Homeschool in the Wild operates on a rule that shapes every part of the program: learning happens outside, all the time.

Run by Piedmont Wildlife Center, the homeschooling program meets outdoors at three separate locations across central North Carolina. Students gather on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Leigh Farm Park in Durham, on Wednesdays at William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh, and on Fridays at Blackwood Farm Park in Chapel Hill. There is no permanent classroom and no indoor backup plan built into the day.

“We’re never ever inside,” said Emily Behr, director of camp and outdoor learning. “We’re grabbing a ball and supplies and that’s it.”

Behr said the program’s fully outdoor structure is what separates it from other nature-based education options in the region. While many programs incorporate outdoor activities into a traditional schedule, Homeschool in the Wild removes the classroom entirely.

Homeschooling sessions meet in 12-week cycles during the fall and spring, with students attending anywhere from one to four days a week. That consistency allows instructors to build long-term relationships with homeschoolers, some of which have been coming to the program for years.

Each week follows a theme that guides lesson planning across a variety of age groups. Instructors design activities that emphasize exploration and curiosity, often incorporating movement and multiple senses. Every day, homeschoolers split into smaller groups. One group will tend to adventure farther out, while another chooses to remain close, each coming back together for mid-day lunch or a special campfire treat.

A typical day begins with an opening circle in the field, where students introduce themselves, potentially share something they are grateful for and answer a lighthearted question from the instructors. Afterward, groups head out across the property. Some stay closer to the main field while others travel deep into the park to explore landmarks and wooded areas that have become familiar parts of the program.

Porter Anderson, camp program manager for Durham County, said instructors intentionally leave room for curiosity to guide the experience.

“If someone gets really interested in something, we’ll stop and talk about it,” Anderson said. “We’ll kind of follow that interest and build on it.”

Students spend much of the day moving through the landscape while instructors point out plants, animal tracks and natural features. Lessons often develop organically as students notice something new along the trail or ask questions about the environment around them.

Anderson emphasized that a responsive structure allows instructors to meet a wide range of needs within the homeschooling community.

“The homeschool community is really diverse in what they want out of the program,” he said. “Some are here to learn, some are here to socialize, some are here because it’s like P.E. for them, and some just want a safe place to be.” 

The program’s structure of connection and belonging makes it appealing to families whose children struggled in traditional school environments. Louie Green, 31, a lifelong Durham resident who was homeschooled, said programs like Homeschool in the Wild were not available when he was growing up.

“I had a series of seizures due to stressful environments at school,” Green said. “The doctors pretty much told my parents the best thing you can do for him is pull him out of school.”

Green said homeschooling offered flexibility, but lacked structured community and experiential learning, both prioritized at Homeschool in the Wild.

“Being able to learn at your own pace and actually do things with your hands makes a huge difference,” he said.

Rather than forcing every group through the same rigid plan, instructors adapt based on student interest. That flexibility extends to semester-long projects where groups work collaboratively over many weeks on one skill they want to achieve.

“One of our youngest groups is building fairy houses,” Anderson said. “Another group is working on a canoe. It’s really ambitious, but they’re excited. They chose it.”

Beyond creative projects, the program emphasizes practical skill building. Students earn beads for demonstrating proficiency in skills such as shelter building, fire safety or wood-working. The bead system replaces traditional grading with visible markers of progress.

Communication is a central part of daily programming. Each session includes an honor circle, where students and counselors sit together to reflect, recognize positive actions and address conflicts. Ben Regester, the camp program manager for Wake County, describes honor circles as especially important after competitive games.

“There’s always a lot of high emotions in games, and the honor circle is a way to debrief and make sure any conflict stays there, so they can continue with the rest of the day,” he said. 

Students are encouraged to speak openly, often recognizing peers for acts of teamwork or fairness. The practice helps students develop social skills and emotional awareness alongside their academic and physical learning.

The practical emphasis on communication extends beyond the homeschoolers. Regester noted that staff maintain close relationships with parents by email, phone and newsletter, particularly within the homeschooling community, where families are deeply invested in how their children spend their time. 

As a nonprofit organization, Piedmont Wildlife Center operates with limited resources. Behr said staffing, materials and scholarships depend heavily on donor support and community partnerships. Much of the program relies on nature itself as a primary teaching tool. Supplies are limited, and instructors prioritize using the environment rather than purchased materials. 

“As a non-profit that’s super small, we’re of course strapped for resources. It’d be amazing to have more,” Behr said. “But we do a lot with what we have.” 

Despite those constraints, the program continues to grow. The Orange County campus has doubled in student size since the previous season, and staff say interest remains steady across all three locations.

For Regester, the most rewarding part of the work is seeing students return year after year.

“The most rewarding part is kids you’ve known for years coming back,” he said. “Watching them grow up and step into leadership.”

Some former students return as counselors in training, taking on mentorship roles within the same community where they once learned foundational skills.

As educational models continue to expand beyond traditional classrooms, Homeschool in the Wild offers an approach rooted in flexibility, communication and outdoor learning. For Piedmont Wildlife Center, the mission remains consistent: meet students where they are and give them space to grow.

 

Edited by Mary Mungai