One of the wonderful things about homeschooling is its adaptability to a family’s unique circumstances. For Andrew and Kristen Orr, that has been homeschooling’s defining strength—allowing them to trade teaching roles, navigate unexpected challenges, and keep their children’s education thriving.
The Orrs have homeschooled their children from the start, with Kristen teaching for the first decade.
“When it was time to register our oldest for school, there was something internally that made me pause,” Kristen recalled. “We were in a church that had several homeschooling families, and after much prayer, conversation, and meeting with mentors, we decided to enter the world of homeschooling for a single year—which has turned into 15.”
At the time, the family lived near Washington, DC, so Kristen discovered the joy of field trips—particularly nature-oriented ones. This led her to lean into the Charlotte Mason method.
“The truths that really stuck are Mason’s principle reminding us that children are born persons,” Kristen explained. “Each child is a unique gift from God and a reflection of Him. No two children are the same.”
As the Orrs moved across the country in the years that followed, they found the “hidden gems” of each place—hiking in National Parks, visiting zoos, and exploring aquariums and aviaries.
In early 2020, the family’s teaching roles shifted. Andrew was job hunting while Kristen became the Kids Director at the family’s church—a role she began only months before the COVID-19 pandemic. Her homeschooling experience proved invaluable as she ministered to parents who suddenly found themselves teaching their children at home.
“God placed me in the right place at the right time to pass on wisdom and encouragement to many families,” Kristen said.
When Andrew’s job search stalled, he eagerly stepped into his new role as homeschool teacher.
“We made a commitment to one of us staying at home and educating our children,” he said. “When my wife asked if I could handle some of the homeschooling while she was at work, I said, ‘Sure, how hard could it be?’”
He laughed as he remembered the answer: “Very hard! Men, dads, husbands, it is very hard! When my wife started, she had only one student. When I started, we had five school-age and two who were younger. The learning curve was a bit higher for me. Once I found my groove, I made good progress.”
Andrew encourages dads to take an active role in homeschooling. “You can do it too! It is very rewarding. Jump right in there and participate. Just expect to be immersed in a whole new world and know that it is worth the massive investment.”
Later that year, the family faced another challenge: coming down with COVID-19. While the rest of the family recovered, Andrew developed long COVID and ended up in the hospital for a resulting heart issue. Recovery took months, but he continued homeschooling.
Then, last year, Kristen unexpectantly lost her job at the church. For a season, both parents were at home, sharing teaching duties. With finances tight, the Orrs applied for—and received—an HSLDA Compassion Curriculum Grant, which provided math curriculum for each of their children.
Both Andrew and Kristen attribute the success of their homeschooling, regardless of who was teaching, to prayer and the support of their community, including HSLDA.
“We have had to navigate some challenging experiences, and being able to talk to HSLDA was helpful,” Kristen reflected. “Each year, something new and exciting has emerged. Our current situation has afforded me the opportunity to be home and fully engaged in my kids’ education. It has also afforded Andrew with an understanding of the whole picture of homeschooling.”
This adaptability, Andrew said, “is part of our story and I believe one day will be an impactful part for other families to hear.”