I’m Catherine Elizabeth, founder of The Joyful Discovery Club. Since 2011, I’ve had the joy (and the challenge!) of home educating my three children, following an interest-led approach that’s helped us grow together in ways I never could have planned. With one still learning at home and my youngest daughter now at university studying music, this journey has been both wide-ranging and very personal.
Long before home education, I was drawn to children’s learning and development. I graduated with a BA (Hons) in Linguistics with Developmental and Social Psychology and began my career as a teaching assistant. When my own children came along, everything I had studied suddenly became very real, and my interest in how children learn deepened in ways no classroom alone could have taught me.
We were lucky to spend ten years in Cape Town, where my girls tried it all - nursery, mainstream, and even a remedial school. After six years of ups, downs, and more than a few battles with authority, it became clear that the best step was to bring them home. Home education let us slow the pace, follow their interests, and rebuild confidence one day at a time.
Alongside that came a long search for answers for my eldest. We’d had professionals involved since 2007, but nothing seemed to truly help. I kept researching, asking questions, and pushing for clarity. When she was 19, we finally had the answer - Autism. The diagnosis didn’t change who she is, but it did give us the understanding we needed to support her properly.
Those years taught me more than any textbook ever could. I realised that learning isn’t about ticking boxes or racing through a set curriculum - it’s about understanding the child in front of you, their pace, their passions, their way and their challenges.
Home education is about giving our children back the gift of curiosity.
Learning is something living, flexible, and deeply personal.
Home education has been a huge part of our family’s story. It’s shaped my children’s learning in ways I never expected and completely changed how I understand what it really means to learn. Out of all the trial and error, little wins, and big “aha!” moments, The Joyful Discovery Club was born. It’s simply a space to share what’s worked for us, what’s helped me keep going on the hard days, and how we’ve found joy in child-led learning. My hope is that it gives you encouragement, ideas, and the reminder that you don’t have to do this journey alone.
