KindlED | The Prenda Podcast

We celebrate Episode 100 by digging into Kaity’s first year guiding a home microschool and what it teaches us about building belonging, agency, and high expectations. The big takeaway is that connection comes first, then kids can take on ambitious goals and grow into capable, self-governing learners. • celebrating Episode 100 and thanking guests, listeners, and the people who kindle learning  • Ka...

We draw a hard line between tweaking the school system and transforming it, starting with one idea: parents should hold the decision rights for their child’s education. We also test the biggest critiques of school choice against polling, program data, and real parent experiences with flexibility and accountability. • why “reform” misses the real problem and why transformation fits the moment  • wh...

We ask what it would take to stop treating public education as a zero-sum culture war and start funding many legitimate school models with shared expectations for quality. We trace how America became an outlier, then get specific about what knowledge-rich curriculum and real intellectual work can look like in classrooms and microschools. • educational pluralism as a tax-funded mosaic of school opt...

We talk with Tyler Thigpen about building student agency through self-directed learning, and why kids thrive when they have purpose, strong relationships, and real choices. We dig into practical frameworks for families and educators who want to move beyond compliance without losing rigor or essential skills. • Tyler’s origin story and the mission to help kids flourish • Why boredom and drudgery pe...

We sit down with former public school teacher Meredith Reyes to unpack the moment burnout stopped being manageable and started being dangerous. She shares how moving states changed her working conditions overnight and how homeschooling helped her rebuild learning around safety, curiosity and mastery.  • Meredith’s path from lifelong “teacher kid” to ten-year public school veteran  • COVID-era boun...

We talk with mathematician and author Paul Lockhart about how school can drain the life out of math and why real mathematics feels more like art than a subject. We argue for desire, honesty, and beautiful explanations as the center of learning, then share concrete puzzles that show what math looks like when it is alive. • why “school teaches school” and how schoolification ruins natural curiosity...

We talk with Matt Beaudreau about why kids are born motivated and how schools and homes can accidentally train that drive into distraction and compliance. We dig into microschools, family sovereignty, and practical ways to build capable young people through autonomy, clear boundaries, and real responsibility. • Matt’s origin story and learning to “play school” without actually learning • Why micro...

We explore why more parents are rethinking the default school path and how real support makes school choice easier. From being mislabeled in school to helping scale education choice, our guest shares how families can find better-fit options. • A school choice journey from Taiwan to Florida to a microschool  • Why parent-led “kitchen table” decisions lead to better outcomes  • How Outschool.org sup...

We name the “imagination crisis” holding education back and argue that better schools start with better dreaming, not just better funding or tools. We share how 4.0 Schools helps change-curious builders and turn rough ideas into real tests while staying impact-first, resilient, and grounded in what families and learners actually need.  • why education makes people feel personally invested and why...

We dig into what parents actually want from schools: strong reading and math, safety and belonging, and communication that treats families like partners. Texas’s EFA, new accreditation pathways for microschools, and the rise of homeschooling point toward a more plural system grounded in trust and transparency. • basics as survival skills in modern life • safety, belonging, and being seen • the bla...

We examine how disruption theory applies to K–12 and how microschools and ESAs shift power from systems to families. We discuss rigor, the science of reading, special education, and how districts could operate in a more plural, community-centered future. • origins and naming of the microschool movement • disruption theory in classrooms and systems • blended vs. virtual learning • how time-based mo...

We name the real barrier in education as the status quo mindset and share how Vela backs nearly 5,000 founders building learner-centered options. Meredith traces her journey from engineering and finance to education, explains the data behind microschool growth, and offers practical steps for parents and educators to lead change. • Defining the enemy as mindset, not institutions • Meredith’s path f...

We trace Allison Serafin’s path from restless learner to teacher, elected education leader, and capital guide who helps schools access facilities and finance. The heart of the talk is practical: how founders can become “underwritable” without losing their mission. • early sparks in entrepreneurship and a misfit K–12 experience • classroom wins and structural limits seen in Houston and Philadelphia...

We explore how joy, autonomy, and real-world experiences transform learning from third grade to high school, and how microschools inside and alongside public systems meet students where they are. Victoria Andrews shares the question that changed her career and the playbook that’s guiding leaders forward. • third grade classrooms built on autonomy, stations, and projects • high schoolers engaged th...

We explore the front lines of the microschool movement with Brittany Munk-Miller, a Prenda microschool specialist, and unpack what it really takes to start small, teach with heart, and track meaningful growth beyond letter grades. We share stories, tools, and steps that make launching doable with zero upfront cost. • who typically starts microschools and why • definitions, sizes, and common locati...

We explore how a mother and daughter helped turn Arkansas into a leading state for school choice, sharing hard-won lessons from family needs, policy battles, and the explosive growth of microschools. Stories, strategy, and straight talk show how parents and educators can build options that fit real kids. • personal journey from limited options to statewide advocacy • the mission and work of Reform...

We trace a principal’s journey from Teach For America to a nine-year commitment leading a high-need neighborhood school, then dive into how a microschool inside the campus turned behavior crises into growth and engagement. The result: fewer labels, more joy, and a practical path other schools can follow. • why labels from tests and adults damage motivation and identity • how a 10-student microscho...

We challenge the assumption that boredom is a student problem and show how design, mentorship and partnerships can make school feel alive. Amy McGrath shares the path from Florida Virtual to ASU Prep’s Digital Plus microschools, mastery learning and the new Tempe Levitt Lab. • student-centered models that treat boredom as a design signal • lessons from Florida Virtual and one-to-one mentorship • h...

We trace the rise of school choice from early voucher experiments to modern ESAs, unpack how funding actually follows students, and use fresh data to separate myths from reality. Mike McShane shares trends on parent preferences, teacher morale, and why safety and fit now drive decisions. • defining vouchers, ESAs, tax credits and open enrollment • how school funding works and what follows students...

We explore how to choose schooling with intention and build an “open education” that taps every resource that fits your child. Matt Bowman shares five building blocks that move families from one-size-fits-all to agency, community, and practical pathways beyond high school. • partnering with parents as primary educators • the myth of the average student and unique needs • choosing your child over y...

We challenge the grading mindset that squeezes the life out of young writers and replace it with coaching, curiosity, and real audiences. Julie Bogart shares practical steps—jot-it-down, family freewrites, reader response, playful revision, and a kind mechanics mop-up—that help kids find their voice. • treating writing as self-expression first, transcription second • separating ideas from mechanic...

We explore how clear promises to families can reshape a district and spark a statewide network of microschools. George shares the roadmap from listening to homeschoolers to opening a K–12 site at a campground, plus the courage and imposter syndrome that come with big dreams. • four promises as the foundation for culture and decisions • replacing compliance‑driven teacher evaluation with growth • e...

We rethink “behavior problems” with Dr. Stuart Ablon, showing why kids struggle when skills lag and how collaboration—not control—creates durable change. We walk through Plan B step-by-step, with a classroom role play that turns disruption into progress. • kids do well if they can as core mindset • relationship quality as strongest predictor of change • plans A, B, C defined with pros and cons • p...

We explore why reading scores have fallen, what the Science of Reading actually demands in classrooms, and how AI can scale productive practice without replacing human connection. Vivek Ramakrishnan shares data, bright spots from states like Mississippi, and a grounded look at tutoring tech that helps kids decode for real. • national reading trends and why they predate the pandemic • foundations b...

Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, joins us to unpack how skill-first teaching unlocks motivation, builds real confidence, and quite literally reshapes the brain for better thinking. We trace the invisible steps the mind takes to write a single sentence, then show how to lower the cognitive load with structure, small wins, and a steady climb: easy plus one. • the tr...