In a quiet Indiana town, Sarah Janisse Brown lived a life of vibrant contradictions. She was a young artist filling sketchbooks with ink-drawn worlds while juggling the challenges of raising a growing family. By her mid-twenties, Sarah had married her childhood sweetheart, Joshua, and was deep in the chaos and joy of motherhood with ten children under her roof. Yet, amid the laughter, tears, and countless diaper changes, one challenge loomed large: dyslexia.
Two of Sarah’s children struggled to learn in ways traditional education demanded. As they faced mounting frustration, Sarah, too, found herself grappling with an unsettling truth—standard methods weren’t enough. What she needed didn’t exist. So, she did what artists do best: she created.
From Problem to Passion
It began in 2008 with simple activity books. Sarah wanted tools to help her children learn to read, write, and spell without the shame often tied to failure in conventional classrooms. She sketched, wrote, and designed materials infused with creativity and flexibility. What started as a necessity for her own family soon caught the attention of others.
By 2009, Sarah and Joshua had founded The Thinking Tree Publishing Company, a venture dedicated to producing books and resources tailored for children who learn differently. The books weren’t just instructional—they were therapeutic. Using creative techniques and the Open Dyslexic font, they offered children, especially those with learning challenges like ADHD and dyslexia, a way to engage without pressure.
But Sarah wasn’t just writing books; she was quietly revolutionizing how parents approached education.
The Birth of Fun-Schooling
Sarah’s philosophy, later coined Fun-Schooling, grew from her belief that every child learns best when their education aligns with their natural interests and abilities. The method blends “delight-directed learning” with what she calls “organized unschooling,” a system where children pursue their passions while building independence.
The core of Fun-Schooling lies in its simplicity: children choose library books based on their interests, and these form the foundation of their curriculum. Paired with Sarah’s Homeschooling Curriculum Journals, the approach encourages creativity, critical thinking, and self-guided exploration.
For Sarah, this wasn’t just about academics—it was a way of life.
A Family That Learns Together
In 2012, the Brown family made a radical decision. Tired of chasing the conventional American Dream, they sold their belongings, left behind Sarah’s role as vice president of the local town council, and moved to Europe. What many saw as a leap of faith, the Browns saw as a calculated step toward freedom.
Their journey took them to Veneto, Italy, and later across Eastern Europe, where they pursued mission work, creative projects, and education on their terms. Along the way, Sarah’s children became both her inspiration and her collaborators. Each child was encouraged to explore their unique talents—whether it was designing bracelets, selling handmade crafts, or caring for birds in a backyard aviary.
Sarah and Joshua’s approach went beyond homeschooling. They instilled an entrepreneurial mindset in their children, encouraging them to create value from their passions. By their teenage years, Sarah’s kids weren’t just learning about the world; they were actively shaping their futures.
Impacting Thousands Beyond Her Family
What began as a personal journey soon turned into a global movement. Through The Thinking Tree and its online platform, Sarah’s resources reached thousands of families worldwide. Her Dyslexia Games program, specifically designed to help children overcome reading challenges, has transformed education for over 10,000 children.
Thinking Tree Curriculum has since gained significant recognition, becoming approved by several states, including Florida, Texas, and Arizona, as part of the curriculum offered by School Choice, Vouchers, Charter Schools, and state Scholarship programs. This approval aligns with the growing movement to customize education, whether children are homeschooled or attend brick-and-mortar schools. Thinking Tree Workbooks provide an accessible way to tailor education to each child’s needs without relying solely on digital platforms driven by artificial intelligence.
Parents often express gratitude for the way Sarah’s work has allowed them to connect with their children. Many share how Fun-Schooling has reignited a love of learning in kids who previously struggled or felt defeated by traditional schooling methods.
Sarah’s story also resonates in other spaces. She’s shared her insights through magazines like Mother Earth News and Old Schoolhouse, while her family’s unconventional lifestyle has been featured on House Hunters International.
A Legacy of Love and Learning
Despite her growing influence, Sarah’s heart remains rooted in her family. She’s a mother who celebrates her children’s successes, no matter how unconventional. One daughter launched a photography business in Hawaii at sixteen. Another pursued pottery with the help of a family-built kiln. For Sarah, these milestones are as significant as academic degrees.
Sarah’s homeschooling philosophy isn’t just about education—it’s about raising confident, capable individuals who understand their worth and potential. By nurturing their creativity and embracing their uniqueness, Sarah has given her children, and countless others, the tools to succeed not just in school but in life.
Nowadays education often prioritizes conformity, Sarah Janisse Brown reminds us that there’s immense power in doing things differently. Through her art, her family, and her unshakable belief in the beauty of individuality, Sarah continues to inspire a generation of parents to think outside the box—and, perhaps, to have a little fun along the way.
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