Microschooling Journeys with Curious Mike

Microschools launch and close more easily than traditional schools—is that a feature or a bug? This week on Microschooling Journeys, Brian Hyosaka shares the story of Embark Micro Middle School in Denver, a tuition-free, philanthropy-backed micro school closing after six successful years. Rather than charge tuition or become a charter, they chose to "go out on top." Embark’s legacy includes inspiring hundreds of educators. Folks, this is where we leave our limited podcast series.  Microschooling Journeys has come to an end, if you listened,  thank you, please give me a shout, I’d love your feedback.  This is Curious Mike signing off!

This week on Microschool Journeys, Curious Mike sat down with Matt Kramer, founder and CEO of Wildflower Schools, a national network of teacher-led Montessori microschools.  How does he take a teacher who dreams “Maybe I should have my own little school”- and make that a reality?  And how does he take a noble vision - socio-economic diversity, loosely a third from each wealth class - and make the budget work, using ESAs, vouchers, charters, and other subsidies?  Tune in for this fascinating conversation!

In this episode of Microschooling Journeys, Curious Mike visits Rain Lily Microschool in Nassau County, Florida.  He visits: Wow.  Then he hears the two founders origin story.  Kati is a veteran Montessori teacher frustrated with culture and teacher respect issues in her former school, dreaming of a place where all parents felt welcome. Tania trains in Cuba, and then with her husband makes the fraught journey to USA, and ends up working her way up the ladder.  Like many, they have a dream of “their own” little school - but how?  Enter Wildflower Network.  It’s a network for teacher-led microschools, and they help people just like Kati and Tania: with septic tanks, with website creation, with touchy legal issues, with building a sliding scale tuition model that can tap Florida’s public dollars.  This episode is a little different stylistically: it’s Mike’s monologue. Tune in next time for an interview with Matt Kramer, CEO of Wildflower’s 70+ campuses, about expanding these innovative schools nationwide.

Amar Kumar, Founder and CEO of KaiPod, leads a network of 70 innovative microschools. In this engaging conversation, he delves into what distinguishes KaiPod from traditional education, including its unique culture and intentional learning environments. Amar reveals how they evaluate the effectiveness of microschools through data-driven assessments. He also discusses empowering educators and adapting teaching to meet community needs. Plus, the role of education savings accounts in supporting microschools sparks an intriguing debate!

In this week's episode of Microschooling Journeys, Curious Mike chats with Nick, a 15-year-old homeschooler dual-enrolled at VLACS and Arizona State University online, pursuing a business degree. Nick shares his unconventional education path, why he left traditional school after kindergarten, and how KaiPod Microschool fits into his journey. Will he return next year? What are his future aspirations? Tune in to find out! Plus, stay tuned for next week’s episode with Kaipod CEO Amar Kumar.

In the latest episode of the Microschooling Journeys podcast, Curious Mike interviews Meghan, a dynamic "Guide" at KaiPod Microschool in Nashua, NH. Meghan shares her transition from public school to microschool and how she creates a welcoming, warm environment for her 14 students with individually curated curriculums. Discover Meghan's unique approach to education and stay tuned for more exciting episodes featuring Nick, a 15-year-old KaiPod student, and KaiPod CEO Amar Kumar.

In the premiere episode of Microschooling Journeys, Curious Mike joins his friend Spencer Blasdale, a former school leader and former CEO of SchoolWorks, on a road trip to KaiPod Microschool in Nashua, New Hampshire. With years of experience evaluating schools—public, private, and charter—Spencer brings a sharp, seasoned perspective to his first encounter with a microschool. At KaiPod, they observe a unique setup: 14 students guided by two dedicated adults in a personalized, community-driven learning environment. Spencer’s impressions spark key questions: How does this innovative model compare to traditional schools? Would he have considered it for his two daughters? Join us for this engaging exploration of microschooling! Stay tuned for future episodes that deepen the journey: Episode 2 features Meghan, a KaiPod guide; Episode 3 spotlights Nick, a 15-year-old student at KaiPod; and Episode 4 concludes with CEO Amar Kumar, sharing his vision for revolutionizing education through microschools.

Microschool Journeys with Curious Mike is an eight-episode podcast series airing in January and February 2025. Host Curious Mike explores the rise of microschools—small, innovative learning environments—with stories from his personal experiences, expert insights, and visits to models like KaiPod.  What happens day to day, in terms of socialization, achievement, and personalization?  How quickly do they enter and exit the market?  Who pays?  Perfect for educators, parents, and policymakers, this podcast offers a deep dive into this fascinating straddle between homeschools and traditional schools.