Time4Learning Student Sydney Russell Shares Homeschooling Journey with Fox 26 Houston

Originally published by Fox 26 Houston

Rashi Vats, a reporter with Fox 26 Houston, recently sat down with 10-year-old Time4Learning student Sydney Russell and her mother, Tiffany Russell, during the station’s Parent to Parent segment, which features thoughtful conversations on topics relevant to parenting.

The topic of conversation during the segment was homeschooling’s dramatic increase over the past few years due to the pandemic, bullying and a number of other factors, with the reporter noting a 500 percent increase in homeschooling nationwide. The segment touches upon the abundance of resources available to parents interested in homeschooling and gives viewers a first-hand account from a family homeschooling with the Time4Learning program.

From a young age, Houston-based Sydney Russell had a passion for the performing arts. She began homeschooling at four years old by request in order to be closer to her mother, and the flexibility it provided has moved mountains for her both professionally and academically—allowing her to chase big dreams in the Big Apple. Her hard work paid off, and she was cast as young Nala in Broadway’s Lion King.

Thanks to homeschooling, Sydney could adopt a flexible learning schedule and do lessons backstage.

“Being on Broadway, especially during Lion King, has always been my dream,” said Sydney. “Being able to do it at such a young age was super cool.”

When asked if she thought homeschooling was easy for parents to get into, Tiffany said “I think it’s easier than you’d expect. If you know that homeschooling feels like it could be a right fit for you, the most important thing is being informed.” She continued, “I think the more informed that you are, the easier you will find it will be to get started because you’ll know what to expect, what things you are needing to work through and focus on for your particular situation.”

When asked about her reasoning for choosing Time4Learning, Tiffany discussed how Sydney is a tactile learner and was able to use lessons on the Time4Learning homeschool platform that suit her kinesthetic learning style.

Tiffany talked about how she enjoys the customization Time4Learning allows along with its flexibility. “We were extremely happy that we were using Time4Learning when we found out she was headed to Broadway because then she was able to do her lessons on a daily basis.” Tiffany noted that the program has allowed Sydney to pursue her dreams without sacrificing the quality of her education. She was even able to do lessons backstage in between calls.

When asked if she has anything to add when it comes to her thoughts on homeschooling, Tiffany said “Any parents who are interested in homeschooling or thinking about it, I want to encourage you to get the information that you need to find out what the requirements are for your state, start looking at resources to make an educated decision about it for your family, and know that the beauty of homeschooling is being able to customize. Don’t try to look like anyone else. Do what works for you and your family. If you feel like homeschooling is right for you, you can make it work and make it fit, and you can empower your child to do the things they want to do and really share their brilliance with the world.”

Watch the full interview here.