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Month: May 2020

Episode 060: The QUESTion Class Interview with members of the Youth Advisory Council

Randy Ziegenfuss, Ed.D.

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In this episode, we are speaking with students who took the QUESTion Class when they were in high school and have formed a Youth Advisory Council to support the creation of a new subject field in education. The QUESTion class is a semester-long course designed by the Open Future Institute to support learners in the exploration of big life questions in five areas: Choice, Purpose, Fearlessness, Interconnectedness and The Bigger Picture. We’re also joined by the Founder and President of the Open Future Institute, Gerard Senehi. The Student Ambassadors speaking with us today include Katery Castelan,  Charlos Do, and Tyreik Skelton.

Gerard is Founder and President of the Open Future Institute, about his work with the QUESTion Project.

Katery  is an ambassador for the QUESTion Project and a self-made fashion designer. She has a keen passion for writing and philosophy. Her mission is to use her platforms in order to give a voice and pave a way for the youth of tomorrow. 

Besides being a QUESTion Project Ambassador, Charlos is a personal trainer and aspiring fitness influencer.  His goal is to not just get people into shape but to inspire them to use fitness to help them find a new purpose 

Aside from being a QUESTion Project ambassador, Tyreik has many interests, but his favorite one is making music. He loves being able to assist people in any way that he can, including helping them speak their truths.

Here’s what we are thinking:

  • How might inquiry, like that found in the QUESTion class, support your learner-centered transformation work?

Resources

Bonus Episode 18 – Outdoor Learning Interview with Adam Aronson, Founding Lead Teacher at Chelsea Opportunity Academy

Randy Ziegenfuss, Ed.D.

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In this bonus episode, we are speaking with Adam Aronson, founding lead teacher at the Chelsea Opportunity Academy (COA) in Chelsea, MA, about the academy’s outdoor experience course. 

The Chelsea Opportunity Academy (COA) is a competency based, alternative high school in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Chelsea Opportunity Academy offers an engaging and supportive learning environment for young adults seeking a new educational experience. At COA, every day is a new day. The school is built on strong relationships that help learners overcome obstacles and grow stronger. COA students develop and practice the specific skills they need to be successful, valued community members.  It offers flexible hours for its students and a curriculum that is driven by students, for students. 

Here’s what we’re thinking about:

  1. How might your school or district benefit from taking learners beyond the classroom walls?

Resources

Episode 059: Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) Interview with Corey Mohn, Executive Director & Erin Jacobson, learner

Randy Ziegenfuss, Ed.D.

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In this episode, we’re learning with Corey Mohn and Erin Jacobson. Corey is the Executive Director of the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS), a nationally recognized, innovative high school program. Students fast forward into their future and are fully immersed in a professional culture, solving real world problems, using industry standard tools and mentored by actual employers, all while receiving high school and college credit. CAPS is an example of how business, community and public education can partner to produce personalized learning experiences that educate the workforce of tomorrow, especially in high skill, high demand jobs. 

Erin Jacobson is a junior at Blue Valley CAPS. Last semester she was in Technology Solutions and is in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship class this semester.

Here is a question we are pondering:

  • What are your school’s or district’s core values, and how do they support your transformation to a learner-centered environment?

Resources