216 episodes
LiberatED Podcast Kerry McDonald
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- Education
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4.9 • 59 Ratings
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Conversations with the innovators creating education options for parents and learners outside the conventional classroom.
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Utah’s first Wildflower Montessori microschool
Chip Reichanadter is an experienced Montessori educator and cofounder of Pinyon Montessori, a PreK-6 microschool in Salt Lake City that opened in November 2023 and is the first Wildflower Montessori school in Utah. Founded in 2014, Wildflower is a national network of dozens of teacher-owned Montessori microschools fostering child-centered learning.
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Why is this Christian microschool near Phoenix so popular? Former public school teacher Coby Aldana on founding Refresh Learning Center
Former public school teacher Coby Aldana is the founder of Refresh Learning Center, a Christian microschool for kindergarteners through high schoolers near Phoenix, Arizona. It opened in August 2023 and focuses on small classes and personalized learning.
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From a Montessori pod to three Acton Academy campuses: Virginia founder Jackie Hill
Jackie Hill is the founder of Acton Academy Hampton Roads in the southeast part of Virginia. A mom of 5 and a Montessori teacher, Jackie wanted a different educational experience for her own children. In 2008, she created a little Montessori learning pod in her living room that kept growing and growing and eventually evolved into a democratic school and later into three Acton Academy campuses.
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Magatte Wade on entrepreneurship and human flourishing
Magatte Wade is an entrepreneur and author renowned for her dynamic approach to business and her dedication to fostering economic development in Africa. Born in Senegal, Magatte is the founder and CEO of SkinIsSkin.com, a skincare company providing high-quality, ethically sourced products. Magatte’s entrepreneurial journey began with Adina World Beat Beverages, a company she founded in 2004 that produced drinks inspired by traditional African recipes and emphasized fair trade principles. She is the author of the new book, The Heart of a Cheetah: How We Have Been Lied to About African Poverty, and What That Means for Human Flourishing.
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Why this new farm school is in such high demand
Located on beautiful 400-acre organic farm in Smyrna, Tennessee, about 20 miles outside of Nashville, Bloomsbury Farm School began in 2020 with one teacher, Kaiti Dewhirst Monroe, and five homeschooled children, including farmer Lauren Palmer’s own five-year-old. Today, it is a Reggio Emilia-inspired K-5 farm school, with additional parent-child programming for littler ones, that currently serves 86 children with a growing waitlist.
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The enduring legacy of the Alternative Education Resource Organization
Founded in 1989 by alternative education advocate Jerry Mintz, the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) continues to provide resources, support, and community for parents, teachers, and learners interested in alternatives to traditional schooling.
AERO's Peter Berg joins me today to talk about the organization's enduring legacy and its upcoming, annual conference being held in June in Minneapolis.
My podcast listeners can click this link to register for the conference at a discounted rate.
"I Quit, I Think," by John Taylor Gatto on AERO's website
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Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at fee.org/liberated.
Customer Reviews
Great podcast!
This podcast has encouraged me to think about what is best for my child’s education and to not let anything stop me from providing it. There are so many inspiring stories of people who have decided to create their own schools, and I have really enjoyed hearing the origin stories and how the founders overcame the various obstacles to make it a reality.
Highly recommended!
As a former NYC public school teacher that left the system, I discovered this podcast and was overjoyed to hear the stories of so many others who are passionate about creating better learning environments for children. I’ve learned so much through this podcast and, as an educational entrepreneur, it has been incredibly helpful and meaningful. The Liberated Podcast has given me faith and inspiration when I needed it most. When I listen to an episode of the Liberated Podcast, I always end up feeling inspired and freshly motivated to continue fulfilling my purpose. I highly recommend this podcast!
Education Entrepreneur
I’ve been listening to Kerry for about a year now since deciding to walk (run) away from the public school system in June. Kerry is a pillar in educational reform, and I am inspired more and more every listen. If you’re thinking of leaving, or have already left and need more motivation or to network, this podcast is for you! There are so many that have paved this path for us to give kids the education they deserve.