Category: Podcasts

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Learner centered. Knowledge centered. Assessment centered. Community centered. These are the qualities that make MC2 Charter School (NH) an outstanding example of a competency-based, progressive model for learning. In this episode we spoke with Kim Carter, Chief Education Officer at MC2 and Executive Director of the Q.E.D. Foundation; Elizabeth Cardine, lead teacher and advisor at MC2; and Sabrina Gatlin a Phase Three learner at MC2. Our conversation touched on many aspects of learning and leading at MC2 including the following: the history of the school as a competency-based model for well over a decade; a look at what learner centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered and community centered looks like at MC2; advisors as co-learners; assessment to understand learners; growth mindset/habits of mind; the role of leadership in creating the space and supports for learners to solve their own problems. MC2 is a real world example of a powerful learning environment!

Our conversation with Kim, Elizabeth and Sabrina prompted us to consider the following questions:

1. What conditions do we set in our organizations to promote learning up and down the organization?
2. How are we measuring habits such as curiosity/wonder, organization, critical thinking?

Resources:

• MC2 Charter School
• Habits of mind rubrics
• MC2 Wiki
• Learner Bill of Rights project
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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This episode features a conversation with leaders and learners from Lindsay Unified School District in CA. We had a wonderful conversation with Barry Sommer, Director of Advancement; Amalia Lopez, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist; and Lewis Cha, learner. Our conversation included a snapshot of learning in Lindsay through the lenses of both the learner and leader, the importance of leaders providing time for transformation to occur (Lindsay has been at this for over ten years), the value of stakeholder buy-in to the vision, the centrality of agency and competency, the importance of a common lexicon as the foundation for cultural shifts, among other learner-centered topics.

Our conversation with Barry, Amalia and Lewis inspired us to think about these questions:

1. What learner-centered aspects of Lindsay Unified are most intriguing?
2. What did we learn to move our district closer toward learner-centered?

Resources:

• Beyond Reform: Systemic Shifts Toward Personalized Learning
• Lindsay Unified School District
• How Lindsay Unified Redesigned Itself From the Ground Up
• Six Trends at Lindsay Unified
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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Episode 17 takes us to Henry County, GA and a conversation with Bethlehem Elementary School principal, Dr. Jessalyn Askew and teacher, Tiffany Early. Our conversation focused on the personalized learning efforts in Bethlehem Elementary and many interesting facets of learning and leadership: alternative assessments to demonstrate learning; shifting mindsets of learners, teachers and parents; providing space for teachers to take risks with instruction; ceding control; and cultivating and celebrating teachers.

Our conversation with Jessalyn and Tiffany prompted us to think about these questions:

1. What are the perceived barriers to shifting mindsets and what strategies are most effective?
2. How do we create space for teachers and leaders to take calculated risks and then how do we celebrate successes?

Resources:

• Personalized Learning at Bethlehem Elementary
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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Episode 16 takes us to Taylor County School District in KY and a conversation with superintendent, Roger Cook and learners, Weston Young, Lexi Raikes, and Lauren Williams. We talked about the competency-based learning model available in the Taylor County Schools, how it started, how learners have benefited and how the lives of Taylor County learners have been changed as a result of the learning opportunities available to them.

Taylor County is a unique place! Roger has had eight straight years with zero drop-outs and his school district is one of only a few in Kentucky that has a one hundred percent graduation rate!

Our conversation with Roger, Weston, Lexi and Lauren inspired us to think about the following questions:

1. What learner-centered aspects of Taylor County are most intriguing?
2. What did you learn today that you can think about to move your school or district toward learner-centered?

Resources:

• Taylor County
• Superintendent Spotlight – Roger Cook
• How a District Ended Student DropOuts with Personalized Learning
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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In this episode, we are speaking with Andrew Frishman, Co-Executive Director of Big Picture Learning, an organization that supports a network of schools rethinking an education system that inspires and awakens the possibilities of an engaged population of learners, from Pre-K through higher education. Joining Andrew are Naseem Haamid and Terrence Freeman, learners at Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School, a Big Picture school in Bronx, NY.

Andrew joined “The Met” High School in Providence, RI, which is the original school in the Big Picture Learning network, in 2002 as an Advisor (what Teachers are called in BPL schools), working with a 9th grade advisory group through to their graduation from 12th grade in 2006. He then moved to CA to support the development of the Met Sacramento High School, worked with its first graduating class, and became the school’s first “Learning Through Interests and Internship Coordinator.” Andrew has assisted with the expansion of the Big Picture Network in a variety of capacities, including supporting the launch of innovative schools across the US and internationally. Along the way he has melded experiences from an MAT, an administrative credential focused on urban schools, and a Health Leadership Program, into a belief that student-centered education is a crucial determinant of both individual life outcomes as well as community well-being. He completed the Education Leadership Program (EdLD) at Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Business School and joined the leadership team of Big Picture Learning in 2013.

Starting in his sophomore year, Naseem Haamid completed internships at both JP Morgan and Madison Square Garden. In 2015, Naseem represented the Children’s Aid Society in Washington D.C. while advocating for funding for afterschool programming. Currently, Naseem is serving his second term as the Student Government President, and was the first junior to ever be elected president. He also works as a Lead Youth Organizer for Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice and is interning at New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera’s office. 

Terrence Freeman is an 11th grader attending Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School. Terrence was recently speaking on a panel at SXSWEdu about innovative education.  Terrence is currently an intern at the American Museum of Natural History where he guides visitors through museum exhibitions and facilitates educational lectures in the various halls. Terrence is currently enrolled at New York University as a college preview student in a Journalism and the First Amendment law class.  Terrence has a developing  passion for local politics, history and education policies.

As a result of this conversation, we are thinking about these questions:

1. How can we as teachers/advisors/leaders get to know our students in order to build a foundation for personalized learning?
2. What are the barriers to internship programs in our individual contexts and how can we begin to overcome them?

Resources

• Big Picture Learning
• Big Picture Learning Leadership Stories Podcast
• 10 Distinguishers
• @bigpiclearning
• Watch some Big Picture Learning videos on YouTube
• Episode 1: What is learner-centered? (with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young)
• Episode 2: What is learner-centered leadership? (with Allan Cohen and Anya Smith)
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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In this special Bonus Episode, we are processing some of the ideas from our first eleven episodes – a sort of opportunity to rest along the way and think about the conversations we’ve had on the podcast. Our panel had a free form conversation to share takeaways and ask questions to better understand what it means to lead a learner-centered environment.

The episode’s panel had two guests:

Kelly Young is Education Reimagined’s Executive Director.  We had the pleasure of speaking with Kelly on the TLTalkRadio podcast – Season 2 Episode 29 and also on our very first episode of the Shift Your Paradigm podcast. Education Reimagined was launched out of an 18-month Convergence dialogue that Kelly led among 28 ideologically diverse education practitioners and leaders to reimagine education. Kelly was also a founding Vice President of Convergence. Previously, Kelly served as the Interim Chief of the Office of Family and Public Engagement for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). She is the mother of two young children. She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Virginia.

Chad Evans is a Curriculum Supervisor in the Quakertown Community School District. Previously he served Quakertown as a middle school Social Studies teacher for 15 years and an instructional coach with a focus on technology and learning for 7 years. In recent times, Chad has grown fascinated by what it means to be learner centered  and the impact of learner centered leadership on the decision making and realities of learning in education.

As a result of this panel conversation, we hope you will think about these and other questions:

1. If agency is the linchpin for learning in the classroom, is it the linchpin for how we lead our schools?
2. How do we release the agency of stakeholders to participate in the future of the learning environment?

Resources:

• Episode 1: What is learner-centered? (with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young)
• Episode 2: What is learner-centered leadership? (with Allan Cohen and Anya Smith)
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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In Episode 14, we have an engaging conversation with Sonya Wrisley, Neel Pujar and Stacey Lamb from Design39Campus in CA. There were lots of takeaways as we listened to the story of designing a school to creating the conditions for intentional conversations about what to give up from the old school-centered model.

Sonya was previously a principal in Poway Unified School District, in San Diego County, for 24 years.  Sonya was named as the principal of an innovative new K-8 public school, Design39Campus, which opened in August 2014, the first of its kind in the district.  After working extensively with the school’s community, Design39Campus developed a reputation as a learner-centered environment. In the Spring of 2014, prior to opening in the Fall, enrollment for the initial 850 seats produced a list of over 2,000 students wanting to attend Design39Campus. Upon opening in August 2014, the campus became a place that educators from around the world wanted to visit, with over 130 tours provided by staff and students that school year.  Sonya’s energy, enthusiasm, vision and drive to make schools better for children are contagious, and she is able to help schools make great things happen.

Neel serves as an Education Reimagined Fellow facilitating SparkHouse, a team of over 40 learners from across the country looking to transform K-12 education in the United States. Neel provides mentorship, guidance, and support to inspire continued action and dialogue amongst the SparkHouse community. He serves as a liaison between Education Reimagined and SparkHouse learners. Prior to this role, Neel was also a founding team member of Design39Campus and served as the student board member on the Poway Unified School District’s Board of Education.

Stacey is an LED (Learning Experience Designer) at Design39Campus. She was a founding educator at the 3 year old campus who met, researched, planned, and implemented a new curriculum to transform the educational experience for TK-8 learners. She collaborates daily with a team of LEDs to inspire learning that continues well beyond the school day. Global connections, inquiry, design thinking, and personalization are some of the guiding principles that are helping to create a learner-centered focus. Currently, Stacey teaches an integrated curriculum to 200-4th and 5th graders, as well as a variety of experiential classes with topics chosen by the learners.

As a result of this conversation, we starting thinking about these questions:

1. What are the guiding principles behind your vision for learning in your school?
2. How do you create the conditions for learners to develop a curious mentality and a willingness to ask questions – a culture of inquiry?

Resources:

• Design39Campus
• Design39 Walking Through the School
• Parent Feedback – video
• Adaptive Schools Seminars
• Episode 1: What is learner-centered? (with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young)
• Episode 2: What is learner-centered leadership? (with Allan Cohen and Anya Smith)
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young

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Episode 11 takes us to Salem City Schools in Virgina and a conversation with superintendent, Dr. Alan Seibert and learner, Alayna Johnson. We talked about the complexities of bringing a learner-centered mindset to a system at scale, how internships and externships break down the walls of learning, and how learner-centered environments put less focus on grades and fixed response assessments and more focus on learning.

Salem City is located near Roanoke, Virginia, approximately four hours southwest of Washington D.C. Salem City Schools serve 4000 students in six schools (4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 comprehensive high school featuring both career and technical programs and an International Baccalaureate program). Alan has served in Salem City Schools for 26 years in several capacities: a high school science teacher, assistant principal in the middle and high schools and principal in an elementary school. He is in his 11th year as superintendent of Salem City Schools. Alayna Johnson is a Junior in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program at Salem High School. She aspires to be a teacher and perhaps an elementary school principal as part of her current career goals. Alayna recently shadowed Dr. Seibert for a day as she investigates and prepares for her future career plans.

Our conversation with Alan and Alayna inspired us to think about the following questions:

1. What barriers are you experiencing moving from school-centered to learner-centered? What have you heard today that can help you address these challenges?
2. In what ways can learner-centered leadership honor the complexities of the education profession?

Resources:

• Salem City Schools
• Education-reimagined.org
• A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
• It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
• TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young