About Us
Back to Basics Learning, LLC has been helping students in grades K-12 by providing academic instruction and enrichment since 2020. Our goal is to deliver an excellent education with YOUR child’s strengths and needs at the center of everything! We believe children thrive in small, student-centered classrooms where students are able to learn at their own pace while developing their talents.
Back to Basics Learning is a learning pod offering students a personalized and exemplary education. The word “learning pod” is used to describe a unique learning setup - much like a one-room schoolhouse where homeschooling and private school collide for a rich and authentic experience! At Back to Basics Learning, students receive far more individualized attention than they would receive in a traditional school. Back to Basics Learning offers closer adult-child relationships in which teachers serve as facilitators of student-led learning, not just deliverers of content. Here, students are given the parameters to pursue a rich and authentic way of learning and serving others. In addition to the learning pod, Back to Basics Learning, LLC offers academic courses and private tutoring.
Our Story
My name is Kirstin Hills. I was homeschooled from 5th grade until I graduated, and self taught from 8th grade until graduation. I attended Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After four years of teaching in public schools in Alaska and North Carolina, I embarked on a grand adventure to Ankara, Turkey. There, I taught for two years at an international Christian school. In addition to teaching and exploring the rich culture of the middle east, I earned a Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages through Grand Canyon University online. Upon returning to my home in Alaska, I taught for nine years in the public schools before starting Back to Basics Learning.
In 2020, I felt called to serve families in a different way. I didn’t like the thought of all students being stuck on computers in zoom calls. I wanted to teach in an environment where families had a choice in education and students were able to learn in ways that best suited their learning styles. I wanted families to feel comfortable with what their children were learning in school, and know that their children were in a safe environment. I dreamt of a place where students weren’t defined by their standardized assessment, and where lessons weren’t focused on passing a test. I felt students deserved the opportunity to learn beyond mandates, assessments, and standardized learning. I started Back to Basics Learning to value individualism and help students learn to be lifelong learners, and where I could truly be a partner with parents in education.