Our Story

I was never the “perfect student.” In fact, I struggled through public school myself. I wasn’t the type to raise my hand if I didn’t fully understand something, and no teacher ever pulled me aside when my grades slipped. I felt invisible—just another student passing through the system.

By 2020, I had two children in Montessori school. When Covid hit, we shifted to Zoom lessons and endless worksheets. My son hated the video calls, and as I looked at what the school was providing, my husband and I realized: we could do this ourselves—even without a background in education. I had worked for two years as a teacher’s assistant in a Montessori primary classroom, but neither of us were “educators.” Still, in 2021, we decided to homeschool our kids.

There was another reason behind our decision. After attending a dyslexia conference, both of my children’s teachers suggested—based on a test I hadn’t even known about—that my kids might have dyslexia. But when I worked with a dyslexia therapist, she confirmed neither child actually had it. Yes, my son read slowly and my daughter was still developing her reading skills, but with daily reading practice, they both caught up.

At the same time, I was starting a baking business, taking classes, and building my client base. Balancing all of that with homeschooling and family life was overwhelming.

We began with a structured curriculum, but it was hard to manage. My kids were different ages, had different learning styles, and some subjects were a struggle for all of us—especially since I don’t consider myself strong in many areas. I tried “unschooling” and loved the freedom, but I constantly worried about whether they were meeting educational standards. I shifted again to using workbooks, letting my kids choose which subjects they wanted to work on each day. They enjoyed it, but I still questioned if it was enough.

Eventually, I found another online curriculum with videos, quizzes, and some reporting tools. It was better, but it wasn’t very user‑friendly. The reports lacked detail, updates came a day late, and I was left feeling like I still hadn’t found the right fit. I kept telling my husband, what I’m looking for doesn’t exist.

Then AI started making headlines, and my husband and I began talking about its potential. That’s when the idea came: what if we created a homeschooling platform powered by AI?

I envisioned something that could truly get to know each child—their learning style, their pace, their struggles—and build a personalized learning path just for them. Something that could adapt in real time, offer clear insights for parents, and cut through the generic, one‑size‑fits‑all curriculum that never works for every child.

That’s how Cognaa AI was born.

With Cognaa, the system doesn’t just deliver lessons—it learns from your child’s work, identifies areas of struggle, and creates targeted practice to strengthen those skills. Parents can chat with Cognaa to get meaningful updates about their child’s progress, without sifting through endless charts or vague graphs.

It’s not about forcing kids into a rigid mold. It’s about giving every child an education designed for them.

Heather Jean
Founder & CEO of Cognaa