ReDream Education

What if you build the microschool… and nobody enrolls? It's one of the biggest fears microschool founders have. You can create an incredible program, choose the curriculum, find the space, build the website—and still wonder: Where are the families going to come from? In this episode of our Build Next Year Now series, we're talking about how to FILL IT. You'll learn how to think about microschool e...

You want to start a microschool. You have the idea. You've done the research. You've listened to the podcasts. You've saved the posts. But when are you actually going to OPEN it? Or maybe your microschool is already open—but next year you want to grow enrollment, hire a teacher, move into a new facility, add another grade, change tuition, expand your programs, or finally create systems that make y...

What are you building next year—and what needs to happen NOW to make it possible? If you are starting a microschool, growing a microschool, running a homeschool hybrid, increasing enrollment, hiring teachers, looking for a new facility, adding programs, changing tuition, or simply trying to create a school that doesn't depend on you for absolutely everything, this episode is for you. October at Re...

What happens when the microschool you dreamed about actually starts to grow—and suddenly everything depends on you? When you first start a microschool, homeschool hybrid, private learning program, or alternative school, doing everything yourself can almost feel necessary. You're the founder. The teacher. The admissions director. The marketer. The parent communicator. The curriculum coordinator. Th...

You built the microschool. But do the families who need you know you exist? One of the biggest mistakes microschool founders, homeschool hybrid leaders, and education entrepreneurs make is treating marketing like something they only need when enrollment is low. You post when you need students. You promote an open house. You scramble to fill a few seats. Then school starts—and marketing stops. But...

How much money do you really need to start a microschool—and how do you build a microschool or homeschool hybrid that is financially sustainable enough to last? In this episode of the Re-Dream Education Podcast, we’re talking about one of the most important—and sometimes most uncomfortable—parts of starting, running, and growing a microschool: MONEY. Money is the fuel behind the dream. Whether you...

How do you manage your time when you're starting, running, and growing a microschool or homeschool hybrid program—and everything feels important? Welcome to Episode 2 of The Real Work Behind Building a Microschool, a podcast series for microschool founders, homeschool hybrid leaders, education entrepreneurs, school owners, and anyone working to build a more personalized and sustainable alternative...

What does it really take to start, build, grow, and sustain a successful microschool, homeschool hybrid program, or alternative education program? In this first episode of our Series, "The Real Work Behind Building a Microschool or Homeschool Hybrid" we’re going back to where every microschool begins: the dream. I went quiet on the podcast for a while—but the dream didn’t go quiet. It kept growing...

Many parents walk into a kindergarten classroom today and leave with a feeling they can't quite explain. The desks seem smaller. The expectations seem bigger. The play kitchens are gone. The dramatic play centers have disappeared. Children are spending more time on worksheets, assessments, and academic tasks than ever before. But is this what young children truly need? In this episode of ReDream E...

What if the biggest challenge in education isn't student ability—but the system itself? In this episode of ReDream Education, Makenzie Oliver explores why personalized learning has become one of the most talked-about ideas in education, yet remains one of the most difficult to implement successfully. For more than a century, schools have largely operated on an Industrial Revolution model designed...

Have you ever found yourself standing between one season ending and another beginning, wondering how everything changed so quickly? That's exactly where I find myself right now. May has been a whirlwind. Between end-of-year celebrations, family visiting from out of town, preparing Lighthouse Learning for summer and a new school year, and watching my daughters step into new chapters of life, I've b...

May is heavy. Parents are overwhelmed. Teachers are exhausted. Kids are overstimulated. And somehow, while trying to survive the end of the school year, families are also expected to magically prepare for summer. In this honest and deeply relatable episode, Makenzie Oliver unpacks what summer actually reveals about modern families, parenting, burnout, emotional exhaustion, screen time, overstimula...

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now… you’re not alone. Welcome to Maycember—that end-of-school-year rush where everything feels like too much. The events, the deadlines, the emails, the emotions… and on top of it all, you’re trying to figure out how to plan summer for your kids without stress. In this episode, we’re diving into what parents and microschool leaders are really experiencing right...

What if reading instruction wasn’t based on grade level—but on what your child actually needs? In this episode, we break down how Lighthouse Learning Microschool uses a tailored, research-based approach to reading through phonics-based progression, intentional assessment, and our walk-to-learn model. Using the UFLI Foundations framework, we group students based on skill level rather than age, allo...

Why would a microschool start a 501(c)(3) foundation—and what does that actually mean for families, tuition, and the future of education? In this episode, we break down the real reasons behind launching the Lighthouse Learning Foundation and how it works alongside our microschool model. Designed for both parents and microschool leaders, this conversation answers the most common questions we’ve bee...

What happens when a microschool grows—and not everyone grows with it? In this episode, we explore the transition from a small, intimate learning environment to a larger, more structured school model, and the challenges, blessings, and leadership decisions that come along the way. Designed for microschool leaders, educators, and families, this conversation dives into what it really looks like to sc...

Are today’s children spending too much time indoors—and is it impacting their health, learning, and development more than we realize? In this powerful episode, we explore the growing “indoor epidemic” affecting kids across the world and how sunlight, outdoor learning, and simple daily shifts can dramatically improve physical health, mental well-being, focus, and even vision. Drawing on insights fr...

Are we preparing students for the future—or just pushing them through an outdated system? If you’ve ever felt frustrated by the limitations of traditional education, this episode is for you. We’re diving into why the current model needs a transformation and how microschools are paving the way for a more personalized, empowering learning experience. Whether you’re an educator searching for renewed...

Are you ready to create a dynamic, engaging learning environment, but feel overwhelmed or underprepared? Whether you're starting a microschool, homeschool hybrid, or alternative education space, this episode is packed with practical, low-cost strategies to bring learning to life—even if you're new to this! In this episode, we’re diving into: ✅ How to make learning hands-on and exciting without ex...

What if education didn’t have to be one-size-fits-all? What if families had the freedom and flexibility to choose an education model that best fits their child’s unique needs, strengths, and future goals? 🎓✨ In today’s episode, I’m diving into the powerful topic of school choice and why it’s more important than ever. Whether you're a parent exploring different education options or a teacher look...

When families hear the word microschool, they often picture something tiny, experimental, or unstructured. Others assume that if a school grows, it must lose the connection and personalization that made it special in the first place. In this episode, we gently challenge those assumptions and unpack a much bigger question: Does the size of a school matter—or does the structure of learning matter mo...

In this episode, we walk  through the key differences between traditional education models and nontraditional learning environments—without judgment and without jargon. If you’re reviewing assessment data, growth reports, or questioning whether your current school setting is meeting your child’s needs, this conversation is for you. You’ll hear: How traditional schools and nontraditional schools di...

If your microschool or homeschool hybrid feels heavier than it should—if enrollment feels harder than expected, teachers seem unsure, or parents look confused even when they like you—this episode is for you. Many schools don’t struggle because they lack passion or care. They struggle because the school model has become buried under too many programs, too many acronyms, and too many well-intended s...

Middle school is often where confident, curious kids begin to disappear—academically, socially, emotionally, or all three. For many families, this stage becomes confusing, overwhelming, and full of uncertainty about whether their child is truly being prepared for what comes next. In this episode, we take an honest look at why traditional middle school models so often fail young adolescents—and wha...

There’s a certain point in the microschool journey where dreaming turns into deciding. Where your heart for families meets the reality of tuition, payroll, enrollment systems, and leadership responsibility. And lately, inside Microschool Masterminds, the conversations have been real, raw, and deeply reflective. In this episode, I’m sharing what teachers and microschool leaders are actually wrestli...