By Kerry McDonald When Elon Musk created a small school for his children and some of his SpaceX employees on the company’s California campus, he created a spark that could just now be catching on in other workplaces across the country. In a 2015 interview about the school, the billionaire inventor said: “The regular schools weren’t doing the things that I thought should … [Read more...] about Could Employer-Based Microschooling Be The Newest Workplace Perk?
Homeschooling
New Data Show the Exodus From Public Schools Is Continuing
By Kerry McDonald Since 2020, more families have been fleeing local district schools for other options. Homeschooling rates doubled in that year alone and remain high today. Home-based “pandemic pods” have evolved into established microschools and co-op arrangements that have worked better for many families than a conventional classroom. Catholic schools, like other private … [Read more...] about New Data Show the Exodus From Public Schools Is Continuing
Teacher and Mom of Four Launches Mask-Free Learning Center in Response to Parent Demand
By Kerry McDonald The coronavirus response over the past two years has transformed education, putting parents back in the driver’s seat and inspiring education entrepreneurs to create new K-12 learning models. There are signs that entrepreneurship flourished during the pandemic response, as employment disruptions prompted individuals to launch new businesses. A new … [Read more...] about Teacher and Mom of Four Launches Mask-Free Learning Center in Response to Parent Demand
4 Positive Education Trends to End 2021
By Kerry McDonald There is a lot to be frustrated about as 2021 concludes. Some places are back in lockdown over rising coronavirus cases, while others are re-imposing previous restrictions and introducing new ones—including my city. But at this joyful time of the year, I choose to be optimistic and focus on all the good things happening right now, particularly in the … [Read more...] about 4 Positive Education Trends to End 2021
We’ve Only Just Begun to See the Benefits of the New Surge in Homeschooling
By Alice Salles Parents across America were caught unprepared for the mass closure of government schools in 2020. Soon after, however, many decided they and their children had had enough of the status quo. Now at a crossroads, will they choose reform or repudiation? The wave of ill-advised school shutdowns last year compelled tens of thousands of parents to rethink their … [Read more...] about We’ve Only Just Begun to See the Benefits of the New Surge in Homeschooling
No, You Don’t Need to be “Qualified” to Homeschool Your Children
By Hannah Frankman Over the years, I’ve heard so many parents dismiss the possibility of homeschooling their children because they don’t feel “qualified.” “I’m not a teacher.” “I’m not good at math.” “I wasn’t good at X in school, so I could never teach my child that subject.” All these assumptions stem from a fallacy about what education is, and what makes an … [Read more...] about No, You Don’t Need to be “Qualified” to Homeschool Your Children
Cities Lead the Way in (Another) Massive Fall Exodus from US Public Schools
By Kerry McDonald Many parents pulled their children out of school last year for homeschooling and other private options, as schools remained shuttered due to the coronavirus response. Nationwide, homeschooling numbers tripled last year from their pre-pandemic levels, driven largely by black families who left district schools for homeschooling at the highest rate of any … [Read more...] about Cities Lead the Way in (Another) Massive Fall Exodus from US Public Schools
A Positive Trend – “Homeschool Interest In Texas Jumps 5 Fold From 2020 Record”
By Nicholas West As I wrote in last month's newsletter, one of the key ways we can take control over our personal supply chain of information is to homeschool. In so doing, we can promote both the physical and the mental health of future generations: One of the benefits occurring right now amid all of the tragedy is that parents who might previously have been resistant to … [Read more...] about A Positive Trend – “Homeschool Interest In Texas Jumps 5 Fold From 2020 Record”
You Don’t Have to Send Your Kid Back to Public School This Fall—Here Are Your Options
By Kerry McDonald This year’s back-to-school season is as uncertain and unsettling as the last. With schools in some parts of the country set to open early next month, the CDC just announced its virus control recommendations which include required masking for unvaccinated students and staff, continued social distancing, and frequent virus testing. These guidelines were … [Read more...] about You Don’t Have to Send Your Kid Back to Public School This Fall—Here Are Your Options
4 Signs Parents Won’t Be Sending Their Kids Back to Public School This Fall
By Kerry McDonald As disruptive as the 2020/2021 academic year was, it led to many positive educational changes that will be transformative and long-lasting. Most notably, parents have been re-empowered to take back the reins of their children’s education from government bureaucrats and teachers unions. Frustrated by school closures and district “Zoom schooling,” families … [Read more...] about 4 Signs Parents Won’t Be Sending Their Kids Back to Public School This Fall
3 Reasons Homeschoolers Often Become Entrepreneurs
By Hannah Frankman I learned the word "entrepreneurship" when I was 12. I had just started my first business, and my mother informed me I was now an “entrepreneur.” I didn't know what the word meant, but I liked the way it sounded. Even better, I liked having a business. I was selling hand-knitted dolls, made from patterns I had designed myself. I sold them for $24 … [Read more...] about 3 Reasons Homeschoolers Often Become Entrepreneurs
Two Grown-Up Homeschoolers Explain How Alternative Education Helped Them Get Ahead
By Kerry McDonald With more parents than ever before choosing or considering the homeschooling option, it can be helpful to hear how homeschoolers turn out. According to the US Census Bureau, homeschooling has tripled this academic year from its pre-pandemic levels, with more than 11 percent of current K-12 students currently learning this way. Research reveals … [Read more...] about Two Grown-Up Homeschoolers Explain How Alternative Education Helped Them Get Ahead