KindlED | The Prenda Podcast

We ask what it would take to stop treating public education as a zero-sum culture war and start funding many legitimate school models with shared expectations for quality. We trace how America became an outlier, then get specific about what knowledge-rich curriculum and real intellectual work can look like in classrooms and microschools. • educational pluralism as a tax-funded mosaic of school options held to a quality bar • why the United States diverges from global norms in public edu...

We sit down with former public school teacher Meredith Reyes to unpack the moment burnout stopped being manageable and started being dangerous. She shares how moving states changed her working conditions overnight and how homeschooling helped her rebuild learning around safety, curiosity and mastery. • Meredith’s path from lifelong “teacher kid” to ten-year public school veteran • COVID-era boundary shifts that made teachers feel less valued • IEP realities when supports do...

We talk with Matt Beaudreau about why kids are born motivated and how schools and homes can accidentally train that drive into distraction and compliance. We dig into microschools, family sovereignty, and practical ways to build capable young people through autonomy, clear boundaries, and real responsibility. • Matt’s origin story and learning to “play school” without actually learning • Why microschools focus on kids over politics and bureaucracy • Apogee’s mission of building sovereign ...

We name the “imagination crisis” holding education back and argue that better schools start with better dreaming, not just better funding or tools. We share how 4.0 Schools helps change-curious builders and turn rough ideas into real tests while staying impact-first, resilient, and grounded in what families and learners actually need. • why education makes people feel personally invested and why that can still produce stale ideas • what 4.0 Schools does as an early-stage launch pa...

We examine how disruption theory applies to K–12 and how microschools and ESAs shift power from systems to families. We discuss rigor, the science of reading, special education, and how districts could operate in a more plural, community-centered future. • origins and naming of the microschool movement • disruption theory in classrooms and systems • blended vs. virtual learning • how time-based models hinder student-centered learning • ESAs vs. vouchers and the value of flexibility • overser...

We trace Allison Serafin’s path from restless learner to teacher, elected education leader, and capital guide who helps schools access facilities and finance. The heart of the talk is practical: how founders can become “underwritable” without losing their mission. • early sparks in entrepreneurship and a misfit K–12 experience • classroom wins and structural limits seen in Houston and Philadelphia • leading in Las Vegas across TFA, district change, and state board service • learning finance ...

We explore the front lines of the microschool movement with Brittany Munk-Miller, a Prenda microschool specialist, and unpack what it really takes to start small, teach with heart, and track meaningful growth beyond letter grades. We share stories, tools, and steps that make launching doable with zero upfront cost. • who typically starts microschools and why • definitions, sizes, and common locations for microschools • traits of effective guides and the student‑centered role • curriculum str...

We trace a principal’s journey from Teach For America to a nine-year commitment leading a high-need neighborhood school, then dive into how a microschool inside the campus turned behavior crises into growth and engagement. The result: fewer labels, more joy, and a practical path other schools can follow. • why labels from tests and adults damage motivation and identity • how a 10-student microschool structure lowers behavior issues • the surprising success of introverts in small, intentional...

We trace the rise of school choice from early voucher experiments to modern ESAs, unpack how funding actually follows students, and use fresh data to separate myths from reality. Mike McShane shares trends on parent preferences, teacher morale, and why safety and fit now drive decisions. • defining vouchers, ESAs, tax credits and open enrollment • how school funding works and what follows students • common school history, Zelman ruling and universal expansion • charter schools and homeschool...

We challenge the grading mindset that squeezes the life out of young writers and replace it with coaching, curiosity, and real audiences. Julie Bogart shares practical steps—jot-it-down, family freewrites, reader response, playful revision, and a kind mechanics mop-up—that help kids find their voice. • treating writing as self-expression first, transcription second • separating ideas from mechanics and using scribing or voice-to-text • shifting from evaluation to allyship and coaching • crea...

We rethink “behavior problems” with Dr. Stuart Ablon, showing why kids struggle when skills lag and how collaboration—not control—creates durable change. We walk through Plan B step-by-step, with a classroom role play that turns disruption into progress. • kids do well if they can as core mindset • relationship quality as strongest predictor of change • plans A, B, C defined with pros and cons • plan B three steps: empathy, adult concern, invite solutions • externalizing the problem to reduc...

Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, joins us to unpack how skill-first teaching unlocks motivation, builds real confidence, and quite literally reshapes the brain for better thinking. We trace the invisible steps the mind takes to write a single sentence, then show how to lower the cognitive load with structure, small wins, and a steady climb: easy plus one. • the true goal of writing as expressing ideas, not feelings • why motivation follows mastery and “kids ...

Dr. Jo Boaler shares her groundbreaking work in mathematics education, exploring how beliefs shape learning and how we can transform math instruction to help every student succeed. • Starting her career in London schools where she discovered anyone can learn math with the right opportunities • Joining Stanford and later collaborating with Carol Dweck to spread growth mindset ideas through YouCubed.org • Explaining how neuroscience reveals five brain pathways used in math thinking, with two b...