Kathleen Mueller
Program Director and Teacher
Hello!
I am a Christian homeschool program director and teacher of 25 years, with expertise in the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason and a passion for fostering academic experiences that instill a love of learning.
My journey began in 1996 in San Diego, California, when I felt a calling on my life to transition from a career in Human Resources Management to start a licensed home daycare, providing unique, enriching experiences for children in a holistic, home-based setting. Faith, compassion, and a humble heart were at the center of my mission to use my gifts to create a nourishing and supportive atmosphere where children would grow and flourish.
I immersed myself in the study of early childhood development whilst building a program centered around nourishment of body, mind, and soul: providing nutritious home-cooked meals, introducing classic literature, poetry, music, and arts and crafts, and encouraging outdoor sensory activities like drawing and coloring with chalk, experimenting with sand and water, blowing bubbles, bouncing balls, and observing the natural world. I kept journals detailing every aspect of the business from nutritional plans to the children’s imaginary play and achievements, and produced monthly newsletters highlighting activities, learning experiences, and milestones. My passion and commitment earned the trust and respect of my families who saw their children thrive in a positive environment stimulated with equal amounts of structure and freedom that encouraged good habits while fostering natural curiosity to discover the world through independent, self-exploration.
In 1998, with two of my own young daughters coming of school age, I decided to establish a private homeschool, Shepherd’s Summit Christian Academy guided by my faith and belief that education should embrace God’s creation and inspire an inextinguishable love of learning through a rich feast of ideas found in living books—books that warm the imagination, nurture thinking, deepen our understanding of life, and communicate knowledge mind-to-mind.
Thus began my K-12 homeschool adventure which would span two decades teaching my four student daughters. From 1998 to 2019, I managed every aspect of their education, from curriculum selection and teaching to college application submissions. My educational approach, grounded in Charlotte Mason’s methods, emphasized creativity and a deep understanding and appreciation for the presence of God all around. I meticulously crafted individualized curriculums that blended academic learning, hands-on application, and my daughters’ unique interests in drawing, journaling, exercise, cooking, sewing, music, gardening, homesteading, and volunteer work. Their success is a testament to the merit of a purposeful home education that cultivated enthusiastic and creative lifelong learners with exemplary character, morals, and values.
My oldest daughters went on to secure full-tuition scholarships from Concordia University, Irvine, graduating with Honors, whilst my youngest received scholarships and grants from Westmont College, Santa Barbara—each obtaining degrees in diverse disciplines across Applied Sciences, Social Science, Natural Science, and the Arts.
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In 2017, driven by my belief and conviction that an intimate and timeless approach to education is ever valuable for today’s youth, I began offering customized homeschool teaching experiences for families, as well as consulting for those interested in homeschooling themselves. Over the last seven years I have worked with students from diverse situations and backgrounds, including those with special educational needs.
Believing that my destiny will always be to serve others, I now feel drawn to see if there is any interest in directing and teaching a homeschooling pod—a small, close-knit educational community for like-minded families seeking an intimate learning experience. A micro-school would offer children opportunities to explore a simpler life that emphasizes meaningful connections, boundless creativity, and the joy of being present in the moment, but I will always be open to working privately with individual families, too. I am passionate about providing daily experiences where children can create lasting memories and rediscover the timeless beauty of life, free from the distractions of the digital age.