
Joyful Learning
How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling
Kerry McDonald(Author)
PublicAffairs,U.S. (Publisher)
Published on 4. September 2025
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-1-5417-0552-4 (ISBN)
Description
From the bestselling author of Unschooled, an exploration of new, low-cost K-12 learning models that favor individualized, learner-centered education
Across the United States, parents, teachers, administrators, policymakers, and ordinary citizens are increasingly frustrated by the rigidity and standardization of modern schooling, and they are seeking alternatives. Openness to different learning models reached new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to accelerate.Entrepreneurial parents and teachers are responding to the growing demand for learning models that challenge the status quo. They are creating micro schools, learning pods, homeschooling collaboratives, online learning networks, and other flexible educational models that provide specialized, individualized education, often at a lower cost than traditional private schools. Joyful Learning shares the experiences of these everyday entrepreneurs who are reimagining learning in their communities, showing parents what is possible for their children and encouraging aspiring school founders to take their own enterprising leaps. Blending fresh storytelling with straightforward advice, Joyful Learning is an inspiring, relevant, and timely book for parents looking for different education options for their children, as well as would-be education entrepreneurs hoping to launch their own creative learning solutions.
Across the United States, parents, teachers, administrators, policymakers, and ordinary citizens are increasingly frustrated by the rigidity and standardization of modern schooling, and they are seeking alternatives. Openness to different learning models reached new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to accelerate.Entrepreneurial parents and teachers are responding to the growing demand for learning models that challenge the status quo. They are creating micro schools, learning pods, homeschooling collaboratives, online learning networks, and other flexible educational models that provide specialized, individualized education, often at a lower cost than traditional private schools. Joyful Learning shares the experiences of these everyday entrepreneurs who are reimagining learning in their communities, showing parents what is possible for their children and encouraging aspiring school founders to take their own enterprising leaps. Blending fresh storytelling with straightforward advice, Joyful Learning is an inspiring, relevant, and timely book for parents looking for different education options for their children, as well as would-be education entrepreneurs hoping to launch their own creative learning solutions.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
540 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5417-0552-4 (9781541705524)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Kerry McDonald
Joyful Learning
How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling
E-Book
08/2025
PublicAffairs
€14.99
Available for download
Person
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.
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.