The OpenEd Podcast

Julie Young started Florida Virtual School as a grant-funded experiment with 77 students and dial-up internet. At her first meeting with staff, she put a piece of paper in the middle of the table with one word on it, "student," and asked: if we put the student at the center of every decision we make, what would change? The answer was almost everything. In this conversation with Ela Bass,...

When Colleen Dippel was a fifth-grade public school teacher in Houston, she got called into the principal's office and told never to tell parents about two higher-performing charter schools down the street. In this episode, Colleen pulls back the curtain on how schools quietly pass kids along with good grades while hiding basic skill gaps, why her own son's public school kept paid-for text...

Ashley Partridge homeschools two second-grade boys near Nashville with a 24-month-old and a 12-month-old at home. Her school day used to start at nine and end by lunch. Then the babies came, and the schedule had to bend around naps, snacks, and a baby who doesn't sleep. In this conversation with Ela Bass, Ashley explains how she tailors school to her family's life instead of the other way...

Anita Scott was homeschooled before Texas settled that it was legal, then became a principal in South Dallas. Her method, in classrooms and at the kitchen table: build the culture first, let kids write the rules, and keep them yourself. Now policy director at the Texas Homeschool Coalition, she tells Ela Bass how it works. 00:00 Preview 00:26 Meet Anita Scott 01:34 Homeschooled when it was still i...

Andrea Fife spent 10 years teaching fifth grade. Then she joined OpenEd as a homeroom teacher, reading the learning logs families sent in every week, and within a couple of months those logs had upended what she thought she believed. Now OpenEd's Chief Academic Officer, she tells Ela Bass what families should do first and what they can stop worrying about: why OpenEd is not a school, the quest...

Worried your child will fall behind if you step off the traditional education path? You’re not alone. In this opening episode, we unpack the most common fears parents face—socialization, academics, college, discipline—and offer a radical invitation: what if learning could actually work better outside the box? This is your permission slip to rethink everything.

What if the entire school system was designed for a world that no longer exists? In this chapter, we uncover the surprising industrial origins of public education, expose the real impact of standardized testing, and reveal why COVID-19 shook the system to its core. This is the wake-up call every parent needs to rethink the assumptions we’ve inherited.

Why do we keep expecting kids to learn the same things, the same way, at the same time? This chapter takes aim at the myth of the “average” student, challenges the obsession with test scores, and shows how our children’s unique potential gets lost in a factory model built for conformity—not creativity.

What if school grades worked like sports stats or skill levels? In this chapter, we rethink what real mastery means through stories of student entrepreneurs, athletes, and makers. You’ll discover how a simple shift from “pass/fail” to “mastered/not yet” can reignite your child’s motivation and joy in learning.

Tired of rigid school routines that don’t fit your family? Meet the five essential building blocks of open education: flexible, practical principles you can apply right now. Through a fictional family’s journey, you'll see how small shifts in mindset lead to big breakthroughs in how your kids learn.

Every child is different—but our schools still pretend they’re not. This chapter dives into how even twins and triplets learn differently, and why recognizing your child’s uniqueness is the first—and most crucial—step to designing an education that actually works.

Would you rather impress your friends or do what’s right for your kid? This raw, honest chapter tackles the social pressure parents face—from playground gossip to extended family judgment—and offers a liberating truth: you don’t need anyone’s approval to make bold educational choices.

Stop guessing. Start designing. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to map your child’s interests, needs, and available resources using simple tools and family conversations. You don’t need a perfect plan—just the courage to start where you are and build something better.

What happens when you trust your child to lead? This chapter explores how giving kids agency in their learning builds confidence, motivation, and resilience. From Minecraft to mentorship, you'll see how letting go of control can actually unlock deeper learning and stronger relationships.

Learning isn’t a marathon—it’s a series of short sprints. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to use two-week “learning sprints” to tap into your child’s curiosity and build momentum without burnout. Discover the science behind deep engagement—and how celebration fuels progress.

Is college still worth it? Maybe. But it’s not the only way. This chapter reveals the new playbook for life after high school—from entrepreneurship to early college, apprenticeships to real-world portfolios. Learn how to help your teen build a future on purpose, not autopilot.

Education is being torn from its packaging—and that’s a good thing. From LEGO bricks to Education Savings Accounts, this chapter shows how families are mixing and matching tools to design custom learning experiences that rival elite schools at a fraction of the cost.

This is where it all comes together. In the final chapter, you'll learn how to assemble a flexible, living education plan using your child’s natural rhythms and interests. With real family examples and step-by-step guidance, you’ll feel ready to take the leap—without needing all the answers.

Before the chapters unfold, hear from Amy Bowman—a mother, co-founder, and voice behind the movement—as she shares the heartfelt origin of Open Education . This episode also includes opening and closing credits, featuring narration by all three authors. Start here to understand why this book isn’t just about school—it’s about trusting your instincts, your kids, and the possibilities ahead.

Still wondering if you’re qualified to lead your child’s education? You probably already are. In this final chapter, we bring it all home—how to trust yourself, block out the noise, and stay grounded in what your child really needs. The education revolution isn’t coming. It’s already here. And you’re part of it.

Who are the people behind Open Education —and what inspired this book? In this final bonus episode, Matt Bowman and Isaac Morehouse reflect on the personal stories, family experiences, and 100,000+ students that shaped their mission. You'll also hear heartfelt thanks to the readers, editors, and pioneers who made this project possible. This is the story behind the story.

Ruth Rinaldi got through a maths degree without knowing her seven times table. She went on to run the maths department at a UK secondary school, then left the system, and today she has done no formal written math with her own two kids, ages 7 and nearly 10.She tells Ela Bass why math feels so hard for so many kids: not the subject itself, but how it's taught, with timed tests, right-or-wrong m...

Cynthia and Justine are the co-founders of The Learn + Live Letter, a homeschool membership of hands-on, play-based unit studies for ages 3 to 12, and this is OpenEd's first episode to take the method apart - what a unit study actually is, how one dinosaur unit carries history, measurement and letter sounds, how to run one lesson across a 3-year-old and a 12-year-old, and what Cynthia does the...

Before homeschooling, Blanca Montelongo worked in a public school as a registrar, sorting incoming kids by income, background and last name. Eight years in, she talks with Ela Bass about the fear she hears most from moms: "I don't think I can do it." IN THIS EPISODE - What she says to a mom who tells her, "I don't have the patience" - The one thing every family needs be...

Cassie Olguin nearly didn't homeschool, and not because of the workload. She could not pick a curriculum. "There's like eleven billion homeschool curricula, and ways to do it, and methodologies for teaching... it was so loud at a certain point that I almost didn't do it." In this episode, she explains how to choose a homeschool curriculum without needing anyone else's opi...