The Happy Homeschooler Podcast
The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a digital support group for everyone interested in a learning lifestyle. Join us the second and fourth Friday of each month as our hosts Holly Williams Urbach and Jennifer Jones discuss topics like the benefits of homeschooling, finding the right curriculum for you, navigating the line between parent and teacher, and more!
Episodes

Tuesday Aug 09, 2022
80: Help for the New Homeschooler
Tuesday Aug 09, 2022
Tuesday Aug 09, 2022
New homeschoolers can sometimes become overwhelmed with all the new duties a learning lifestyle entails. Having someone who knows what it’s like and how to get off to a good start can be a lifesaver. That’s why we’re interviewing Mary James today. She’s a long-time homeschooler (since 1989!) who founded a support group for new homeschoolers, and those who still feel a little new too. It’s called Smoothing the Way and we think you’ll love Mary’s story of Smoothing’s inspiration, founding, and growth. And be sure to stay to the end when we answer a very seasonal big question.
SHOW NOTES:
Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial!
Like our page and join our group on Facebook!
Follow us on Instagram!
Smoothing the Way
The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach, Melody Gillum, and Jennifer Jones, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin.
If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
079: 5 Questions to Answer Before Starting the School Year
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Tuesday Jul 26, 2022
Whether you’re still new, or you’re a seasoned homeschooler, there are always important questions to answer before starting the school year. Today, we’re asking Who, What, Where, When, and Why. By answering these five questions, you’ll be able to focus on building your school year, planning for ups and downs, and understanding your student better. Join us today while we discuss what each of the questions mean to us, share our own plans for the coming school year, and share fun stories from our learning lifestyles. And be sure to stay to the end when we discuss a very useful book Holly received in the mail.
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at happyhomeschoolpod@gmail.com
SHOW NOTES:
Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial!
Like our page and join our group on Facebook!
Follow us on Instagram!
Rainbow Resource Center
The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach, Melody Gillum, and Jennifer Jones, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin.
If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
078: The Happy Homeschooler Podcast Turns 2!
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
Tuesday Jul 12, 2022
The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is turning 2, and we’re celebrating the occasion! On today’s episode, we’re chatting about our histories with the podcast, how it’s changed over the years, what we’ve learned by being part of it, and where we hope to see it go in the future. And as a special 2-year treat, we’ve got Matt Bass himself– founder of Transcript Maker and producer of The Happy Homeschooler Podcast– giving us a peek behind the curtain, discussing his own history with homeschooling, how he created Transcript Maker, and more!
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at happyhomeschoolpod@gmail.com
SHOW NOTES:
SHOW NOTES:
Visit Transcript Maker and get your 14-day free trial!
Like our page and join our group on Facebook!
Follow us on Instagram!
The Happy Homeschooler Podcast is a Transcript Maker Production. It is hosted by Holly Williams Urbach, Melody Gillum, and Jennifer Jones, produced by Matthew Bass, and edited by Norah Williams. Our graphic design is by Pete Soloway and our music is by The Great Pangolin.
If you liked this episode, and you’d like to help us grow, leave us a review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

About Our Hosts
Jennifer Jones (left) is a dedicated homeschool advocate and community leader with over two decades of experience homeschooling her eight children in Marble Falls, Texas. After joining The Happy Homeschooler Podcast as a guest, Jennifer was thrilled to join the podcast as a co-host in 2022. She hopes that by sharing her own experiences on the podcast she is able to make homeschooling more approachable for new families. She believes homeschooling is truly a lifestyle, not just an educational choice, and encourages listeners to embrace it as an adventure for the entire family.
Holly Williams Urbach (right) is a dedicated homeschooling mother of six wonderful people (five of whom are now adults). She began homeschooling in Texas in 1993 when homeschooling was not yet fully legal. She is passionate about the benefits of the homeschooling lifestyle and shares her passion by mentoring new homeschoolers in person, through the local Facebook group she moderates with other seasoned homeschoolers in her community, and by being a co-host of The Happy Homeschooler Podcast.
Melody Gillum (not pictured) was a founding host of The Happy Homeschooler Podcast. In 2025, she retired from the show to spend more time with her husband Jon, with whom she homeschooled her seven children.