Learning Unboxed

Usually, one-on-one coaching is reserved for business executives, but Joel Nicholson’s mission is to bring it to students. Joel is the co-founder of Youthfully, a coaching and development platform for students. He’s our guest on the show today.Joel explains Youthfully’s holistic and non-directive coaching philosophy. He walks us through their process, starting with an intake assessment all the way through application of the student’s stated goal. He also lays out his vision for scaling up the platform so more families can benefit from it.Bloom’s 2 Sigma problem has been around for a few decades now– how do we achieve the outcomes of one-on-one teaching while being limited by resources. Joel is tackling this problem head-on and has a lot to teach us about the lessons he’s learned along the way.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What the term ‘holistic’ means in educationHow to scale up one-on-one coachingThe three levels of the Youthfully process: foundations, experiences, applicationsResources:L

Dr. Tyler Thigpen co-founded The Forest School in Fayetteville, GA and from there he also co-founded the Institute for Self Directed Learning. Tyler is our guest on the show today and shares with us key practices he has researched and used to nurture student-led environments.We talk about the concept of mastery and how to measure it with single point rubrics, with an emphasis on longitudinal growth. We discuss the role exhibitions and practicals play in developing student responsibility. We also get into how to create space for students to forge their character and learn how to manage conflict.The Forest School is a model for all of us interested in education innovation, and its Institute for Self Directed Learning is a resource to help us achieve it. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How Tyler implements self directed learning at the micro school he co-founded, The Forest School.The importance of measuring longitudinal growth in a mastery-based environment.How to create an environment where ki

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” was made almost 40 years ago, yet it still is seen as an accurate representation of education in America. Kevin Stoller is on a mission to update America’s perception of its schools. He’s our guest on today’s episode.Kevin is the founder of the Second Class Foundation and is creating a new docuseries called “What We Show Them.” He explains the power of entertainment to change culture. We discuss the importance of leadership, how anyone can be a storyteller, and the roadmap for his series. Be sure to check the Resources section to find out how you can connect with Kevin and potentially showcase your own innovative education program.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The power of entertainment to change cultureThe lag between progress in education and how it is reflected in the mediaHow anybody can be a leader and a storytellerResources:Learn more at SecondClassFoundation.org Email Kevin at info@secondclassfoundation.orgWatch “What We Show Them” Episode 1 on YouTubeRead

Often game-based learning is treated simply as a hook to get students initially engaged. Today our guest Chris Ramsden explains how game-based learning should instead be deeply infused in a curriculum, supported with a strong methodological and pedagogical foundation. Chris is a game-based consultant for Accelium Australia, an organization that provides a digital platform and 24-session “Thinking Journey” to help teachers integrate gamification into their classroom. The sessions are focused on learning abilities, mathematical thinking, scientific thinking, and flexible and agile thinking.Even more importantly, Chris notes, is that game-based learning builds social and emotional skills in students. It helps them create a toolkit of metacognitive habits that they can use in their personal, and eventually professional, life.This conversation will make you want to stop and play a game right now– what Chris calls “nutritional candy for the brain.”To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Teaching metacognit

All great things start with a podcast! What started out as a podcast by Ryan Pruitt during COVID lockdowns has morphed into his business called Be All You. Ryan joins the show today to introduce his unique business and discuss the state of education. Be All You is an education company creating an exploratory platform for students who need to create unique projects or initiatives to enhance their college applications or build their resumes. It’s designed to get students to create entrepreneurial projects that are made up of their skills and their passions. We talk about the importance of youth self-discovery and empowerment. We also discuss how to help teachers develop their own entrepreneurial mindset. Take a listen to learn more about this exciting new program.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in students and teachersThe importance of students being able to choose their learning projectsHow future careers can be created through what students learn todayReso

While virtual learning is often associated with COVID lockdowns and isolation, it actually has the power to create more connections than traditional brick-and-mortar schools for some students. Dr. Lorna Bryant, Head of Career Solutions at Pearson Virtual Schools joins the show today to explain how.With virtual learning, students can access knowledge, networks, and opportunities across the globe while still remaining in a physical setting that works best for them. Sometimes these students have disabilities, are parents themselves, or simply learn best in a virtual setup.Lorna walks us through how Pearson does career assessments for their students, develops their soft skills, and connects them with industry partners. Even if you work in a brick-and-mortar location, Lorna’s insights can help you broaden your students’ world through technology.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How virtual learning can bring more learning opportunities and connections to under-resourced kidsPearson Virtual School’s

Many times we say we value students’ voices and aspirations, but we don’t do the work to truly make them partners in designing and delivering education. Today, Dr. Russ Quaglia and Dr. Lisa Lande from the Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations join the show to talk about how to change this.We have a great conversation about being honest with where you’re at as an organization in terms of student voices and aspirations, and starting from there. We talk about trusting students with more responsibility, and being ok when things get messy. We also talk about the importance of building a foundation of community and individuality. If you are interested in truly utilizing student voices, this episode is for you.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The definition of voiceHow values inform aspirationsThe importance of ongoing relationship-building to create space for voices and aspirationsResources:Learn more at QuagliaInstitute.orgProduced by NOVA Media

Welcome to our special series about shifting to a more student-lead ecosystem! Usually we take the month of July off, but this year we’re going to re-examine episodes with the theme of empowering students and communities to determine their own needs and successes.Sometimes we get caught up in the idea that the purpose of education is to create a future workforce. Heather Van Bethuysen joins the show to remind us that the purpose of education is a strong democracy. We want to educate young people to be powerful in the world in which they live. The goal is to develop them to be powerful to enact change, be powerful to advocate, be powerful to know.If we look at education through that lens, student empowerment becomes a more natural and necessary part of our systems. Heather gives us a specific example of how they are doing this in Chicago Public Schools: Not only do they collect student surveys, but they then give that data back to students to co-collaborate on what changes need to be made.Join us for a fascina

Welcome to our special series about shifting to a more student-lead ecosystem! Usually we take the month of July off, but this year we’re going to re-examine episodes with the theme of empowering students and communities to determine their own needs and successes.Kids today are different. Compared to high school graduates in 2000, today’s graduates are less likely to have a driver’s license (80% to 52%), less likely to have had a part-time job (85% to 35%), and less likely to have ever been on a date (decreased by 50%). Using these numbers, our guest today, Bill Daggett, explains just how out-of-date and out-of-touch our education system is for today’s students.We discuss how to fundamentally transform the system so it connects with students and what they need to thrive in the modern marketplace.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How today’s students are fundamentally different than those of past generationsThe need for schools to focus less on content and more on skillsWhat it takes to change m

Welcome back to our special series about shifting to a more student-lead ecosystem! Usually we take the month of July off, but this year we’re going to re-examine episodes with the theme of empowering students and communities to determine their own needs and successes.Sheryl Cababa researches and designs educational products and services on behalf of philanthropists and investors. In this episode, she explains how she combines design thinking and systems thinking in her work in order to elevate the voices of students and teachers, and examine the underlying structures that shape success. She explains how we all can use concepts of human-centered design, equity-centered design, and targeted universalism in our work.We wrap up by discussing the latest trend in educational products: AI. Sheryl applies systems thinking to it, highlighting the fact that the commonly used AI models have been built on data sets rife with discrimination. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What key terms mean like “syste

Welcome to our special series about shifting to a more student-lead ecosystem! Usually we take the month of July off, but this year we’re going to re-examine episodes with the theme of empowering students and communities to determine their own needs and successes.In today’s episode, Kavita Tanna, founder of Global Reconnect, speaks about our interconnectedness, not just as human beings, but as creatures on this planet. She weaves together strength-based approaches, sustainable ownership, and care for the environment.  The more we understand our interconnectedness, the more we can make decisions as a community of individuals.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why strength-based conversations are criticalHow students can learn with empowered dignity, sustained ownership, and cultivated relationshipsThe power of connecting with each other around the question of what it means to be a human beingResources:Learn more at globallyreconnect.orgConnect with Kavita on LinkedIn"Factfulness" by Hans

Humans think in story. Story is not just a way to connect with others, it’s how we connect to ourselves and how we navigate our world. At Just Bloom School, adults and children learn how to tap into their innate story-telling abilities to develop creativity and resilience. Head educator Sarah Lagrotteria joins us today to tell us more.Sarah has trained Special Ops members, business leaders, and third graders in how to think in story to come up with creative problem-solving solutions. She gives us an example of how she has kids come up with a kind of “Pokemon card” for someone who thinks differently than them, and then asks the kids to solve problems thinking like that person.Sarah explains that the ongoing practice of story-based creativity leads to significant results in individuals’ self-efficacy and resilience. Individuals feel confident that they can come up with several different solutions to fix a problem rather than giving up after one.We discuss how this kind of creativity education can be integrated

The traditional educational ecosystem is not built to reflect kids’ lived experiences and development. It has almost arbitrary divisions: School, after school, and summer; school districts and nonprofits; test scores and behavior. Byron Sanders and Big Thought want to change that ecosystem.Big Thought is a Dallas-based organization that creates youth programming, convenes other educational organizations, and consults on best practices. Through experiential learning, they provide kids from marginalized communities the opportunities they need to identify and pursue their passions, build 21st skills, and exercise their agency.Byron explains everything in terms of an ecosystem: How direct youth feedback of programs eventually impacts systems change, how creating more opportunities for youth changes the way they interact with the current system, etc. How he talks about our field might just change the way you look at everything.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How youth’s program feedback should inf

Lesley Slaughter’s job as VP of Soliant is to examine how to close the gap between the number of healthcare professionals and the increasing number of patients requiring care. Recently she has been focusing on school settings as the location of care and health professionals like speech pathologists, sign language interpreters, special ed teachers, etc.According to a survey conducted by Soliant, 50% of these school-based professionals were considering leaving their field altogether. At the same time, 90% of schools believe that the number of students with IEPs will continue to increase, and 26% of students will need some kind of mental or behavioral health counseling by 2028.So how do we retain these professionals in the education setting? Lesley’s research has led her to some suggestions. One is to allow professionals to remote work when appropriate. Another is to allow more professionals to be contract-based instead of district employees, allowing them more autonomy and flexibility.We dive into these solutio

Getting to see a live wild animal up close beats staring at a screen for just about anybody, big or small. Our guests today have witnessed that firsthand and are building out their family education program based on it. We are joined today by Seth Oglesby and Susan Zelinski from Arc of Appalachia’s Nature is Neat program. They are in the early growing stages of the South-Central Ohio program, bringing on more volunteer naturalists and a full-time education coordinator. Their passion is palpable.We dive into all the segments they include in their once-a-month programming: An activity, interactive learning, themed hikes, meeting a live animal, and a craft kids can take home to continue their learning. They emphasize that the program is for the whole family, creating meaningful moments of nature immersion and learning that will have a long term impact on everyone.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How nature lends itself to immersive learningThe power of volunteer naturalists in educationCreating a

Play is powerful. Not only is it critical to the individual development of children, but it can create schoolwide cultures of inclusion, celebration, and healthy conflict resolution. No one knows this better than our guest on the show today, Elizabeth Cushing, CEO of Playworks. For almost 30 years, Playworks has worked to give kids a safe, healthy, inclusive recess experience. They partner with schools, starting with a Great Recess Framework evaluation. Then they place Playworks staff at the schools for recess, implementing the basics: Rock, paper, scissors as a conflict resolution tool; high fives; and positive language coming from adults. Plus, they train near-peer mentors as Junior Coaches, allowing kids to shine as leaders at their school.Beyond discussing the importance of play, both for kids and adults, we also dive into Playworks’ approach to sharing its practices with other organizations. Often nonprofits hesitate to share their “secret sauce” with other nonprofits, not wanting to risk their piece of

Almost ten years ago, Tom Thorpe wanted to create a learning environment that was embedded in the community and shaped around individual students. Today, REDI Lab, a “school within a school,” is physically located in a Denver Housing Authority neighborhood and sees over 100 students create their own learning path every year.As our guest today, Tom tells us the origin story and evolution of the Research Entrepreneurship, Design, & Inquiry Lab at Colorado Academy. He walks us through the trimester-long program: Teaching self-empathy and self-discovery, letting students dwell in problem-solving stages, and putting process over product.We also talk about the importance of developing teacher agency alongside student agency, including what that may look like in terms of experimentation and assessment.Tom does an excellent job weaving together his real world experience and pedagogical theory. Enjoy!To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Teaching students self-empathy and self-discoveryREDI Lab’s emphas

If a student misses even a single building block in their math education, they will struggle in future lessons. In math, every concept builds on itself. That’s why developing an excellent math curriculum is so critical… and so difficult.Today our guests are Tammy and Marc Goldberg, education innovators with Mathnasium. They’ve helped the company revamp its curriculum to help both instructors and students. Every concept is broken down into sequential pieces. Instructors assess where the student needs to (re)start, and each student gets all the time and individualized attention they need until they master that building block. But that kind of individualization can be hard to come by in traditional education systems. We discuss the challenges of creating math curriculums in schools. But Tammy and Marc do have some suggestions for a path forward: Get rid of timed number fact tests. Treat math like we treat reading in the early grades. Use precise language when teaching concepts. Tune in for this tough, but import

Christian Martinez knows firsthand what it’s like to be a young immigrant in America: The language barrier, financial stress, feeling alone and hopeless. That’s why he does what he does today. Christian is the founder and community innovator for The Camino Program and he’s our guest on the show today.Christian tells us  about the Camino program, not just what it does, but how it makes its participants feel. The program offers support in professional development, mental health, peer support, and career navigation for teens transitioning into adulthood. While it’s only four months long, it’s just the jumpstart of creating a lifelong network.The most important impact of the program is one that’s hard to measure, but is foundational to success: Hope. The Camino is literally “a path forward” for youth who have finally found a place where they can connect.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How immigrant youth experience disconnectionThe critical importance of hopeMeeting youth where they are at– espec

In 2015, Norris School District came to Johnna Noll with a learner-centered educational consultant’s dream request. The tiny school district’s residential population consisted of a treatment center for kids, and it asked Johnna to help it transform into a learner-centered, trauma-invested, constantly evolving program. Of course, she said yes.  Johnna joins the show today to tell us about what the school district has built. It uses a very clear learning design process: Profile, Plan, Pathway, Progress, and Proof. Students create their own unique learning paths based on their hobbies, talents, and interests. Then it’s up to the learning specialists to make sure academic competencies are tied into it.The foundation of the entire learning environment is students and staff deeply learning about each other, building agency and confidence. From there students are connected to resources in the community to learn about what they are specifically interested in. We also talk about how truly empowering students and staff