We recently had the chance to connect with Jennifer Lazarus and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jennifer, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I am chasing an education revolution — a movement where learning is alive, passion-based, and truly honors each child’s heart and mind. If I stopped, we’d stay stuck in an outdated education system that was never designed to nurture the whole child. If I stopped, we’d keep forcing square pegs into round holes and calling it success. But I won’t stop — because our kids deserve to thrive and the future needs hearts and minds set free.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Rooted in my work as a holistic speech-language pathologist, I know firsthand that genuine learning is so much more than worksheets and test scores — it’s about nurturing the whole child.
I’m Jen Lazarus, founder of Heart Expressions Microschool, where we are rewriting what ‘school’ looks and feels like. Microschools sit perfectly between homeschooling and the traditional school model, offering families a small, intentional learning environment where parents stay actively engaged in their child’s education.
Our microschool serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade, giving them a safe, vibrant space to explore who they are, connect with nature, follow their passions, and grow up knowing their voices matter.
Our mission is simple yet radical: to protect childhood, ignite curiosity, and remind families that education can be alive with heart, wonder, and deep meaning.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed children were better off seen and not heard — a message society has passed down for generations and still teaches today. Back then, pleasing others and earning good grades felt like the surest way to be loved and accepted by parents, peers, and the world around me. I leaned on academic validation and being a peacemaker to fit in, while my real questions about the world stayed hidden. I also watched many adults live life by default, never daring to chase their dreams — so when they said, ‘You can be anything you want to be,’ I couldn’t see an example of it, so how could I trust it?
Thank goodness for growth and evolution, because now I see it so differently: our children’s voices deserve to be heard and nurtured. I’m here to help undo old beliefs by creating spaces where kids know they belong, feel safe to express themselves, and grow into people ready to shape a kinder, more just world — and this time, they’ll see it’s possible, because we’re here to show them!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has been my greatest teacher — it forced me to face pain so deep that I finally decided I didn’t want to live in that darkness anymore. Losing my sister and undergoing bilateral hip replacement surgery brought me to my knees, but it also cracked me open in ways that success never could.
Success never demanded that I ask what really matters. Pain did. It made me see that the love I felt from my sister — so real, so deep — didn’t just appear and disappear. That kind of love comes from somewhere. It opened my heart to the idea that maybe life isn’t random at all, but intentional and meaningful in ways I couldn’t see before.
I didn’t “find God” overnight. I used to think the whole idea was abstract or too far-fetched. But step by step, I started to notice how perfect nature is, how life keeps moving, how I could choose what meaning to give my pain — and, most importantly, how we are all connected by love. Little by little, I realized that love, connection, and hope aren’t things we create alone — they’re things we tap into when we open ourselves up.
Suffering taught me how to do that. It taught me that the only way out is through — one step, one breath, one brave decision at a time.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
For too long, traditional schooling has insisted that real learning must stay rigid and test-driven — measured by memorization, repetition, and lengthy homework. But here’s what I know to be true: real learning feels alive. It sparks curiosity, fuels creativity, and reminds children — and adults — that discovery is one of life’s greatest joys.
True education goes far beyond cramming facts to pass a test. In this day and age, learning must shift its focus from tests to what really matters: nurturing communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. It grows thinkers, dreamers, and problem-solvers who know how to ask meaningful questions and seek answers that matter. When school becomes a place where ideas come alive, where students feel safe to explore, experiment, and make mistakes, learning shifts from an obligation to an adventure.
Most people think “fun” and “rigorous” can’t go together in education — but I believe they must. When students are genuinely invested and joyful about what they’re doing, the depth of their learning goes far beyond anything a test can measure — and that’s what real education looks like, a truth I wish more people could see.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Yes! I truly feel like I’m tap dancing to work, especially on the days we head out for our monthly field trips. There’s nothing more energizing than watching my students light up as they explore the world beyond the classroom — whether we’re learning about sea turtles at the Loggerhead Marine Life Center, unraveling optical illusions at the Paradox Museum, stepping back in time at the Old Davie Schoolhouse, or experiencing the magic and lessons of The Lion King on Broadway as we talk about what it means to be a great leader.
But the best part comes afterward: we bring that excitement back and turn it into meaningful research projects. For each field trip our students dig deeper, connect ideas, and proudly stand up to present what they’ve discovered. They ask questions, find answers, and teach each other — building confidence, curiosity, and increasing their communication skills. When a child — or an adult — can clearly teach what they’ve learned, you know the knowledge has stuck. That’s genuine learning — not rote memorization for a test, but true exploration, discovery, and sharing ideas in ways that matter. This is how we change education! At Heart Expressions Microschool, we build real learning through one adventure, one deep question, and one brave presentation at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://heartexpressions.org/
- Instagram: @heart_microschool
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069768681286&mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: hello@heartexpressions.org
Image Credits
Nany Lane Photography
@nanylanephotography
