I began my teaching career in the 1970s in a public school in Ohio after graduating from Wright State University, which had a very progressive school of education.  I became involved in homeschooling by teaching my own three children at home.  I did not do this because I thought homeschooling was the answer to the problems of ineffective schooling, but because it was the only route available to anyone who wanted to provide a more personalized educational approach for their children.  In the 1980s I became an expert in the field of homeschooling through my own experiences and a great deal of research.  I wrote a book about the subject, Simply Homeschooling.  I taught a graduate-level course at Seattle Pacific University qualifying parents to teach their children at home, including both child development and teaching strategies.  I was a frequent guest speaker at home-schooling conventions and have assessed over a thousand homeschooled children.   I earned a fifth year (a teacher graduate program) through coursework completed at the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University. 

I wanted my children to have teachers who cared more about them than about their subjects—teachers who knew and loved their subjects and wanted to share them.  I wanted my children to know their strengths and weaknesses so they could build on both.  I wanted them to develop hobbies and interests so they could choose careers they were passionate about.  I wanted them to have the freedom and time to explore everything the community had to offer.  They took piano lessons, drum lessons, showed dogs in 4-H, played little league baseball and junior high softball.  We went to the library a lot.  We talked a lot.  They learned to cook, sew, and take care of themselves.  Their dad took them hiking, taught them about cars, and shared his love of music. 

I have continued to be a student of learning theory and brain research and have put into practice researched learning theories. Chrysalis offers an extensive training program for the staff. Gradually, the school  started in 1983 in my home expanded to become Chrysalis School. The thousands of students, their parents, and dozens of teachers who have been part of the Chrysalis experience over the years have helped refine the program and develop a unique learning environment that values every child and his/her learning needs.