Elise Eaton, a former public school teacher, founded Extraordinary Education in 2006 to support homeschool families in Northwest Houston.[/caption]“I started home schooling, but I couldn’t really replace the [kids’] friends,” Eaton said.
Extraordinary Education acts as an aid to homeschooling rather than a substitute for it, Eaton said.
“We come alongside the parent and help the parent as the principal of their home-school,” she said.
The center offers general education and dual credit courses in addition to specialty courses for grades K-12, such as archery, cooking, art and robotics.
Students can enroll in classes a la carte or take a full schedule at Extraordinary Education, similar to a community college model, Eaton said.
“Anybody’s welcome to come, but our [daytime] schedule does lend itself to homeschoolers,” she said.
In addition to academics, the center also offers a creative outlet that is open to community members. The Maker Barn serves as a space in which people who have purchased a membership can create items, such as tables, cabinets, laser-cut trinkets and 3-D printings, during weeknight and weekend hours.
“We want to get people making stuff again,” The Maker Barn member Greg Radliff said.
Classes like Tinker Time—a creative class—are also held in The Maker Barn.
A mix of parents, certified teachers and Lone Star College System professors teach the classes, Eaton said. Teachers propose a class to prospective families and create the curriculum. Classes are offered each semester according to demand, Eaton said.
“Our teachers are all independent,” she said. “It’s [a] very market-driven education. Because parents are paying tuition, parents are only going to pay for things they see as worth their money.”
Extraordinary Education
9522 Carraway Lane, Magnolia
281-652-5918
www.extraed.net
Hours: Class hours vary; call for appointment.
