From award-winning public school teacher to microschool founder, teacher, and consultant, Makenzie Oliver has had quite a journey.

Makenzie spent 7 years as a teacher in Missouri, where she was honored with a “Heartland’s Best Teacher” award in 2013. After her family moved to Florida, she taught 5 years and then became an instructional coach. She won another “teacher of the year” award in Florida. While she loved teaching, she often felt that her hands were tied. Over the years, she began to realize that education could look very different than what she was able to do in her classroom each day.

She considered homeschooling, but she didn’t want to do it alone. Having a little school in her backyard was a dream that seemed unrealistic. Then COVID hit, and Makenzie didn’t want to deal with the unknowns, stress, and mandates as a teacher. And she wanted to ensure her daughters had a great educational experience. She did some research and found out she could homeschool other children and give them a unique and personalized education without starting a private school.

Makenzie started Lighthouse Learning microschool in August 2020 in her home. She purposely keeps it small so she can customize each child’s education. “We don’t use a set curriculum,” she says. “For each child, we see where they are and create personalized learning plans for them.”

Students at Lighthouse Learning cover all the traditional academic subjects like reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and geography. But they do it in an engaging student-centered way that encourages exploration and love of learning. Lighthouse is a full-time, 5‑days a week school, but the days are structured to include outdoor learning, field trips, community service, and life skills like gardening and cooking. A part-time option is also available. 

From her time in public schools—both as a teacher and especially as an instructional coach—Makenzie knows other teachers experience the same stress, burnout, and sense that their hands are tied that she did. In addition to her microschool, Makenzie started Teacher, Let Your Light Shine to help other teachers (and parents) start their own microschools or homeschool businesses.

Teacher, Let Your Light Shine offers many levels of support to help potential microschool and homeschool business founders wherever they are in their journeys. She has a twice-a-week podcast where she offers personal stories, encouragement, and practical advice for education entrepreneurs. Makenzie also offers free downloadable resources with business-building tips and strategies.

For those who want more help as they consider their options, Makenzie offers different coaching packages. A one-hour “Clarity Coaching” call is designed to help teachers set achievable goals, understand their options, and get answers to their questions. They’ll come away with initial action steps towards building a microschool or homeschooling business.

Teachers who are ready to jump right in might be interested in the “Microschool Business Builder” package, which is a two-month program. It includes the clarity coaching session plus organizational help to map out their vision, a streamlined plan of action that includes researching legal issues and creating an LLC, and help determining tuition, budgets, and funding sources. There’s also a four-month version of the Microschool Business Builder package that offers higher levels of support.

The majority of Makenzie’s clients are teachers who know what they want to do educationally but need help with the business side of things. She worked with 10 women who started schools in 2022 and has another 20 who are planning to start schools next year. She also has a Facebook group with hundreds of teachers and parents who are somewhere on the education entrepreneurship journey.

Makenzie’s background in teaching, coaching, and starting her own school has positioned her to be able to help other teachers stay in the profession while charting their own course. “People look at Lighthouse Learning and get inspired,” Makenzie says. “I tell them they don’t have to adopt my model—they can create the school they want.”

Teachers and parents who want to start their own learning entities don’t need to go it alone or start completely from scratch. Many of the people who have traveled that path are available for guidance. If you’re considering starting a microschool or homeschool business, the resources at Teacher, Let Your Light Shine can help point you in the right direction.