🐴 The false choice

Good morning!

Yesterday we shared a broken link to the podcast episode on the stunning rise of microschools with Dalena Wallace 🤦 .

We took the opportunity to check the statistic and it checks out: in just the past few years, the percentage of parents who say they’re considering microschooling has jumped 220%.

If you’re considering jumping on the bandwagon, check out our full beginner’s guide to microschools. If you’re a seasoned “micropreneur,” we’d love to hear from you as well!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…

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💡 THOUGHT

FITTING IN VS. STANDING OUT

Basic literacy, numeracy, and knowledge are essential foundations. But what happens when we prioritize compliance over creativity? The most valuable skill today might be knowing when to follow the rules—and when to break them.

📊 TREND

BEYOND THE BINARY

A recent Reddit discussion highlighted a common dilemma: "Deciding between homeschooling, online school, or private school..."

The mom wanted to provide her child with a quality education plus peer interaction for her children while avoiding excessive screen time.

The most upvoted comments emphasized that education isn't an either/or decision:

• "Do you have charter school options? My daughter is enrolled in a remote charter school. We choose and teach the curriculum... The charter school provides funds for any secular curriculum or activity." (sound familiar?)

• "We tried public middle school, but by 7th did a private school/home school co-op... The school has 3 in-school days and 2 at home."

And lastly:

• "You are not locked into a single choice for all 13 years of their education."

The old binary of "school vs. homeschool" is giving way to new hybrid possibilities—part co-op, part traditional classroom, with varying levels of structure, technology, and parent involvement.

🔨 TOOL

READING RESOURCES BEYOND BASICS

Yesterday we highlighted The University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) toolkit, but there are dozens of great reading resources out there.

If you're looking for alternatives, consider these research-backed options:

• Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL): Developed at BYU, SEEL combines explicit instruction with playful, engaging activities. One kindergarten teacher reported achieving a 100% grade-level literacy rate using this approach. The curriculum focuses on making reading practice natural and meaningful through interactive conversations and play-based learning.

• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons: A highly structured, direct instruction program that many parents find effective for teaching reading with just 20 minutes per day. The scripted lessons require no preparation and gradually introduce letter sounds, blending, and reading comprehension.

• All About Reading: An Orton-Gillingham-based multisensory program with engaging activities and decodable readers designed to build confidence and fluency.

• Logic of English Foundations: A comprehensive program that integrates phonics, handwriting, and grammar through a multisensory approach suitable for various learning styles.

• The Reading Lesson: A streamlined, parent-friendly curriculum that many homeschoolers have used successfully to teach reading by age 5-6.

Remember that the best curriculum is the one that works for YOUR child and that you can implement consistently. Don't be afraid to switch approaches if your first choice isn't clicking.

What reading curriculum has worked for your family? Reply and share your experience with us!

(MEME) OF THE DAY

That’s all for today! See you tomorrow.

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

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