Can I Start My Own Microschool?

“Can I start a microschool?” If you have asked yourself this question in the past, but did not get an answer to it, this one’s for you. With the changing school environment due to the pandemic, and increased online learning, the term ‘microschool’ has been going around left and right. Many education enthusiasts have looked into starting their own microschool, whether it is a parent who is dissatisfied with their child’s current learning conditions, or a former teacher looking for innovative ways to properly teach children new concepts in an uninterrupted environment.

Here are 10 questions you can ask yourself to determine if starting a microschool is the right option for you.

Are you passionate about what you will teach?

Although this may seem like an obvious yes, it is of utmost importance to whether or not you will be successful in your microschool. Once your microschool has started, you will be responsible for organizing the curriculum, setting your own curriculum’s standards and assessing students based on what you have taught. Are you ready for this?

Are you willing to create a schedule that promotes learning rather than test taking?

One of the main goals of a microschool is to help students learn how to learn. While there are still national tests that will be administered at a scheduled time, microschools try to create an environment that encourages students to try new things and become critical thinkers. If you want to promote this quality of learning, you will need to ensure that every lesson is focused on how students can apply what they have learned.

Do you have all the resources required to set up and run a microschool?

One of the benefits of a microschool is that you do not need to have a lot of money, unlike your average public or private school. However, there are still costs that you will have to factor in. Do you know how much it will cost to set up a classroom? Are you aware of all of the supplies that you will have to purchase? Do you even know where you will hold your classes? It is crucial to ask yourself these questions to ensure you are equipped with the right resources.

Do you have the time to spend three hours a day doing what’s best for students instead of what’s easiest for administration and teachers?

If you are planning on running your own microschool, it is important to understand that you will have to spend a lot of time putting the students’ needs before your own. If you have a full time job already, are you willing to take on the extra assignment of teaching?

Are you willing to run your school as a business with all that entails, including finding, attracting and retaining students?

Running a business requires a lot of work and research. Before starting your microschool, you will need to ensure that your school can be successful. You may have to do a lot of legwork, including researching the market for your microschool.

Are you willing to be flexible with your microschool’s structure, as you and your students learn what works best for everyone involved?

Can you negotiate issues that will inevitably come up with both parents and students?

Do you have the patience needed to deal with students who are not meeting your expectations? If so, what do you intend to do when this happens?

What about the parents?

If you are starting a microschool that is not part of the home education movement, you will also have to consider the parents. Since your microschool is not part of the public or private school system, you will have to make sure that parents are involved in figuring out what the curriculum should be and how their child’s progress is being assessed.

Do you have the energy to try something new rather than just accept conditions as they are in other schools?

Have you been in a teaching environment long enough, and have the self-awareness to determine if this is what you want? If so, are you willing to accept the fact that there will be criticism and hard work involved?

Do you feel confident enough in your own credentials to teach a full time class? Are you willing to accept responsibility for your classes?

Can you tolerate a substantial time requirement for an extended period of time?

Running a microschool requires time. You will have to spend your after-school time helping students who need extra help. You may have to make yourself available before and after school for meetings, and you may even have to come in on weekends. You will also have to put a lot of effort into running your school, including fundraising for supplies, advertising your services and finding students.

Will your partner, spouse, family or friends understand why you are spending so much time in what may seem like a wasteful activity?

Is your microschool operating for the right reasons (i.e., to serve students, not just to show what you can do)? If you are confident in the purpose that your school will serve, can you get your family and friends to see the same vision you do? If they do not agree with you, are you ready to accept that?

And the final question, will you be able to make it as a microschool? This is a question that can only be answered by trying. So what are you waiting for? If you felt confident answering the first nine questions, go ahead and give it a try. You may just change the face of education attainment in your community!