The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning (Kyle Wagner)

Welcome! In this intro trailer, I share my personal story of learning transformation, what you can expect to get each week, and my simple mission to you, the edu-transformer! I hope you enjoy it. 

How can one project unite previously isolated teachers, build SEL and cross-disciplinary skills in students, and transform a community? 

Welcome to the Sensory Therapy Games and Toys Project by the Year 5 Team at KPIS International School.

In this episode, I unpack the project with the 5 person teaching team to discover:

• The starting point for cross-disciplinary learning design 
• How to seamlessly integrate content across a range of subjects
• Build SEL skills 
• Assess student learning
• Foster greater collaboration amongst teachers and students

Learn more about KPIS International School: https://kpis.ac.th/ 

Learn more about the upcoming PBL Design Certificate Course and enroll a team: https://transformschool.com/pbl-intermediate-blended-learning-immersive-coaching/ 

How can the most innovative square mile on the planet also be plagued by racial injustice 2 blocks away? And what can we do about it?

This is just one of the many difficult questions teens at 'Innovators For Purpose' are tackling through project-based experiences they design in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

They are building installations. Publishing books. Creating augmented reality simulations. Building educational games. And producing podcasts.

And they are using a few simple, innovative tools to guide them. 

In this interview, we unpack some of these innovative tools including the 'Innovators Compass,' with its creator Ela Bur, and co-founders of 'Innovators For a Purpose' Michael and Donna Dawson. Through our short chat you will learn how to use similar tools to seamlessly facilitate a multitude of student projects within your own context, and transform the community as a result.

Sample Innovators' Compass for Two Blocks Project: 

Connect with Ela on LinkedIn, Twitter (@elabenur) 

Connect with Donna on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn. 

Learn more about 'Innovators' for a Purpose': Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Website: innovatorsforpurpose.org 

Learn more about the 'Innovators' Compass' and '2 Blocks Project:' https://innovatorsforpurpose.org/2blocks 

Michael Dawson's Bio: Co-founder and CEO of IFp, career has spanned engineering, marketing and sales in High Tech as well as entrepreneurial endeavors resulting in a hybrid of technical skills, business acumen, design savviness, relationship building abilities and an undeniable entrepreneurial spirit. Holds Bachelor & Master in Electrical Engineering Degrees from the University of South Florida and an MBA from Babson College.

Donna Dawson's Bio: Co-founder of iFp, VP Youth Empowerment, visionary thinker with a zeal for art and the art making process. Inventive art educator with a proven capacity for promoting a respectful, caring, safe and inclusive classroom. Creates engaging learning experiences focused on Human Centered Design Principles, Character Development and Professional Identity that inspires youth to pursue Design and STEM careers. Holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education with over 20 years teaching experience and a certified K-12 instructor. 

Ela's Bio: Ela supports educators and organizations making postive change with Design Thinking. Over 13 prior years at innovation firm IDEO, Ela was a design practitioner, project leader, team coach, facilitator for clients, and co-founder of IDEO’s Leadership Studio. Ela teaches courses from product design to life design at pioneering Olin College. She has led featured workshops at venues from MIT (her alma mater) to the National Science Teachers’ Association, AIGA, International Development Design Summit, and US Conference on AIDS. With many co-experimenters, she developed Innovators’ Compass (#innovatorscompass, innovatorscompass.org), 5 powerful questions in one visual tool used from preschools to companies and communities to creatively and collaboratively navigate challenges. Ela’s daughters are her inspiration. 

Ever have a student say, 'When will I use this in the REAL WORLD?'

It's their attempt to connect learning in our classrooms to the things that naturally empower and engage them outside of school. Hobbies, interests, sports, work, passion, the community. 

At REAL School Budapest, this curiosity is satisfied daily through real world learning experiences. From designing self guided eco-wonder tours of the community, to creating short docu films on relevant topics, kids are immersed in the real world beyond school.

Hear about the 3 magic ✨  ingredients that allow for these experiences in my short interview with Head of School Dave Strudwick. 

AI is here. And while many schools are still wrapping their heads around how to best use it, some classrooms are already using it to enhance learning experiences. 

Whether that's in animating student written memoirs; or acting as a co-pilot in student research and investigation.

AI can improve learning outcomes and make our lives easier when we have the courage to embrace it. 

In this episode I sit down with technology/instructional coaches Cora Yang and Dalton Flanagan to learn more about how they are embracing AI and helping teachers across all subjects embrace and integrate it mindfully within their classroom and learning experiences. We learn:

• How to get comfortable and have fun with AI
• Simple ways AI can enhance our learning experiences and engage hard to reach learners
• How AI can help offload some of the things we hate doing as educators, while freeing up time for us to do more of the things we love  

Connect with Cora: Twitter and Threads: @coraedtechcoach, Website, LinkedIn

Connect with Dalton: Twitter: @desertclimber, LinkedIn, Website (https://www.daltonflanagan.me/)

Curated List of AI Tools for Teachers: https://t.co/hN1tGeE3Ik

Even more AI Tools: https://aieducator.tools/

Get the Discounted PBL Design Certificate Course: https://projectbasedlearning.teachable.com/p/projectbasedlearning1?coupon_code=30%25-OFF&product_id=2039146

Register for the PBL Symposium in November: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/ 

Dalton's Bio: Dalton is a Learning and Innovation Coach at Chinese International School in Hong Kong, with over a decade of experience in education. He is by a passion for designing authentic project-based learning experiences, and strives to connect students' learning journeys with cutting-edge technologies, fostering engagement and promoting in-depth exploration. His enthusiasm for experimenting with new technologies drives him to integrate them into the classroom environment. His recent exploration into the realm of advanced AI models, such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and ChatGPT, have further expanded his ability to engage and inspire students and educators. As an ardent advocate for knowledge sharing and collaboration, he presents his experiences at conferences worldwide.

Cora's Bio: Meet Cora Yang, a devoted Learning Technology Coach at Renaissance College Hong Kong. Specializing in PYP and MYP tech integration, she enriches education with coding, robotics, VR, digital design, and more. Cora believes technology connects students to real-world opportunities, fostering lifelong learning through innovative projects. Always curious, Cora eagerly explores new tech and shares her knowledge, inspiring students to unlock their potential in our ever-changing world.

Imagine a classroom full of students who move seamlessly from project task to project task; self-directed, self-managed, and self-empowered... 

While the teacher facilitates seamlessly in the background.

That's what it looks like in veteran teacher Roslynn Jackson's 7th grade 'agile' classroom. In this episode Roslynn uncovers the secrets behind her 'agile' classroom, and how we can develop the mindsets in students to allow for it. Through her 'Gamifying the Weather' and 'Simplifying Science Concepts' Projects, we learn how to:  

• Gently facilitate reflective conversations in project work
• Use positive peer pressure to elevate student work quality
• Lower stress and save time by getting out of our students' way
• Use simple processes to help students direct their own learning  

Connect with Ros: Twitter- @RoslynnJackson, LinkedIn

Resources on building 'Agile Classrooms:' Ros' Website.  Youtube Channel. 

Roslynn's Bio: 

Roslynn (Ros) is an educator with over 17 year of experience teaching. She has taught Kindergarten and 1st Grade, but her passion is for Middle School. She practiced environmental law before transitioning to teaching. Ros is a self-proclaimed "science geek", so teaching middle school science was a perfect fit. She has taught all middle grades (6th-8th grades), but currently teaches 7th Grade Earth and Space Science. She believes that the best part of science is the organized chaos of the inquiry process: asking questions, getting your hands dirty, hypothesizing, experimenting, proving and disproving hypotheses, experimenting again, etc. Through these steps students (and teachers) learn that there is not just THE answer, there is AN answer that could solve a given set of parameters. This is why Ros is a practitioner and advocate for Agile in the classroom. She believes that this framework instills a mindset in teachers and students of collaboration, communication, teamwork, experimentation, and reflection that can help us solve problems while learning content with minimally wasted time. As a Co-Founder of the The Agile Mind, she hopes to help other educators make the transformation to an Agile framework and see the power of becoming a facilitator of student agency and empowerment every day.

How do you make student work public? 

That's a scary proposition for many of us as educators.

But what if it's not for us to decide? 

What if we turned over control of the whole process to our students? 

Letting them choose the work, the medium, the format, the audience, and the script. What would happen then?

In this episode, I sit down with MYP Coordinator and student empowerer Alison Yang to learn more about how to curate public exhibitions, and how to:

• Exhibit student work seamlessly in in-person AND remote environments 
• Help typically shy students come to life
• Empower students to own the process while we gently guide in the background
• Get kids excited to share their learning
• Manage the project process using tech tools so easy, a caveman could do it

Alison's Blog: www.alisonyang.com 

Alison's Post on Creating an Exhibition in GatherTown: https://alisonyang.com/8-steps-to-organize-a-virtual-exhibition-via-gather-town/#Conclusion

Connect w/ Alison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonyawenyang/

Alison's Bio:

Alison Yang is an MYP Coordinator at KIS International School, Bangkok Thailand. Additionally, she is also an MYP/DP Workshop Leader and Field Rep, BQC Reviewer, Mandarin ab initio Examiner and MYP Language Acquisition Teacher Support Material Contributor. This is her 18th year working in the IB programmes. She is an active IB Educator and has been actively involved in IB activities and presented in various conferences. She deeply believes that evidence and research-based educational approaches can enhance educational practices and maximize student learning. She is interested in developing self-regulation of students.

If I walked into your classroom, would I find students seated neatly in rows facing the front, or in small interdependent table teams? 

One of the best ways to shift from a teacher-led to a student-centered environments is to re-arrange your furniture. 

In this short bonus episode, I unpack simple ideas for creating this kind of collaborative environment, strategies for developing interdependent student teams, and the implications it will have for your classroom in the new school year. 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to Identify Areas for Growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard

Get the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher

RSVP for the 12 Shifts Launch Party: www.transformschool.com/booklaunch

How do you help students reflect as much on process as they do product in project-based experiences?

In this interview with Alfie Chung, leader of the social innovation design unit at PolyU in Hong Kong, we explore how to create a culture of continual reflection and feedback. Using a simple, repeatable process, Alfie has students as young as 11 designing and reflecting innovative solutions to problems ranging from traffic congestion to limited exercise activity at local parks.

In our short interview, you will learn:

• How to provide high-quality feedback for students using simple systems
• Why to never throw away 'first drafts'
• How to help students become as comfortable with failure as they are success
• The simple formula for capturing student's imagination, and retaining it
• How to use simple prompts to lighten your work load and help students reflect on their own and with peers

Get in Touch w/ Alfie via LinkedIn: @alfiechung

View more of his projects: www.rethinkingurbanspace.com 

Alfie's Bio:

Alfie Chung is the assistant project manager for the Hong Kong Design Centre and former project associate at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation - the first design institute dedicated to social innovation in Asia. Under the spatial team, his work involves research and generating solutions to urban-social issues in a spatial context such as revitalising idle resources for social housing and creating inclusive open space. His methods include design thinking, open studio, co-creation and dialogue with industry experts and university students.

Outside of his university work, Alfie is also 1 of 63 Google Earth Education Experts and a member of the former Google Earth Education Advisory Board, tasked to explore the potential of Google Earth products in education. Previously, Alfie created and led “Community Mapping” - an urban design education programs focusing on sustainability and inclusivity under UN Ambassador and renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. The program garnered $650,000HKD of funding and participation of over 800 students from local and international schools. The program has also transformed into many other design thinking, community-driven education program and design projects for corporate clients and education providers. His work has been featured in design magazine Nonagon Style and local media HK01, Apple Daily and Oriental Daily.

What do you think of when you hear the term 'learner agency?'

You might envisage students having some "voice" and "choice" around what they learn, or where they sit in class. 

And while that's a nice start, learner agency is more than allowing students some choice in what they learn. It's about involving them in every step of the journey.

Imagine a school with...

🙌🏼 Student- run electives.
🙌🏼 Seventy + student led businesses to carry out the school's day to day operations.
🙌🏼 Timetables that are created and carried out by a student design team.
🙌🏼 A school board that includes young learners.
🙌🏼 100+ Individualised Learning Plans that students co-design.

That's Templestowe College, or more affectionately known as "Take Control" College in Australia. It's one of Hundred.org's top 100 most innovative schools in the world. And Peter Hutton was the mastermind at its helm. 

I was lucky enough to sit down with Peter to learn more about how he built this kind of learner agency; and how we as learner-centered champions can heed the lessons to build more student agency in our classrooms and schools.

Connect with Peter: LinkedIn, Twitter

Join Future Schools: https://futureschools.education/

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centered Classrooms Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

Buy the 12 Shifts Book for 20% off: 'Where is the Teacher: 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments.' 

Join the 12 Shifts Certificate Program: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 

Peter's Bio: Peter is a maverick, a free radical, a challenger of the status quo. His strength is in transformational insight and supporting educational leaders to build innovative and adaptive cultures. As a person with dyslexia, Peter sees the world differently. Co-founding the Future Schools Alliance in 2018, Peter now works with a community of 100 member schools to significantly improve the lives of young people by transforming the education system to promote purpose-filled empowered learning and equip them for times of exponential change. Peter was the former Principal of Templestowe College which has been recognised by Finland’s HundrED organisationas one of the most innovative schools in the world.

Anyone who works with adolescents, knows middle school can be a challenging time.

But what if we could build a program or school, and project based experiences grounded in best practice that not only made it less challenging, but fun and empowering as well?

This was the question that guided visionaries Andrew Ravin and Denise Daniels in creating Workshop Middle School, an innovative middle school for "creative, curious, and big-hearted students in 6th-8th grade."

Imagine no more bells. Textbooks. Or shuffling to 6 classes a day. Just small cohorts of learners and a trusted mentor to guide them. 

In this short interview, learn from them how to:

• Discover students' interests and passions.
• Develop positive relationships.
• Create authentic assessments.
• Become a mentor, guide and trusted advisor.
• Move from 'lone innovator' in the corner classroom of a large school to small school founder. 

Learn more about Workshop Middle School.  

What does a theater director and the coordinator of a wall-to-wall PBL program have in common?

They are both experts in facilitating several projects at once.

Whether that's script writing and set design in preparation for a major performance, or student-designed health apps and meal plans in response to the obesity crisis in their community.

In this short interview, Kim Flintoff, coordinator of TIDES (Technology, Innovation, Design, Enterprise, Sustainability), a year 7-10 micro-PBL program, shares with us how to:

• Use a few simple frameworks to help generate and facilitate multiple student project ideas 
• Partner with and frame project-based experiences around REAL issues in the community
• Use a repeatable process to help students self-assess project work and become self-directed learners
• Build 'future ready skills' and still cover our curriculum
• Build momentum for learner-centered PBL across the whole school 

Connect with Kim: LinkedIn (@kimflintoff), Twitter (@kimbowa), Facebook (@kimfutures) 

Kim's Website: http://www.stem4innovation.org/

TIDES Program Overview

Kim's Bio:

Kim has traversed many roles in forty-odd years since he left school. Studying in a range of disciplines across the arts and sciences, and working in many areas including theatre, circus and media before settling into education where his combined experience seemed to find a home. Formerly an internationally recognised high school Drama teacher and teacher educator, then inaugural Learning Futures Advisor at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, in 2021 Kim returned to a role in school leadership (TIDES Coordinator) and his work continues to engage him in global advisory and consultation roles in all education sectors. As well as establishing and coordinating the Learning Futures Network, Innovative Schools Consortium and shared development of STEM4Innovation, Kim is also a founding member of the ShapingEDU community and continues as Lifelong Change Maker, advisory board member to Consortium of Schools Networking Driving K-12 Innovation initiative, FutureWe, NetEDU, OneHE and other projects around the world. Kim's ongoing research interest is considering the impact of educational collaborative networks on school innovation and transformation.

Imagine your most challenging students- The ones who can't sit still, blurt out, submit low- quality work, have difficulty working with others, and seem totally checked out suddenly self-managing, coming in voluntarily after class, submitting polished work, and leading teams.

That's what happened in several classrooms when they were transformed into canvases for student-run businesses. 

These forward thinking educators are making the magic happen with the support of an organisation called ‘Real World Scholars.’ And their ‘EdCorps’ model has garnished national attention. To date over 600 student businesses have been created, 600 + classrooms transformed, and more than 50,000 young lives forever changed. I sat down with founders John Cahalin and Elyse Burden to learn more about the model, and how we as learner-centered practitioners can use it to:

• Make our classroom come alive
• Tranform our students into real entrepreneurs and business 'co-founders'
• Give our boring ‘standards’ a real world lens
• Empower our traditionally disengaged learners
• Help learners discover their passions, interests, and most importantly how to make a difference

Connect with John: Twitter (@JohnCahalin1) 

Connect with Elyse: Twitter (@LyzBurden), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elyse-burden/)

Learn more about Real World Scholars Success Stories: Wicked Soap Company: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2FXk2kNEhQ), Articles: 'Non-Profit Brings Business to Life', Sugar Kids Beauty

John Cahalin's Bio: 

Elyse Burden's Bio:

What if schools operated more like a start-up? 

Students as entrepreneurs. 

Schedules- flexible. 

Community as partner. 

Community needs, and student-generated solutions as the curriculum. 

Teachers as project mentors. 

Assessment as value.

This is what learning looked like for 14 year old student entrpreneur Raheen Fatima, when she joined a local incubator in Pakistan. 

In this podcast episode, I chat with Raheen about what lessons we as edu-innovators can learn from this model, and how we can: 

• Design learning experiences that reflect real world work
• Provide students with more agency in their learning journeys
• Infuse real world stakes and build community partnerships 
• Help our young people discover their passions and interests, and use them to change the world

Learn more about Raheen: LinkedIn, Twitter (@RaheenFatima6)

Enroll in the Project Based Design Course for 40% off: https://projectbasedlearning.teachable.com/p/projectbasedlearning1?coupon_code=FALL-SALE 

Raheen's Bio: Raheen Fatima is a multi-award-winning GEN-Z Peace & Climate Change Activist. She is also an SDGs Ambassador, Stand-up comedian, Theatre Actor, teacher, Sustainability Entrepreneur, and Podcaster. Raheen’s work has been featured in news outlets including CNN, Cartoon Network, Voice of America, CTV News Canada, and Pakistan National Television. She is a prolific public speaker and has spoken at schools across the country and internationally. She gave her debut TEDx Talk at Acton Youth TEDx.

She believes nothing else but bridging the gap through interfaith, intercultural, international dialogue can pave the way for global peace and the achievement of SDGs

What do all of these assessments have in common?

💡 A field guide to the of the local flora and fauna in the region.
💡 A community garden.
💡 A recipe book for healthy meals using only 5 ingredients.
💡 A tourist handbook of the ‘hidden gems’ of the city.
💡 A podcast featuring community stories of hope.
💡 A published paper in a professional magazine around how to protect the local wetlands.

They are all authentic products created by students to demonstrate learning, and make a difference in their community. And they CAN'T be replicated by ChatGpt or AI. 

In this episode I provide insights for how to develop and authentically assess learning experiences using the 4 'A's' of assessment. Bonus resources available below:

50+ Alternatives to Paper/Pencil Exams: 50+ Ideas ways you might assess student learning in project-based experiences

PBL Collab and Grab Forum: Fill out this short interest form to apply for our monthly discussion forums around the most pressing questions and answers to PBL challenges. 

How do we EMPOWER our SEN learners? 

What if by accomodating for their unique needs, we were able to create a more student-centered environment for ALL learners? 

Provided alternative methods of assessment. Allowed for hands-on projects. Built learning around common themes. Emphasized life skills as much as academic ones. 

That's exactly what founder Ali Durban and Head Teacher Tamaryn Yatu have assembled at Gesher School; a through way school for children from ages 4-16 with mild to moderate needs. In this episode, we learn as student-centered practitioners:

• How to design and build more inclusive environments
• How to design learning experiences that engage and ignite our diverse learners
• The science behind neurodiverse learners and their needs
• How to assess learning that moves beyond paper/pencil tests
• How to create student-centered environments that create JOY and empowerment

Connect with Ali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-durban-6228233/

Connect with Tamaryn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaryn-yartu-b5074751/

Learn more about Gesher: https://gesherschool.com/ Access their database of projects: https://gesherschool.com/school-life/projects/

Pre-Order "Where is the Teacher: The 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments." www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Take the 12 shifts Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind 

Ali's Bio: Ali Durban is a parent and co-founder of Gesher, an all-through school designed especially for children who are differently able and who learn differently. Gesher School has been awarded Ofsted outstanding twice since it opened in 2017.

Ali is also the founder of the Gesher Assessment Centre, which offers a bespoke multi-disciplinary assessment, diagnosis and report service for children and young people who may have ADHD, Autism or a range of varying learning differences.

Ali's journey from exhausted SEND parent to co-founder of a thriving school community has transformed her into a ringleader for system-wide transformation. Ali currently chairs a SEND council for the Foundation of Education Development which is creating a 10-year plan and vision for UK education. Ali also sits on the Education Council for the Autism Centre of Excellence. Gesher School welcomes you to register for The Bridge, Gesher's professional journal for the learning and continuous development of schools and staff. 

Tamaryn's Bio: Tamaryn is originally from Cape Town, South Africa, where she completed a Bachelor of Education Foundation Stage and worked within a specialist environment catering for children with a range of learning differences and a focus on early intervention. Tamaryn has always had a passion for teaching as inclusively and creatively as possible and therefore moved to London to explore different learning environments within this specialist field. As a SEND specialist, Tamaryn hs honed her skills over the years to support inclusive practice within several schools both locally and internationally. Through a transformative education approach, I have used Project Based Learning and dynamic learning designs to create innovative and purposeful curriculum programmes.

Tamaryn has been a part of the Gesher journey since the very beginning, and became Headteacher at Gesher in April 2021.  She planned and oversaw the school's move to a new site alongside the Governors, staff and various external organisations, including 'planning learning spaces' as we evolved into the secondary phase. A big part of this work included the development of our learning spaces to deliver our authentic hands-on curriculum for our students while meeting a range of needs. This year my focus will be to continue to develop the school's provision alongside my new co-head while we work to make a systemic change in the education system through sharing best practices and advocating for our students.

In this interview with Linda Amici, Elementary Teacher, PBL expert, and community organizer, we discuss how to move from teacher- designed learning experiences to co-designed, student-centered classrooms. Through our interview, you will learn how to:

• Develop and deepen student questions
• Gently guide without overpowering
• Save time and headaches by letting go
• Set up simple routines to help students direct their own learning
• Get students to produce work that makes adults' jaws drop

Linda's Bio:

Linda Amici is an educator from Ohio. She has taught middle grade students for 14 years, and has also served as a part time faculty member of Otterbein University. She graduated from the Ohio State University and holds a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Linda’s passion is to empower future leaders to “be the change” the world needs. She has had opportunities to work overseas on projects to bring health and clean water to remote locations of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Amazon river basin. In 2019, Linda was selected as the Inspirational Teacher Award winner for the state of Ohio. Linda feels honored to have had the opportunity to invest work into PBL Works, Transform Education, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Ohio Ed Tech, Ohio Middle Level Association, PBL Matters, PBL Ohio Institute, Teacher Success Summit, National Center for Urban School Transformation, AnchorEd, 24 Hours of PBL, What the World Needs Now podcast, the Engage and Empower project, and We are One Team Podcast. She is a mother to six children, one dog, and a small herd of guinea pigs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking, kayaking, and keeping herself and her community strong and healthy by teaching fitness classes to all ages.

Connect with her on Twitter @LindaAmici

The 'Maker Movement' has taken off worldwide. Students are becoming tinkerers, designers, programmers, and builders. But the maker movement isn't about million dollar maker spaces and hi-tech gadgets, it's about a mindset.

In this interview, Mark Barnett, a Makerspace expert, PHD student and global consultant, teaches us how to adopt this 'maker mindset' and configure hybrid learning experiences that:

• Transform our fixed classrooms to flexible learning spaces
• Design personalized learning experiences that allow students to thrive in remote environments
• 'Hack' the ideal week together with students that allow for asychronous and synchronous experiences 
• Adopt a maker mindset to adapt to changes caused by CoVid-19

Connect with Mark:

Linked In: @makerMark

Twitter: @BarkMarnett

Mark's Bio: Mark is an educator, researcher, ed-tech professional, and a PhD student, studying how children can use Machine Learning as a catalyst for metacognitive thinking. He is passionate about project-based learning and teaching students to create with tools and technologies. With over 15 years of experience in STEAM and maker education, he has consulted with teachers and administrators all over the world to set up and design impactful learning experiences with makerspaces and related technology centres. He speaks internationally about equity and access to STEAM and maker education, most notably at conferences like: Stanford FabLearn, TEDx, MIT Libre Learn Lab, SXSWedu, EARCOS in Bangkok, UNESCO in India and at 21st Century Learning in Hong Kong.

So many schools are spending millions of dollars to reconfigure learning environments to be more fit for the '21st century' and project-based learning.

But when the spaces are finally built, they don't have the effect on teaching and learning that they desired. 

Why? Because the LEARNERS weren't involved in designing them. 

But what if they were? And what if it was their first project? 

In this episode, I sat down with Natural Pod CEO Bridegitte Alomes and CSO Michelle Carpenter to discuss their process for designing learning environments which include ALL stakeholders. Learn more about this process and how including learners in proposal writing, presentations, prototypes, and 3-D renderings for learning spaces informed the build for one of the most innovative campuses in the country! 

Learn more and connect with Natural Pod: Instagram/Twitter (@naturalpod), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/2749692/), Website (www.naturalpod.com) 

Bridgitte Alomes Bio: Bridgitte Alomes, Founder and CEO of Natural Pod, is a thought leader dedicated to creating better learning environments through the use of beautifully designed, high quality education furniture made from healthy, sustainable materials, with an emphasis on environmental awareness and stewardship. Through her work with Natural Pod, Bridgitte is committed to sharing the importance of learning environment design with the global education and design community, shifting the paradigm of learning spaces toward a more collaborative, intentional, and student-centric model. Bridgitte also serves as President on the board of the Green Schools National Network, creating broad-based initiatives aimed at fostering healthy, sustainable K-12 schools.

Michelle Carpenter's Bio: Michelle E. Carpenter is the chief strategy officer (CSO) at Natural Pod, a company focused on creating better learning environments. Michelle specializes in developing, communicating, executing, and sustaining strategic initiatives, ensuring Natural Pod thoughtfully supports students and educators within their learning environments. Michelle is deeply engaged with A4LE, specifically the SchoolsNEXT student design competition, where students design their version of the school of the future.

What if there was a way to expand the audience and find collaborators for our project-based experiences? Might we feel less isolated?

In this short episode, Kelly Pfeiffer, human network architect, dedicated PBL educator, author, blogger and presenter shares how she accomplished this through the 'Dark Sky' Project. She shares how she connected her project to NGOs, other schools, 60+ industry experts, and even the ministry of education. She also shares how we can:

• Build community collaborators by starting PBL with a real, authentic problem
• Leverage social media and other channels to find project mentors within minutes 
• Find your PBL 'tribe,' and build capacity for PBL across your entire school
• Build meaningful projects in the metaverse with your students as co-creators 
• Use PBL to transform formerly passive students into active, engaged problem-solvers and global citizens 

Connect with Kelly:

LinkedIn

Twitter (@kelmade5)

'Dark Sky' Project Website (free resources): https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/About-Us/Our-Programs/Dark-Sky/Dark-Sky-education

Kelly's Bio:

A human network architect, dedicated educator, author, blogger and presenter, Kelly is the point person for PBL Global in Australia and an innovator in distance education PBL. Kelly co-created the widely-adopted Dark Sky PBL unit, nominated for the Dark Sky Defender award through the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). In 2019, she won the Australasian Association of Distance Education Schools (AADES) for Teaching Excellence. In addition, her Dubbo School of Distance Learning Futures Team received the New South Wales Department of Education Technology 4 Learning (T4L) award for Leader in Developing Digital Collaborative Communities.

These past 2 years have been some of the toughest we have ever faced as educators. 

We've been asked to teach in new mediums. Had to work double shifts. Been required to work in unsafe conditions. And at the same time seen our salaries and pensions dwindle.  For these reasons, many of us our leaving the profession. How do we re-ignite and re-imagine our love for the classroom during this difficult time?

I sat down with veteran educator and master storyteller Todd Shy, to chat about his new book 'Teaching Life: Life Lessons for the Aspiring and Inspiring Teacher,' and hear stories that help re-ignite the joy and wonder that only a life of teaching can bring. During our short interview, Todd helps us remember:

❤️  To be charmed by our students
❤️  That we are called to be both artist and engineer
❤️  To prepare students for life, not a test
❤️  The wonder of the Groundhog years

Get Todd's Book : https://press.avenues.org/teaching-life/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/avenues-the-world-school/mycompany/

Prevent 'burnout' through job rotation: https://www.hourly.io/post/job-rotation-pros-and-cons-for-your-business

Connect on Twitter: @Avenues_org/with_replies

Facebook: @AvenuesTheWorldSchool

Todd's Bio: Todd Shy has taught for more than twenty-five years in North Carolina, California, and New York. Currently, he is Head of the Upper Division at Avenues The World School in New York City. His essays and book reviews have appeared in the Raleigh News and Observer, the San Francisco Chronicle, Salmagundi, and the Harvard Divinity Bulletin. In 2008, he was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing. 

Do you still set New Year’s Resolutions?

I used to—until I realized I broke nearly all of them by February. And I’m not alone. Research shows that 88% of people abandon their resolutions within the first two weeks!

But there’s a far more powerful, research-backed method for casting your vision for Student-Centered Learning in 2025. This method has already helped me and over 2,000 educators achieve radical transformations in their classrooms.

In this short bonus episode, I’ll share this simple, proven method and show you how to use it to create more self-directed, empowered learners in the 2025 school year.

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to target areas for growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Get the 12 Shifts Book (20% off for the holidays): Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Teacher-Shifts-Student-Centered-Environments/dp/1032484713 

Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Where-Is-the-Teacher-The-12-Shifts-for-Student-Centered-Environments/Wagner/p/book/9781032484716 

Join the 12 Shifts Training Certificate Course: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass  

Taking the first steps 👣 into design project-based experiences can be a scary thought for a lot of teachers...

It certainly was for me.

How will I ensure students acquire the mandated curriculum? Assess learning? Where will I find the time to plan, scaffold the experience, and ensure students reach meaningful outcomes?

Chris Bush, Economics Teacher, and Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University High School had similar reservations. But with the help of Chat GPT and AI acting as a co-pilot, he finally had a tool to not only answer these questions, but dramatically enhance the experience for learners.

Check out our full conversation and learn how to:

👣 Use Chat GPT to most effectively to co-design curricular rich learning experiences

👣 Use AI + Chat GPT to personalize and create differentiated pathways

👣 Create a 'Clone' of yourself using AI to act as a personal tutor

👣 Put Chat GPT into our student's hands to improve learning outcomes

Connect with Chris: Linked In (@chrisjbush), 

Watch the Video on Youtube: Full Interview

Join the Upcoming Webinar: 'Engineering Your First Project-Based Experience:' www.transformschool.com/gptpbl 

Chris' Bio: 

Chris Bush is the Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University High School. He specialises in guiding teachers and professionals to utilise the transformative potential of AI. Chris’ expertise lies in enabling teachers to transform traditional learning into modern, student-centred experiences, where AI is integrated for a range of purposes, from clarifying complex concepts to enhancing practical skill development. His background includes a focus on curriculum development, including roles as Head of Curriculum and Innovation at Prahran High School and with the Safe Schools Coalition Australia, where he authored National Curriculum resources.

Chris Bush is currently Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University High School. He specialises in guiding teachers and professionals to harness AI’s transformative potential. His background includes a focus on curriculum development, having previously worked as Head of Curriculum and Innovation at Prahran High School and for the Safe School Coalition Australia where he authored National Curriculum resources. 

What if before developing 'Projects' we first built Partnerships? Connected students with real People? Became more familar with our Place? Purpose?

This is what Dr. Jane Shore, Director of Community Partnerships at the Revolution School advocates for in her unique version of 'PBL.' 

Learn more about how she co-creates this space with learners and how to seamlessly: 

• Build partnerships with your own community
• Co-create curriculum with key community partners
• Engage students in learning experiences that connect them to place and purpose
• Attract the right kind of teachers (or as she calls 'unicorn ninjas') to facilitate the process

Learn more about Jane's work: schoolofthought.substack.com  , revolutionschool.org  

Connect with Jane: Twitter: @shorejaneshore, LinkedIn: @jane-r-shore

Fill out the Interest form for the global PBL community: https://forms.gle/WUqKY3ex8Yy4m9kb7 

Jane's Bio: 

Dr. Jane Shore is a corner sitter, energized by the perspectives gained at the intersections between research & practice, school & community, learning & leading, data & visuals. Jane loves to co-design and explore answers to research questions that cross boundaries like, “How might we meaningfully capture the impact of hard to measure things?”As a member of the founding team at a place-based, progressive high school in Philadelphia called Revolution School, Jane serves as the Director of Community Partnerships and Research. She loves connecting and building community, especially with and for young people. She is on a mission to open pathways between schools and communities so that the change-making things young people can do now. Her latest obsession is creating hand drawn visualizations representing research and stories. In her work, she has the desire, as @monachalabi puts it, “to take the numb out of numbers.” You can find them in her School of Thought blog, where she takes big evidence ideas and makes them usable. schoolofthought.substack.com She holds a doctorate in Bilingual Special Education from George Washington University, where she was a Title IV bilingual fellow, and a Master’s in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University. She loves hiking, ocean swimming, and picnic foods. She lives in Philadelphia (and occasionally Massachusetts) with her husband, Walker, their two boys, Avery and Beckett. She just illustrated her first children's book, Imagine Song, with author Melissa Campesi.

What happens when we lead learning with big questions, rather than mandated curriculum content? 

Four year 7 teachers across 3 different subjects wanted to find out. 

Over a seven week unit, they devised activities, lessons, and hands-on learning that helped students dive deeper into big questions around developing future societies. 

As a result...agency, empowerment and engagement went through the roof!

Learn more about the story of how they organized the learning and how you too can shift from content-led experiences, to inquiry-based experiences in the 2024-2025 school year. (Shift #2 for Student-Centered Environments) 

How to Write Essential Inquiry Questions: https://transformschool.com/2020/01/26/how-to-write-an-essential-question-that-invites-wonder-and-curiosity-from-your-learners/ 

Take the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Pre-Order the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher

Attend the 12 Shifts Launch Party to Connect to Global Practitioners: www.transformschool.com/booklaunch 

With AI able to fill out worksheets, write five paragraph essays, craft short stories, or pen reports in seconds, the impetus for inspiring original, real-world work couldn't be greater. 

How as student-centered faciltiators do we support students in producing the kind of work that they find PERSONALLY meaningful and beautiful?

Helping them find THEIR unique, personal voice.

In this groubreaking episode, recorded live at our 12 Shifts launch party, Matthew Neylon, Creative Director at Mt. Vernon K-12 school unpacks the secrets to curating this kind of work across an entire school. 

Through his transformation story we learn how to transform the blank walls of our schools and classsroom with the creative work and genius of kids. 

Connect with Matt: Instagram/Twitter (X) (@mattneylon), Linkedin, Website: https://cre8ivmvmt.com/ 

Purchase the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteaher

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to identify areas for growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Watch the video presentation and join the conversation on LInkedin: Join the Conversation

How do we better include learners and learning profiles often left behind in traditional settings? What if we could custom-fit learning experiences around their unique strengths, gifts, capabilities and needs? What if understanding the brain's intracacies and high yield therapeutic approaches helped us support and empower them in the learning process?  

In this episode, Cheryl, Founder and Acting Head of Cajal Academy addresses these questions in context of a program tailor-made for what she calls 'exceptional learners.' All learners, year 1-12 have analytical/reasoning/creative thinking skills in the 'gifted' range, coupled with pronounced learning, social and emotional differences. Through our conversation, we learn how to:

• Create environments that invite, excite and stimulate these 'exceptional learners' 
• Design scaffolds to support these learners through learning journeys and project-based experiences
• Use neuroscience to help amplify their special strengths, and overcome their challenges
• Include them in the process  

Unravel tips, strategies and insights that pave the way for classrooms where every project is an opportunity for diverse minds to shine! 

Connect with Cheryl: LinkedIn

Learn more about Cajal Academy: https://www.cajalacademy.org/ 

Sign up for the PBL Symposium: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/ 

Take the 12 Shifts for 'Learner-Centered Environments' Scorecard: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind 

Cheryl's Bio: 

Cheryl is the co-founder, President and acting Head of School for Cajal Academy, Inc.: a new, non-profit independent school that is innovating education by integrating insights from the fields of neuropsychology and neurophysiology to make them actionable in the classroom.

She is also the Founder and CEO of freedible, the social sharing platform where people with specialty diets can find and share the recipes, life hacks and community they need to thrive.

What these two ventures have in common is a passion for creating inclusive and scientifically-informed solutions at the social level to the challenges posed by individual differences and disabilities. And, they fuel my love for tackling complex problems, picking apart the details and creating from them a new whole.

I am also a passionate advocate for others; I believe that a solution that only works for people with education, resources or health is no solution at all. Her two driving passions are inclusion and empowerment; connecting with new people, whether it's one-on-one or as a public speaker, runs a close third. Cheryl 'wears her heart' on her sleeve, and believes in the responsibility of speaking her own mind- determined to leave this world a better place than it was when she found it. 

What if you could motivate all of your students without awarding a single grade?

In this short interview, motivation expert and 8th grade Math/ Science PBL teacher Marc Shulman of world renowned High Tech High teaches us how to:

• Motivate our most troubled students
• Build relationships before building projects
• Seamlessly move from the 'sage on the stage' to the architect behind the scenes
• Get students as young as 12 to produce professional work for real clients...and get paid for it
• Create a classroom of high expectations where every student plays a part

Marc's Digital Portfolio (w/ project examples): Digital Portfolio

Connect w/ Marc on Instagram: @mistershulman

Connect w/ Marc on LinkedIn: @marcshulman

Marc's Bio: 

Marc is a 21 year veteran teacher teaching at a wide variety of schools and grades, all in math and science. He has excelled in PBL and coaching teachers in PBL design, and execution. He has had the opportunity to travel around the world and the United States, opening schools and training teachers and administrators to gain confidence and experience in PBL design. He currently teaches 8th grade integrated math and science at High Tech Middle Media Arts in San Diego, California.

How are you finishing off the semester before Winter Break? 

While many classrooms finish with final exams, as learner-centered practitioners, we understand that it's far more POWERFUL to let our students share their learning. 

Public Exhibitions are one of the best ways to do this. 

Exhibitions provide the perfect platform for learners to share their learning journeys, artifacts/products and work they developed along the way, and the transformations they experienced as a result. 

How, as learner-centered practitioners, do we ensure our exhibitions provide this opportunity? 

Using real case studies and concrete examples, I provide 5 key things to consider. Through these 5 simple tips, you will learn how to curate a beautiful space; equip students; foster audience and visitor interaction; and empower learners to take control of the process. 

Read on the Blog: https://transformschool.com/2023/12/03/exhibiting-student-work-five-things-to-consider/ 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind/ 

Get the free 'PBL Starter Kit': https://transformschool.com/pblstarterkit/ 

It's easy in project-based experiences to get caught up in the shiny final 'product' at the end. But just like the tip of an iceberg, the product is only a small part of a much deeper PROCESS of learning taking place underneath.

How do we capture that process, and make it more visible? What simple tool might allow learners to document that process on their own?

Welcome to Unrulr, a social learning app that makes holisitic learner growth visible through capturing authentic moments throughout the PBL process.  

In this short podcast interview, I sit down with Unrulr's Head of Growth, Aaron Schorn to learn how we as edu-transformers can:

• Better elicit student reflection through the PBL process
• Capture evidence of learner growth   
• Make learning experiences feel more social, and community driven  
• Help learners create 'learning journeys' to share their story of learning through meaningful project-based experiences 

Connect with Aaron on LInkedIN and Twitter. 

Learn more about Unrulr: Unrulr.com 

Learn more about the upcoming PBL Collab and Grab global forums and submit an interest form. https://forms.gle/mHo16AJoKMVHQJe8A 

Aaron's Bio: Aaron is Head of Growth and Learning at Unrulr, where he works to make learning visible and joyful. He is also a teacher, program director, and co-designer of student-agency-driven learning communities around the globe. His work is focused on apprenticeship, craftsmanship, storytelling, and providing youth with the space, time, resources, and methodologies to turn their ideas into iterative realities. Aaron's professional background includes education, international business, digital storytelling, and operations/management. At the Nalukai Foundation, Aaron creates and implements entrepreneurship schema and curriculum rooted in culture, hustles to find mentors, and waxes poetic on authentic storytelling. Aaron was also the former K-12 Capstone Coordinator at HPA on Hawai'i Island. Read more about his journey in this Getting Smart article.

When learning went remote, most teachers put project-based experiences on hold. 

It was just too hard for them to make online learning as hands-on, collaborative, and engaging as it was in the classroom. 

But not Sara Lev, an early childhood expert and master PBL practitioner. 

She had her 4-6 year old students co-creating websites, launching podcasts, and building an online community that fosters WOW and WONDER.

How did she do it? 

In this episode, Sara shares her secrets, and how to:

• Discover student interests through a 5 minute virtual tour- and design projects around them
• Build the same relationships and community online that you do in the classroom
• Get 100% of your kids to show up and turn their cameras on 
• Foster seamless collaboration and group work
• Scaffold experiences to allow all learners to reach success
• Create WOW and WONDER in online learners!

Connect with Sara on Twitter @saramlev.

Join her Early Childhood Facebook Group. 

Sara's Bio: 

Sara Lev is the co-author of the book Implementing Project Based Learning in Early Childhood: Overcoming Misconceptions and Reaching Success (Routledge, 2020) and is a contributing author to the new NCTM book Making Mathematics Come Alive in the Elementary Classroom with Project-Based Learning (edited by Jean S. Lee and Enrique Galindo, 2021). She has been an early childhood teacher in public, private and charter school settings since 2005, and currently teaches Transitional Kindergarten in Los Angeles. Sara received her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street College in New York City, and is a member of the National Faculty of PBLWorks where she facilitates Project Based Learning workshops for PreK-12 educators. She is also a Yoga Ed. trainer where she leads workshops for educators in how to use Yoga and mindfulness tools in a variety of learning environments. Sara enjoys working with educators both nationally and internationally, supporting teachers and school leaders in implementing learner-centered practices and approaches into all classroom settings. She brings her passion for young children to every teaching, learning, coaching, and consulting opportunity.

How do you take the first steps into project-based learning, and  help others across your school take theirs? How do you get the critical 'buy-in' from parents, students, teachers to really help PBL fly?  

I explored these BIG questions with Catriona Woodard, Director of Community Outreach and Partnerships at Bloom Academy in Hong Kong. Through discussing 2 of her projects, Catriona shares how she took her first steps into the PBL pool, and how she is empowering others across the school to take theirs. You will learn how to:

1. Keep your best teaching materials, just look at them in a new way.
2. Make 1-2 simple tweaks to transform teacher-centered units, into learner-centered magic. 
3. Use the power of exhibition to turn the biggest PBL skeptics into believers.
4. Run meaningful project-based experiences and still cover your curriculum. 
5. Help parents, students and other stakeholders become comfortable with the 'organized chaos' that is PBL.

Connect with Catriona: LinkedIn,  

Learn more about Bloom Academy

Get the PBL 'Roadmap': Building Capacity for PBL at Your School

Catriona's Bio: 

Catriona is an educator and school leader who is trying to bridge the gap between creativity and education. Looking at the similarities between how designers approach creative tasks and how learners can approach problems in class and bringing this to the classroom in the every day. She specializes in start-up schools and embraces these opportunities to offer young people a dynamic and fresh educational outlook. Catriona is supporting with the Project Based Learning roll-out in Bloom KKCA Academy, brought the importance of outdoor learning to many HK parents during her leadership at Malven College Pre-School. She's an advocate for creative chaos both in and out of the classroom!

In this short podcast episode, learn from project advisor Michael Skorker, and student project leaders Charlotte and Emma how to:

1. Facilitate 70+ projects by turning students into self-managers
2. Connect student work to communities outside of school
3. Foster collaboration on projects across multiple ages/grade levels.
4. Transform students from passive participants in projects, to active, empathetic citizens

Connect w/ Medford CCCSR on Facebook: @TheCCSR

View Project on Instagram: @paintingpositivity_mhs

Medford CCSR's Website: medfordccsr.org 

Medford Center Bio: The mission of the CCSR is to develop responsible global leaders/citizens who will be positive contributors to society and will work to combat important social issues such as global warming, addiction, prejudice, racism, pollution, gender bias, poverty, public education, healthcare, etc. We believe by providing the proper learning activities, we can prevent students from becoming addicted to harmful substances and developing negative perceptions of others.

It's not unusual to find MakerSpaces popping up on several school campuses as a way to offer students hands on learning opportunities. 

But does 'making' have to be confined to the MakerSpace for only a few classes per week? What would happen if ALL educators adopted a 'maker' mindset, and provided hands on opportunities that spanned all classrooms, subjects and learners? 

My guest and MakerSpace Founder Mark Loundy discusses how to adopt this mindset, and the transformations we can see in schools as a result. We learn how to: 

• Develop project-based experiences that allow for 'making' across all subjects 
• Help the MakerSpace be accessible to all parts of the school depending on the learning experience 
• Build the WHY for the MakerSpace before the HOW
• Develop a school culture that values flexibility, innovation and tinkering
• Transition from 'MakerSpace' to 'MakerMindset' 

Get in touch with Mark: LinkedIn, Twitter (@markloundy), Facebook, Website. 

Story of the 'CREATE' MakerSpace: https://k5create.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-create.html

Apply for the PBL Collab and Grab Monthly Forums: https://forms.gle/2vzPknQbeuzTE3h47 

Mark's Bio: Mark Loundy is a former journalist, photographer and social media pioneer. As an online community manager at GeoCities at the turn of the century, he helped build the foundations of what we now call social media. He brings all of those skills to education as an innovative instructional technology specialist in Silicon Valley. He is a three-time Ignited Fellow, working at Lockheed Martin on classified military communications satellites and at Meta (Facebook,) exploring global supply chain issues. He founded and operates the first makerspace in the Cupertino Union School District and lead both the video production team and after-school tech team. The tech team created a coding language to operate a human "computer" in a virtual reality environment.

Matt Neylon, Director of Visual and Performing Arts at Mount Vernon High School has students exhibiting beautiful, professional work on a weekly basis.

From partnering students with prominent businesses like Porsche, to exhibiting their work in professional art galas downtown, Matt is an expert at curating the process and finding real world audiences for student work.

But what exactly is 'beautiful' work? Matt's answer might surprise you.

In this interview, you will learn some of Matt's simple strategies for curating work while also learning how to:

• Get students to hold themselves to higher expectations, and save you from 'working all hours of the day'
• Curate physical or virtual exhibitions of student work designed and curated by socially distanced learners
• Stop aiming for perfection and accept that your students' work is beautiful and deserves to be seen
• Create a culture of high standards and excellence

Connect with Matt:

Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn: @mattneylon

Facebook: @matt.neylon

View more of Matt's Work: https://cre8ivmvmt.com/ 

Matt's Bio:

Matthew Neylon is the Director of Visual & Performing Arts at The Mount Vernon School in Atlanta, GA where he helps staff & students navigate their creative curiosities and artistic aptitudes. He is a senior consultant with Mount Vernon Ventures and recently released an online course exploring Arts+Mindfulness. As a speaker, Matthew has the opportunity to work with hundreds of educators/artists annually by leading workshops & webinars on various topics from storytelling to arts leadership, STEAM education, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and interdisciplinary curriculum design. Matthew seeks to help bridge art+innovation by exploring the intersections between various art forms with mental/physical wellness, diverse storytelling, and connection to emerging creative industries. Recently serving as the guest blogger for the NAEA Monthly Mentor blog, Matthew explored topics of race, whiteness, emotional health, gender, and ableism in the visual art community. Matthew & his partner are passionate advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and work to help people around the world reconcile faith+sexual orientation. His greatest joy, however, is providing opportunities for students and teachers to grow in their artistic/performance skills and find the intersection where passion, talent, and identity meet. Connect with Matthew on instagram or by visiting cre8ivmvmt.com - You are an artist. Be great.

"Feeling Overwhelmed by Running Your First Project with Learners?" 🎙️

You aren't alone. 

Moving from a teacher-centered to student-led environment takes a lot of courage.

Bu what if all it required was a few simple shifts in what you already do? 

In this episode, three student-centered elementary teachers share the shifts, stories, strategies, and lessons learned from running their first student-centered projects. 

Learn how to overcome the three most common challenges: 

• Keeping projects manageable
• Engaging and empowering all learners
• Balancing structure and curricular demands with student voice.

..with a few simple tweaks in how you design learning.

If you're new to project-based learning, this episode will give you actionable tips and the confidence to get started right away.

The 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftscorecard 

Get the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com 

Learn more about the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Certificate Course: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 

Fifth grade teacher Linda Amici's most 'dreaded standards' became her favorite after making one simple shift....

She turned them over to her students. 

With this new agency, students worked harder than they ever had before.  

Learn about Linda's story of co-design, and simple strategies for co-designing learning experiences with your own learners in the 2024-2025 school year.  

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard/ 

Pre-Order the 12 Shifts Book: https://transformschool.com/whereistheteacher/ 

Attend the Launch Party to Connect to Global Practitioners: https://transformschool.com/booklaunch/ 

• Use simple classroom routines to put students in charge of the learning process
• Masterfully guide learning in whatever direction your students want to take it
• Use student passion and interest as a starting point for the learning process- and still be able to teach them how to read, write and do arithmetic
• 'Trust in the Process'
• Get students to ask questions that would baffle full grown adults
• "Sit back and listen and watch the little people in this world blow you away."

Get in Touch With Rosie:

Instagram: @ accidentally_alternative

LinkedIn: @rosie-howes-38b3244a

Rosie's Bio: 

Rosie Howes is a teacher from London, UK. She has worked in a range of inner London schools across the Early Years and Key Stage 1.

After moving to Australia, she discovered a very different school setting. Rosie joined the team at Currambena School, a democratic school with a truly child-centered approach. During this time, a spark was ignited and she never saw education the same way again. Instead of focusing on reading and writing (a previous love of hers), she grew to embrace a uniquely holistic curriculum and the notion of 'Free Fridays'.

The democratic values and respect for childhood supported Rosie's journey into alternative education. When she moved to Hong Kong, Rosie knew she could no longer work in a system focused on assessment and tick boxes. In 2020, Rosie joined Highgate House School, an international Waldorf Kindergarten, and over the last year has thrown herself into learning more about the Waldorf approach to education.

At school you can find her in the garden, baking bread and telling stories.

Good projects aren't that tough to create. 

But somehow we always seem to overcomplicate them. (Me included)

What if I told you that the best project prompts could fit on a single post-it note? 

Project-Based experiences that have students staying in during lunch, working late hours in the evening, mastering curricular standards, and producing awe inspiring work that makes adult jaws drop. 

These are the kind of project-based experiences Gary Stager has educators around the world designing through his Summer Institutes and brilliant book 'Invent to Learn' on a regular basis. 

I sat down with Gary to discuss the book and how we as learning experience designers can: 

• Design curricular rich project prompts that fit on a single post-it note
• Create learning environments that resemble more cocktail party than they do classroom
• Design projects that are 'sharable,' and live on well beyond their expiration date
• Release the shackles of subjects, specialists, timetables, curriculum standards and assessment that often stand in the way of deep and meaningful learning 
• Act more as 'ethnographers' to capture and document student learning, rather than teachers who deliver instruction  

Get Gary's Book 'Invent to Learn': https://inventtolearn.com/

Learn more about Gary: http://professorgarystager.com

Connect with Gary on Twitter: @garystager

Get the Free PBL Design Starter Kit: https://transformschool.com/pblstarterkit/ 

Gary's Bio:

In addition to being a popular keynote speaker at some of the world’s most prestigious education conferences, Gary Stager is a journalist, teacher educator, consultant, professor, software developer, publisher, and school administrator. An elementary teacher by training, he has taught students from preschool through doctoral studies. In 1990, Dr. Stager led professional development in the world’s first laptop schools and played a major role in the early days of online education. Gary is the founder of the Constructing Modern Knowledge summer institute for educators. Dr. Stager is co-author of Invent To Learn – Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom, called the “bible of the maker movement in schools,” by Larry Magid of CBS and The San Jose Mercury News. Invent To Learn has been translated into nine languages. Dr. Stager’s most recent book is Twenty Things to Do with a Computer Forward 50: Future Visions of Education Inspired by Seymour Papert and Cynthia Solomon’s Seminal Work. When Jean Piaget wanted to better understand how children learn mathematics, he hired Seymour Papert. When Dr. Papert wanted to create a high-tech alternative learning environment for incarcerated at-risk teens, he hired Gary Stager. This work was the basis for Gary’s doctoral dissertation and documented Papert’s most-recent institutional research project. Dr. Stager’s work has earned a Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education and he collaborated on a project that won a Grammy Award. Recently, Gary was invited by Fondazione Reggio Children to lead a public seminar on education in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Gary is also on the advisory board of the NSF-funded project, BJC4NYC: Bringing a Rigorous Computer Science Principles Course to the Largest School System in the US. Dr. Stager also maintains the world’s largest archive of text and multimedia by Seymour Papert at The Daily Papert.

Do you have a hard time letting go of control in the classroom? 

Letting go isn't easy. It requires trust and confidence in our learners, while we take a backstage role in the classroom.

But when we do, we unlock unlimited student potential.

Yvette Larson, a PYP teacher and future mindset guru, has a classroom full of unlocked potential; with 30+ self-directed students, and 30+ projects happening at the same time. In this short episode, Yvette teaches us how she creates this kind of magic, and builds future mindsets through the story of her Winter Fair Project and how to:

• Trust in the process.
• Ask the right questions, rather than providing all the answers.
• Wait....and then wait some more.
• Lead learning with WONDER.
• Turn over control of our classroom to students, and still maintain our sanity.
• Build future mindsets in students by starting with what they care about.
• STILL COVER OUR CURRICULUM STANDARDS!

Connect with Yvette: LinkedIN

Yvette: https://yvettelarssoncom.wordpress.com/

AHA!: https://ahaacceleratingeducation.org/

Yvette's Bio: Yvette is an international Swede, born above the Arctic Circle, in Swedish Lapland, by Sami ancestry, with over 20 years of international experience, a polyglot, a nature lover who inspires others to live their best lives and take care of the earth. She is a very open-minded and informal person. Yvette is the co-founder of AHA! Accelerating Education, a science-based platform that seeks to boost human potential with the help of applied neuroscience, and provide tools for learners in the 21st century. AHA! Seeks to explore questions like: “What does it mean to be human in a global age of technology” and “What happens if we educate the heart first and foremost?”. AHA!  encompasses Learning and Education Innovation and Foresight.  Yvette is the country LEAD Sweden for LearnLife, a global hub for innovators in education.  She is also an IB Educator at the International School of Helsingborg, Sweden. 

Yvette’s recent works revolve around being a member of the Hundred Advisory Board for the Social-Emotional Spotlight in partnership with Lego. She also co-founded a PBL-based global Hackathon for youth, where young people have a say on what education in the 21st century should be. She co-created The Future Mindset Program © with a focus on the upskilling of competencies to become more resilient and adapt to the fast-paced world we live in, she co-developed The AHA! Wellbeing Program that promotes Youth Health, Social-Emotional Learning, and Educator Well-being. Yvette is passionate about many things that start with a C: courage, curiosity, collaboration, communication, care, community, and creativity.

What if you could re-imagine schooling to be student-centered? Build from the ground up? 

That's what Connect Academy did when it was given carte blanche to re-imagine schooling for students in the Poway District. 

It re-imagined:

How we organize learning experiences, by making them interdisciplinary, and community focused.  

How we organize learners, by making classes mixed grade level, and inclusive of all abilities. 

How we organize the school day, by creating extended blocks of time, and project-based opportunities. 

How we CONNECT students, by connecting them meaningfully in daily advisories, and homerooms. 

Connect Academy isn't some fancy prep school built for elite families that live in the Hollywood Hills; it's a public, inclusive school built for kids of all backgrounds, nationalities, and socio-economic status. 

Learn more about their journey from learning experience designers/teachers Joe Gizzo and Karen Rogers, and you can build in these student-centered elements in your classroom or school.  

Learn more about Connect Academy: https://connectacademy.powayusd.com/ , Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/Connect_PUSD, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connect_academy_pusd/ & https://www.instagram.com/naturaldesigners/ 

Connect with Karen: LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Personal Site: https://sites.google.com/powayusd.com/karen-elaine/home 

Karen's Bio: Karen Elaine Rogers is a visionary who focuses on big picture and deeper purpose. Having directed multiple early childhood centers, started or revamped children's education programs, and pastoring a large and growing non-profit for families, she also fostered and then adopted many children in the first 20 years of her career. As an outside the box thinker who thrives in flexibility and clear purpose, KarenElaine has spent the last 10 years in public education. Focused on behavior modification and music therapy in her time in special education, she then piloted a project and brain based TK/K program in one of Poway Unified School District's Title 1 schools, and then helped launch the district's first hybrid Independent Study school while recently being awarded as Teacher of the Year. Strategizing tasks by building teams & investing in those closest to her, KarenElaine leads with empathy and focuses on team strengths. Her creative and innovative mind is constantly impassioned to dream, collaborate or share. Possessing a way with words, her ability to weave a great story, articulate vision, and influence an audience are what inspires. She aims to transform education & be part of life's most exciting pursuits with women, children and families while living simply with nature!

Joe's Bio: Joe Gizzo has been a teacher in Poway Unified School District for 24 years. He teaches middle school digital arts and computer science at Connect Academy, PUSD’s innovative, hybrid school. Joe strives to build empathy in students to help to create a school culture where everyone is welcomed, valued, and respected. Joe’s students have won many awards, including Digital Art awards from the SD County Fair and Museum of Photographic Arts, Jostens yearbook awards, Outstanding Activities and Leadership Program awards, and the California Association of Student Leaders Service Award. Joe’s awards include the Bob Burton Spirit Award, Area G Service Award, SD County Fair Teacher of the Year, School & District Teacher of the Year, honored as one of San Diego County’s top Teachers, Teen Ink’s Educator of the Year, and California’s designee for the Warren Shull Award. What is truly remarkable is Joe has accomplished all he has while battling a rare & incurable auto-immune disease. His story is truly inspirational for students and teachers alike.

Lots of large international schools are seeking ways to make learning experiences more relevant, interdisciplinary and project/problem-based. 

Yet between fixed timetables, a demanding curriculum, large student bodies, and siloed subjects, they are finding it difficult to do more than offer a few lessons per week. 

What if there was a way to make experiences like these the main course? 

In this podcast, I sit down with Amber Kotcher and Jeff Harwood, coordinators of the PRAXIS program, a small micro-learning commmunity in the International School of Kuala Lumpur that does just that. Through a flexible timetable and learner-centered approach, it develops creative, collaborative problem-solvers by organizing Science, English, Social Studies and Art/Design around complex and compelling problems that demand an interdisciplinary approach to address. 

Learn more about the program and how you too can:

• Re-organize your curriculum around complex and compelling problems
• Help students become IB, AP, Citizen, Career and most importantly 'Happinness Ready.' 
• Integrate siloed subjects seamlessly through meaningful questions
• Transform learning from artificial learning activities, to REAL life experiences  

Learn more about the Praxis Program: https://www.iskl.edu.my/learning-at-iskl/high-school/praxis-program/ 

Hear a student perspective: https://youtu.be/04x8tFtSueQ. 

Connect w/ Amber Kotcher, Program Coordinator: akotcher@iskl.edu.my 

Connect w/ Jeff Harwood, Assistant Principal: jharwood@iskl.edu.my

Amber's Bio: Amber Kotcher is the PRAXIS Program Coordinator at the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL). “PRAXIS is an integrated learning program which reimagines the school experience at ISKL. Learning is anchored in complex, real-world challenges, empowering students to thrive in a dynamic present and future. PRAXIS 2030 fosters creative exploration, effective collaboration, and active problem-solving through a differentiated and flexible thinking space. Students reflect deeply and act with agency and empathy to make a positive difference in our world”. Amber has taught Art and Design K-12 in the USA, S Korea, Vietnam, and Israel for the past 15 years. Along with teaching she has held various leadership roles in schools and is an advocate for student leadership, student voice, and student agency in learning in high schools. Jeff Harwood is the High School Assistant Principal at the International School of Kuala Lumpur. Prior to his role at ISKL Jeff worked as the Dean of Students, College/Pastoral Counselor and Literature Teacher at the Rabat American School in Morocco. Before moving overseas and working in private schools, Jeff worked as a public school teacher and counselor. He has experience in implementing alternative education programs that are rooted in problem based learning that foster student agency and connect academic learning to the world beyond academia. 

Jeff's Bio: Jeff Harwood is the High School Assistant Principal at the International School of Kuala Lumpur. Prior to his role at ISKL Jeff worked as the Dean of Students, College/Pastoral Counselor and Literature Teacher at the Rabat American School in Morocco. Before moving overseas and working in private schools, Jeff worked as a public school teacher and counselor. He has experience in implementing alternative education programs that are rooted in problem based learning that foster student agency and connect academic learning to the world beyond academia. 

Peter gave students one simple prompt to unleash the creators, innovators and entrepreneurs in his business studies class: 

"Create a business around a single product or service to help improve your experience at school."  

And then he got out of their way. 

How might you unleash the creators, innovators and entrepreneurs in your classroom? 

In this interview, learn (or unlearn) from 'The Unlearning Coach' how to:

• Frame empowering learning experiences
• Provide a simple roadmap to help students reflect regularly and build their work 
• Transform students into self-managers using one simple tool
• Manage student teams without ever telling them what to do
• Empower your most hard to reach students through real world learning experiences 

Learn more about Peter's Work:

Twitter and Instagram @peterhostrawser

Facebook, LinkedIn,

Website: www.unlearningcoach.com 

Peter's Bio: 

Known as "The Unlearning Coach," Peter Hostrawser has been a business educator in the Chicago area for over 20 years founding the OPRF School of Business at Oak Park and River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois. He is an entrepreneur and change agent for traditional educational systems as well as a business coach. Peter has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs start and continue their paths to success. Peter is the host of the Disrupt Education Podcast where creative and non-traditional learners share their stories and thoughts on how to change education. He currently teaches business at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, Illinois, USA and is an EdTech consultant. His value is to help others find and show their value.

What happens when we co-design learning experiences with our students?

Give them choice over the product they create. Questions they pursue. Teammates they assemble. 

This was Maheen's big pondering when she began sharing ownership of PBL experiences with her year 3 students. The results were immediate. Learners inquired more critically, brought in talents she never knew they had, and planned presentations of learning that made adult jaws drop.

Learn more about Maheen's story of transformation from PBL 1.0 to PBL 2.0 and how you can achieve the same results in your classroom.  

Full Show Transcript

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centred Environments Scorecard: https://www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

Learn More and Register for the PBL Symposium in November: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/

Connect with Maheen: maheen.85856@tns.edu.pk

Maheen's Bio: Maheen is a 3rd Grade teacher from a PBL based school "TNS Beaconhouse" in Lahore, Pakistan. She has experience of teaching primary years and as a homeroom teacher, she is responsible for teaching multiple subjects, along with spending the entire day with her students. At the start of her learning journey with Kyle, she was new to the process of PBL and was having difficulties with inculcating it in her classroom. Now, after her learning journey with Kyle, the PBL process comes naturally to her. Her class has consistently outdone themselves on their projects, which have been guided by student inquiry. Their learning is long lasting and the products the students come up with are full of thoughtful insights. A complete turnaround in a year's time!

What if we allowed students to design their own project-based experiences?

Formulate their own questions, connect with relevant experts, and find authentic audiences. What global IMPACT might they have then?

Fardeen Blaq, a 13 year old changemaker and global citizen, started managing his own projects at age 9.

In this episode, I sit down with Fardeen to learn more about his award winning 'Trailblazers' and SDG focused 'Global Blueprint' Project, and how we as educators can:

• Provide the time and space for PBL.
• Mentor students in achieving their project goals.
• Help students discover their passions
• Build the capacity in students to grow as global citizens.
• Get out of the way and help students develop as socially, emotionally, and globally aware citizens on their own.

Learn more about 'The Global Blueprint': https://www.facebook.com/TheGlobalBlueprint/ 

Learn more about Fardeen's Trailblazers: https://www.facebook.com/FardeenTrailblazersB 

Free Student Process Guides for Passion Projects: https://transformschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Student-Guide.pdf  

SDG Related Projects: https://transformschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SDG-Development-Guide.pdf 

Fardeen's Bio: 

Fardeen Blaq is a 13 years old changemaker from Nairobi, Kenya

He is the Youngest Diana Awards Recipient in Africa in 2020. In 2021 he was nominated for the Legacy Award. The highest Award in this program.

Fardeen is also a Kids Rights Changemaker.

In 2021 he was nominated and received recognition for being nominated for International Children’s Peace Prize.

He is the HundrED Youth Ambassador for Kenya, and also the Country consultant for 3Dux|Design in Kenya.

He is the Ambassador for his football team, FARDEEN TRAILBLAZERS which he started at the age of 9 together with my father and his production house. Fardeen set my team as an Education through Football program implementing the FIFA Grassroots in Kwale County of Kenya. This was launched in 2017. Fardeen received recognition for the work that he continues to do to meet Global Goal 4 Quality Education.

How do you develop a student-centered secondary classroom with a packed curriculum, strict assessment guidelines, and an exam based culture? 

This is the dilemma Gisou Ravanbaksh faced when wanting to provide more agency to her students in her DP Psychology class. 

But through a few simple shifts in the learning process and audience for student work, her classroom came alive with students researching, developing, and exhibiting an authentic 'brain museum' they co-created from start to finish.

Learn more about the shifts she implemented and how you can unleash student agency in yours as well. 

Learn more and connect with Gisou: LinkedIN

Get the 12 Shifts Book: https://transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Take the Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard  

Join a 12 Shifts Cohort in January: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 

Gisou's Bio: 

Gisou is a student-centered international educator and educational leader with 20 years of experience in both adolescent and adult learning. She has xpertise in designing and delivering customized professional development workshops on student wellbeing, cross-cultural understanding, diversity and inclusion, character development, curriculum design, leadership training, and other areas of targeted need.

What would happen to learning if you collapsed the timetable, paired teachers, and co-designed community and passion driven projects?

This is what American International School does for one week each year with its "PBL intensives." It is now in iteration 3.0.

 The results have been incredible... 

Teachers have re-configured their classrooms to be more learner-centered.

Built partnerships for learning experiences with the community to make them more authentic. 

Invited student voice and agency to ensure learning meets their needs. 

In short, it's transformed the culture around teaching and learning.

Zachary Post, the Midddle School Principal was at the helm of these PBL intensives. I sat down with Zach to learn a bit more about them, and how we can use a week off the timetable to accelerate, onboard, and 'power up' PBL on our own campuses as well.    

Connect w/ Zach: zpost@ais.edu.hk

Watch the Trailer Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TFsBDSPXp0MJ1FlntvyLLdhwp1BM_7d0/view 

EARCOS write-up around the PBL intensives: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zkkf9yYJkbeWefanyRh-D7iFKBnFgwlh/view 

Zach's Bio: With 21 years of experience, including serving as a middle school principal at the American International School in Hong Kong since 2016, Zach has dedicated his career to building organizational capacity in support of project-based learning. In the early 2000s, Zach started his career at a progressive charter school in Portland, Oregon. Since 2009, he has worked internationally, including the Carol Morgan School in the Dominican Republic, Saigon South Intl. School in Vietnam, and the American Intl. School in Hong Kong. Zach has often presented at regional conferences and offered professional development on project-based learning. He is most interested in opening up pathways for teacher leadership and creating the conditions for innovation to take hold. Cognitive Coaching and Critical Friends Group work have been important components that have helped Zach to collectively establish a culture of trust, collaboration, and reflection amongst faculty and students. Zach is happy to exchange ideas and resource and can be reached at zpost@ais.edu.hk.

Do you set New Year's Resolutions?

I used to. Until I broke nearly all of them by February. Sound familiar? 

Vision Boarding is a FAR more effective way to reach milestones you never dreamed possible, and improve your life- both as an educator, and human. I've been using them since 2016, and I now have a life I could have never imagined if I stuck with boring resolutions.  

In this short bonus episode, I teach you how to create yours and:

• Set in motion a new, improved you
• Manifest your dream day, life and new habits 
• Show up as the authentic educator your students se desperately need   

Get the Vision Boarding Template - -> https://bit.ly/3pv0JMI 

What picture comes to mind when you hear the word 'rigour?'

Is it a group of students huddled over their exam papers, solving complex math equations for an end of unit test?

Or is it as the Co-Founder of world renowned PBL school High Tech High Rob Riordan describes it: students engaged for an extended period of time in DEEP, meaningful, real-world work?

In this episode, we unpack and re-imagine rigour through Rob's 8 rules:

Rule #1: No rigour without engagement.

Rule #2: No rigour without ownership. 

Rule #3: No rigour without audiences

Discover the other 5 rules and 'rigourous' process students went through to uncover and share stories of forgotten veterans from the community; build homes for struggling artists; and solve a pesky school rodent problem in a more humane way.   

I promise you will see rigour in a whole new light.

Rob's Bio: 

Rob Riordan is a co-founder of High Tech High in San Diego and President Emeritus of its Graduate School of Education (GSE), the nation’s first to be situated wholly in a K-12 environment. A lifelong educator, he has co-developed 14 new schools spanning the K-12 years, focused on equity, innovation, and community. Through the GSE, he has worked with educators around the world to transform the social relations of schooling by fostering project-based, dialogical approaches to teaching and learning. His work is best described in his chapter, “Schools as Equitable Communities of Inquiry” in Sustainability, Human Well-Being, and the Future of Education (2019).

Connect with Rob: rriordan@hightechhigh.org 

Get the Book of High Tech High Projects: 'Changing the Subject'

Reference to Rob's 10 Rules: Rules for Rigour

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard for Learner-Centered Classrooms: 12 Shifts Scorecard

What do you think of when you hear the term 'learner agency?'

You might envisage students having some "voice" and "choice" around what they learn, or where they sit in class. 

And while that's a nice start, learner agency is more than allowing students some choice in what they learn. It's about involving them in every step of the journey.

Imagine a school with...

🙌🏼 Student- run electives.
🙌🏼 Seventy + student led businesses to carry out the school's day to day operations.
🙌🏼 Timetables that are created and carried out by a student design team.
🙌🏼 A school board that includes young learners.
🙌🏼 100+ Individualised Learning Plans that students co-design.

That's Templestowe College, or more affectionately known as "Take Control" College in Australia. It's one of Hundred.org's top 100 most innovative schools in the world. And Peter Hutton was the mastermind at its helm. 

I was lucky enough to sit down with Peter to learn more about how he built this kind of learner agency; and how we as learner-centered champions can heed the lessons to build more student agency in our classrooms and schools.

Connect with Peter: LinkedIn, Twitter

Join Future Schools: https://futureschools.education/

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centered Classrooms Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

Peter's Bio: Peter is a maverick, a free radical, a challenger of the status quo. His strength is in transformational insight and supporting educational leaders to build innovative and adaptive cultures. As a person with dyslexia, Peter sees the world differently. Co-founding the Future Schools Alliance in 2018, Peter now works with a community of 100 member schools to significantly improve the lives of young people by transforming the education system to promote purpose-filled empowered learning and equip them for times of exponential change. Peter was the former Principal of Templestowe College which has been recognised by Finland’s HundrED organisationas one of the most innovative schools in the world.

• To combat the underlying racism and militarisation inherent in schools through the 6 POWER P'S
• To get out of the way and help our students take the lead in projects  
• Well designed project-based experiences can provide a voice for students who have spent their whole lives being disenfranchised 
• Building a real boat from start to finish allowed 40/40 students from all backgrounds, interests, colours and personalities a chance to shine 

Kaleb's Twitter: @kalebrashad

Linktr.ee: @drkalebrashad

Center for Love and Justice

How do we cultivate and unleash student creativity in our classrooms?

Right now it's happening on the peripheries. In makerspaces, STEM projects, electives, and arts/music/drama classes.

But how do we make creativity a core part of day to day learning? Building opportunities for students to tinker, build, create, and problem solve on a daily basis in ALL classrooms?

In this short episode, Adam Hill, STEM consultant and creativity guru teaches us how to achieve this through a few simple shifts in mindset and learning design. 

We learn:

• How to transform existing units to be more hands-on
• How to bring the makerspace into our classrooms
• How to build creative mindsets and confidence with creativity
• How to get started 

Connect with Adam on LinkedIn; Instagram; Facebook (@adamhilledu); and on Twitter/X (@AdamHillEDU)

Adam's Website: adamhillconsulting.com

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to Target Areas for Growth: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind/ 

Pre-order the 12 Shifts Book (coming in August!): Where is the Teacher: 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments

Adam's Bio: Adam Hill is an experienced international teacher, school leader and STEM specialist. After nine years in Asia, he recently returned to the UK to develop his educational consulting business. He believes passionately in the importance of student creativity and enjoys partnering with schools to support their STEM journeys. Adam was recognised as a Google for Education Champion and “Edruptor” of 2022. This summer sees the launch of his book, STEM-Powered Leadership.

How much voice and ownership do you provide students in their learning journey? 

I understand the fears the fears of inviting too much input: 

What if students go in a direction I can’t support? Steer too far away from mandated curriculum? Decide on projects and products I’ve never developed myself?

And so oftentimes we keep learning experiences locked in a tightly sealed, ‘teacher-centred box.’ But what happens when we open up that box? Provide some basic parameters and frameworks, but invite students to help choose how to fill it?

What might student engagement and empowerment look like then?

In my conversation with learner-centered practitioner, Dr. Dom discusses her experience with a project she 'co-designed' with learners fromm start to finish. She shares her journey of involving students in developing learning materials, building partnerships with local schools to enhance the English curriculum, and the creation of 'Teaching Materials.' From our conversation, we learn the importance of forming driving questions for projects, facilitating feedback and reflection, and nurturing collaboration and inquiry among students. 

We leave equipped with tools to start the process with our own students. 

Connect with Dom on Instagram. LinkedIn. 

Dr. Dom's PBL Website: Resources, Reflection and Journey 

Dom's Bio: 

Dom currently teaches primary at KPIS International School in Thailand. Dedicated to educational development Dom is a researcher and educator with proficient career history in varied environments, and considers herself an easily approachable and professionally presented individual. A great ability to communicate, build and maintain rapport over wide range of cultures and social backgrounds. Prior self-employment has created a strong motivation to progress efficiently throughout her career. With a pro-active and enthusiastic attitude, Dom is always keen to further develop both leadership principles and strategy execution, within the school environment. Dom believes that, “a social and emotional learning influence is visibly beneficial to another’s academic development.”

The SDGs (sustainable development goals) have become a huge focal point for many schools. 

With climate change, water pollution, and elimination of biodiversity effecting the entire planet, it makes complete sense. But how do we address these HUGE issues on a local level? 

In this podcast episode, I sit down with Margo LaPointe, director of award winning Seaview Learning, to hear how her students are addressing these issues through hands-on projects in Kingston, Massachussetts. Students are lowering their carbon footprint by co-constructing log cabins from damaged, indigenous trees; and improving water quality, by creating natural filtration systems in their local pond. They are infusing mandated curriculum and key 21st century skills through each home grown project. 

Learn how to design these kind of experiences, and build the local and global partnerships that ensure they fly! 

Find out more about Seaview Learning: www.seaviewlearning.org 

Connect with Seaview Learning and Margo: Twitter (@margo25893202), Facebook (@seaviewlearning), Instagram (seaview_learning).

LinkedIn 

Margo's Bio: Margo LaPointe is the Founder of an award-winning innovative education model which strives to answer the question, "If the purpose of education is to prepare students for their future, how can we best deliver?" The model delivers project based learning mapped to students developing a resume and portfolio of real-world experiences including working on projects with a Boston architect in applying STEM to build a green design eco-friendly building, a Massachusetts State Representative to develop a student-led initiative based on The James Ward Act,, and the United Nations COP 27 in Egypt on The Global Water Crisis. The innovative education model includes whole child education experiential learning, and wellness practices incorporated into the school day in developing Social Emotional Learning and work-life balance as a means to fuel academic success. Marrying the work of Ted Dintersmith ("Most Likely To Succeed", "What School Could Be") with The Boy Scouts of America properties as a school campus, the model has won Top 5 Private Middle Schools in Boston, Massachusetts and Greater New England by Boston Parents Family Favorite, and placed BOSS 2022 Best Private Elementary School on the South Shore with a feature in South Shore Home, Life & Style magazine. LaPointe was named, "Most Influential Women Leaders of 2022" by global business magazine, The Victory, and is currently developing innovative education models for students nationally across the United States, as well as a Student Ambassador program for the United Nations which will create opportunities for students on a global scope. Margo LaPointe has accepted an invitation to support educators working in all education models internationally, as a Facilitator in the Transform Education PBL Network so that as many children who would benefit from what we do, and how we do it, can access this opportunity across the world. 

How do we build 'future ready' students? Answering this question requires us to change a lot of the underlying structures that govern schools. 

Schedules. Curriculum. Learning Experiences. Age groupings. 

What if you could start from scratch and build from the ground up?

That's exactly what Cameron Fox, Head of School at Verso International School did to build future ready 'citizen designers.'

In this episode, Cameron unveils the 🪄 magic and teaches us how to: 

• Craft a simple, yet aspirational vision for learning experiences
• Co-design spaces that allow for them to flourish
• Ditch the traditional timetable in favor of longer learning blocks that allow for deeper learning and human-centered design 
• Build 'future ready' skills in students
• Transform your classroom/school into a public exhibition space for their work

Connect wtih Cameron: LinkedIn, Twitter (@HeadVERSO)

Learn more about Verso: http://www.verso.ac.th/

Enroll in the Free Edu-Transformer Book Study: https://forms.gle/crK4r8DHk6MZ7Twy7

Cameron's Bio: Cameron is currently the Founding Head of School at VERSO International School, Thailand - the first international school in the world to develop its conceptual blueprint in partnership with the world’s leading design and innovation company, IDEO. Cameron has been involved with this pioneering school project since its inception in 2015, leading a team of international learning designers as they re-engineer a traditional US college-prep curriculum into a progressive, competency-based program using project-based learning and human-centered design practices. Originally from Scotland, Cameron spent 26 years working as an educator and international school leader in Hong Kong before moving to Bangkok in 2019. He was the Head of School at the American International School in Hong Kong for more than 15 years and is an experienced WASC Chair who regularly leads visiting committees to international schools across the EARCOS region. 

• The starting point for interdisciplinary project planning
• How the best ideas come from places you'd least expect them
• How a well designed project can get kids begging you for academic content
• How to connect content across 3-5 subjects in a short 5 minute meeting

Since 2014, Loni has been working with schools around the world to re-imagine education. Her project-based learning expertise has been used in several international initiatives, including REAL-Projects (Innovation Unit, United Kingdom) and LEAPS (Kata Foundation, Denmark). In 2019, she founded Imagine If where they continue to work with schools to use project-based learning as a catalyst for deep and lasting change.

Connect with Loni on..

 LinkedIn: @loniatimagineif

Twitter: @loni_bergqvist

Facebook: @Imagine If

Website: imagineif.dk

How do we move from teacher- led learning to facilitated and learner-led environments?

Luna Rey, a former High Tech High School student and now project- based teacher working with low income, at-risk youth, shares the transformation we can experience when we are willing to LET GO.

Through the retelling of her personal story of classroom transformation, we explore how to:

• Embrace uncertainty and failure
• Use student-initiated discussions as the starting point for incredible learning experiences
• Use student peers as the class' greatest motivators
• Build strong relationships with students in order to build rigor
• Borrow and build on projects that we saw displayed on a wall
• Use the power of exhibition to produce beautiful work

Learn more about Luna's work at missionsquash.org. 

Connect with Luna on Twitter @missionsquash and LinkedIn @luna-rey

Luna's Bio:

Luna Rey is an energetic and innovative leader and educator who has worked with students from kindergarten through 12th grade through Columbia University, Portfolio School, Teach for America, and Mission Squash of Houston.

Luna received her Bachelor of Arts in American Studies with a concentration in English from Columbia University, where her work focused heavily on problems of equity in education. While at Columbia, Luna worked in the Office of Financial Aid & Educational Finance where she developed extensive knowledge of college admissions and financial aid and worked to strengthen financial aid and admissions to provide more support for first-generation and low-income families. In addition, she taught Columbia’s year-long Freedom & Citizenship course to low-income high school seniors living in New York City.

In 2015, Luna was hired as the founding Admissions Coordinator for Portfolio School, a mixed-age, project-based school in Manhattan. During her time at Portfolio, she drew upon her experiences working in the High Tech High Graduate School of Education to connect with educators and curate meaningful, creative, and rigorous projects for her elementary school students.

Prior to joining Mission Squash, Luna taught 7th and 8th grade English, writing, and history at KIPP Connect Middle School in Houston. Currently, Luna utilizes her project-based learninng background and educational experience to support her as the Executive Director of Mission Squash, a non-profit organization which empowers students from Houston's under served communities to unlock & maximize their potential through intensive, year-round academic, wellness and enrichment programs. As a low-income and first-generation college student herself, she is passionate about continuing to grow Mission Squash so that they may serve an even wider community in Houston.

As an edu-transformer, if someone asked you point blank, what are the top 10 ways to re-imagine the schooling experience, what would you tell them? 

That's what I asked longtime experiential educator, innovator, school designer, podcaster and project-based learning practitioner Steve Shapiro. And because Steve believes in continually being counter-culture, he gave me 11. 

This episode unpacks those lessons. From obvious lessons around having a growth mindset, to less obvious lessons like making questions in the community, not grades the common motivator for learning. Steve contextualizes each lesson with stories from his career as a long time disruptor and edu-innovator. You will leave with new insights on how to do the same in your classroom or school!

Get in Touch with Steve: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook. 

Steve's Website: https://www.steventshapiro.com/

Get the Project-Based Design Certificate Asynchronous Course for 30% off: Course Link

Enroll in the Synchronous PBL Design Certificate Course: Sign Up Link 

Steve's Bio: Steve Shapiro is a veteran classroom educator. In his 34-year career, Steve has taught sixth grade through graduate school, but his main work has been as a high school teacher and school reimaginer. Regardless of his role, Steve has been committed to providing experiential learning opportunities that transform students’ lives. Having completed his public school career, Steve now focuses his time on coaching, providing professional learning, and keynote speaking on experiential/authentic learning and school change. He also continues to produce episodes of his highly acclaimed podcast Experience Matters with Steve Shapiro.

What is deep learning? 

Is it students engrossed in semester long units or learning experiences? Inquiring, probing, investigating, and making meaning of their learning. 

Perhaps.

But most of us don't have that kind of time, or freedom with our curriculum.

What if deeper learning didn’t mean re-organizing everything we had, but simply making a few tweaks to what's already there..

• Gathering students around a kitchen table we brought in for more balanced discussion
• Extending time of activities by a few minutes to allow for reflection
• Letting students rearrange the classroom to align to how they learn best 

These are all ways Elementary Principal Jenn Fisher is helping teachers grow Deeper Learning Classrooms at her school. The response from teachers and students…"We can never go back!"

Learn more about her transformation story and how deeper learning practices in your own context can transform once passive students into active, empowered learners. 

Connect with Jenn: LinkedIn, Twitter (@stmartinschoole)

Pre-Order the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Target Areas of Growth for Student-Centered Enviromnents: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Jenn's Bio: 

Jenn Fisher is a dedicated educator whose passion lies in fostering healthier and more engaged students through outdoor experiences, play, and amplifying student voice. With over 12 years of experience as a principal, Jenn has consistently championed innovative approaches to education that prioritize student empowerment and holistic learning. Throughout her career, Jenn has firmly believed in the power of experiential learning and has actively incorporated outdoor activities and play into the curriculum. She understands that when students are actively engaged in their learning environment, they not only absorb information more effectively but also develop crucial life skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, and resilience.

As a Principal, Jenn has been instrumental in creating a school culture that values student input and encourages them to take ownership of their learning journey. Her leadership style emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and a deep understanding of the diverse needs of students.In her newest professional development venture in Deep Learning, Jenn is exploring how educational change can engage and empower students to take control of their education. She is passionate about creating learning environments that not only cater to students' academic needs but also nurture their passions and interests. By focusing on how, where, and what students learn, Jenn aims to create transformative educational experiences that prepare students for success in an ever-changing world.Jenn Fisher's commitment to student-centered education, coupled with her innovative approach to teaching and learning, makes her a highly respected leader in the field of education. Her work continues to inspire educators and students alike to strive for excellence and embrace change as a catalyst for growth and empowerment.

When Ayesha Inam moved her co-designed project online, something unfortunate happened.

She watched 100% engagement in class dwindle to less than 50% online. Half of her kids weren't even showing up to lessons. 

And then she tried something magical.

She gamified it. 

Suddenly ALL of her students were engaged.

In this short podcast episode, Ayesha Inam, Head Facilitator at micro-school LEO's Workshop by Beaconhouse, describes how to 'gamify' our PBL experiences to increase engagement and how to:

Co-design your projects with student input

🎮 Set up the gamified experience and NEVER have to teach again.

🎮 Improve quality of student work by 'badging it.' 

🎮 Make seemingly dry subjects come to life with the right challenges.

🎮 Have students self-organize and organize team meetings on their own well beyond online lesson time.

Connect with Ayesha:

Instagram (@thestemlabpakistan), LinkedIn, Twitter (@ayeshainam036)

Website: www.Leosworkshop.net

The Gamified Unit: https://transformschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SLOP-The-Game-Plan.pdf 

Sample Gamified Leaderboard (from Andres Joubert of Park Maitland School): https://docs.google.com/a/parkmaitland.org/spreadsheets/d/15VHH21d6jvr9p3Z7WwOhp49RAY1Z1PcBtw5C_2_OpeI/edit?usp=drive_web 

Ayesha's Bio: 

Ayesha Inam is a Computer Software Engineer by her degree, a K-5 STEM Education Specialist and Project-Based Learning Practitioner by passion.

She co-founded a small educational organisation - the STEM Lab of Pakistan in 2016 with a friend. The SLOP (The STEM Lab of Pakistan) is an after-school club that promotes and inculcates the love for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in young children, especially young girls through play-based and game-based educational activities.

She started her PBL Journey at TNS Beaconhouse in 2017, as a Grades 2-5 PBL Practitioner & later as a PBL Coordinator for 4.5 years, where she fell in love with Project Based Learning instantly because of the amazing things students were doing during their projects. Apart from many other valuable certifications in education, she holds a Distinction in a rigorous certification course of Teaching and Learning with Digital Technologies by the University of Cambridge. Using PBL Methodologies she has facilitated more than 150 students in creating products such as useful gadgets by using electric circuits for their families, blogging about the helping staff of their school and making their stories visible(https://fan.school/spaces?spaceId=8vok7hkqgikp1l2ljz0x7m56k), redesigning their school spaces and their suggestions taken in account by their new school's architect, Rosan Bosch; creating an Urdu rap song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5WbxUeUeyc) to make the learning easier for novice Urdu learners, analysed the impacts of people in history, setting up small slime and cookies businesses, hosted discussion panels with International space scientists and Pakistani children to raise awareness about space sciences amongst children(https://fb.watch/asQnhzTyyf/) and many other such innovative ventures.

Currently working as the Head Facilitator of an innovative private K-5 micro-school, Leo's Workshop by Beaconhouse for implementing the best PBL Practices at the school. She also serves as the Creative Director at the STEM Lab Pakistan so the love for STEM subjects keeps growing in the hearts of little children.

She loves investigating the science of learning; learning about the things that drive and motivate children to be interested in their own learning processes. Ayesha dreams of making academic learning as fun and addictive as the gaming industry some day.

She loves interacting and engaging with children, helping them learn how the world works; through gamification, game-based and play-based activities. In her leisure time, she likes to read books, perform crazy science experiments with her two biological kids and meditate whenever she can.

How do you design learning in your classroom/school? 

Imagine inviting student input on everything from the way the timetable is organized, to the design of learning experiences, even to how they are assessed and evaluated. 

That's the kind of voice and choice The Green School Bali provides its learners. And their learners are empowered as a result. 

In this illuminating podcast episode, Head of the Upper School/Learning Dialogist/Writer/Podcaster Dr. Benjamin Freud and I unpack:

• Practical methods for inviting student voice/choice into the design of learning
• How to include more community voices, including parents, local community stakeholders and the bio-collective 
• How to organize curriculum around students' interests, sustainability, and other topics and projects they hope to explore   
• The kind of mindset required to welcome continual feedback, iteration, and collective co-design and ways to adopt it   

Connect with Dr. Benjamin Freud: LinkedIN, Twitter/X

Learn more about Coconut Thinking (Ben's Podcast): https://coconut-thinking.com/benjamin-freud/ 

Learn more about the Green School, Bali: https://www.greenschool.org/

Take the Free 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Pre-Order the 12 Shifts Book (coming in August): www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Dr. Benjamin Freud's Bio: Dr. Benjamin Freud is an educator, learning dialogist, writer, and podcaster. He is the co-founder of Coconut Thinking, an advisory that helps and supports educators nurture learning ecosystems grounded in relationships that contribute to the thriving of the bio-collective—any living thing that has an interest in the healthfulness of the planet. He designs learning experiences that de-center the human, moving us toward a more ecological civilization. He is also the Head of Upper School at The Green School Bali. 

Before Green School, Benjamin was the Whole School Director of Learning at Prem Tinsulanonda International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He focused on the “lived” curriculum. He considered ways to develop a culture of active learning, where disciplinary boundaries start to disappear, and learners engage in meaningful projects that have an impact on themselves, others, and the world…all of this preferably taking place outside. He was responsible for teacher professional development, introducing innovative pedagogical practices, and taught classes from G4 to G12.

Before Prem, Benjamin was at Misk Schools, the most prestigious and high profile school in Saudi Arabia. Along with being responsible for all day-to-day operations and leadership in the Boys’ School, Benjamin developed a unique curriculum to nurture and develop creativity, competencies, and entrepreneurial spirit in learners. He was responsible for designing authentic and Problem-Based Learning experiences across the school and for developing and implementing Personal Learning Pathways for each learner, to understand their academic and personal needs so that they can best thrive.

Why do we grade students? 

Is it to measure and evaluate learning? Provide students an incentive to do their work? Reflect the ‘rigour’ of our classroom? 

Research shows that grades don’t accomplish any of these things. 

What if there was a better way to measure, monitor and evaluate student growth? And share a story of their learning journey...

What if we eliminated grades entirely? 

That’s exactly what Gary Heidt, 10th Grade Humanities and Social Entrepreneurship Teacher, did in his high school's 'Nova Lab' learning space. And his students soared to new heights because of it. 

Learn more about the alternative system he co-designed, and how it can help your students:

• Increase work ethic and production
• Become more reflective and meticulous with their work
• Provide detailed descriptions of their learning journey and growth
• Take charge of their learning  

Gary's Blog: https://onlyconnects.wordpress.com 

Going Gradeless Resources

Nova Lab: https://pvhsnovalab.com   

Connect w/ Gary: Twiter (@Ed_by_design) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-heidt-6146656/)  

Gary's Bio: Garreth Heidt has taught middle and high school students via a unique instructional approach to creativity and design thinking for the better part of 30 years. His curricula seek to develop skills in critical viewing, question formation, civil discussion, problem finding, and problem solving. The learning process is driven by design-minded means to a unique educational end for his students, and is focused around two simple questions: “Why are things the way they are? How can we make them better?”

He currently teaches a 10th grade Gifted Humanities class, and is the Lead Learner and co-designer of his high school’s innovation and social entrepreneurship space, NOVA Lab.

Mr. Heidt has spent time teaching and developing classes at the middle school, high school, and college level. He is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in English and a Masters in Curriculum, Instruction and Technology. His work has appeared in or been featured by: School Arts, A Gathering of the Tribes, the Industrial Designers Society of America, The Design Learning Network, Bard College’s “Institute for Writing and Thinking”, and in a forthcoming book on experiential learning in museums entitled, The Museum as Experience.

He blogs infrequently on his own sites, Only Connect (www.onlyconnects.wordpress.com) and Innovation Lab (pvhsnovalab.com). He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley, Design-ed Coalition, the Design Learning Network, and he is the Director of Learning for the Educational Design Consultancy, Form & Faculty (www.formandfaculty.com ).

1. Help students understand the complexities of the conflict
2. Seamlessly weave together history, geography, and language topics found in our curriculum
3. Help students differentiate between 'real' and 'fake' news 
4. Organize our own Model United Nations conference with little to no experience
5. Motivate students to give up entire weekends to the process of diplomacy

Connect with Rob: rgold@iskl.edu.my

MUN Free Resources: https://bit.ly/35ulpgz

Additional Ideas for Discussion: https://transformschool.com/category/blog/mun/ 

How do you build community partners for project-based experiences to make learning more 'real world,' and meaningful for students?

There's the 'old school' way of doing things. 🥱 
Plan a learning experience inside your classroom in a silo, or shared office, and then figure out how it fits with the community.

Or there's the more effective, '21st century' way of doing things.
BUILD the project together with students and community partners 🤝.

That's how Julia Kao, PBL teacher, and community outreach curator at VIS OneWorld Lab School in Taiwan builds projects.

In this short podcast episode, we learn from Julia how to:

• Develop community partnerships that last well beyond the project due date
• Help students co-create products with community partners that serve purpose in the real world
• Utilize community partners for feedback, critique and adjudicators for student work
• Seamlessly integrate your core curriculum and content to lead to DEEPER learning

Website: https://vis.tp.edu.tw/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vis_betterworldlab/?hl=en 

Program Overview

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centered Classrooms Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind 

What happens to student empowerment when we move from the the front of the classroom to a gentle facilitator on the side? 

We get more self-directed learners.

More student voice, opinions, and ideas. 

A range of diverse work products. 

Making this shift is NOT easy. It requires a mindset of trust, and the facilitator 'moves' to support this kind of student-centered environment. Andrew Faulstich, a Montessori Adolescent Guide and Facilitator of these kind of learning environments teaches us how to make these shifts by:

• Unpacking the core tenets of learner-centered environments
• Providing concrete strategies to foster student-led discussion
• Suggesting a few changes in the way we design our classrooms
• Offering prompts for more open-ended learner supported questions  

Get in Touch with Andrew: LinkedIn, Community (Enlightened Educator Project), Blog/Newsletter (Substack) 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to Target Areas of Growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Get the 12 Shifts Book for More Strategies/Ideas/Stories: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher (Use WT30 at checkout for 30% discount) 

Andrew's Bio: 

Andrew believe in the potential for education to be transformative for all students. His expertise is in facilitating learning environments where all participants, both young people and adults, experience empowerment and liberation. He developed and led international and U.S. education programs and taught students from 10 different countries in person, virtually, and in a hybrid format. Across these experiences, Andrew found that progressive, learner-centered, and Montessori education is a catalyst for a transformational change within each learner. Andrew works at the intersection of supporting human development and driving a social revolution leading to a more equitable, interdependent world.

What if you were given a blank canvas to design a new school from the ground up?

How would students spend their day? What learning experiences would it include? What would the building look like? Would they even need a classroom?

Most of us don't have the luxury to build from the ground up, but with micro-schools, edu- innovators like you are beginning to re-imagine the schooling experience.

With their small, flexible structure, micro-schools are able to rapidly adapt and design more learner-centered experiences. 

I sat down with micro-school founder Michael Ha, to learn about his brand new open age, experiential, project-based, personalized, biosphere and sustainability grounded 'Elements College.' Through our interview, you will learn how to:

1. Come up with the design principals to accelerate our own learner-centered environments
2. Build and scaffold self-management and self-directed skills in learners
3. Embrace the 6 C's and make them come to life 
4. Connect learners to the Metaverse
5. Organize learning experiences that move beyond the four walls of our classsroom and into the biosphere
6. Build a reflective culture that allows for rapid prototyping and iteration

Learn More about Elements College: https://www.elementcollege.com.au/

Connect with Michael via LinkedIn (@michaelhaedu) and Twitter (@MichaelHaEDU).

Join the Micro-School Design Challenge with innovators around the world: innovationhub.school/reschool-sprint

Michael's Bio: 

Michael believes that a bottom-up approach of rethinking education is the best approach to accelerate change, and is committed to share an open-sourced playbook on the development and ongoing operations of this learning ecosystem. Outside of Element College, Michael is the Executive Director of the Institute of Deeper Learning, supporting schools on the implementation of pedagogical practices across K-12 schools, foster staff professional growth, and facilitate the development of cultures of learning globally. Attesting to his commitment to professional learning, Michael is a Doctorate candidate (UNSW) in educational leadership. Outside of education, he is a founding member of Bank of Cancer Research, a social enterprise that aims to fund open-source cancer research.

Many schools spend millions of dollars on state of the art learning environments, yet few of them have the desired impact on learners.

Why? 

Because they weren't designed WITH the learners, and integrally connected to learner-centered EXPERIENCES. 

In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Durdle of world renowned Verso Inernational School to discuss how to seamlessly connect the two. 

Learn how their flexible, modular, and dynamic environments supports dynamic project-based experiences, and you might adapt yours to do the same. 

This video is part of a '12 days of PBL' holiday series. Get access to all 12 videos here: www.transformschool.com/12daysofpbl 

Connect with Ashley: ashley.d@verso.ac.th 

Learn more about Verso: https://www.verso.ac.th/

Tour the Verso Campus and Design Dynamic Learning Experiences during the 21st Century Learning Conference: https://www.21clconf.org/item/tackling-global-sustainable-development-goals/

How do we EMPOWER adolescent learners? 

Anyone who works with this age group, knows that they have a unique set of needs. Adolescent learners have unique needs for increased social connections, purpose, autonomy, ownership, and real-world purpose and pursuits beyond the walls of the classroom. 

As student-centered adolescent educators, how do we design experiences and environments that allow for these?

In this short podcast interview, expert adolescent educator and Montessori guide Julien Lamorte teaches us how to: 

• Build adolescent learning experiences around 4 key 'bricks' or 'pillars' 
• Include adolescent learners in learning design
• Empower them to develop and implement self-directed projects 
• Exhibit their learning  
• Connect them to opportunities in the real-world  
• Increase their agency, voice and choice in all aspects of learning 

Connect with Julien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julien-jayed/ . Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julien_jayed/. Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JulienJayed . Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julien.jayed 

Website: julienjayed.me 

Dive Deeper in Designing Learning Experiences for Adolescents- - > Register for the FREE 'Building Student Agency' IB Workshops

Enroll in the 4 session Project-Based Design Certificate Course - -> Here.

Julien's Bio:

Father of 4 Montessori children, Julien Jayed Lamorte has been involved in the Montessori education movement since 2004 as a parent and volunteer president at Lyon Montessori School (France). At that time he was still running a business unit in urban planning and international consultancy. After a few years, this commitment led him to work closely with the AMI accredited French training center, setting up the 1st diploma course ever outside of Paris in 2010 - there were no online courses at that time. From 2008, he also took an active part to the preparatory work that eventually led to the creation in 2014 of the Collège Maria Montessori des Aiglons, the 1st Montessori middle school in France offering a full Erdkinder project. In charge of the administration and community development, he also gave some workshops to adolescents during five years, related to preparation to professional life; a mix of law, economics, finances and personal development allowing adolescents to understand better their possible future roles as adults. Julien Jayed Lamorte has become an international Montessori trainer since 2020, running courses for Montessori school administrators. He also offers consultancies all around the world, coaching school owners and administrators, supporting the development of Montessori curricula, in Europe, Africa and more recently Asia. Living in Switzerland since 2022, still engaged in spreading out Montessori education to the greatest number, Julien Jayed Lamorte volunteers in the Swiss Montessori community and has built a platform (montessoriaction.fr & montessoriaction.com) where he shares with other Montessorians free online resources to parents and professionals.

That's the power of PBL when learners are given an authentic problem to tackle.

In this episode, Christopher Bush, Head of Student Voice and Leadership at University HIgh School, unpacks the First Nations Project and provides ideas for how we as learner-centered practitioners can: 

• Co-Create projects with students and experts in the community 
• Break down the walls between school and community and find authentic problems to design projects around
• Help foster learner agency and voice in managing their own projects under the same driving question
• Scaffold experiences to allow for DEEP learning

Register for the 12 Shifts Webinar to unpack Learner-Centered PBL Environments: Here 

Chris' Bio:

Chris Bush is currently the Head of Student Voice and Leadership at the University High School in Parkville. Previously working as a Leading Teacher (Curriculum and Innovation) at Prahran High School, Chris designed and implemented an agentic and engaging project-based learning curriculum focussing on various topics including Indigenous Perspectives, Sustainability, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Prior to this work, Chris worked for the Safe Schools Coalition Australia, where he designed and implemented National curriculum resources to make schools safer for LGBTQIA+ students. Chris is passionate about co-designing engaging learning experiences with his learners and listening authentically to their desires and interests, allowing those to drive their inquiries.

There are several skills that are hard to build in students within the walls of a classroom.

Skills like leadership, community building, survival, mentorship, global citizenship, and expedition planning. 

On expeditions outside of the classroom, these skills come naturally; whether it's assisting farmers plant in the marshes of Indonesia (pictured above), or cultural treks to learn about isolated tribes' way of living in the jungles of Thailand. 

Justin Bedard, co-founder of Jump! and expert Experiential Learning Facilitator leads teams of students in these kind of experiences on a regular basis. In partnering with schools, his team of facilitators grow global citizens, while supporting classroom teachers to transform from subject teachers to experiential learning facilitators. In our podcast interview, we learn as new experiential learning facilitators:

• The key components of experiential learning and how it differs from traditional learning
• How to support students in honing and developing these skills  
• Create the conditions, big questions, and environment that allows for deeper experiential learning to take root within our schools and communities
• How to connect experiential learning opportunities meaningfully to our curriculum  
• How to develop the mindsets and tool set required to shift from a teacher to experiential learning facilitators 

Connect with Justin: LinkedIn (@justinbedard12)

Learn more about Jump!: https://jumpfoundation.org/ 

Take the 12 shifts scorecard around transitioning from teacher to facilitator: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind/ 

Sign up for the PBL Symposium on 'Building Student Agency Through PBL:' https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/ 

Justin's Bio:

Born in Lilongwei, Malawi, Justin spent my childhood in Indonesia and formative years in China. Justin has a strong passion for community development and educational innovation which is the foundation of which The JUMP! Foundation has been built.

Throughout his life, Justin has built a focused commitment to youth development programs around the world. 

Wearing many hats, he has had the chance to carry out his passion for adventure guiding, organizational consulting, leadership facilitation, community development, and time playing in the wilderness.

As a speaker, Justin is comfortable speaking to international audiences of up to 1,000. He is excited to share my thoughts, perspectives and strategies with educators, NGOs, youth leaders, and other Changemakers worldwide.

Why do we still use traditional transcripts to report on learning?

As if academic marks are all that matter. 

Transcripts don't tell the story of a learner's strengths, special talents, competencies, certifications, or skills. Or their abilities as critical thinkers, leaders, creators and collaborators. 

But what if they did? What if in a highly visual way, they created a narrative for the WHOLE CHILD? 

That's what Hamza and his team at 'Start Up Early' have developed in their co-curricular transcript; and it's already making headway in several schools. Learners are gaining special insights into their strengths, passions and possible pathways to explore, while teachers and administrators are assemlbing something more impactful to pass on to parents and universities.

In this interview we unpack the co-curricular transcript and share tips for how you might use it in your own learner-centred environment. 

The Co-Curricular Transcript 

Get in Touch with Hamza: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

'Start-Up Early' Website: https://startupearly.com 

Hamza's Bio:

My name is Hamza Ansar, Founder at Start Up Early. I attained my MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Southern California after founding my first startup, for which we raised angel investment locally as well as crowdfunding internationally. After returning to Pakistan in ’19, I founded Start Up Early, an education technology platform. Our focus is on helping students identify and pursue their passion in an effort to optimise their career trajectories. Our flagships product is the Student Success Management System.  Student Success Management System (SSMS) is a mobile-first student engagement & success software that helps schools increase student participation outside the classroom, track and assess extra-curricular activities and empower all students to tell their unique stories with our modern individualised co-curricular transcripts. A co-curricular transcript (CCT) is an official set of record, past and present, of a student’s co-curricular and extra-curricular activities (clubs, organizations, activities), awards, accomplishments and honors received during a student’s schooling years.

The co-curricular transcript will include:

• Co-curricular transcript overview of all past student data
• Graphical representation of all co-curricular activities divided in to various categories
• Gamified badges unlocked at milestone achievement
• Co-curricular effort mapped against top tiered students from previous years
• Roadmap and suggestions on how students can improve their co-curricular score
• Competency mapping from prior experiences
• Easy-to-read visual timeline of all activities

Is your classroom setup holding your international learners back?

Traditional, teacher-centered layouts often stifle the creativity, collaboration, and cultural inclusivity needed for students to thrive—especially in our international schools. Outdated setups can act as barriers, preventing meaningful learning and student engagement.

In this episode, I’ll share five simple shifts to redesign your learning spaces into vibrant, student-centered environments. Learn:

1️⃣ How to ditch the teacher desk, and empower every learner to conribute.
2️⃣ Why a progress wall can skyrocket motivation
3️⃣ The easiest way to showcase student work and build classroom pride

Let’s move from outdated spaces to thriving learning communities.

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard and start creating an environment where all students feel engaged and empowered!

What happens when we provide time for students to pursue their passions, and connect them to a deeper purpose through projects they design? 

This was the big question behind the Capstone Program at Hawaii Prep Academy; a learner-centered initiative that affords students 3 hours a week during their their 5th, 8th and 12th grade years to develop projects that are meaningful to them. 

One 8th grade learner used the time to start the school's first LGBTQ+ club; while another used it to co-design reforestation projects with a local NGO. 

I sat down with Dagan Bernstein, the program coordinator to learn more about the program, and how we as edu-transformers can:

• Help our students discover their passions and connect them to a greater purpose
• Scaffold and support the project process by using the 6 'P's' 
• Shift from Teacher to Project Mentor by adopting a growth mindset
• Start a similar initiative in our classrooms or schools

Dagan's Website: dagan.education

Dagan's Blog: dagan.blog

Connect with Dagan on Twitter (@DaganBernstein) and LinkedIn (@DaganBernstein)

Dagan's Bio: Dagan currently works as the K-8 Capstone Coordinator at Hawai’i Preparatory Academy in Waimea on Hawai’i Island with additional experience in music, digital media, and mathematics instruction. A strong believer in developing student agency and supporting skills for a “future curriculum”, he is an advocate for using design, futures, and music thinking to support productive collaboration among educators. Dagan is also a musician who loves writing, recording, and performing at farmer’s markets and coffee shops throughout Hawai’i Island.

You know that 'buzz' you hear when you walk into a high-functioning classroom, with students moving and working seamlessly from task to task in project groups? In Kristin Damburger's classroom, you hear that buzz a lot.

In this short interview, with Kristin Damberger, Learning Coach at the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile, we explore how to create that 'buzz' and...

• Use simple collaborative processes and protocols to help students manage their own teams
• Remove 'the subject teacher hat' and replace it for a 'designer of learning experiences'
• Make students accountable to their peers within project teams
• Create a culture where learning is a continual conversation, not an assessment
• Teach less and have students DO more
• Collaborate and seamlessly across subject areas with fellow teachers through a simple 5 minute conversation

Connect with Kristin on Twitter @MsDamberger or on LinkedIn.

Kristin's Bio: 

Kristin Damberger is a Learning Coach at the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile. She has spent the last 12 years of her 15 year career in education working overseas in international schools in China, Brazil, and now Chile. She started her career teaching 6th grade English and Social Studies at a Title I school in California, where she began her experimentation with inquiry and PBL. Soon after starting a masters degree in global studies in education, she wanted to pursue a life overseas and moved to Beijing. Over the course of her international career Kristin has served in many roles, including teacher, facilitator, curriculum coordinator, Associate Division Head, and now Learning Coach. In all of these roles Kristin has had the opportunity to continue in her pursuit to redefine the traditional structures of "school" and continue to deepen and expand her work in inquiry, PBL, and design thinking.

Designing a learner-centered experience isn't that complicated. It requires only a few shifts in the way we currently design projects, units, and lessons. 

Building a learner-centered environment to allows the experience to fly? That takes years.  

It requires a long term commitment from staff, leadership, parents and students to create a culture built around the learner. I call that PBL 2.0. 

How as a learner-centered leader do you move from PBL 1.0 to PBL 2.0? 

Ms. Amina Usman helps us answer this question in the context of her teacher leadership at her PBL School, Beaconhouse TNS. She teaches us how to effectively coach, and create the conditions, culture, and classrooms that allow project-based experiences to reach full potential; while LEARNERS lead the way. 

Connect with Ms. Amina: amina.usman@tns.edu.pk 

Learn more about TNS/Beaconhouse PBL Schools: https://www.tns.edu.pk/

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centered Environments Scorecard: http://www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

Register for the November PBL Syposium: https://www.21c-learning.com/events/student-agency-and-pbl-symposium/

Ms. Amina Usman's Bio: Amina has been associated with the early years for the past 15 years, and her passion lies in nurturing young minds. It says if you are once a teacher, you are always a teacher, and the same goes for Amina as she started her career. And although Amina became coordinator 3 years ago, her heart  still lies in engaging with young children. Here role as an early years coordinator’s is to ensure that young children receive high-quality, developmentally appropriate experiences that meet their individual needs and help them reach their full potential. She works to ensure that early years classrooms are designed in such a way that promotes children’s learning and development, with a focus on social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Amina's degree is in Diplomacy and strategic studies, but when I joined teaching I did a number of training sessions to improve myself, with early childhood education.

Are you the lone innovator in a school that doesn't get project-based learning? How do get more on baord for PBL and scale it across the school?  David Moore, a school leader, PBL practitioner and vintage car enthusiast got an entire community behind project-based experiences by converting his school's car park into a Formula 1 Race Track. 

Learn about the incredible and inspiring story of Faith Lutheran College, and how David transformed it from a place with declining enrollment, to one of the most sought after schools in the region. Learn how to:

• Turn skeptical parents into your biggest believers.
• Stay competitive with schools who have infinitely more money and resources. 
• Help 100% of staff feel ready for their first PBL experience through a 10 minute activity.
• Use the power of exhibition to accelerate onboarding for PBL.
• Transform archaic, siloed subjects, into real world, mixed-age courses. 

Connect with David: LinkedIN

Learn more about Faith Lutheran College: www.faithlutheran.qld.edu.au 

Take the 12 Shifts for Learner-Centered Environments Scorecard: www.tranformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind

David's Bio: David Moore, Deputy Head of Secondary School - Learning. He has been teaching for the past 35 years in both the Public and private schools systems in Queensland, Australia. For the past 20 years he has been at Faith Lutheran College Redlands where he was a foundation teacher, moving through the curriculum pathways to the position where he is today. He is passionate about curriculum and learning being done differently so that students enjoy learning. The learning program designed at Faith creates courses based on a student's ability not their age with Soloed subjects combined in a PBL environment.

In a world with advancing AI, personalized chatbots, and ready made content at student's fingerprints, how do we engage them in work that they find personally meaningful?

This short episode helps unpack the conditions necessary to engage students in this kind of work, irregardless of age or school subject.

From podcasts, to state of the art green spaces, discover how to have students create professional, beautiful work.

Shift #5/6: From worksheets - - - - > High-Quality, Real World Work

Take the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Pre-Order the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Attend the Launch Party: www.transformschool.com/booklaunch 

Discover 50+ Alternatives to Worksheets/Exams: Real World Work Alternative List

What if instead of demonstrating understanding through a worksheet or end of term exam, students produced beautiful, professional work for real clients, and exhibited it in the community?

This is what Alexa Lepp, a PBL and Technology coach gets elementary students to do on a regular basis. 

In our short interview, Alexa shares how to: 

• Introduce students to real clients and connect core subjects seamlessly to project tasks
• Get students to hold themselves to higher expectations and save you from 'working all hours of the day'
• Get students to 'fall in love' with our core content by using real world models
• Connect our classrooms with real world experts and project partners through our own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram communities

Connect with Alexa on Instagram @alexalepp, on Twitter @AlexaLepp or LinkedIN @alexa-lepp-9a3104186.

Alexa's Bio: 

Alexa Lepp is an educator and Project Based Learning coach from Southern California. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology. Alexa has been in education for ten years with a background in teaching students across 5th-12th grade. She has also worked with educators across the nation, grades K-12, on how to integrate PBL in their educational practices. She is currently working as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) in a High School in Acton, California, as an Independent Study Mentor-Teacher, ASB Advisor, technology coach, and professional development team member.

Imagine a school where you take your shoes off every time you enter the classroom. You shared the space with local bugs, insects, bees, and biodiversity surrounding you. You rode a bus to school powered by used vegetable oil. The curriculum was built around the natural world surrounding you. You got to take up action projects to save the planet, whether protecting local reefs, or buidling roads out of hardened volcanic ash. 

These are daily experiences for students at the Green School Bali. And Science, Math and Regeneration Middle School Learning Experience Designer (Teacher) Kenny Peavy is one of its chief architects. 

His simple mantra: "Turn boxes into bubbles." 

Through our podcast conversation, learn how to:

• Re-design curriculum around big sustainability themes
• Scaffold learning to allow for deep exploration
• Support students in taking up action projects
• Be a climate warrior by taking up your OWN sustainable projects
• Build strategic partnerships with the communit to help them fly
• Transition from classroom teacher to indoor/outdoor learning facilitator 

Connect with Kenny: Instagram, LinkedIn, 

Join Kenny's Facebook Group for conversations and free resources: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boxpeopleunboxed 

Pre-order the 12 Shifts for student-centered environments book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Take the 12 shifts scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Get the free PBL starter kit: www.transformschool.com/pblstarterkit 

Kenny's Bio: Kenny is originally from Georgia, USA. He’s been living and teaching overseas for 23+ years in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.

He’s led thousands of students on Education Outside the Classroom Expeditions for cultural immersion, ecology, adventure and service learning throughout Southeast Asia.

Kenny is currently an educator in the Middle School at Green School Bali. In his current role, he teaches Science, Math, and Regeneration in an experiential outdoor setting.

He’s ridden a bamboo bicycle from Thailand to Bali to raise awareness for sustainability in Southeast Asia and circumnavigated Phuket Island in Thailand in a kayak to spotlight marine conservation issues in the region.

He is author of The Box People- Out of the BOX! An illustrated children’s book focused on sustainable communities with the message to get out of your box and play outside to make deep connections with Nature!

As a result of his dedication to the environment, environmental education and conservation he’s been awarded Volunteer of the Year by both the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Organization in the USA and the Malaysian Nature Society in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Connect with Emily: Twitter (@tech_edu_burk), Instagram (@annaisd_makerspace)

Emily's Bio:

Emily Burk is a Maker Integration Technology Specialist in a 3,744 square foot public high school makerspace in the North Texas area. Emily has had 22 years of experience in the classroom varying from fine arts, English-Language Arts, career and technical education, and media and technology integration. She has a passion for project-based learning, making learning applicable and relevant to all learners, and providing all students equitable access to maker education.

What do grades tell students about their learning? Are they even helpful? 

Even though evidence suggests grades are a poor motivator for student learning, we still use them in our classrooms to evaluate learning. But there's a much better way to not only evaluate learning, but track learner GROWTH and PROGRESS. 

In this highly engaging episode recorded live at my Book Launch Party , Gary Heidt takes us through his journey of replacing grades in his classroom with portfolios and presentations of learning, and the impact it had on his learners. 

This episode will make you re-imagine what's possible in your won classroom when shifting from...

Grades - - - - > Self, Peer and Expert Critique

Get in touch with Gary Heidt: Linkedin, Twitter/X- @Ed_by_design, Instagram- @pvnovalab

Gary's Blogs: https://onlyconnects.wordpress.com ,  Https://pvhsnovalab.com  

Link to Gary's Gradeless Digital Notebook: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oOWav74ZSMcoS9wXQhB6r_UCbnQR7J_b/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107869970601559545884&rtpof=true&sd=true 

12 Shifts Resources: 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to identify areas for growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftscorecard 

Get the 12 Shifts Book: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Teacher-Shifts-Student-Centered-Environments/dp/1032484713 

Learn about the 'From Teacher Led to Student-Centered' Professional Learning Cohorts Starting in January: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 

What learning opportunities exist beyond our classroom doors? 

That's the question that led school founder and student-centered educator Dr. Jane Shore on a community mapping expedition with her high school students in Philadelphia. 

Through a simple 5-step process, they uncovered community stories, built strategic connections, and forged long term learning partnerships that would give learning in the classroom new purpose and meaning. 

This 'ecosystem map' became their North Star.

Hear Jane's story and discover how to more meaningfully connect your classroom to the community as well. 

Connect with Jane: jane@schoolsofthought.org

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to target araeas of growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard

Get the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher

Learn more about the 12 Shifts Cohorts starting in January: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 

Are you planning to launch your very first project-based experience in the 2022-2023 school year?

That can be exciting and terrifying all at the same time. 

This episode provides insights and tips from teaching team Michelle Willis and Dave Sheenan who launched their first project in the 2021-2022 school year.

Through the re-telling of their 'Suenos Unidos' (Dreamers Unite) project, they teach us how to:

1. Take an existing unit and turn it into a project-based experience
2. Become comfortable in the 'messiness' of PBL
3. Be pleasanty suprised by our students
4. Have previously disengaged students work harder for their classmates than they ever worked for us
5. Discover strengths we never knew our students had 

View the 'Suenos Unidos' Project Site: https://sites.google.com/gomperscharter.org/pbl/home 

Get the PBL Design Certificate Course for 40% off: https://projectbasedlearning.teachable.com/p/projectbasedlearning1?coupon_code=FALL-SALE

Connect with Michelle on Instagram: @lilswills

Michelle and Dave's Bios: Ms.Willis currently works at Gompers Preparatory Academy, she is going into her 10th year as an 11th grade English teacher. She is a strong believer in briding the equity gap in education by supporting ALL learners and learning styles. She is also a mom, a coach, a corny joke teller, comedy lover and overall nerd. She can be found listening music, working out or working on her writing skills. But you’ll most likely find her goofing around with her two year old son or contemplating the contradictions of modern day life. Mr. Sheehan has worked at Gompers Preparatory Academy for the past ten years as a high school Special Education teacher. A former teacher of the year, Mr. Sheehan believes all students, regardless of their disabilities, have the capabilities to learn and grow. When he's not focused on his job, you can find him hanging out with friends and taking care of his family: his nephew, Ry, his cat, Stella, and his dog, Trinity.

We talk a lot about tips, strategies, frameworks, and components of project-based experiences, but we don't talk a lot about mindsets.  

How do you develop the mindsets that allow for creativity, agility, uncertainty, and experiences that move in several directions?

In this episode, Thompson Morrison and Kavita Tanna, Founders of Ustawi Movement Global expose us to a process that builds these mindsets in both students and teachers; changing them from compliant learners to creative geniuses. We peel back the layers of this process and speak with educator Linda Amici about the transformational results she has seen in her classroom. Through it, you will learn:

• Why agility and adaptability are the #1 future skills, and how to develop it in our learners
• A simple framework to transform compliant learners to creative powerhouses 
• How to make learning a continual conversation and not a didactic mode of delivery
• How to use a learning process developed in real world industries like tech/software to guide experiences in our classrooms
• How to help our learners reach their creative potential 

Connect with Thompson Morrison: thompson@ustawimovement.global         

Connect with Kavita Tanna: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook       

Connect with Linda Amici: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter

Learn More about the DIG Framework: https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Experiment-reimagined-education-unleashed/dp/0578634392 

Thompson's Bio: Thompson Morrison is the co-author of The Dayton Experiment, a book that tells a story of a five-year journey of reimagining the learning culture of a small rural school in Dayton, Oregon. A software executive deeply versed in the fast, iterative learning cycles that underpin Agile methodologies, he partnered with Jami Fluke, the principal of Dayton Middle School and High School, to reimagine the learning culture in order to unleash the creative genius of every student. From that experience, a learning framework was developed, Designed InGenuity (DiG), which has now been introduced to hundreds of educators around the world, helping to inspire the transformation of schools now on five continents. His most recent book, The Joyful Sandbox, explores how this framework is being used by schools to bring learning alive.

Kavita's Bio: Kavita is a facilitator of mission-driven work with communities around the world. Now pursuing her fourth career as a Global Education Coach, she brings the life experiences of business and classroom teaching to this work of transforming learning in communities. Kavita's mission is to connect with like-minded individuals who wish to empower all people through meaningful, interconnected, and globally-minded conversations. She is a graduate of the Brain-SET Environment Certificate, through which early childhood educators are empowered to design environments with the intention of children learning in calm spaces to support the development of their brains. As a lifelong learner, Kavita is completing a Master's degree with Antioch University, focusing on creating, sustaining and regenerating transformative learning communities using systems thinking. In regular one-to-one meetings, facilitation of team gatherings and large group workshops, Kavita coaches school leaders and classroom educators to recognise the roles they play in shaping the identities, attitudes and behaviours of all learners. By co-designing learning experiences, she offers practical ideas for global and intercultural-mindedness for all learners, including parents, educators and leaders. Through her work as a passionate advocate and mentor for social-emotional-ethical wellbeing integration in the lives of all people, Kavita’s vision is to co-create a harmonious world in which all living systems can flourish.

Linda's Bio: Linda Amici is an educator with a passion to empower future leaders to “be the change” the world needs. As a middle school instructional coach for the Westerville City School District and part-time faculty member for Otterbein University, she seeks to inspire those around her to embrace a growth mindset and take educational risks to innovate transformational practices. Changing the world has led Linda to opportunities that reach beyond the borders of the US. She has worked overseas on projects to bring health and clean water to remote locations in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Amazon river basin in Peru. Stateside, she supports international students on their exchange year as they share culture with US host families. She is energized by learning about new cultures and working with diverse teams to solve global issues. Linda graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education and holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has had the honor of presenting and collaborating with PBL Works, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Center for Urban School Transformation, and she currently serves as an AMLE Schools of Distinction Evaluator. Linda graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education and holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has had the honor of presenting and collaborating with PBL Works, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Center for Urban School Transformation, and she currently serves as an AMLE Schools of Distinction Evaluator. In 2019, Linda was selected as the Sanford Inspirational Award recipient by the National University System for the state of Ohio. She has been recognized as a Great Educational Mentor by her school district, and she was awarded a Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Deeper Learning Grant to awaken learner curiosity within her educational community. She currently serves as the National Teach Plus Fellow for Ohio and is a part of the AMLE support team. In 2019, Linda was selected as the Sanford Inspirational Award recipient by the National University System for the state of Ohio. She has been recognized as a Great Educational Mentor by her school district, and she was awarded a Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Deeper Learning Grant to awaken learner curiosity within her educational community. She currently serves as the National Teach Plus Fellow for Ohio and is a part of the AMLE support team. Linda is a mother to six children, one dog, and a small herd of guinea pigs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking, kayaking, and keeping herself and her community strong and healthy by teaching fitness classes to all ages. Connect with her on Twitter at @LindaAmici

As learner-centered practitioners, I imagine we are all firm believers in the benefits, and postive outcomes project-based experiences have on our students. But what about our learners? Do they feel the same way?

In this short podcast interview, I chat with two learners, Stanley and Flora at experimental PBL School VIS Better World Lab in Taiwan to get their take on how project-based experiences have IMPACTED them. From how they have grown as people, to how it has affected their view of learning. 

But it's not all rainbows and butterflies. We also discuss PBL's shortcomings, and the challenges they have faced adapting to this new model. Through a learner's lens, you will gain new insight into:

1. The major differences between PBL and a traditional approach 
2. How to support project teams that collaborate and illuminate invidividual interests
3. Supporting students in the process of investigation 
4. The IMPACT project-based experiences has on learners 
5. Potential pitfalls of project-based learning, and how to overcome them
6. Adopting the mindest it takes to transition from classroom teacher to a project facilitator 

Learn more about VIS: Instagram: (@vis_betterworldlab), Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterworldLAB?mibextid=LQQJ4d Website: https://vis.tp.edu.tw 

Follow VIS Radio: Instagram (@vis_radio_channel), Website: www.vis-radio.com 

Comprehensive Overview of PBL Benefits: Report here. 

PBL Collab and Grab Monthly Discussion Interest Form: https://forms.gle/zY2iG6XBvXqzDTtk7

Oscar and Flora's Bio:

Flora Lin has been a student in VIS experimental High School for 2 years, over which she has not only attended but been selected team leader for many of the PBL projects that she has been involved in. Stanley Pang is currently in 11th grade and finishing up his first year in VIS. Despite only being here for year Stanley has already achieved many great accomplishments like winning the Entrepreneurship award as well as starting his own gym club, of which he leads many of his classmates onto the journey to building better fitness habits Together, Stanley and Flora have proved themselves to be strong VIS as well as strong PBL students. Together they have not only been selected leader in their PBLs and won recognition for their in-school performance. They have also entered a business competition together and got 8th place, out of hundreds of other applicants. Stanley and Flora are both hardworking and diligent students who aim to always put their best effort both in and out of school. We hope that their interview provides listeners more insight into what PBL is like and inspires them to learn more about incorporating PBL in their schools in the future.

Many powerful project-based experiences are borne inside Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, electives, STEM or after school classes. But for most of these PBL experiences, that's where they stay. 

What would happen if these project-based experiences moved beyond the walls of these progams and into the mainstream curriculum and broader community? What IMPACT might they have then? 

In this podcast interview I chat with Stacey Duchrow, the Director of workforce solutions at KTEC technical school, to chat around how she enlarges the impact of PBL by moving it beyond the walls of CTE, and how we as edu-transformers can as well by:

• Building strategic industry partnerships
• Collaborating across disciplines to align on a common vision/graduate profile
• Empowering learners to continue projects long past their due date 
• Framing assessment around key competencies like problem solving, cognitive flexibility, team collaboration and more  

Learn more about KTEC: www.ktecschools.org

View their profile of a graduate: https://www.ktecschools.org/what-sets-us-apart/ 

List of Learner Competencies

Connect with Stacey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-duchrow-a068a5140/ 

Join the Global Community of PBL Practioners for Monthly Forums: Interest Form

Stacey's Bio: 

Stacey Duchrow was appointed to KTEC High School’s Director of Workforce Solutions, a new career and technical education focused charter school. She brings numerous years of educational and industrial experience to the position. Although Duchrow started her industry career as a Microbiologist at Abbott Labs, she soon discovered her passion for education. An experienced science teacher with Kenosha Unified School District and Union Grove High School, Duchrow also served in numerous roles outside the classroom. At Union Grove she was STEM coordinator, career & academies coordinator, district assessment coordinator, and RTI coordinator, all while developing three STEM pathways and working to strengthen the school’s college and career-ready culture.

Following Union Grove, Duchrow was the manager of Business and Educational Partnerships for Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Development (M7). She worked to foster career pathways, career-based learning, and STEM education throughout Southeastern Wisconsin during her tenure. In addition, she partnered with numerous organizations throughout the region to strengthen business and educational partnerships. After leaving M7, she returned to KUSD, serving as the assistant principal at KTEC East. During her time at KTEC East, she created a Festo Mechatronics camp that allowed 8th-graders to gain industry-driven skills in automation technology by gaining an NC3 certification. Her passion is creating a curriculum pathway that helps all students find their future through robust career exploration and unique skill-based learning opportunities.

With the move to hybrid and blended learning environments, collaboration and co-creation can now occur across multiple mediums. Yet many teachers are still designing learning experiences confined to the classroom.

How might we leverage digital tools to co-create deep and meaningful learning experiences that allow learners to collaborate and build anytime, anywhere?

In this interview, 'Miss Betzy,' Innovations and Instructional Coach at Decroly International School teaches us how to:

• Design empowering hybrid learning experiences
• Make the online space more collaborative 
• Provide student voice/choice in what they create, and how they are assessed
• Develop virtual and alternative reality (VR/AR) environments for learners to design in
• Use simple tools for students to evaluate their work
• Make mundane academic content COME TO LIFE! 

Learn more and connect with Betzy on Twitter, and LinkedIn, or get simple free tools via her website: https://geg.gt/. 

Register for Betzy and Kyle's presentation on using Co-Spaces to create collaborative hybrid learning environments! 

Betzy's Bio:

Miss Betsy, as she loves to be called, has enjoyed the wonderful journey in education for about 22 years. She really loves sharing her experiences in teaching and learning with other educators and that is why she is now the High School Innovation teacher and Instructional Coach. She also leads a Google Educator Group, the first one in her country, which gives her the opportunity to share, learn, inspire and empower more educators in Latin America. Betzy discovered how meaningful and transforming PBL can be and has committed to learn more about it and accompany other teachers in creating engaging learning experiences through it. Betzy is also a CoSpaces ambassador and is certain that Virtual Reality is a great complement in PBL. She would love for you to support the #NotGoingBack campaign since she believes that the pandemic and remote learning left valuable lessons and skills that teachers in their classrooms must continue harvesting.

What happens to the classroom environment when you give students a real problem to address?

That's what Dave Strudwick, former Teacher/Principal of Real School Budapest was wondering when he asked year 5 students to fuse literacy, multimedia, and fashion to "create a better world." 

His classroom transformed from a teacher-centered space to a real world design studio, with students taking on roles as sustainble fashion designers, and magazine publishers. 

Learn more about his transformation story and how through a few simple shifts, you can experience the same transformation in your classroom as well. 

Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-strudwick-a6152128/ 

Get the 12 Shifts Book: www.transformschool.com/whereistheteacher 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard to Identify Target Areas of Growth: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard 

Learn more about the 12 Shifts Master Class starting in January: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass 

Dave's Bio: 

Dave is a creative leader who has founded three schools and lead others. He has worked in a wide range of contexts including schools, museums, with tech companies, start ups, and with excluded children. His focus is on the development of rounded young people who have great knowledge, habits of success, creative know how and way finding abilities. He loves writing, facilitating workshops and keynote speaking that looks to design and develop curriculum, pedagogy, community and culture. His approach improves outcomes through the development of people, student ownership, digital processes and creating a high quality learning environment.

How do we create more learner-centered environments and accelerate innovation in education?

Small learning pods, blended environments, and micro-schools are emerging everywhere to help answer this question. With small class sizes and high level of autonomy, they are able to personalize learning experiences, foster an inclusive community, meet diverse student needs, and chart engaging project-based learning pathways for learners that often get left behind. But are they here to stay? 

I sat down with Tanya Sheckley, 'Rebel Educator' and Founder of innovative micro-school UP Academy to find out. 

Learn more about UP Academy: upacademysf.com. 

Learn more about Tanya's work: tanyasheckley.com. 

Tanya's Bio: 

Tanya Sheckley is Founder and President of UP Academy, an elementary lab school which values innovation, empathy and strength and incorporates a unique neuro-development program for children with physical disabilities. Tanya’s vision and mission show it’s possible to celebrate differences, change what’s broken in the American education system, and that all children can receive a rigorous, well rounded education. She is host of the Rebel Educator podcast, a Social Entrepreneur, Writer, and International Speaker. Tanya earned her BA in Public Heath and Dance and her MBA in Entrepreneurship.

When a girl from Cuba arrived in Lua's PBL class, she had zero English. 

But within two months, because of a hands-on project, she was able to deliver full presentations in her second language.

In this episode, I sit down with Lua Yaganagi and her adorable students, in a mixed-age primary PBL classroom in Rizhao, China to hear how projects ranging from building a class garden, to designing Olympic Games helped students:

• Acquire reading, writing and listening ESL skills. 
• Grow in confidence. 
• Co-teach their younger peers.
• Discover their personal passions. 
• Improve their English speaking vocabulary.

For a full write up of Lua's Class Garden Project: https://bit.ly/3KGtgan

Get the free PBL Design Kit: https://projectbasedlearning.teachable.com/p/pblstarterkit 

You know that buzz you hear when you walk into a classroom that is completely learner-owned?

That's world renowned Ron Berger's classroom... And his students are ALWAYS working on something meaningful. Whether it's completing a field guide on local amphibians; or drafting plans for a new playground; they behave in the same way professionals would in the REAL WORLD- and they are only 10. 

I sat down with Ron, veteran teacher and senior advisor for EL Education to uncover his secrets for creating this 'ethic of excellence,' and how we can create it in our students as well. We learn:

• The power of public exhibition.
• How to transform static units of study into dynamic 'expeditions' of learning.
• How to build a positive classroom culture of feedback, critique + reflection.
• How to improve work quality without ever awarding a grade.
• To unleash curiosity and wonder in our most reluctant learners.   

Connect with Ron: Twitter @RonBergerEL, Website (eleducation.org), LinkedIN

Get Project Ideas: 'Models of Excellence' from EL Education

PBL Starter Kit: www.transformschool.com/pblstarterkit 

Ron's Bio: 

Ron Berger is Senior Advisor at EL Education, a nonprofit school improvement organization that partners with public schools and districts across America, leads professional learning, and creates open educational resources. He is a well-known keynote speaker nationally and internationally on inspiring a commitment to quality, character and citizenship in students. Ron is the author of best-selling education books, including: An Ethic of Excellence, and A Culture of Quality; and co-author of Leaders of Their Own Learning, Transformational Literacy, Management in the Active Classroom, Learning that Lasts, and We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture.

He also teaches at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he did his graduate work. He founded the website Models of Excellence: The Center for High-Quality Student Work, which houses the world’s largest collection of beautiful student work. Ron was a member of the U.S. National Commission on Social, Emotional and Academic Development.

In his prior work, Ron was a public school teacher and master carpenter in rural Massachusetts for over 25 years, and received the Autodesk Foundation National Teacher of the Year award.

What happens when we allow learning to move outside the siloes of our classrooms? 

In this episode, through a real case study, we learn how to design empowering, trans-disciplinary experiences with teachers across mutiple subjects.

And all it takes is a few shifts in how we approach learning design. 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard: https://transformschool.com/12shiftsscorecard/ 

Pre-Order the 12 Shifts Book: https://transformschool.com/whereistheteacher/ 

Attend the Launch Party to Connect to Global Practitioners: https://transformschool.com/booklaunch/ 

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become a focal point for many schools. 

But few are taking real ACTION on a local level to make these goals become a reality. 

What would happen if we shifted the focus away from seemingly out of reach global goals, to more tangible local goals?

'Think global, act local,' is the motto Paul Karpawich as adopted to achieve this aim through REAL project-based experiences on the ground level. Paul has narrowed his sights on projects that help schools in his area tackle the global food waste problem (SDG #12). Through cafeteria composting, waste management programs, and advocacy, Paul is empowering learners and educators to make a real difference in their communities, one project at a time. 

Learn more about Paul's story and how you as an edu-transformer can: 

• Organize mandated curriculum around the Sustainable Development Goals
• Co-develop project-based experiences that help students address them on a local level 
• Empower your learners to become real environmental scientists, engineers, and community organizers
• Incoporate multiple stakeholders
• Create more sustainable schools and communities

Article on 6th Grade Food Waste Project: https://concordmonitor-nh-app.newsmemory.com/?publink=06815ae25_134aa62 

Compost and Food Waste Diversion in Amherst Presentation: 

https://tinyurl.com/fcrnxvdx  

Connect with Paul: Linkedin, Instagram (@paulkarp). Email: pkarp7691@gmail.com. 

Register for the 'Tackling SDGs through local, student-driven projects' 21CLHK Workshop: https://www.21clconf.org/presentations/pre-conference-tackling-global-sustainable-development-goals-through-local-student-driven-community-projects/ 

Paul's Bio: Paul Karpawich spent 25 years in high tech working for startups and established tech companies. He most recently transitioned to learning about how to lead communities through change to sustainable outcomes. In taking a think global, act local mindset in his own community in Southern New Hampshire, Paul has been drivng food waste initiatives around PBL's in the schools. Through a grant from WWF and his partnership with the Hollis NH school system and Helsingborg Sweden, he has implemented food waste diversion projects that are leveraing a "manage what you measure" approach to getting food waste numbers down. The project has been focused on getting K-6 students to recogize food waste and to understand how it can converted to energy through an anerobic digester. The Hollis and Helsingborg 6th graders have done multiple joint global classrooms to learn not only about how food waste is used to power transporation in Helsingborg Sweden, but they also learned about where their food comes from around the globe. Taking it a step further, the town of Hollis and surronding towns are getting into the act by setting up food waste collection services at transfer stations to divert waste from the landfills. Paul's future goal is to build upon this foundation to allow towns and schools to take on pathways to transition to more sustianble outcomes including waste diversion across the state.

In this interview, Brett Carrier, a 5th grade PBL teacher and expert learning experience designer, describes how her food truck project transformed her twenty five 5th graders, into business owners and entrepreneurs. 

Through our interview, you will learn how to:

• Build community partnerships for projects
• Turn students into self-managers
• Immerse students in the community to do REAL work
• Infuse experts as project mentors and advisors

Get in Touch with Brett:

Brett's Website : https://sites.google.com/view/words-dont-stay-still

Twitter: @carrier_brett

Brett's Bio: Brett Carrier is a passionate logophile who has taught English for seventeen years. Throughout her entire career, she has fought to empower the students in her classroom, gradually moving from a teacher-centered environment to a student-centered platform for excellence. For this reason, she has fallen in love with Project-Based Learning because it embodies a pedagogy that allows students to explore, question, implement, create, evaluate, and publish. It finds substance in an authentic audience that makes learning more about the “real world” than any textbook or traditionally static project could conjure. Currently, Brett is researching ways to utilize PBL as an integral component within educational and enrichment programs for need-based populations. She hopes to marry its transformational powers with the work ethic of dynamic students who long for change and growth in their own communities.

15 years ago, as a rookie PBL teacher, I wouldn't be able to answer that question. But after leading and teaching in some of the most renowned PBL schools in the world, I can confidently answer that question.

Learner-centered classrooms require 12 key shifts.

Making these shifts will tranform a teacher-led classroom, into one that creates student self-managers, leaders, and 21st century socially, globally and emotionally aware citizens.

With the help of my dear friend, mentor and co-founder of High Tech High Rob Riordan, we have outlined each of the 12 shifts, and the necessary steps to get there. 

In this episode, I detail each shift and how you can make them in your classroom, school or own learning environment. 

Take the 12 Shifts Scorecard: www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmastermind