Welcome back to the OpenEd Weekly!
This week: how to go from homeschool anxiety to confidence, AI architects choosing curiosity over college prep, and what happens when Zuckerberg's microschool meets zoning laws.Plus, a panel conversation about preparing kids for an economy where 20-somethings out-earn seasoned professionals in jobs for which you can't even get a college degree.
Have a great weekend, y'all!
– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)
DEEP DIVE
Starting to Homeschool with Confidence
New to homeschooling? If so, there's a good chance you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and scared you'll fail your kids.
Meg Thomas gets it. Eighteen years ago, she had five kids under six and zero confidence. Now she has seven kids, five homeschool graduates, and coaches other parents through this journey.
Her insight in this week's deep dive: When you can name your fears, you can beat them.
The 5 Biggest Homeschooling Fears (Tl;dr)
"What if I'm not good at it?" → Plan on being bad at first. Give yourself permission to be a beginner.
"What if I fail my kids?" → You're probably doing better than you think. Focus on the journey, not just outcomes.
"What if my kids fight all the time?" → Fighting is a skill they're learning. Work on connection first.
"I don't think I'm smart enough." → You don't have to be. We have Google, AI, and endless curriculum options that don't require you to "teach" in a traditional sense. Learn alongside your kids.
"How do I know what curriculum to use?" → Start with your family values, not the "perfect" curriculum.
The fix: Name your fears, identify your values, and remember—you don't have to be perfect. You just have to keep trying.
Read the whole article here.
Podcast Highlight of the Week
"Are My Kids Prepared for This New Economy?"
When Michelle Rhee moved into an upscale LA building, she was surprised to find her neighbors were all 20-somethings. Her husband took advantage of those awkward elevator silences to ask what they did—and they weren't trust fund kids. They were earning serious money through careers that didn't even exist 10 years ago. Gaming. Crypto. Content creation.
For parents: Start with exposure (let kids see real work), add doing (apprenticeships by another name), build networks (most jobs come through relationships).
The money quote: "Treat a kid earning their first dollar from a non-family member like a ribbon on the fridge. Frame it."
This Week's Top Trends
GPT Architect Goes Analog
Ben Mann helped architect GPT-3. How's he preparing his 3-year-old for an AI future? Montessori school, zero college prep. "I want her happy, thoughtful, curious, and kind."
Meanwhile, Matt Bateman is launching Montessorium—Montessori beads meet AI algorithms. Touch grass and touch screens.
Zuckerberg vs. Zoning
Zuckerberg's neighbors complained about his 14-student micro-school—zoning violation. City says "private school," Zuck says "homeschool pod."
The next big fights about education won't be over curriculum—they'll be over curb space and car lines. The school of the future might be in your neighbor's living room.
The Résumé is Dead
In 2025, AI writes job applications and screens them. The result? Hiring managers trust neither. Michael Horn explains: they call someone they trust and ask, "Know anyone good?"
In short, stop polishing bullet points. Optimize for referrals and evidence. Ship projects, collect references, and ask for warm intros. And if someone does ask for a traditional résumé? Well, there's always ChatGPT.
Tools of the Week
Morning Time Ritual - Homegrown Learners shares a simple "morning time" protocol: one basket, three beats (read-aloud, poem, quiet hands), stop on the timer.
Solvely.ai— AI homework assistant used by 5 million students. Take a picture, get step-by-step guidance (not answers). Interactive visualizations make abstract concepts tangible.
UPDATED: Our career prep guide now includes Michael Horn and Michelle Rhee perspectives, plus a 5-question teen survey. Swap "four years, then hope" for exposure, doing, and networks.
Open Education Audiobook is here!
We wrote a book, and now you can listen to it while doing literally anything else. The Open Education audiobook is finally here, narrated by Matt Bowman.
The reviews are in...
You're all caught up!
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– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)