IN THIS EDITION:

🍎 A brutally honest valedictorian's regrets
🍎 Why college debt is crushing a generation
🍎 IKEA homeschool hacks + 9 more tools that made learning click

Greetings Open Eddies!

Can you believe that the year is almost halfway over? (Or, for the optimists… that we still have another 6 months to make good on our overly-ambitious New Year’s resolutions.)

With 4th of July weekend around the corner, and workers everywhere phoning it in this week, Ed thought he’d take the opposite tack and OVERDELIVER – taking stock of the most popular content from the first half of the year… all before taking a big exhale and starting his own summer break (yes, horses take vacations too).

This month, you’ll still get weekly digests and special podcast editions. And if you’d like to continue receiving just the weekly Friday edition after the break, you can always change your subscription settings here.

Without further ado, let’s take a walk down memory lane.

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

If you enjoy this edition, forward this email to a friend! First time reading? Subscribe and learn more at OpenEd.co.

🚨 APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENSION

Due to a surge of last-minute demand, we’re extending the application deadline to July 6 for the ‘25-’26 year.

After that, you’ll have until July 15 to complete your enrollment.

Got questions? Join an upcoming info session. Or, if you’ve already applied… forward this email to your friends in Arkansas, Kansas, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, and Utah (it could be the nudge they need to open up their child’s education).

💡 TOP 7 THOUGHTS

1. Brutally honest valedictorian regrets being top of class.
2. Sal Khan: What if we built houses like we teach students?
3. Adam Savage demolishes the myth of standardized testing
4. The hidden cost of the 30-hour school week
5. Do homeschool kids turn out weird?
6. Coach Meg Thomas on how to stop raising entitled kids
7. Connor Boyack on “just in case” vs. “just in time” learning

📊 TOP 5 TRENDS

1. Mike Rowe explains why college debt is crushing an entire generation
2. Matt Bowman imagines how standardized education first emerged in the 1880s
3. 7 Uncomfortable Truths About Education from Award-Winning Teacher John Taylor Gatto
4. Kerry McDonald: “Boys Are Falling Behind But New School Models Can Help”
5. Everything you need to know about Utah Fits All vs. OpenEd

🔨 TOP 10 TOOLS

1. Free Homeschool Curriculum: The OpenEd Guide to Quality Resources on a Budget
2. IKEA Home Learning Starter Pack: Build Your Learning Haven for Under $100
3. The Learning Scientists - Making scientific research on learning more accessible to students, teachers, and other educators.
4. How to Use Assignment Sheets for Your Homeschool Students (A Humble Place)
5. The Best Online Learning Games for Kids
6. Ramsey Homeschool Curriculum
7. The Smithsoniain Learning Lab
8. Hoffman Academy - YouTube Piano Lessons
9. Simple Joyful Art
10. Math Academy

What tools would you like featured in an upcoming newsletter when we get back from our break?

That’s all for this week!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)