Episode 028 of the ClassCast Podcast features sisters Safa and Falak Koreshi speaking with host Ryan Tibbens about their experiences with homeschooling, unschooling, public schooling, college, and how their unique educational paths have shaped their views on education and personal improvement. They also pull from each phase of their educational progressions to address specific ways we can improve public education and why homeschooling can be great (but also why it might not be for everyone). If you are an educator seeking to expand your views of what education is and can be, if you are a parent considering what homeschooling or unschooling might mean for your own children, if you are a community stakeholder who wants public schools to better address students' needs, this episode is for you. 

Many people involved in public schools tend to shrug off or downplay homeschooling, but that is a narrow and short-sighted view that limits our understandings of what education can or should be. People have been educated outside of school institutions for most of human history; the modern conception of school is a relatively new invention, so if we are serious about considering all options, pulling all the best ideas together, and creating systemic change to improve educational processes and outcomes, then the Koreshi family's experiences and comparisons must be considered.  Make sure you like/share/follow/comment on ClassCast Podcast's website and social media posts to help spread our vision of critical thinking and honest discourse to improve public education.  (And remember, we stream on all major podcast services!)

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In this highlight from ClassCast Podcast Ep.028, sisters Safa &  Falak Koreshi describe their educational experiences, from homeschool to unschooling to public schooling to college, and how their transitions and different experiences inform their views of education and self improvement.

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.028, Safa Koreshi describes her experiences in public school, after being homeschooled until 8th grade, and how school's focus on grades, GPAs, class ranks, and college admissions make it seem more like an academic competition than an experience for personal growth.  Host Ryan Tibbens then references an idea that first came up in Ep.013 with Beth Konkoski -- "fantasy students." Many students refer to high school as a "game," and this discussion helps to lay bare those issues for parents or teachers who are unclear about how many students feel. 

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.028, formerly homeschooled sisters Safa & Falak Koreshi talk about how homeschooling and public schooling prepared them for college, particularly for STEM and lab-based classes, and professional situations. Many people misunderstand what homeschooling is really like and what it offers (or can't offer) to students; this discussion helps to better define what most students may want or need from their education, whether at home, in school, or beyond. 

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.028, Safa & Falak Koreshi, both of whom were homeschooled then unschooled then public schooled, speak with host Ryan Tibbens about the differences between "education" and "schooling" and why understanding the distinctions is vital to improving public education. 

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.028, Safa & Falak Koreshi question host Ryan Tibbens about whether or not he would homeschool his own children and what motivates that decision. As a long-time public school teacher who has been exploring the nature of education for years, he sees the situation in professional light, but also as the father of two young children, making the question personal changes the tone of the response.  After listening to the rest of this episode, ClassCast fans should ask themselves: Would I homeschool my own children?

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​ClassCast Podcast Ep.027 features the president of the Gap Year Association and founder of EnRoute Consulting, Julia Rogers, sharing insights into gap years, student travel, improving the college experience, and more. Gap years have been growing in popularity for over a decade, but now with COVID-19 pandemic-related college closures, delayed openings, online classes, cancelled social events, and more, gap years are the trendiest (and perhaps most substantive) contingency plan available. Ms. Rogers' insights and advice offer both immense value and interesting perspectives on higher education. If you are interested in gap years, travel, alternate education paths, improving college performance, or great COVID-19 contingency plans, this episode is essential listening. 

Ms. Rogers provided a great list of links to help listeners learn more about gap years, college planning, and her own business and social media platforms.  We're also embedding a copy of her TEDx talk about gap years at the bottom of this post (scroll down).   Please check them out! 

     - EnRoute Consulting (Ms. Rogers' business)
     - @enroutegapyear on Instagram and Facebook
     - Gap Year Radio podcast (Ms. Rogers' gap year podcast) / @gapyearradio on social media
     
     - Gap Year Association (Strong national organization designed to organize and vet gap year programs to help students and parents navigate this option. Ms. Rogers is the President of the board at GYA.)

     - Service Year Alliance - National service opportunities
     - Election 2020 Gap Year - Election 2020 opportunities 

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In this quick clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.027, gap year expert Julia Rogers talks with host Ryan Tibbens and promotes the benefits of a gap year before giving some thoughtful advice to students considering their future plans. This is just the first clip from a timely, informative episode all about gap years, improving student preparation for college and life, travel, and more. Watch for the full episode and additional highlight clips to begin streaming in the coming days. The posting on ClassCastPodcast.com will include links to several gap year organizations, programs, and resources, plus Ms. Rogers' TEDx talk! If you or someone you know plans to enter college in 2020 or even 2021, this episode is essential listening to help make good decisions about enrollment and the future. Please like, share, follow, and leave a comment!

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This clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.027 features Julia Rogers, founder of EnRoute Consulting and president of the Gap Year Association, talking with host Ryan Tibbens about what a gap year is, why people choose them, and what they offer students that the traditional high school-to-college path doesn't. If you've never heard of gap years, start hear. If you know what they are, but are still unclear on why serious students would choose them, then there's still plenty to learn here. Ms. Rogers is an industry expert, so there's no better source to help you start considering gap years, whether as a primary plan or a contingency plan made necessary by pandemic-related closures.  Remember to like, share, follow, and leave a comment!
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In this highlight clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.027, president of the Gap Year Association and gap year expert Julia Rogers talks with host Ryan Tibbens about what kinds of college experiences students want, what they need, how COVID-19 might affect that experience, and why a gap year might be just what the doctor (and student advisor) ordered. Students in the Class of 2020 and 2021 face tough decisions about when and how to matriculate, and if their schools are closed, online only, or even open but with limited social and athletic activities, then contingency plans are necessary.  While a purposeful gap year should usually be treated as a primary option, in the current circumstance, gap year advisors are seeing huge increases in inquiries as students seek a post-high school experience that satisfies their goals and enriches their lives. This clip might help you to weigh the pros and cons. Remember to like, follow, share, and comment!

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.027, founder of EnRoute Consulting and gap year expert Julia Rogers talks with host Ryan Tibbens about how she got into the gap year industry, began her consulting/advising career, and what she hopes to accomplish.  She also shares her vision of the ideal college education -- a blend of free travel, community/humanitarian service, traditional classroom learning, and externships/apprenticeships. While her vision is ambitious, it is also laudable for its focus on developing the full person, not just a transcript or resume. After you listen to the clip, be sure to like, follow, share, and leave a comment to let us know what you like and what you want to hear more about!

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This clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.027 features gap year expert and president of the national Gap Year Association Julia Rogers explaining how gap years appeal to so many students (the same gap year "elevator pitch" included in Clip 027.1) AND how to defer enrollment to a university so that a gap year is possible without sacrificing admissions status (new -- NOT included in 027.1).  Students who are already admitted to a university but reconsidering fall matriculation MUST listen to this so that they understand their options and the process to start a gap year. Remember to like, follow, share, and comment! 

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In May 2019, Julia Rogers presented at TEDx Stowe to share her message about gap years. She includes great research and advice while making passionate argument for why independent, self-selected endeavors BEFORE college are so important for many students' success and happiness.  

From the TEDx posting: "The higher Education system is in crisis, with outcomes for college students declining across the board. In the race to raise good college applicants, we have forgotten to raise adults. In this enlightening talk, Julia Rogers explores the positive impact of meaningful Gap time - for success in college and in life. Julia Rogers is a seasoned traveler, writer, speaker and experiential education expert. She is the founder of EnRoute Consulting, an organization dedicated to fueling the gap year movement and developing a generation of compassionate, driven and resourceful global citizens. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx."

Episode 026 features the amazing Megan Moffett, a talented teacher, education consultant, future administrator, and parent. She shares advice for parents struggling to "home school" their children, tips to improve school cultures, ideas about what the best early elementary education should include (reading and play!), school division organization, and much, much more. For more information, educational activities, and advice, follow Ms. Moffett's Facebook page for her education consulting business, Littles Love Learning (https://www.facebook.com/mylittleslovelearning/). She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mylittleslovelearning/. 

The full episode PLUS six highlight clips are all available below. The ClassCast Podcast also streams on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and most other major podcast platforms. All highlight clips are also available on YouTube. Please comment and respond to let us know what you think about Ms. Moffett's ideas as well as what you want to hear in future episodes! 

Please subscribe/follow the ClassCast Podcast on your preferred streaming platform, 'Like' our videos on YouTube, and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ClassCastPodcast), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/ClassCastPod), and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/classcastpodcast)! 

ClassCast Podcast Ep.026 features early elementary education expert Megan Moffett and host Ryan Tibbens discussing a wide variety of topics related to early childhood education, school at home, learning through playing, school climate, testing, teacher preparation, and much, much more. Ms. Moffett shares advice and tips to help parents educate their children at home, to help principals improve school culture, and to help us all achieve a better, more purposeful public education system.  

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.026, early childhood education expert and teacher Megan Moffett talks with host Ryan Tibbens about the essential elements of education for preschool and early elementary students in hopes of helping parents navigate "homeschooling" and COVID-19 school closures. Ms. Moffett focuses on the benefits of purposeful play, guided practice, flexibility, stress-reduction, and -- above all -- reading. Several ClassCast listeners have requested an early-childhood episode just like this in recent weeks; this discussion should address the needs so many of us are experiencing. If you or someone you know is struggling with (or stressed about) helping young children to keep learning while staying at home, this highlight clip contains essential advice, research, and grace for parents. 

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.026, early elementary education expert Megan Moffett describes her "ideal" school. A standard ClassCast question, Ms. Moffett responds with enthusiasm and a clear vision -- an elementary school that focuses on play, collaboration, social-emotional learning, age-appropriate skills, and reading.  Her goals are lofty, but what makes them truly great is that they are practical and attainable -- nothing except stubborn stakeholders, cautious administrators, and dusty legislation prevent us from reinvigorating elementary education as Ms. Moffett envisions in this 6-minute clip. Let us know what you think!

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In this clip from ClassCast Pocast Ep.026, elementary education expert Megan Moffett and host Ryan Tibbens discuss the trend of splitting elementary schools, clustering grade levels, and other organizational creativity that can potentially save tax dollars and increase collaboration, though they also risk increasing transitions, anxiety, and homogeneity in the school. From "Kindergarten Academies" to upper/lower elementary schools and beyond, school divisions across the country are getting creative with how they organize and facilitate different groups and ages of students. Listen in to learn more, and let us know what you think!

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.026, early elementary education expert and future administrator Megan Moffett talks with host Ryan Tibbens about the important roles school administrators play and how they can create, change, and maintain school cultures that promote student well-being and that foster growth for faculty and students alike. If you have an interest in school improvement, administration, or culture, this clip is for you.  Let us know what you think!

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.026, elementary education expert Megan Moffett and host Ryan Tibbens discuss teacher preparation, including their own college and student teaching experiences, course requirements, and what future teachers may need to be successful. One of the most important (and obvious) ways to improve the quality of instruction in public schools is to increase the quality of teacher preparation programs; that's a topic that could fill volumes, but this clip is a great place to start. If you are a teacher or administrator, or if you are considering becoming a teacher in the future, this clip is for you!  

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In this clip from ClassCast Podcast Ep.026, early elementary education expert Megan Moffett and host Ryan Tibbens discuss benefits, drawbacks, and trends related to project-based learning, standardized testing, and data collection during COVID-19 school closures. So much school legislation and policy revolve around assessment, and so much school discussion revolves around assessment, that sometimes it all starts to sound alike.  This clip is honest, direct, and refreshing -- why assessments are necessary, and why we can still do better. Let us know what you think!

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