Rethinking Education: Teacher/Parent Created Small Schools with Cindy Lumpkin

Meg Brunson

Hey. Hey, FamilyPeneurs, thank you so much for joining me for another episode. Today we are going to be talking about rethinking education. So if you are a teacher who hasn't lost your passion for teaching and you still want to teach, but you don't necessarily want to do it in the schools, or if you are a parent who's lost your belief in the educational system, but you still value your kids being around at least a small group of kids, this session may be for you. Cindy Lumpkin, known also as the LD Coach, is a teacher turned school founder. She resigned her post in a large urban school district in 2011 after having been a successful special education teacher, including a co teacher and an administrator, leading over twelve special ed teachers and paraprofessionals to pursue being a stay at home mom and eventually running Triumph in Life, Inc. A nonprofit organization that she founded and operates, Triumph School under. The mission is to inspire and educate those with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Cindy, I'm so excited to have you here today.

Cindy Lumpkin

Oh, thank you. I'm excited to be here.

Meg Brunson

Now, I know we just read your bio, but let's talk a little bit about that transition. So you were in the school system and you decided you wanted to leave that traditional employment as a teacher and start your own school. What did that process look like?

Cindy Lumpkin

Okay, so it wasn't a seamless process. I honestly didn't realize that I was going to eventually open my own school for me. What you see a lot of teachers going through today happened to me almost ten years ago. I've always been so passionate about education, particularly marginalized populations and the school or the district that I was working in. It was a large urban district, and I really just felt like I was a part of the problem due to no fault of my own. I just had so many kiddos. I happen to have been a high school teacher. I just had so many kiddos who were coming to high school still being either a non reader or reading at the third grade level. And we were putting these children in like general ed classes under the disguise of inclusion, and they really couldn't handle it. It was like they weren't learning anymore because now you're just trying to push this content in which they didn't even have the skills to learn the content. And so I just really honestly got tired of that. And at the time, there was no reason for me to just up and quit my job.

Cindy Lumpkin

Right. I've always knew that I have the heart of a teacher, and so I just kind of went along with things. And then eventually I got pregnant. And at that point I was like, hey, I think I want to be a stay at home mom. And so my husband was like, I'm not sure, but eventually I won him over. But after being home for about three years, both my daughter and I agree that we were not the typical stay at home mom child. And so it was at that point where I was like, okay, if I'm not going to be just a typical stay at home mom, like, what are you going to do? Are you going to go back to the school system? And my husband realizing that how much that impacted me as far as really not feeling as if I was being as effective as I could have been if it wasn't for all of the crap. He basically said, Well, Cindy, you know, you have this nonprofit organization once you pick it up and see what you can do for it. And I did. Matter of fact, I had the nonprofit when I was still working in public schools because I started it when I got into administration, I missed the kids, so I used to mentor, but I picked it up and did some research, and lo and behold, one day I woke up and found myself with an accredited school.

Meg Brunson

And I know that had to have been frustrating. Being in a position where. As a teacher. Where you feel like kids are just coming through and they're not even equipped to be at where they are. And you're being held to those standards still. And you can't just- I feel like I have personal experience with that process. And as a parent. I know how frustrating it can be. I can only imagine it's equally as frustrating for the teacher. And this option really gives you a lot more control, right, like running your own private school than going through the public school system.

Meg Brunson

How does that compare? And are there still requirements that you have to follow, like per grade level or is that more relaxed?

Cindy Lumpkin

It's definitely a lot more relaxed as a private school. I think you would be so surprised of the oversight that's there. But it's totally different. And in my case, it really has been a dream because I've been able to still work with some of the same students that I was working with in public schools and really have seen the result of when you have a child that meets the right environment with the right instruction. I have taught 18 year old men how to read who dropped out of school because they were non readers and was just completely embarrassed. We have so many success stories that it kind of blows my mind now to think that I could have this impact right, that you think would be being produced out of the public education system, to be real honest. And what I'm learning, it has really challenged me to change my perspective. At one point, I was not a huge fan of school choice because I really felt like it was a way of people who were already rich and powerful to continue to go and create spaces where others are excluded. And what I eventually started to see was one, that's going to happen anyway.

Cindy Lumpkin

When you have that type of money, they're going to do what they want to do. But what I realize is a lot of people who don't have options and they are forced to take what's given to them, that's not always the right way either. And once again, I've worked with students who typically could not afford private education. And if it wasn't for this itty bitty school, they wouldn't have a bachelor's degree right now. They wouldn't be working full time with enough confidence to really embrace that adult lifestyle that they have walked into. Like it has just been a dream to even- I tell people that my school is a cross between a private school and home school, okay? Because that's how relational that I get to be. And I have embraced using everything, including the community, to create an environment where students are learning and that it is not something being forced down them. I do a lot of inspiring and encouraging. I also do a lot of give and take, which in public school sometimes it was difficult. You can't say, listen, spend 15 minutes on this task and I'll let you go over here and sit for 30 minutes.

Cindy Lumpkin

You couldn't do that. You couldn't say that. But now in my environment, when I meet these, what I call educational or instruction resistant students, the only way- you can't play them in a power struggle, right? So if you're not going to physically make them do something, you have to inspire them. And sometimes I have to give up my power, right? And I don't mind that because I have learned when you do that and you do it strategically, eventually they give it back to you. Because kids have always had someone to tell them what they're going to do, when they're going to do it, and don't give them a voice. I just think of one of my students who came to me about three years ago and Payton, was like 14 years old. And he's not my typical profile child as far as being low income- mother and father, well educated, he is on the spectrum, but he was a non reader for whatever reason, it just hadn't happened. Smart kid. Now, vocabulary was there, but wasn't a decoder. Payton and I, 15 minutes a day for academic school year, had Payton reading by the end of the school year.

Cindy Lumpkin

And once again, it's like- I'm like, okay, I knew I was a good teacher, but am I that good of a teacher. And I would still say it's not that. It's more so that I was able to create an environment where kids feel comfortable, that they gain their confidence and then they learn to try. And then also I teach kind of some components of the growth mindset that failure is okay. Matter of fact, sometimes I like to fail because now I understand what I need to go back and learn or what I need to work on more in order to get to wherever I'm going.

Meg Brunson

I just love everything that you just said. I feel like as a parent, we know that our kids don't always fit in the box. And when you're going through the public school system, it's really like a business, right? It's a business and they're pushing these kids through. And if your kids don't fit in the box, they don't necessarily go through in the way that the world would have them go through. And in the same respect, once you were removed from that box that school was putting you in, you were able to thrive. Your kids are able to thrive. And you brought up something that I was actually wanted to ask you next is what is the difference between what you're doing- between starting a small school and homeschooling? What is the differentiator there? And how do you decide? I feel like in one sense I want to ask how do you decide which one you want to do? And in the other sense I want to ask like if you're already homeschooling, how do you determine if you want to switch? So I don't know if there's a way to answer kind of all of that in one go.

Cindy Lumpkin

Okay, so it seems kind of weird, but I think I understand what you're saying. I think the difference for me is that one, I am educating other people's children and then I am a teacher, right? And so for me, although I value the feel of home schooling, I value the scheduling and the flexibility, because technically this is still a business. I knew that I had to be able to package it in a way that would be palatable to people who were one, probably not used to home schooling. One, right? And then two, financially, just because of that, probably isn't looking for a private school. But to be honest, my little school, I've probably never had more than twelve students. So a lot looks the same other than I do meet at a commercial facility, generally a church, and that I am a certified teacher and that I'm accredited. So I've gone through some paperwork that gives me that title. And that was important for me because of, once again, the population, for the most part that I work with, because we are a nonprofit, the service that we provide is not generally the cost that would be if you just went to one of your more traditional private schools.

Meg Brunson

And I guess I'm wondering for people listening, if they like this idea and were interested in starting a school, what does that process look like?

Cindy Lumpkin

Okay, I don't want to say it's easy, but it's not difficult. You just have to know that that is your goal. And then be committed to the process. But if there's someone listening today that is really interested, I would say go for it. Now more than ever, we see how education has changed and a lot more of us are understanding that we don't just want our children to wear the shirt. It's not about just going to the big building anymore. And we understand that there are different types of environments that suit different children even better. And so even with what's going on with teachers right now, because so much power is being taken away from us, it really takes away from your creativity. It takes away from you being the best teacher that you can be. When you just have someone that says, here, teach this like this for this amount of time, for whatever, it drains you of your passion. And that's why I had to leave because there was nothing left there of the person who really knew she was called to this education. Like school took all of that out of me, right?

Cindy Lumpkin

And so if you are interested, then the first step basically would be just to get started your business structure, determine whether or not you're going to be this LLC or a nonprofit organization and then you just start thinking about who your clientele is, right. Once again, I think that's the other thing is that you have to put on your business person hat. I often say and my fellow teachers, please do not come for me, but I often say that teachers have low self esteem. Like we act as if we're such one dimensional people and we are not. But I feel like we have taken on that identity because society as a whole just have not valued us. They just have not really seen how much we bring. But I am realizing now, or I'm being able to say, hey, not only am I a teacher, I am really a businesswoman. And I still have issues like saying that because I see myself as a teacher. But most of the things that I've done really falls in the line of being an entrepreneur. So you have to think of yourself as a business person and then you just have to accept that because you are teachers have so many transferable skills that it is like mind blowing when you really sit down and be like.

Cindy Lumpkin

Oh. Okay. I can do that. That relates to this. Or whatever. But after that really decide on the niche like who it is that you want to serve. Now, I wouldn't just say, oh, I'm going to serve everybody because once again, you're a business person now, right? It ain't that you just cut- you got all these people lined up to come to you. So being more strategic in picking that small population or that group that you feel called to. For me, it's students with learning disabilities, particularly those who may be low income and/or who in Payton's situation, just have not really encountered the right instructions. And he was so far behind in his reading. So for you it could be, hey, I just want to work with Kindergartners or elementary school students. But whatever that is, pick that clientele, start marketing to that group, become the expert, help people solve some of their problems. Give parents information and tips about working with homework, whatever that is. You have to put yourself out there. And I think that's another thing that sometimes teachers have more of a challenge doing, right? But once you do all of that, figure out whether or not you want like this project based learning type of school or center.

Cindy Lumpkin

For me, it's just skill based, right? So most of my students who come to me, come to me with skill deficit. So my priority is really working on skill and then being extremely creative in how we are being repetitive to teach skills to older people, if that makes sense.

Cindy Lumpkin

There's a couple of other things in between that you have to do, but we will be here all day. So I've written on my blog how to start a school. So if anybody's interested, there's a more step by step version of that.

Meg Brunson

That's awesome. And we'll put those links in the show notes. The other like the flip side of things. Now I want to talk about parents like me who have kids that don't fit inside the box, who've kind of lost a lot of faith in the public education system. The stories you've referred a couple of times, like the things teachers are dealing with today. And we've seen states that are determining what does and doesn't constitute history. There have been reports of teachers who are given literal scripts to read from when teaching their kids. And that's terrifying to me. My kids are not in public school now and the thought of putting them back in public school terrifies me. So for somebody like me, how do I find these little micro schools? Like, I'm personally not a teacher, so I'm not looking to start a school, but I would love to get my kids involved in a school. So can you tell me? First of all, I don't think we've talked about where your school is located. Let's talk about that and then how do we find schools near us? What are the Google terms we should be searching.

Cindy Lumpkin

Now? That's a little bit harder. But I am located in Atlanta, Georgia. Okay. However, I think nowadays because of social media, it is a huge resource and I would kind of go and do some searches, especially on Facebook. There are all types of either homeschooling groups, learning pods even. I have a private group where we have like about 800 teachers who are interested in starting their own small schools. So if you are a parent who is really interested, I would say if one if you know other parents, you guys get together and then you start searching out maybe a teacher, someone that you can trust that's going to be able to deliver the type of instruction and create the right type of environment and that you guys support that person and starting your own little school. So I don't think there's a clear cut answer, but it's not as hard as you think either. I think there's a lot of us who are starting and for me, social media is a huge tool. Right. That is kind of what I used to really put what I do out there and to try to connect with other parents, particularly those parents who's kids, are having issues with learning differences as a result of some type of learning difference or what have you.

Meg Brunson

Awesome. This has been so amazing. I want to thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to share your story, to share the options that other teachers have or that home schooling parents have and the options that we have as parents when it comes to educating our kids. It's a tough topic. I never could have imagined I'd be dealing with it as much as I am now. Like you, some of my original thoughts going back was that I couldn't imagine ever not sending my kids to public school. I was a public school kid, I turned out fine. Those kind of things and the past few years has really changed things for me. So I want to thank you for being here and I'd love if you would drop some links. Where can people connect with you? Your website, social media, where do you hang out?

Cindy Lumpkin

Oh, awesome. A little bit everywhere. But I have a website, it is called www.theLDCoach.com. I do blog in there. I'm also on YouTube, CindyLumpkin, so if you just search that name, it will pop right on up. And so I talk about anything from special education, teacher inspiration, as well as a couple of videos on how I started my school.

Meg Brunson

Awesome. Thank you so much, Cindy. A pleasure to chat with you today.

Cindy Lumpkin

Thank you so much for having me. It was fun.