Meet Kathryn Koniuszy | Holistic Mentor & Founder of a New Education System

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kathryn Koniuszy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kathryn, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I knew that a new education model would be successful with the following: a team where like minded people have room to both share their talents and develop themselves
arms length accountability of measurable goals and rewards for success
a streamline schedule that prevents burnout and eliminates wasted time
an integral designed curriculum map with leveled experiences aligned with developmental psychology
flexibility to serve both independent homeschooling families and families looking for a full private school

Also, I needed to have a model that was sustainable with just a few families, but scaleable to a larger school, then eventually a replaceable network of programs. I started with a picture of the future system AND a focus on the details that would solve the majority of the education system’s problems.

Since I know that I didn’t know everything, I started small enough that I could personally manage everything and cover all of the expenses with the “worst case scenario” amount of revenue. I have been profitable each year and we are making progress towards our next set of goals.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The happiest, most successful people I know are life long learners. Recognizing that challenges are learning opportunities was vital for me, but it also freed me from getting stuck focusing on the problems. It was difficult to build a team of independent individuals. This has been described similar to trying to herd cats. One key thing I had to learn was that the system needed to be solid enough that an individual could feel free to grow into and out of different roles. The students who attend our classes are not the only ones learning. They are also watching their teachers and mentors celebrate their own personal growth too!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve got to thank my children for running with the baton of independent, integral living. They were ready at a young age to engage with the world, not merely be entertained by it. I knew I would need a full education model to honor their emerging potential.

I’m humbled and inspired by the other educators and the families who have found alignment with this vision and contributed their work and talents to help build it into reality.

I am so grateful for the work done by experts in their fields of developmental psychology and child development, some of my favorites are Becky Bailey (Conscious Discipline), Gordon Neufeld (his book: Hold On To Your Kids), and Ken Wilber (Integral Theory). It has been extremely important to have detailed guidance as we work to change the parent/teacher/child dynamics towards better patterns.

Website: http://AmericanFamilyEducation.com

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