Quick question for you

When I was homeschooled in Michigan in the 1980s and 1990s, it was barely legal. We were outliers, and support was scarce.

Today, the landscape is different. Facebook groups, homeschool pods, and programs like OpenEd make customized education much more accessible.

But one thing that hasn’t changed is how much information depends on word of mouth.

I’m a big believer in learning out loud – the idea of sharing your learning process publicly and making your growth (and sometimes your struggles) visible to others.

That's what we want to do with OpenEd – both in this newsletter and in our upcoming monthly Q&A podcast episodes with my co-host (and OpenEd founder) Matt Bowman.

At OpenEd, we curate some of the best curriculums and resources for our families, but we also empower them to find their own perfect fit when we don't have it. Now, Matt and I want to curate a library of practical knowledge and experiences. When we have answers ourselves, we'll share from our own experience. When we don't, we'll find the best guests or resources to help us all figure it out together.

Here’s my first question: what questions keep you up at night? Here are some common ones we often hear:

• "My kid's obsessed with just one subject. Is that cool, or should I be worried?"

• "How do I give my child freedom without totally winging their future?"

• "Where can I find other families like us to hang out with?"

• "I feel like I'm making this up as I go. Is that normal?"

• "Without grades and report cards, how do I know if we're actually learning anything?"

• "Screen time: friend, foe, or frenemy?"

Instead of turning this into a survey, I want to hear from you directly. Reply to this email with your questions or “upvote” one or two of the above.

I'll read every email, and we’ll answer as many as we can in the podcast and newsletter.

Looking forward to learning out loud with all of you!

– Isaac

CEO, OpenEd

P.S. Remember, there's no such thing as a silly question. Your “outlier” question might be exactly what another parent needs to hear!