The OpenEd Podcast

Therapists say their #1 clients are homeschool moms. Dalena Wallace understands why - and she's found a better way. After 13 years of homeschooling six kids, Dalena admits she's "not gifted at teaching." But instead of burning out, she built something different: a hybrid approach that brings tutors, co-ops, and community into her kids' education. In this episode, she shares why letting go of the "...

Most parents pull their kids out of music lessons the moment the "practice battles" start. It feels like a waste of money to pay for lessons when the kid isn't doing the work at home. But Deborah Pratt, founder of Southern Oregon School of Music, argues that this efficiency mindset is actually robbing children of the real ROI.In this episode, she shares the story of a student who spent 8 years "me...

You don’t need a bell schedule to keep your kids on track—you need Jean Lee’s “plan everything, pause for magic” rhythm. Neuroscientist and Academy of Chaos founder Jean Lee never planned to homeschool—now she’s the mentor every family corners at soccer practice. In this conversation with Ela Richmond, Jean shares how she maps an entire year in Homeschool Planet in one weekend, keeps even her four...

Parents worry about smartphones destroying their kids' mental health. But research shows something very different is actually causing anxiety and depression in teens. In this episode, biopsychologist Dr. Peter Gray reveals what 83% of anxious teens actually cite as their primary source of stress—and it's not what you think. He breaks down decades of research, challenges the popular narrative about...

You think your child is ignoring you when you yell. But Dr. Amy Moore reveals the shocking neuroscience: their brain literally can't process language during fight-or-flight. It's not defiance. It's auditory exclusion—an evolutionary survival mechanism. Dr. Amy Moore is the host of [Brainy Moms Podcast](https://www.thebrainymoms.com/) and specializes in cognitive psychology and ADHD education. Her...

Teaching is relational work. When we turn what a child naturally loves into a graded assignment, we destroy the very motivation that made it beautiful in the first place. Join Brenna Clarke Gray, an educator and researcher who studies how technology and systems shape learning, as she explains why grading something your child loves might be the quickest way to kill their intrinsic motivation. Brenn...

Former public school teacher Ken Danford made a radical decision 30 years ago: quit the classroom and help teenagers leave school entirely—proving that unschooling and self-directed learning produce thriving, successful adults. Through North Star, his pioneering model for teen liberation from traditional education, Danford has guided hundreds of young people toward lives of autonomy, purpose, and...

In 2025, we're still medicating boys at alarming rates just to make them fit a learning model designed for compliance, not curiosity. Ben Somers was put on 70mg of Concerta at age 11—not because he needed it, but because the system did. Now he's building the alternative. Highlights: - Why a quarter of boys in Ben's school were medicated to comply - The shocking business insight: what actually make...

Kerry Owen had a dream about thousands of hungry children—and instead of ignoring it, she built a global charity that's fed countless kids worldwide, but this isn't just a charity story, it's about raising children with purpose and discovering that when we help people, we're actually the ones who benefit most. • How dreams became instructions for life's work • Why mission-driven kids beat achievem...

A public school principal turned unschool dad shows parents how to stop chasing perfect transcripts and start raising confident problem-solvers. Inside This Episode: - Why a principal walked away from the FBI to build schools families actually choose - The Hoffman family playbook for raising self-directed kids without rigid plans - How BYU Independent Study helps parents customize learning without...

Your kid isn't "addicted" to screens by accident. Their devices were engineered using the same psychological tricks as Vegas slot machines—and it's doing real damage to their nervous system. Anjan Katta then spent 6 years solving what experts said was impossible: making a device—the Daylight Computer—that doesn't destroy your health. In this conversation, we break down exactly how modern screens d...

Middle school isn't just awkward years to survive—it's when your child's brain is most ready to discover their future. Jean Eddy, CEO of American Student Assistance (ASA), reveals why ages 11-14 are critical for career exploration and how parents are missing this golden window. Jean has spent over 30 years in education, transforming ASA from a college financing organization into a pioneering force...

Janae Daniels, a former public school teacher who was once firmly against homeschooling, shares the incredible story of how a divine prompting and a disastrous first day led her to completely rethink education. She explains why the parent-child relationship must come before academics, how boredom can unlock a child's genius, and what it really takes to homeschool teenagers successfully. This e...

Two Hollywood veterans with credits including Saving Private Ryan and The Sandlot built a virtual backlot where students audition for real productions. After 25 years, their students are on Broadway, working with Spielberg, and selling scripts for six figures—all without traditional film school. 🎬 Sneak on the Lot: https://sneakonthelot.com Timestamps (00:00) Cold Open: The Goth Kid Who Became Ho...

Two burnt-out teachers discovered something radical: when you stop teaching and let kids play for 3 hours a day, they develop the exact skills that predict success 30 years later. Kristin and Ginger run SKOLA Microschool in Minnesota, where there are no grades, kids spend more time outside than prisoners, and "boredom" is part of the curriculum. In this episode:Why it takes months (or years) to "u...

Are you trying to manage every detail of your child's education like a CEO? Or are you cultivating growth like a gardener? Isaac Morehouse, Matt Bowman, and Janae Daniels reveal why the difference matters—and why one approach actually works. What You'll Learn: - Why boredom is the missing ingredient in modern education - The sticky note exercise that reveals what your child actually needs - How a...

Education advocate Corey DeAngelis (@coreyadeAngelis) explains how this one simple change could transform American education and why the school choice movement is winning faster than ever before. - How the pandemic accidentally created an education revolution - Why 17 states now have universal school choice (up from just 1 five years ago) - The "unbundling" of education and what it means for your...

Is the modern education system designed to miss true genius? According to Michael Gibson, co-founder of the 1517 Fund, the answer is a resounding yes. In this provocative episode, Michael dismantles the myth of standardized intelligence by revealing the story of a famous 20th-century "genius study" that famously excluded two future Nobel Prize winners because their IQ scores weren't high enough. M...

No degree? No problem. In this episode, Isaac sits down with 18-year-old Kade Hinkle, who landed a full-time job in B2B SaaS sales before he even graduated high school. Kade breaks down the exact, replicable process he used to go from running a local landscaping business to getting hired in a competitive industry that most college grads are fighting to get into. This isn't a story about genius or...

What happens when you trade a traditional life for a 300-square-foot RV, three kids, and a dream of freedom? Zach Koon shares his family's journey of homeschooling on the road, creating meaningful learning experiences, and leveraging Bottega University to help homeschool families get ahead. What you’ll learn: - Why Zach and his wife chose to homeschool - The reality (and beauty) of living, working...

The man who created Stanford's first online high school in 2005 explains why most online education fails—and it's not about the technology. Ray Ravaglia built two successful online schools by breaking every rule Silicon Valley taught him. Ray pioneered online education before anyone knew what to call it—developing the first online AP Calculus course in 1989 when CD-ROMs cost $4,000 to produce and...

What if schools are measuring the wrong things? Mike Goldstein built a charter school with 42 tutors living in a dorm above the classrooms, proving that one-on-one attention changes everything—but that's just the beginning of what's broken in education. Mike founded Match Charter School in Boston in 2000, revolutionizing education with high-dosage tutoring and unconventional approaches that actual...

Ela Richmond and Isaac Morehouse talk with Michelle Rhee and Michael Horn about the future of work, apprenticeships, and helping young people thrive in a changing job market. From K–12 reform to workforce innovation, this conversation covers why the college-for-all model is cracking, how apprenticeships can solve skills gaps, and the power of exposure, doing, and networks. Key Takeaways: - Why col...

When your child struggles with reading, it's easy to grasp at any solution that promises to help. But what if the very interventions you're being told will work are actually making things worse? In this episode, we dive deep into the dangerous myths surrounding dyslexia that are preventing kids from getting the help they actually need. From vision therapy to colored overlays, reading specialists K...

What happens when you challenge everything you've been told about education? Darryll Stinson discovered the educational freedom most parents don't know they have—and his family will never be the same. From surviving suicide attempts in college to becoming a transformation speaker with over 2 million TED Talk views, Darryll has always been a disruptor. But when it came to his children's education,...