The micro school alternative looks promising for children of varying needs and abilities. Dr. Katie Bonawitz has vast experience as a special ed teacher herself and as a teacher of teachers. As Associate Dean of Education at Bethel University, St. Paul, MN, she has oversight for all their teacher education programs including the BUILD program. She has worked in Lithuania, Finland, Ukraine and the United States.

Her key verse is MT25:40 in The Message: "Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’"

Dr. Bonawitz is a 2023 Fulbright Scholarship Grant recipient to Klaipeda, Lithuania at LCC University. She completed a Fulbright Specialist Project in Vilnius, Lithuania in May and September 2024 to collaborate with the Lithuanian Center for Inclusion in Education as the country moved to an inclusion model on September 1, 2024. Dr. Bonawitz also has a heart for Ukraine and spent her 2021 sabbatical leading teachers across Ukraine in evidence-based strategies for students with disabilities. She continues to take part in virtual conferences in Lithuania and Ukraine. Dr. Bonawitz researched disabilities amidst world religions for her doctoral work. Other research areas of interest include serving individuals with disabilities across the world, principles of Finnish Education, collaboration with general and special education, and transformational teacher preparation.

Her special education teaching specialties include history, legal issues, mild-moderate disabilities, and cultural and linguistic impact in special education.

Go deeper:

https://www.bethel.edu/academics/faculty/bonawitz-katie

https://www.bethel.edu/academics/build/

Have you considered the new wave in education? It is the Christian micro school. The Eden Schoolhouse Network (ESN) launches and operates "The Schoolhouse in God's House" in friendly local churches.

EdenSchoolhouse.com is the website for the Time4Littles Podcast and the Eden Schoolhouse Network. Both are ministries of the Tru316 Foundation (Tru316.com) which is the home of The Eden Podcast.

For more info, to start an Eden Family Schoolhouse or to appear on the Time4Littles Podcast contact Mimi@Tru316.com.