nature, learning with her and growing together. We both learned so much about each other as we delved into creative projects, which has fostered so much of the joint creativity we enjoy today. Even now, we collaborate on design projects–for example, recently designing sets and props for the Home School Musical Society’s (HMS) production of Mary Poppins. 

One of my favourite things about home education is that it’s so much more than education. Home education is a lifestyle, not just about ticking all the right boxes or fitting into any boxes. It’s an incredible life journey and family adventure that can take you to so many places and one-of-a-kind experiences. My biggest advice for home ed parents is to network with a community of like-minded people. It takes a village to raise a child, and having people around you who can support and encourage you on this journey is so important. You’ll find that if you’re not good at teaching a particular subject or are struggling in a particular area, that there’s someone in this community that can help advise or provide classes. There are so many incredible classes, groups and friendships to be found. 

Otherwise 174 (Nov 2022)