Enrollment opening August 2025: https://www.openedacademy.com Most virtual schools simply move traditional education online - same rigid structure, same standardized curriculum, same one-size-fits-all approach. OpenEd Academy is different.

After 15 years helping over 100,000 students personalize their education, the OpenEd Foundation is launching a nationwide virtual private school built on a radical premise: education should adapt to YOUR child, not the other way around.In this conversation with Teresa King, CEO of the OpenEd Foundation, we explore how OpenEd Academy:• Lets YOU choose the curriculum that works for your child• Allows YOU to set your own pace and schedule• Gives transcript credit for real-world learning• Builds education on trust rather than controlStarting at just $2,900/year, OpenEd Academy combines the freedom of homeschooling with the support of an accredited school.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Introduction

3:45 The problem with traditional virtual schools

7:22 Teresa's background in education innovation

10:05 Building education around the child

14:30 The "buffet" approach to curriculum

18:06 Setting your own schedule and pace

21:45 Real-world learning on your transcript

27:20 Education built on trust, not control

38:10 How OpenEd Academy works day-to-day

42:55 Advice for families considering a change

48:25 Where to learn more

#VirtualSchool #PersonalizedLearning #Education #Homeschool #OpenEducation

Want even more? Sign up for the OpenEd Daily newsletter at https://opened.co for practical tips and insights about more open and innovative approaches to education.

Did you know our school system is based on a 200-year-old Prussian model designed to create obedient soldiers? Or that we grade students in ways that would make even elite athletes like LeBron James look like failures?

Isaac Morehouse and Matt Bowman expose the fundamental flaws in our education system in their category-defining new book "Open Education: How to Reimagine Learning, Ignite Curiosity, and Prepare Your Kids for Success."

In this episode, the authors break down Part One of their book, examining the historical traps of education, why standardization doesn't work, and their revolutionary "mastered or not yet" approach.

0:00 Introduction to the book "Open Education"2:00 Two types of nonfiction books and how this one combines both4:48 The "good enough for who it's for" principle9:20 Overview of Part One's three chapters11:40 The "Mastered or Not Yet" approach to learning16:07 Contrasting education with real-world hiring practices20:56 The shocking history of public education21:51 Why "LeBron James is a failure" by school standards24:08 The fish climbing a tree: why standardization fails29:19 Finding the balance between challenge and passion31:35 Preview of Part Two: giving children voice and choice

📚 GET THE BOOK: https://opened.co/book

Jack Casdorph shares the moment his third-grade teacher turned a 25-second compass experiment into a half-hour of dictated notes, destroying his interest in science. Now a mechanical engineer, Jack reveals his STEM Spectrum framework explaining why traditional education's theory-first approach fails, and how project-based learning can reignite curiosity in children.JOIN THE BRIDGE BUILDING COMPETITION! Enter Jack's Gingerbread Bridge Challenge by May 18, 2025! Build a bridge using food items, test its weight capacity, and submit your video. The best submissions will be featured in Jack's highlight video!https://www.cleanyourcraft.com/blog/creators-craft-challenge-1-gingerbread-bridgeTimestamp Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Personal Story00:31 Meet the Guests: Jack and Rachel01:21 The State of Science Education02:04 Personal Experiences with Science and Math03:51 Challenges in Teaching STEM06:32 The Spectrum of STEM Education10:32 Project-Based Learning: A Personal Story15:23 Project-Based Learning in the Classroom20:33 Balancing Traditional and Project-Based Learning23:11 Introducing Creator's Craft Crates30:14 Encouraging Creativity in Kids35:45 Bridge Building Competition Announcement41:00 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsFeatured Resource:Gingerbread Bridge Challenge - Official Entry Page:

https://www.cleanyourcraft.com/blog/creators-craft-challenge-1-gingerbread-bridge

Rethinking STEM: Keeping Curiosity at the Heart of Education

Jack Casdorph, a mechanical engineer developing hands-on physics kits, and Rachel Davie, a former math teacher now homeschooling her children, explore what's broken in traditional science education and how project-based learning transforms how children engage with STEM subjects.

Through personal stories and professional insights, our guests reveal how traditional education often extinguishes natural curiosity and fails to connect theory with real-world applications. Jack introduces his STEM spectrum concept showing the imbalance between theoretical knowledge and practical skills, while Rachel provides perspectives from both classroom teaching and homeschooling environments.Timestamp Chapters:

00:00 Introduction01:00 Why traditional science education kills curiosity03:00 The problem with procedural learning06:00 The STEM education spectrum explained09:00 "When will we use this in real life?"11:00 The treehouse project: project-based learning in action15:00 Bridging the gap between theory and application19:00 Creating portfolio-ready skills through projects

🔗 Helpful Resources for Project-Based Learning:

Edutopia - Project-Based Learninghttps://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning

PBLWorks - What is Project Based Learning?https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl

Buck Institute for Education - PBL Resourceshttps://www.pblworks.org/resources

National Science Teaching Associationhttps://www.nsta.org/

STEM Learning Ecosystemshttps://stemecosystems.org/

The Case for Project-Based Learning in STEMhttps://www.gettingsmart.com/2019/05/20/the-case-for-project-based-learning-in-stem/

Clean Your Craft - Physics for Makershttps://cleanyourcraft.com/

Exploratorium's Science Snackshttps://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks

DIY STEM Projects for Kidshttps://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities

Edutopia - Project-Based Learning

PBLWorks - What is Project Based Learning?

Buck Institute for Education - PBL Resources

National Science Teaching Association

STEM Learning Ecosystems

The Case for Project-Based Learning in STEM

Clean Your Craft - Physics for Makers

Exploratorium's Science Snacks

DIY STEM Projects for Kids

Traditional education was designed for a factory era—not for how humans actually learn. In this conversation between Isaac Morehouse (CEO of OpenEd) and Amir Nathoo (CEO of Outschool), we explore how education is being unbundled into something more natural and effective.

"We don't live in a world where our entire existence is contained in one box," Morehouse points out. So why do we expect children to get everything they need from a single institution?

This conversation reveals the growing movement toward what they call "open education" or "networked learning"—where families combine multiple approaches rather than choosing just one path. Whether it's a child learning Minecraft modding from an expert when parents can't help, or teachers finally getting to share their genuine passions without institutional constraints, the educational landscape is shifting dramatically.

(00:00) - Not All Screen Time Is Created Equal

(05:14) - Building a Marketplace for Personalized Learning

(12:30) - Technology as a Tool, Not a Threat

(18:45) - The Creative Continuum: Consumption to Creation

(25:36) - When Parents Can't Teach What Kids Want to Learn

(34:10) - From Homeschooling to Open Education

(39:22) - Why Networked Learning Matches Human Nature

(44:40) - Teachers as Creative Entrepreneurs

(48:55) - The Future of Educational Choice

Links:

- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirnathoo/)

- [X](https://x.com/amirnathoo)

- [Outschool Website](https://outschool.com/)

- [OpenEd Academy](https://opened.co/)

In this episode of the OpenEd podcast, we speak with Cassie Tinsmon, founder of Lily Lake Homeschool Collective in Kansas. Cassie shares how she created a flexible learning community that supports working parents while giving children the freedom to learn naturally and at their own pace.

What You'll Learn:

• Why Cassie chose an unschooling approach and built a microschool community
• How Lily Lake integrates real-life business experience into children's education
• The importance of parent confidence in guiding a child's learning journey
• What a typical day looks like in a self-directed learning environment
• How children naturally develop academic and practical skills when given freedom

Guest Spotlight:

Cassie Tinsmon Born and raised in Wichita, KS, Cassie earned her degree in Social Work from Wichita State University and later completed a Masters in Public Health from New Mexico State University. Her career path took her through Denver, Washington DC, and New York City before returning to her Midwestern roots in 2012. Today, she serves as President of Katz Compliance LLC, a political consulting firm where she's worked for 15 years. Together with her husband Stewart and another homeschooling family, she founded what began as Bee Curious Learning Collective in 2022, supported by a $10,000 grant from Vela Education Fund. When the opportunity arose to purchase Lily Lake, Cassie saw the potential to create the supportive learning community she had always envisioned. What started as a small co-op has now grown into a flexible educational community serving families from across the region, complete with a homeschool space and toddler play café.

Connect with Lily Lake:

Website: https://lilylakekansas.com/

Key Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction to Raising Kids Beyond Productivity
• 00:31 Welcome to the Open Ed Podcast
• 00:59 Cassie Tinman's Educational Journey
• 01:28 Unschooling and Self-Directed Learning
• 03:29 Challenges and Adaptations in Homeschooling
• 04:10 The Birth of Lily Lake Homeschool Collective
• 07:47 Daily Life at Lily Lake
• 09:53 Balancing Work and Homeschooling
• 15:31 Integrating Learning into Everyday Life
• 18:27 Supporting Homeschooling Families
• 19:56 Concerns About Traditional Schooling
• 24:59 Homeschooling Success Stories
• 30:07 Building a Homeschool Community
• 32:17 Exciting Developments at Lily Lake
• 34:46 Conclusion and Contact Information

"But what about socialization?" It's the #1 question that stops parents from exploring educational alternatives. But what if traditional schooling creates the least natural social environment your child will ever experience?

TK Coleman and Isaac Morehouse flip the script on the socialization myth, revealing how age-segregated classrooms might actually be hindering your child's social development rather than helping it.

This conversation tackles head-on:

How school creates artificial social environments your child will never encounter again

Why many homeschooled children develop stronger social skills across different age groups

The developmental advantage of forming identity before conforming socially

Whether you're curious about homeschooling or frustrated with your child's current educational environment, this episode challenges everything you've been told about how children develop healthy social skills.

(00:00) - The Socialization Question Everyone Asks

(02:41) - Redefining "Normal" Social Development

(07:27) - TK's Experience with Social Development

(14:17) - The Fleetwood Mac Effect: Timing of Social Identity

(21:45) - Opting In vs. Opting Out of Social Games

(32:12) - Finding the Right Balance of Social Exposure

(42:42) - Principles Before Particulars: A Framework for Growth

Want even more? Sign up for the OpenEd Daily newsletter at https://opened.co for practical tips and insights about more open and innovative approaches to education.

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Think homeschooling means sitting around the kitchen table all day with textbooks? Think again.

In this eye-opening conversation, veteran homeschool mom of five Maecy shares how her family spends just 3 hours a day on traditional academics – and what fills the rest of their rich educational experience.

From skiing several times a week to creating vibrant co-ops, discover how homeschooling has evolved into a lifestyle that prioritizes real-world learning, emotional wellbeing, and personalized education paths.

Whether you're considering homeschooling, curious about alternatives to traditional education, or just wondering what these families are actually doing all day, this conversation challenges everything you thought you knew about home education.

(00:00) - The Homeschooling Misnomer

(02:41) - How Special Needs Changed Their Approach

(08:09) - Putting Emotional Wellbeing Before Academics

(12:11) - Letting Children Choose Their Educational Path

(17:46) - "We're Only Home Three Hours a Day"

(21:53) - The Myth of the Diploma

(25:08) - Success Beyond Traditional Education

(30:54) - Advice for New Homeschooling Families

Drowning in homeschool curriculum options? You're not alone.

In this revealing conversation, the founders of SmartPath share how they're using AI to solve the #1 problem facing homeschool families: finding the perfect curriculum match without weeks of research.

Discover how this free tool is democratizing what wealthy Silicon Valley families have known for years – that customized education creates exceptional outcomes, but only if you can navigate the overwhelming sea of options.

Whether you're new to homeschooling or a veteran looking to upgrade your curriculum, this episode reveals how technology is finally making personalized education accessible to everyone.

Try the tool for free at: smartpath.school

Chapters:

(00:00) - The Silicon Valley Education Secret(01:26) - What SmartPath Does: AI for Curriculum Matching(02:40) - The Overwhelming Options Problem(06:14) - How Parents Currently Find Curriculum(14:19) - From Public School Skeptic to Homeschool Advocate(24:45) - Why Wealthy Families Choose Homeschooling(27:03) - Making Premium Education Accessible to All

Homeschooling multiple children without losing your mind isn't about perfect schedules or the right curriculum. It's about building a family culture that practically runs itself.In this episode, veteran homeschool mom Meg Thomas shares how she created a self-managing family while homeschooling seven children—and still maintained her own identity (she ran 16 miles the morning of this interview!). Learn her "Heart, Habits, Home" framework and discover how teaching children real responsibility creates both capable kids and a sustainable homeschool.Connect with Meg Thomas:Website: https://www.coachmegthomas.com/Instagram: @coachmegthomasConnect with OpenEd:Website: https://opened.comInstagram: @openededucationEpisode Timestamps:00:00 - The secret to a self-running homeschool01:30 - Starting homeschool with 5 kids under 6 years old03:16 - The laundry system that changed everything07:38 - Why they left traditional school (and how they started homeschooling)10:29 - The "Successful Six" framework for raising capable adults15:23 - The "Levels of Liberty" system: How kids earn privileges through responsibility19:39 - Why most parents create entitled children (and how to avoid it)22:39 - Teaching kids to identify what they want (and work for it)29:20 - How Meg maintained her identity throughout homeschooling33:09 - A day in the life: Homeschooling 3 remaining children36:59 - Creating an independent education tailored to each child43:22 - The importance of asking "What do you love?"45:17 - Using OpenEd to accelerate college credentials during high school50:39 - Final advice: The "Heart, Habits, Home" framework for new homeschoolers