Famous Homeschoolers

Famous homeschoolers can be found in all eras and from all walks of life. Read on to learn a bit more about some of these well-known names.

Facts About Homeschooling

Politicians and Historical Figures

• George Washington
• Benjamin Franklin
• Thomas Jefferson
• George Washington Carver
• Abraham Lincoln
• Susan B. Anthony
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• Sandra Day O'Connor

Authors

• Phillis Wheatley
• Laura Ingalls Wilder

Artists

• Leonardo da Vinci
• Claude Monet
• Andrew Wyeth

Entertainers

• Michelle Branch
• Emile Hirsch
• Lindsay Lohan
• Jena Malone
• Raven Symone
• Elijah Wood

Athletes

• Carly Patterson
• Serena Williams
• Venus Williams

Of course, not all famous homeschoolers had the same amount of choice that modern families do in selecting a preferred method of education. For instance, children in the early days of the U.S. were homeschooled because there weren't always schools in new settlements or the pioneer wilderness.

While some famous homeschoolers were average people who went on to extraordinary achievements after completing their education, others began homeschooling because they were famous, or at least striving to be. Olympic hopefuls choose a home education to make room for a strenuous training schedule. Performers on tour take correspondence courses to stay on top of their studies on the road. Actors study with their parents or private tutors during breaks on the set. Homeschool provides the flexibility they need to pursue their careers and dreams.

Perhaps because of the demands of their schedules, a desire to allow their children to travel with them in their work, or for any number of personal reasons, some famous parents have also chosen to homeschool their children. These homeschooling celebrities include:

• Garth Brooks
• Will and Jada Pinkett Smith
• Kelley Preston and John Travolta
• Darrell Waltrip

At the age of five, Olivia Bennett was diagnosed with leukemia. During the rough fight against her cancer, she took comfort in painting and developed a true talent. Bennett sold her first painting when she was eight, earning the label of prodigy. Her work has been compared to Georgia O'Keeffe and Claude Monet. Homeschooling gave her the freedom to work on her art when inspiration struck. In 2003, Teen People named Bennett "One of Twenty Teens Who Will Change the World". She continues to enjoy success with her artwork.

Thanks to a flexible homeschool education, Christopher Paolini finished high school by the age of 15. Instead of immediately moving on to college work, Paolini decided to write a book. After two years of writing and revising the fantasy novel, Eragon, he and his family self-published the book. The next few years were spent preparing the book for publication and then promoting it in schools and libraries. Eragon was picked up by a major publisher and re-released in 2003. Two sequels and a movie adaptation followed. A fourth book will complete the series. Paolini often notes the benefits of homeschooling in interviews. It's clear that he might not have had the chance to be so successful if homeschooling hadn't given him the freedom to create the novel and to travel to promote his work.

Born with Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy, Mattie J. T. Stepanek received a grim prognosis from doctors. He began writing poetry at the age of three and skipped several grades in school. His family turned to homeschooling when he was nine because his medical issues made it increasingly difficult for him to stay in a traditional classroom. Through home schooling, he was able to take high school courses at the age of 11. He published his first collection of poetry, Heartsongs, in 2002, followed by five more poetry books and a collection of essays on peace. All of his works were New York Times bestsellers and sold a combined total of two million copies. He became a National Goodwill Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and had the chance to meet Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou and Jimmy Carter to discuss his work and his hopes for peace in the world. Stepanek passed away in 2004, but his poetry collections endure.

The names of famous homeschoolers can be an interesting bit of trivia, but learning more about them can also help you feel confident in your decision to homeschool. If successful figures from George Washington to Christopher Paolini were homeschooled, who knows what heights your own children can reach?

• Thanksgiving Facts
• What Kinds of Animals Live in a Jungle
• Homeschooling Notebooking Ideas
• Which Curriculum Is Right For Me?

• Free Worksheets on Prefixes and Suffixes
• Free Grammar Worksheets
• Longitude Worksheet
• Free Spanish Worksheets for Kindergarten
• Printable Synonym Worksheets