Shawn lives in Middle Amana, Iowa with his wife Jennifer. They have eight children, seven boys and one girl, and have been homeschooling almost exclusively independently for almost twenty-five years. Their children range in age from thirty-one down to twelve. Shawn has been a band director in the State of Iowa for almost thirty-five years having taught in the public school, at a Christian school, and, most recently, as part of the Mid-Prairie Home School Assistance Program. Shawn and Jennifer seek to determine their children’s gifts and talents and help them pursue a variety of options for their future as they near graduation from homeschooling.