In this solocast, Hannah explains why your physical space has such a profound impact on your life, discusses the issues with public education classrooms, and offers insights on how to optimize your environment for both personal and children's education. 

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

2:47 - Why Environment Design is So Important

5:56 - What is Environment Design?

9:36 - Environment Design in Montessori Classrooms

16:54 - Hannah’s Personal Experience with Environment Design

21:00 - Public School Education Spaces

26:16 - Environment Design in the Kitchen

28:16 - Optimizing Your Space for Education

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

HFP Podcast Interviews Mentioned in this Episode:

Eric Daniels: From Montessori to Higher Ed

Laura Mazer: Building the Future of Montessori

Matt Bateman: The Montessori Approach and the Innovation of Education

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

In this solocast, Hannah shares her top book recommendations for homeschoolers and their parents. This is the stack she believes is most helpful for understanding how to take charge and facilitate your child’s education experience.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

1:23 - Don’t Tell Me I Can’t

4:05 - The Intellectual Lives of Children - Susan Engel

6:02 - Free to Learn - Peter Gray

7:05 - The ABC’s of Ho

10:57 - Why Johnny Still Can’t Read or Write or Understand Math: And What We Can Do About It

11:58 - Mediocrity: 40 Ways Government Schools are Failing Today’s Students

13:25 - Courage to Grow

15:58 - Unschooling Rules

17:00 - The Underground History of American Education

17:39 - Dumbing Us Down

19:27 - Weapons of Mass Instruction

20:41 - Paper Belt on Fire

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t - Cole Summers

The Intellectual Lives of Children - Susan Engel

Free to Learn - Peter Gray

The ABC’s of How We Learn - Daniel L. Schwartz

Why Johnny Still Can't Read or Write or Understand Math: And What We Can Do About It - Andrew Bernstein

Mediocrity - Connor Boyack & Corey DeAngelis

Courage to Grow - Laura Sandefer

Unschooling Rules - Clark Aldrich

The Underground History of American Education - John Taylor Gatto

Dumbing Us Down - John Taylor Gatto

Weapons of Mass Instruction - John Taylor Gatto

Paper Belt on Fire - Michael Gibson

Podcast Interviews Mentioned in this Episode

Peter Gray: The Psychology of Play

Connor Boyack: The School System is Teaching Your Kids to be Mediocre

Michael Gibson: College is Dead. We Just Don’t Know it Yet

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

In this solocast, Hannah explains her personal experience as a homeschooler. She discusses the debates surrounding socialization for homeschoolers and explores the distinction between "normal" and "common" in relation to student experiences in public education.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

0:15 - Update on Hannah’s Life

2:13 - Socialization for Homeschooled Kids

14:43 - Are We Over Socializing in Public Education?

19:12 - Normal vs. Common

22:40 - Social Status and Bullying

25:52 - Relationship with Adults as a Homeschooler

30:53 - Hannah’s Socialization Experience

36:07 - No One “Right” Way

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

The Childhoods of Exceptional People - Henrik Karlsson

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Kaity Broadbent is the chief evangelist at Prenda, a network of microschools expanding across the country and offering Education Savings Account (ESA) options for students.

In this episode, you'll learn about Prenda's culture, how it establishes values of curiosity, and why it emphasizes the process of learning rather than standardized test outcomes. We dive into the academic tools Prenda uses to develop its curriculum, how they reignite curiosity in their students, and the process families go through when launching a Prenda microschool.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

3:59 - The Expansion of Prenda

5:16 - The Process of Launching a Microschool

9:47 - What Makes a Family Actually Stick to the Change?

20:14 - Changing the Values of Education Standards

24:17 - What Data Does Prenda Collect to Understand Academic Success?

31:54 - How Prenda is Revolutionizing Learning

40:55 - What is the Academic Curriculum at Prenda Schools?

50:39 - Kaity's Favorite Learning Apps

52:59 - Building Excitement Around Curiosity and Academic Work

59:34 - What Makes Schools Work?

1:04:22 - How to Connect with Kaity and Prenda

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources & Tools Mentioned in this Episode:

i-Ready: https://www.curriculumassociates.com

CTCMath: https://www.ctcmath.com/

Zearn: https://www.zearn.org

ALEKS: https://www.aleks.com/

Lexia Learning: https://www.lexialearning.com/

Connect with Kaity Broadbent:

Website | https://www.prenda.com

Prenda on Social | @prendalearn

Personal IG | https://www.instagram.com/kaity_forthekids/

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Hunter Dane is a wilderness entrepreneur and outdoorsman who leads guided hunting expeditions across the globe.

Expect to learn about the genesis of Hunter's career as a hunting guide, his profound connection to nature, and the life-changing experiences his clients undergo during their expeditions. We also discuss the school Hunter is building, which teaches outdoor, hunting, and survival skills. He shares why he considers these skills essential for everyone, especially children, to learn.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

2:01 - Hunter's Upcoming Trip to Alaska

5:23 - What Does a Typical Expedition Look Like?

9:53 - Reverence For Mother Nature

14:36 - The Therapeutic Component of Nature

29:36 - Have We Lost Touch with The World?

34:20 - How Hunter Turned This Into a Career

37:49 - The School Hunter is Building

45:22 - How To Get Involved in Hunter's School

47:52 - Working With Kids in the Wilderness

55:26 - The Most Important Nature-Based Skills For Kid's to Learn

59:02 - How to Connect with Hunter

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with Hunter Dane:

Website | https://www.madeuntamed.com

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hunter.dane

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Robert Pondiscio is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of How the Other Half Learns He has spent the past few decades researching and writing about education reform.

In this episode, expect to learn why Robert left a successful journalism career to become a public school teacher in New York City's lowest performing school system, Robert's insights on education reform, particularly in inner-city schools, and what the real root of the public education problem really is. We explore why education reform is such a complex issue and why he believes the method of education is far more crucial than the school's structural parameters.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

2:44 - Why Robert Left Journalism to Become a Teacher in New York City

5:48 - The Training Program Robert Went Through to Become a Teacher

14:01 - Prerequisites for Teaching

20:51 - What is the Root of the Problem in Public Education

33:12 - The Work of E.D. Hirsch Jr.

37:26 - Repercussions of Lacking Cultural Knowledge

42:11 - Robert's Experience as a Public School Teacher in Lowest Performing Schools 

51:32 - Alternative Education Models that Robert is Excited About

58:22 - Robert's Thoughts on App Based Learning

1:02:39 - Misreading the Signals

1:10:39 - Education as a Free Market

1:15:18 - Does School Choice Harm Lower Income Students?

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Hard Words - Emily Hanford

Sold a Story - Emily Hanford

Teaching Content is Teaching Reading - Dan Willingham

The Knowledge Deficit - E.D. Hirsch

Cultural Literacy - E.D. Hirsch

Connect with Robert Pondiscio :

American Enterprise Institute | https://www.aei.org/profile/robert-pondiscio/

Book | https://www.amazon.com/How-Other-Half-Learns-Excellence/

Children’s Book | https://www.amazon.com/Get-Net-Everything-Including-Addresses/

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Claire Honeycutt is a former academic spending 20 years working inside of academia. She was a professor at Arizona St. University from 2015-2024 when she resigned to become a full time homeschooling mom.

Expect to learn about Claire's insights on how we learn and why she became so interested in intrinsic motivation and self-directed learning. She'll discuss taking a mastery-based learning approach in classrooms of 50–100 students, why many kids in her classes struggled to love learning, and why she feels strongly about fostering a love of learning in her own children. Claire bridges the philosophies of classical education and unschooling to create a coaching-centric approach to learning and education.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

3:07 - Claire's History in Academia

5:45 - Developing a Love for Teaching

9:42 - Making Education Entertaining

11:01 - Intrinsic Motivation and Mental Health of University of Students

21:03 - Trying Things Before Committing to a Degree

28:24 - Claire's Journey to Becoming a Homeschooling Mom 

34:35 - Developing a Love of Learning

39:34 - The Relationship Between Classical Education and Unschooling

42:39 - What is the Objective of Claire's Homeschooling Style

54:49 - Prioritizing a Love of Learning 

1:00:44 - Self Paced and Mastery Based Learning

1:06:51 - Quitting Academia to Start Homeschooling

1:13:43 - Advice for Homeschooling Parents

1:17:34 - Working While Homeschooling

1:21:33 - Resources for Parents in Alternative Education

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with Claire Honeycutt:

Website: ClarifiED.life

Twitter: https://x.com/hippymomphd

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Eric Daniels is the Assistant Director of Clemson University’s Institute for the Study of Capitalism. Eric has worked in multiple levels of education; from middle school science teacher to head of a Montessori school to working at multiple universities.

Expect to learn Eric's insights from his diverse educational experiences and how they've shaped his teaching philosophy. He discusses the development of thought, critical thinking, and reasoning, emphasizing the crucial role of early years in building a foundation for lifelong learning. Eric shares valuable lessons from Montessori and university-level education, and offers advice for parents on raising independent adults with a strong sense of direction and purpose.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

6:20 - Eric's Background in Education

12:42 - A Holistic Understanding of Education

29:16 - The Most Important Books

38:36 - Selecting Applicants for the Program at Clemson

44:51 - Should Young Americans Go to College?

49:37 - Trends in Academic Capacity of Students

1:02:50 - Deviations in Human Development

1:22:22 - Knowledge vs. Facts

1:29:02 - The Importance of the Developmental Years

1:53:21 - How to Connect with Eric

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

The Intellectual Lives of Children - Susan Engle

The Republic - Plato

Leviathan - Thomas Hobbes

An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations - Adam Smith

The Nicomachean Ethics - Aristotle

How to Raise an Adult - Julie Lythcott-Haims

Connect with Eric Daniels:

https://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/capitalism/

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Joe Connor is the founder and CEO of Odyssey, a platform that helps parents access and utilize their ESA money.

Expect to learn about the history of ESA programs, what Odyssey does to help parents access funds, and the patterns and trends in ESA rollouts across the country. We explore why Joe is so optimistic about the future of school choice and how ESAs can empower parents to select the best education for their children.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

2:49 - What is Odyssey?

4:38 - What Should School Choice Look Like

8:24 - How Certain Platforms are Restricting School Choice

11:58 - Patterns of Adoption in School Choice

15:31 - The History of ESAs

19:55 - Trends in Adoption of ESAs

25:10 - Customizing Education

28:54 - Predicting the Future of Education

32:21 - The Scale of the School Choice Movement

39:53 - Rolling Out ESAs on a State Level

43:04 - Areas of Pushback Towards ESAs

46:11 - Conflicting Opinions About School Choice

54:12 - Schooling Models Joe is Excited About

56:14 - How Joe Found Himself in Education

58:37 - Is Universal School Choice Possible?

1:01:28 - How to Connect with Joe

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with Joe Connor:

Twitter | https://x.com/josephjconnor

Website | https://withodyssey.com

Email | [email protected]

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.

Ryan Delk is the founder and CEO of Primer, a network of microschools expanding across the country. Primer is structured in a way that supports teachers that allows them to focus on what they love most.

Expect to learn about the systems Primer has built across their network to allow teachers to focus on what they love and streamline the process for getting a school off the ground. You’ll learn about the work Ryan has done to manage regulations and laws to make it easier for people to launch schools. The educational philosophy that underpins the resources that Primer is building and the new leader cohort that primer is launching to help educators launch the microschools.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

3:20 - Current State of Primer

3:43 - The First Day of School

5:37 - Primer Leadership Cohort

8:56 - Who is a Good fit for the Primer Leadership Cohort

15:52 - Incentivizing Forward Thinking Teachers

18:42 - How Does the Infrastructure of Primer Work?

24:03 - The Relationship Between the Teacher and the Software

26:55 - What Does Primer Curriculum Look Like?

33:53 - Regulations in Microschools

41:06 - Changing Education Laws

54:55 - Why Start in Florida and Arizona?

59:36 - The Original Inspiration for Primer

1:01:24 - The Operations of Primer

1:05:43 - Requirements for Teachers at Primer

1:07:57 - What Does the Primer Leadership Cohort Actually Look Like?

1:10:10 - How to Learn More About Primer

If You Enjoy This Show Please Subscribe and Give Us a 5-Star Rating ★★★★★ and Review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

Connect with Ryan Delk:

Website | https://primer.com

Twitter | https://x.com/delk

Email | [email protected]

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | https://twitter.com/HannahFrankman

RebelEducator | https://twitter.com/rebelEducator

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.