🐴 Minnesota AND Iowa?? (+ 12 podcasts for busy parents)

Hey there,

More big news! Yesterday we announced our expansion to Minnesota (K-12), and today I'm thrilled to share that OpenEd is coming to Iowa (K-8) for the 2025-2026 school year as well.

Know someone in either state who might benefit from personalized education solutions? Please tag them in our Facebook or Instagram announcement posts—or simply forward this email to them (or reply with their name and contact info so we can reach out directly). We'd love to connect!

Thanks for helping spread the word,

Isaac Morehouse, CEO of OpenEd

First time reading? Subscribe and learn more at OpenEd.co.

IN THIS EDITION:

🍎 Mythbusting standardized testing with Adam Savage
🍎 Discover math hiding in your everyday life (even in organizing chaos!)
🍎 12 carefully curated podcasts to accompany your personalized education routine

💡 THOUGHT

THE TESTING MYTH

MYTH: Standardized testing measures real understanding.

REALITY: Tests measure memorization.

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MythBusters' Adam Savage points out that real learning happens when we turn classrooms into broad "fields" of discovery rather than corridors of compliance.

Watch Adam's full explanation on YouTube →

📊 TREND

MATH IS EVERYWHERE (IF YOU KNOW HOW TO LOOK)

"Anytime you're taking something that's chaotic and you're bringing order to it, that's math."

This insight from a recent Simply Charlotte Mason podcast changes how we see everyday activities. Math isn't just worksheets and multiplication tables—it's in bird calls during nature walks, the “rule of thirds” in photography, music rhythms, and even organizing pantry shelves.

"We don't require ourselves to be an artist before we let them practice art... It's the same thing. We don't have to consider ourselves mathematicians to be able to enjoy math."

Here's a challenge: Start noticing math in your everyday moments. Not just to point it out to your children, but to let your own growing appreciation become contagious.

Explore the beauty of math at Simply Charlotte Mason →

🛠️ TOOL

12 PODCASTS FOR BUSY PARENTS

Between planning lessons, answering endless questions, and tackling that mountain of laundry, finding time for educational research can feel impossible.

We've curated 12 outstanding education podcasts that cover everything from efficiency-focused approaches to nature-based learning to neurodivergent education. These shows transform mundane moments—driving carpool, prepping dinner, folding laundry—into valuable “professional development.”

More than that (if you’re like us) you’ll find these podcast hosts becoming trusted friends, offering practical advice, emotional support, and reminding you that you're not alone on this journey.

And yes, we did include our very own OpenEd Podcast (shameless plug!), but that’s just the of the pod-berg.

Discover all 12 recommended podcasts →

📚 WORD OF THE DAY

Autodidact (aw-toh-DIE-dakt): noun

A self-taught person.

"An open education creates the perfect environment for raising autodidacts—children who develop the skills and mindset to teach themselves anything they want to learn."

That’s all for today! See you tomorrow.

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

P.S. If you’d prefer to just receive the weekly edition, you can change your subscription settings here.