LiberatED Podcast Podcast Por Kerry McDonald arte de portada

LiberatED Podcast

LiberatED Podcast

De: Kerry McDonald
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The LiberatED Podcast tells the stories of the entrepreneurial parents and teachers who are creating innovative K-12 learning options across the US and expanding education options for families. This twice-weekly podcast is hosted by Kerry McDonald, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and leader of the Education Entrepreneurship Lab. A regular contributor at Forbes.com and The 74, Kerry is the bestselling author of Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom (Chicago Review Press, 2019), and the author of the forthcoming book, Joyful Learning: How To Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling (Hachette, 2025). She has a BA in economics from Bowdoin College and a master's degree in education policy from Harvard University. A mom of four, Kerry lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter at edentrepreneur.org.2025
Episodios
  • From Public School Teacher to Founder of a Self-Directed Learning Center

    From Public School Teacher to Founder of a Self-Directed Learning Center
    Mar 31 2026

    In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Ken Trautwein, founder of Current Education Center, a secular, self-directed learning community outside Philadelphia. After 25 years in conventional education, Ken set out to create a more flexible, human-centered environment where young people can follow their interests while being supported by intentional mentorship.

    Opened in early 2025, Current serves teens through a part-time, self-directed model that blends structure with freedom. Ken describes his "riverbank" philosophy of education, where learning flows naturally within a supportive framework, and reflects on the challenges of launching a new center, building community, and rethinking what education can look like.

    If you're curious about self-directed learning, microschooling, or what it takes to create something new in education, this conversation offers both inspiration and insight.

    ***

    Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.


    Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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    37 m
  • A Two-Day, Tuition-Free Microschool With Full-Time Impact

    A Two-Day, Tuition-Free Microschool With Full-Time Impact
    Mar 24 2026

    In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald talks with Marta MacBan, founder of Sonoran Learning Collective, a hybrid microschool in Cave Creek, Arizona, that's reimagining how and when students learn. Launched in 2024 with just six students—including her own children—the program now serves a growing community of families seeking flexibility, personalization, and strong academic foundations.

    Marta shares how her journey from corporate media to education entrepreneurship was sparked by her daughter's struggles during pandemic-era schooling—and how that led her to build a two-day-a-week microschool focused on core academics and critical thinking for grades 4–8.

    Kerry and Marta discuss the power of Arizona's ESA program in making alternative education accessible, the benefits of midyear enrollment flexibility, and the importance of community partnerships. Marta also offers candid insights on the challenges of launching a microschool—from finding space to navigating regulations—and why connecting with other founders can make all the difference.

    For families exploring new learning models and aspiring founders ready to take the leap, this conversation highlights how small, flexible schools are opening big, new possibilities in education.

    ***
    Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org.


    Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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    30 m
  • Reinventing High School: Entrepreneurship & Personalized Learning in Utah

    Reinventing High School: Entrepreneurship & Personalized Learning in Utah
    Mar 17 2026
    On this week's episode of the LiberatED podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Cory Henwood, innovation coordinator for Utah's Iron County School District and founder of Launch High School, a new public high school focused on personalized learning. Cory shares his journey from public school math teacher to district innovation leader, and explains how Launch High School blends competency-based learning, personalized schedules, and real-world entrepreneurship. Students spend much of their time building projects and businesses while progressing through academics at their own pace—an approach that has led to some of the strongest academic outcomes in the district. Kerry and Cory also explore how school districts can respond to the growing landscape of school choice, ESAs, charter schools, and customized learning options. Cory discusses his work supporting new innovative programs across Utah, including emerging models that allow families to combine multiple educational experiences tailored to their children. They close with a look ahead at the future of education—and why Cory believes that greater family choice, flexibility, and personalization will continue shaping schooling in the years to come. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling, is available now wherever books are sold!
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    27 m
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