🐴 This education trend has seen a 220% increase

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💡 DEEP DIVE

The fastest-growing educational trend isn't what you'd expect.

…Unless, that is, you’ve been following the explosion in microschooling across the country.

Last week, from a quiet coffee shop in Wichita, Kansas, Dalena Wallace shared her journey from homeschooling mom to microschool founder.

“Ten years in, homeschooling my six kids, I started to realize, ‘hmm, this is really hard. I need support, I need community,’” she explained.

What began as simply opening her home to a few friends for shared teaching duties has blossomed into something much bigger.

“Three families became five, then ten, then a co-op with 16 families,” Wallace recalls.

Wallace is not alone in making this journey. There’s been a 220% increase in parents considering microschools and hybrid learning options in the past 3 years.

Welcome to the microschool revolution, where everyday people are reimagining what education can be.

Watch the podcast, read our full “beginner’s guide to microschools”, or read the condensed version below:

What Makes Microschools Different

At their core, microschools are small, personalized learning communities serving anywhere from 5-150 students. These small communities (typically fewer than 15 students per adult) create space for more meaningful relationships between educators and learners. Rather than separating children strictly by grade level, many microschools allow students of different ages to learn together, creating natural opportunities for mentorship.

Perhaps most importantly, microschools can adapt to individual needs, interests, and learning styles instead of forcing everyone to move at the same pace. Many offer part-time options rather than demanding full-time attendance, allowing families to blend different educational approaches.

The Faces Behind the Movement

When you picture someone who starts a school, who comes to mind? A team of education PhDs? A wealthy philanthropist?

The reality is far more democratic. As Wallace observes, "I've definitely seen an explosion of individuals who are starting something. Your everyday people – some of them might have been educators, but moms, dads, pastors, businessmen – people who just see a need and have a vision for what education should look like."

The diversity of microschool founders is mirrored in the diversity of educational approaches. Many draw inspiration from established educational philosophies that have proven effective over time:

Acton Academy views each child as a "hero" on a personal journey, using Socratic dialogue and self-paced mastery of core skills. Their student governance system teaches real-world responsibility, while projects focus on entrepreneurial thinking.

Montessori-inspired microschools, like Wildflower Schools, emphasize hands-on learning with specially designed materials that allow self-teaching. The teacher becomes an observer and guide rather than a lecturer, respecting each child's natural development.

Waldorf-inspired microschools integrate arts throughout the curriculum, with storytelling, music, and visual arts balanced with nature connection and limited technology use.

Other microschools create entirely unique models, blending elements from multiple traditions while adding their own innovations – from one to five days per week, combining structured learning with self-directed exploration, or focusing on specific areas like STEM or outdoor education.

Self-directed approaches work well for intrinsically motivated students who can manage their time. Montessori-inspired models benefit children who enjoy hands-on, concrete learning. Arts-integrated programs appeal to creative, imaginative learners.

Most microschools understand the importance of finding the right fit and offer shadow days, summer programs, or part-time enrollment options to help families determine if their environment suits a child's needs.

Ready to Explore Microschools?

If you're inspired to learn more:

• Listen to our full interview with Dalena Wallace about the growing microschool movement

• Read our comprehensive Beginner's Guide to Microschools for a deeper dive

• Check out Prenda, a "microschool in a box" solution that provides curriculum, training, and administrative support for micropreneurs.

📚 PRACTICAL TOOLKIT

THE SCIENCE OF READING

Reading Comprehension = Decoding × Linguistic Comprehension

This simple equation explains why reading instruction fails so often. Because it's multiplication, a zero in either area results in overall failure.

A child who struggles with decoding (turning letters into sounds) will fall behind, no matter how strong their vocabulary. Conversely, a child who decodes well but lacks language comprehension will also struggle.

The "Science of Reading" is more than just phonics—it's a body of research from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and education that explains how our brains learn to read.

Unlike speaking, reading isn't innate; our brains must forge new neural pathways connecting visual recognition (letters), phonemic awareness (sounds), and meaning.

Research-Backed Reading Resources

The University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Foundations Toolkit offers a completely free, research-based way to teach reading at home:

• 138 scripted lessons

• Eight-step routines covering phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency

• Built-in assessments to track progress

• Covers 128 essential skills

If you're looking for alternatives, consider some of these proven programs:

• Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL): Developed at BYU, combines explicit instruction with playful activities. One kindergarten teacher reported achieving a 100% grade-level literacy rate.

• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons: A highly structured, direct instruction program with scripted lessons requiring no preparation.

• All About Reading: An Orton-Gillingham-based multisensory program with engaging activities and decodable readers.

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

• 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.

🧪 TIMELESS WISDOM

DR. FEYNMAN’S APPROACH TO READING

"There will be no more great physicists."

That's what Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman told quantum computing pioneer David Deutsch in a one-on-one conversation. Why such a grim prediction from one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century?

Our education system.

Feynman believed standardized schooling was killing creativity. When everyone learns the same material in the same way, innovation dies. He saw physics curricula becoming narrower, more uniform, more test-focused.

The freedom to think differently made Feynman who he was. He constantly approached problems in ways "people didn't approve of" - and revolutionized physics as a result.

🧠 The 5-Minute Feynman Technique

Feynman once said, "If you can't explain something to a first-year student, then you don't really understand it."

Try this simple technique with your child:

1. Choose a concept they're learning

2. Have them explain it as if teaching someone who knows nothing about it

3. Notice where they get stuck - these are the knowledge gaps

4. Review and simplify - go back together, then try again with simpler language

This instantly reveals whether your child truly understands or has just memorized facts.

The next time your child struggles with a concept, ask them to explain it to a stuffed animal. The results might surprise you both.

🔭 PARTING THOUGHT

WHEN PLANETS ALIGN

If you get a chance this evening, go outside to witness an astronomically rare event: a planetary alignment featuring seven planets visible at once.

For seven planets to appear in the same section of our sky requires their independent orbits to synchronize briefly—a cosmic coincidence.

Each planet circles the sun at different speeds and on slightly different planes. Mercury completes its orbit in just 88 days, while Neptune takes 165 years.

The next similar alignment won't occur until September 8, 2040!

That’s all for this week!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

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