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"Should I force them to learn algebra if they hate it?" Parents ask us this, and here's the truth: Reading, writing, and basic math? Yes. These are your non-negotiables. They're like learning to brush your teeth - life just works better when you can do them. But everything else? That's where education gets interesting. Your child who hates traditional math might love coding. Your reluctant writer might be a brilliant storyteller through video. Your 'distracted' reader might devour books about their passion project. The secret isn't forcing - it's finding their path. This is why we believe in open education. It's not about skipping subjects - it's about finding better ways to learn them. p.s. Hear how other families are personalizing their kids' education on the OpenEd podcast!

After 30+ years in education Matt Bowman noticed something strange. Schools don't teach the one skill that matters most: Learning how to learn. Master this, and everything else becomes easier — from school subjects to everyday life. Yet we cling to textbooks, force memorization, and reduce children to test scores. Makes you wonder how we could miss something so fundamental. p.s. Join 15,000+ OpenEd Daily readers for tips, tricks, and news in education: https://lnkd.in/gXvMFkpu

The greatest teachers don't just teach the subject—they teach you how to think. G.K. Chesterton recognized this years ago: "Education is not a subject, and it does not deal in subjects. It is instead the transfer of a way of life." While modern education fragments into disconnected facts and isolated skills, true education doesn't just change what you know. It changes how you live. Listen to the full podcast with Matt Beaudreau and Ela Richmond: https://lnkd.in/gbHrFF9b

7 Free(ish) Resources for Teaching Your Kids A Foreign Language 1. A Library Card – Most libraries offer free Mango Languages access. That's $100+ of premium learning... free. 2. The Disney+ Hack - Switch familiar shows to Spanish, French, or Mandarin. When kids know the story, understanding follows. 3. 5-Minute YouTube Playlists - Short attention spans need short videos. Make a playlist of ["[Language] for Kids"] content. 4. Duolingo - Still free. Still awesome. Still works. 5. PBS Power - Salsa (Spanish) and other free PBS language shows are gold for young learners. 6. Drops App - 5 free minutes daily of picture-based vocabulary. Perfect for kids. 7. Native Speaker Playdates - Local parenting groups often have families seeking language exchange. Win-win! Who needs expensive tutors when you have all of these! Did we miss anything? If so, drop us a line!

A 12-year-old in Ontario just built a working SR-71 Blackbird cockpit simulator in his basement. No kit. No instructions. No adult help. Just foam board, hot glue, and imagination. When he heard about a Navy pilot building a real plane with his son, he didn't get discouraged. He got creative. "I can't build a plane," he thought, "but I can build this." The result? ?? Working gauges with wire indicators ?? Screens streaming flight videos (bought with lawn-mowing money) ?? A pilot seat with functioning ejector handle ?? Complete flight controls for simulated missions That's what happens when kids have time to tinker. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gqJKtDAp

There's a hidden education movement taking over empty buildings (and parents love it). Empty karate dojos, art studios, and church buildings – spaces often vacant during school hours – are being transformed into vibrant learning environments. The GROW Christian Learning Center in Worcester, MA, started with just six students in 2022. They now serve 84 students with 40 more on the waitlist. Annual tuition? Just $2,400. Erika Serrano saw her daughter struggling with peer pressure and behavioral changes during freshman year of public high school. Since switching to a learning center, "She has flourished into such a beautiful, kind young woman... " This mirrors what we're seeing across the country: Parents aren't looking to replace traditional schools – they're looking to find the right fit for their kids. Whether that's public school, private school, homeschool, or hybrid models, the key is having options. After all, education isn't one-size-fits-all. Never was. Read the full article by Kerry McDonald here: https://buff.ly/4e9msQw

Whether you're homeschooling full-time or supplementing after school, here's a powerful technique we've heard from dozens of families: Create a "sacred hour" for learning. The concept is simple: Pick one consistent hour 1) Make it completely distraction-free 2) Be fully present (no multitasking!) 3) Treat it like an important appointment For example: If your child struggles with math, make 4-5 PM your "sacred math hour" every Tuesday and Thursday. No phones, no dishes, no distractions – just focused learning time. p.s. If you like tools like this, join 15,000+ OpenEd Daily readers for tips, tricks, and news in education: https://opened.co/

How do you get your child to take you seriously as the 'teacher'? Some parent advice from the weird, wide world of Reddit: 1) Consistency: “My kids didn't take me seriously until I made us stick to a strict schedule." They suggest a set routine: breakfast at 8:00, school starts at 9:00, with a predictable order of subjects. 2) Engagement: "I do my best to keep the quiet listening parts of lessons to no more than 10 to 15 minutes." Mix it up with movement and discussion to keep kids focused. 3) Flexibility: "Kids are allowed to have bad days, they're people too. So are you!" Don't beat yourself up if things don't always go according to plan. 4) Agency: One parent describes sitting down with their kids weekly to plan assignments: "Having those choices for themselves gives them a sense of ownership, teaches them time management and self-control." 5) Natural Consequences: "One rule in our house is that if you haven't finished the work you gave yourself for the day, screen time is at the parent's discretion." Let the punishment fit the crime, so to speak. We would add that you don’t always have to think of yourself as a teacher. The resources available to parent-educators allow you to serve as more of a facilitator.

"Flexibility is one of the greatest gifts you can give both yourself and your child." This thought comes from Colleen Kessler of Raising Lifelong Learners. Curriculum should be a springboard, not a straightjacket.

A front-page Wall Street Journal article reports that helicopter parenting has officially entered the college years, and it's giving new meaning to the term "long-distance relationship." Did you know? - 44% of parents now interact daily with their college kids. - One parent support group on Facebook has 24,000 members. - Ohio State now sends parents helpful tips on how to remind their adult children about class registration deadlines (Because nothing prepares you for the real world like having your parents manage your schedule from three states away.) Education experts suggest a radical new approach called "letting go." Side effects may include increased independence, problem-solving skills. Remember: Thomas Edison's mom never once texted him about changing a light bulb and he turned out just fine. Read more: https://buff.ly/3Ykj6En