Hello,

My name is Jess and I’m an unschooling mom of three. I first took my kids out of public school eight years ago when we learned that one of the teachers at their school was arrested on kidnapping charges. You never think it’s going to happen so close to home. They would all eventually be diagnosed with various neurodivergences which led me to unschooling.

My son thrives on chaos. He has a brilliant mind for numbers but hates order. My daughter thrives on method but is equally creative. Everything must have its place, but she sees the world in ways most people don’t. My youngest takes after both of her older siblings.

Finding a method of teaching that worked for everyone was exhausting, not only mentally but financially. It wasn’t until my third year that I really sat back and thought to myself what school was. I love learning and I never stopped. I realized that the text books that were being taught to children in public schools had been proven out of date and often incorrect thirty years ago and had never been updated or changed. Many schools are abandoning the arts, critical thinking and communications. The area we lived in was under constant threat of hurricanes and tornadoes, so it seemed common sense to me to teach my kids survival skills, first aid, and emergency actions, but this is missing in basic education.

I thought to myself - what part of public education is even a benefit to society anymore? I started my first year of unschooling that year. I watched my kids instead of leading them. I sat back and watched their talents, their thought patterns, their curiosities and their interests. I realized that most kids have one thing in common no matter how their brains are wired. Fantasy.

My dad once told me, he learned more about navigating life while playing Dungeons and Dragons in the woods with his friends than he ever did in school. I realized that my kids were no different. I created Thistlevale as a way to teach kids in an intuitive way using the one thing kids all around the world can’t get enough of. With fantasy based learning, they will learn skills that will actually help them survive life, navigate financial and social situations, be self reliant, self sufficient and provide them with skills that can be used anywhere. On top of it all, they develop a love of discovering and learning on their own. Thistlevale uses fantasy as a digestible delivery system for real world education, and the best part is; it will always be free.

Learning with your children should be a way to bond and grow, not harbor stress and resentment. Keeping the program free helps with that goal. Here, students will learn to ask questions, find accurate information, read people, detect motives, navigate mental health and physical health, advocate for themselves, and use critical and creative thinking skills. Parents are encouraged to be active in the program and they always have total control over their child's education. At Thistlevale, uniqueness of the mind is a gift, and there is no such thing as rock bottom. Here, anything is possible, not just in learning, but in everyday life.

Every dream has a practical and achievable route to reality.

Welcome to Thistlevale