#072 - Weekly Roundup: From Bullies to Night Owls

Welcome back to the weekly edition of OpenEd Daily!

If you enjoy this edition, forward this email to a friend! First time reading? Subscribe and learn more at OpenEd.co. If you'd prefer to receive this weekly digest (and not the daily emails), update your subscription preferences here.

💡 THOUGHTS

• Naval Ravikant observes that bullying is almost non-existent when kids can choose their learning environment. Just like adults can walk away from toxic situations, educational freedom creates natural boundaries.

• When her daughter struggled with reading, Krystle Cordingley refused to stop at a dyslexia diagnosis. Her persistence led to a surprising discovery. Now 13, Krystle’s daughter reads at a college level, processing over 800 words per minute. [WATCH/LISTEN]

• Yes, You Can Teach! 🎓 Remember: The most important teaching qualification is caring about your child's development. You don't need to know everything – you just need to know how to find resources.

📊 TRENDS

• North Carolina's SparkNC program is letting students design their own courses, reaching 1,500 learners across 17 districts.

• Career-Connected Credentials - Guilford County's "Signature Career Academies" saw credential earnings soar from 2,966 to 10,766 in just three years.

• The Night Shift 🌙 Jamie Lesko – a former special ed teacher turned homeschooling mom – embraced the benefits of flexible scheduling when she found that her daughter did her best math work after 10pm. [WATCH THE FULL PODCAST]

🔨 TOOLS

• The Two-Week Rule ⏰ Before switching curricula, follow Jamie’s advice and give it two weeks before giving up.

• Is your child struggling to read? Before assuming your child is "just a slow reader," there are specific patterns to watch for that might signal treatable vision issues rather than cognitive challenges. Learn more at VisionReadingAcademy.com.

• Code.org - Free, self-paced coding education, perfect for tech wizards and beginners alike.

(TRIVIA) OF THE WEEK

Night Owl Numbers 🦉

Q: What famous genius insisted on only sleeping 2 hours per night, preferring to work in 20-minute naps throughout the day?

A: Leonardo da Vinci! Like our modern night owls, he knew his peak productivity hours weren't 9-to-5.

That's all for this week, folks! Have a great weekend.

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)