Masters of Education

“Is my child at grade level?” Maybe that’s the wrong question. This week on Wednesday Night Live: the power of accomplishment language, why age segregation doesn’t match real life, and why more school funding isn’t the answer. Full episode on YouTube, Substack, and podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jonzal.substack.com

More and more families are asking us the same questions. Should we homeschool? Where do we even start? Which method is right? Will my child fall behind?This week’s Wednesday Night Live tackles them head on.We talk about:* Why the goal is teaching children how to think, not what to think* What actually matters most: reading, writing and maths as the foundation* Why your child’s interests and talents deserve just as much attention as the basics* A bored student in the news, and what rigid rules and disengagement are really costing kids* “Do I need to choose Montessori or another method first?” Why the answer is no* How to build a structured day around what lights your child up* Guiding children toward purpose and leadership in their own livesIf you’ve been quietly wondering whether there’s a better way to educate your kids, this one’s for you.Full episode on YouTube, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. What’s the biggest question you have about homeschooling? Drop it in the comments and we may answer it in a future episode.#Homeschooling #HomeEducation #AlternativeEducation #Parenting #ChildLedLearning #RaisingLeaders #Apogee #WednesdayNightLive This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jonzal.substack.com

In this week’s Wednesday Night Live, I dig into what parents should actually be looking for in their child’s education, and why allowing kids to fail in a low-stakes environment is one of the most valuable gifts we can give them.We talk about:* Why the traditional schooling model is too authoritative and leaves kids unprepared for real-world skills and virtues* The power of intrinsic motivation and learning through personal interests* Melbourne schools cracking down on cartwheels and ball sports, and what these bans cost children in independence and play* A personal story about a fun, safe activity that got shut down at a school* What a more personalised, meaningful model of learning can look like, and how we’re building it at Apogee Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jonzal.substack.com

In this video I discuss what this idea “You are the curriculum” means. Do I teach anything at all? What Academics do I teach? How do I teach Academics? The path to Mastering Curiosity!Ideal is the end state! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jonzal.substack.com

Esther White explains a homecoming of sorts in the way we learn mathematics —not as a subject to memorise, but as a language to be experienced and understood. Drawing on her work with Maths Australia and the Brighter Maths program, Esther explains how consistent visual models, hands-on manipulatives, storytelling, and colour-coded learning help children build deep mathematical understanding before symbols are introduced. Together, they unpack why so many children struggle with maths under traditional, rote-based approaches, why technology can’t replace conceptual understanding, and how parents—without formal training—can confidently teach mathematics at home. Esther's methods are aimed to restore clarity, confidence, and meaning to mathematics education.Watch Esther's Ted Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HQzjEnIafk This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jonzal.substack.com