Joyful Learning

“McDonald cheerleads microschools in this upbeat survey…[and] offers rich pedagogical insights, even for educators dead set against privatization.”–Publishers Weekly“Written with zeal… A welcome if controversial call for parents to take control of their children’s education.”–Kirkus“Joyful Learning reveals the possibilities that arise when we break free from traditional educational constraints and champion a future where every child can thrive on their terms, shining a particular spotlight on Black school founders whose resilience and commitment to education reform are both inspiring and instructive.”–Denisha Allen, founder of Black Minds Matter“A fair-minded exploration of how fed-up parents, despondent teachers, and other concerned citizens are reimagining what schooling looks like in today’s America–and how you can get involved in the ongoing education revolution.”–Corey DeAngelis, author of The Parent Revolution“It’s hard not to feel like we’re at the dawn of a new era when you read this book, pulsing with ideas, makers, dreamers and plenty of plain old fed-up parents who decided it was time to change the world by changing the way kids get educated. Want to be amazed and inspired and hopeful? Want to see just how wide the word ‘school’ can stretch? Want to nurse that glimmer of ‘I can do it, too, ’ flickering in your heart of hearts? Dig in!”–Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids“Kerry McDonald’s vision for education entrepreneurship is both inspiring and urgent. This book is the roadmap for anyone tired of the status quo and ready to make a difference in how we teach the next generation.”–John Mackey, cofounder of Whole Foods Market and New York Times-bestselling author of Conscious Capitalism“The way we teach our kids is stuck in the past. Illuminating and deeply reported, Joyful Learning thoughtfully considers the innovative educational models being pioneered by parents and teachers frustrated with one-size-fits-all schooling, and offers helpful advice to parents seeking outside-the-box learning opportunities for their children.”–Todd Rose, author of Collective Illusions“With her rich background in economics and education policy, and her experience as a mother of four, Kerry McDonald is the perfect person to document today’s schooling revolution. I recommend Joyful Learning to all parents seeking the best educational opportunities for their children, to all enterprising souls who want to help provide those opportunities, and to anyone interested in understanding the future of American education.”–Peter Gray, author of Free to Learn

Kerry McDonald is an internationally recognized journalist, speaker, podcaster, and education thought leader. She spotlights innovative, affordable, student-centered K-12 learning models through her regular articles and dedicated columns at Forbes.com and The 74, as well as her semiweekly LiberatED podcast.

McDonald is the author of the bestselling book Unschooled. Her articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, NPR, and Newsweek, among many others. McDonald lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband and four children.