About us

I'm Julia Kurnia, a homeschool mom and founder of Nautilus Homeschool. I've always loved reading, and one of the best memories from my childhood is the time I spent exploring new worlds through books.

When I became a parent, I was thrilled to have the chance to share my favorite children's books with my kids - and to discover new ones. We installed a well-stocked bookshelf where most homes would have a TV, and spent many happy hours reading together. Our homeschooling approach grew naturally from this love of reading.

Our children spend far more time reading and being read to, and far less time on "busy work," than their counterparts in traditional schools. We adopted this book-centered approach to education because it's what we enjoy. But over time, it became apparent that this method was producing outstanding academic results. Both kids were reading fluently by age five, and by the age of six spent hours every day reading books for fun. Their writing and spelling ability has developed far beyond what is typical for their grade levels. My middle-schooler has spent the past four years writing his own science fiction novel.

Homeschooling has also been a chance to impart a love of art, building and the creative process. We give drawing, painting and music a central place on par with other subjects, and allocate long stretches of time for our kids to work on creative projects of their choice. As a self-taught programmer and technology entrepreneur, I want my children to discover the joy of building and creating and to carry it with them into their chosen careers.

I've spent many years combing libraries, bookstores and the internet to find the best homeschooling resources for our family. Early on, I purchased an expensive prepackaged curriculum, only to abandon it because it didn't offer enough flexibility or challenge. Video-based online schools weren't academically rigorous and required my kids to spend too much time in front of a screen. None of the curricula encompassed the wonderful books and activities I wanted my children to experience.

In the end, we developed our own unique way of homeschooling, inspired by ideas from Charlotte Mason, classical and interest-led approaches. We've explored hundreds of books, courses and other learning resources, and collected gems in everything from historical fiction to astrophysics. We try to strike a wise balance in allowing plenty of freedom to create and explore, while ensuring that our children acquire the knowledge and self-discipline they will need to succeed in higher education and life.

Nautilus Homeschool is the result of a decade-long quest to discover the best educational resources for homeschooling. The curriculum comprises the most enjoyable and effective books and other resources that we have used in our own homeschool. Since each child's needs are unique, we've made it easy to customize the curriculum by rescheduling, removing and adding your own books and activities.

I hold a master's degree in International Economics and have lived and worked around the world. Besides reading and homeschooling my kids, I enjoy learning new languages, practicing martial arts and long-distance running, and working with a charitable organization I founded that supports entrepreneurs in Africa. I'm passionate about education, exploring the world and self-development, and I hope through Nautilus Homeschool to share the joy of learning with others.