HIHTK Episode 019: Micro Schools Builder Mara Linaberger
Summary: <br> Are you in love with what you do? Do you inspire others to live a better life? Today’s podcast guest does that in spades. And she does it by helping to build micro schools.<br> Meet Mara Linaberger.<br> Mara was one of my <a href="https://imhomeschooling.com/hihtk-004-help-my-child-hates-school/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">early guests on this podcast</a>. I’m thrilled to have had her on the podcast again, this time to talk about her new book.<br> She has incredible will, drive, and passion to make this world a better place. These are always inspiring traits. And to see it in education is all the more inspiring, especially because she’s providing a unique alternative not found elsewhere.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Other ways to enjoy this Podcast<br> <br> <br> <a title="Listen on iTunes" href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/honey-im-homeschooling-the-kids/id1272423047" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><br> <a title="Listen on Google Play" href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?t=Honey!_I%27m_Homeschooling_The_Kids&pcampaignid=MKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16&u=0&view=/ps/I2zvkou6ephyzybp2fc6f2ea3lm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><br> <a title="Listen on Stitcher" href="http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=147912&refid=stpr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> 100 Micro Schools<br> <br> <br> Mara spent over 25 years working in the Pennsylvania public school system. But she eventually realized that her work from inside the system wasn’t best serving her students or herself. That was when she became a consultant for those struggling in learning and eventually an author.<br> <br> <br> Through this work, Mara witnessed the successful emergence of micro-schools. These schools have become Mara’s mission. She plans to create a global network of 100 micro-schools.<br> To help her achieve this mission, Mara wrote a new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079NQ93FF">The Micro-School Builder’s Handbook</a>. This book offers the steps and tools for parents to build their own micro-school.<br> <br> What’s a Micro-School?<br> <br> <br> A Micro School is a small school, like the old one room schools of the past, but with a modern twist. A micro-school have no fewer than 12 kids or no more than 150 kids. It is an intimate setting with instructors or guides and small student to teacher ratios.<br> <br> <br> Micro-schools are child-centred rather than parent-centred. The smaller the school the more intimate it can be.<br> <br> <br> Micro-school founders often begin as homeschool parents. These parents either want to do more for other kids, or they want to create a community for their own children.<br> <br> Why Choose a Micro-School over Homeschool?<br> <br> Micro-schools are flexible. You can decide the flavour, space, and school schedule like homeschool.<br> <br> 4 day school week? Road trips?<br> <br> As long as you’re accomplishing your hours of learning, how you go about that is flexible.<br> <br> <br> Mara has met many parents that want to homeschool but don’t have the resources, or the confidence to do so. She has realized that micro schools present an opportunity not only for kids, but parents too. They can create a fantastic learning environment for their kids as well as a business of their own. <br> <br> <br> Micro Schools- Schools of The Future?<br> <br> <br> Micro-schools personalize learning and have small classes at a much lower price. They are starting to challenge private schools and the feelings of entitlement. There are micro schools focused on the outdoors, computer programming, the arts, service learning, business incubation…<br> <br> <br> <br> Mara feels that micro schools are the schools of the future.
