Pods and Microschools: From Crisis Response to Enduring Education

When COVID hit, and school campuses closed, families embraced an array of new educational approaches to keep their students connected, engaged and academically on track. Cue the rise of learning pods and standalone microschools. Today, even as traditional schools have now largely returned to normal, many families — and educators as well — have opted to stay the course with their new form of schooling. Some parents and students see the benefit of more personalized instruction, others see students thriving in hands-on, non-traditional settings. Teachers have learned that they prefer the agency and autonomy afforded by these new models, and some families feel freed from the bureaucratic system that was failing or discriminating against their child. How far have these educational innovations taken root? What can we learn from pods and microschools that could also improve the traditional school environment? Join this lively discussion to hear what's working, lessons learned and how you can bring microschools to life in your community.