Learning Unboxed

Dr. Mandy Smith is the Director of Research at PAST Foundation. She has a wealth of experience in the K-12 education system, including teacher preparation and the intersection of science and technology.In this episode, we will be discussing the concept of STEM identity. The lack of diversity and opportunity in STEM careers has been a topic of debate and conversation for over a decade. The "leaky pipeline" phenomenon, where individuals drop out of STEM pathways, is a well-known issue, particularly for women and underrepresented minorities. However, PAST Foundation has received funding from the Battelle Memorial Institute to delve deeper into the issue and explore STEM identity in the K-12 space. The goal is to understand and define STEM identity and determine ways to address the issue collectively.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What STEM identity is and why we should care about itHow to give students the opportunity to engage in STEM activitiesPartnering with school districts to bolst

Kelly Preheim has done incredible work as a teacher, but she knows it's important to push herself to step out of her comfort zone. In this episode, we talk to Kelly about her experience as part of the National Geographic Grosvenor Teaching Fellowship cohort and how she balances the everyday pieces of being a teacher with the need to try new things. Don't miss Kelly's insight into how she pushes herself to take risks and try new experiences!To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Having the courage as a teacher to push outside of your comfort zoneWhat Kelly learned in the Teaching FellowshipHow teachers can apply for and take advantage of opportunitiesResources:BirdTeach: birdteach.blogspot.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/BirdTeach-367011353690070030 | Teaching Through Your Passion to Create Passionate Students with Kelly PreheimSpotlight: Problem-Based Learning with Birds!

Dawn Heideman and Carla Hegyi are the founders of Be the One, a program aiding at-risk youth in schools in the central Ohio region, both by improving students’ lives and the lives of those around them, through relationship-building and service programs.Most of the time, when a student experiences trauma, they are only aided for a few days or weeks before everyone returns back to their daily lives — leaving the student to cope with that trauma themselves. Dawn and Carla realized that more needed to be done and that those kids needed long-term support. That’s why they started Be the One: To offer daily support to kids dealing with a variety of struggles in life. They talk about the value of making kids feel heard and seen, making an impact one student at a time, and scaling programs like this to affect more students.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Giving kids the time necessary to overcome emotional traumaHearing from people who recognize what you’ve been throughBuilding a long-term support sys

Financial empowerment is incredibly important for those who want to manage their wealth properly, and it’s critical for students to get a headstart on that journey  We're talking about Wemblr Ed, a gaming simulation app that engages students in financial scenarios and events to teach the value of critical thinking, personal finance, and strategic planning. Joining us today is Wemblr's founder and CEO, Tiffany Marr, as well as Derek Fitzer, Dawn Weaver, and Callan Kajdasz from Southwestern City Schools, a school district in the Central Ohio region. Tiffany will be talking about how the app works, how it impacts students, and the features that make it so cool. We'll also hear from her colleagues about their experience using the app in Southwestern City Schools.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How Wemblr got involved in public schoolsDrawing on the students’ skillsets for app developmentGiving real-world problem-solving opportunities to studentsScaling industry education across school

Carla Neely is currently a fifth and sixth grade science and computer science teacher at Warner Girls’ Leadership Academy for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Cleveland, OH. Carla has been a teacher for twenty-three years in urban classrooms. She is certified and has experience teaching all subjects, with specialization in science and math. She has a passion for urban education. Carla has spent the past few months in Washington, DC as a member of the 2022-23 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows Cohort. She is passionate about making opportunities equitable for underrepresented and marginalized students. In this conversation, she talks about the struggles that marginalized students face when it comes to opportunities in STEM fields and how she’s working — through legislation — to change things for the better.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The importance of advocacy and exercising your voiceAffecting change beyond the classroomHow legislation can bring about equityResour

Rebecca Morningstar has been teaching animal science and zoo management courses at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan since 2013.Potter Park Zoo is going above and beyond the minimum requirements to provide the highest possible welfare for its animals, employees, and guests. Its mission is to inspire conservation of animals and the natural world. And people can’t make a difference in the world if they don’t know the issues or what they can do to help.We dive into how Potter Park Zoo is getting kids engaged with learning about animals and conservation, as well as introducing other learning opportunities along the way. She shares what students are doing in these experiences, how she makes the hard decision on what topics to cover and what to leave out, and how you can partner with your local zoos in your own area.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The mission of Potter Park ZooOffering educational opportunities through hands-on animal experiencesGetting kids involved in the conversation around c

Tony Wagner is a globally-recognized expert who is currently a senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute founded by Linda Darling-Hammond in 2015. Prior to that, he held a variety of positions at Harvard University for more than twenty years, including a few years as the expert in residence at the Harvard Innovation Lab and the founder and co-director for more than a decade at the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.In his latest book Learning By Heart, Tony gives an autobiographical telling of his unconventional educational journey. His background was of hating school. He dropped out of high school, and after going back to get his degree dropped out of college twice. His experience with school, along with getting deeply involved in the 60s political movement, led to two realizations: That he wanted to make a difference in the world, and that education needed to be completely reinvented. We talk about what that reinvention looks like, and how a shift to mastery-ba

You can’t talk about rethinking education for long without hearing Montessori come up. In fact, several past guests on the show have mentioned it, either as an inspiration or having been brought up in that educational philosophy themselves. While we’ve scratched the surface before, we’ve never had the opportunity to dig into it until now.Joining us to help us get a clear picture of this popular education method is Hannah Baynham, Director of Learning and Professional Development at Montessori and Melanie Thiesse, Senior Director of Membership and School Accreditation. They share the philosophy behind Montessori, why it’s so popular among those rethinking education, and how it is helping to shape the future of education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Montessori is and where it comes fromHow Montessori practitioners balance student agency and facilitationHow schools can get accredited as a Montessori schoolIntegrating Montessori education in an existing school environmentHow Montessori is

Buddy Berry is the superintendent of Eminence Independent Schools, a rural district with approximately 850 students located 400 miles east of Louisville, Kentucky. Buddy is a fourth-generation alumnus of Eminence which offers him a unique perspective, coming from the place that he now leads.Five years ago, Eminence was facing a decline in enrollment and a dropoff in funding. Thanks to Buddy and many of the programs he’s facilitated in his tenure, that decline has turned around.We talk about some of those programs including the idea of “School on Fire,” a framework for reinventing and innovating education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Creating a framework for innovation in educationMaking education an experienceOnboarding educators into a new, innovative systemIncorporating surprise and delight into the school systemResources:Follow Buddy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/buddy-berry-8963baa4Twiter: @buddyberry, @eminenceschools

Our traditional school system has always grouped students by age, but we’re coming to see the benefits of mixed-age learning. When you take kids of different ages and have them learn together, they both grow exponentially faster.Jason Blair is in his 20th year as an elementary school art teacher, currently teaching at Dublin City Schools. He was a previous guest on Learning Unboxed when we spoke with the Columbus Museum of Art about its work on Project Zero, and Jason is the teacher, leader, and resident with the museum.We explore how he’s taking the innovative things he’s learned over his 20 years of educating and the variety of projects and partnerships he’s been a part of during that time and how he’s translating that experience into his own classrooms.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How multi-age learning benefits students, and how to encourage different age groups to interactThe ripple effects of non-traditional education throughout the school systemCreating an environment full of joyful

We know that the modern school wasn’t designed for education and that it’s woefully inadequate at meeting the needs of today’s students and the work environment of the future. So much so that small tweaks aren’t enough to fix it — it has to be redesigned completely.Nathan Gorsch, Founding Principal of Village High School in Academy School District 20 in Colorado Springs. Like us at the PAST Foundation, Nathan recognized that our current model of education — the factory model — did not suit kids well, and so he sought out to reinvent high school with the idea of rebuilding it from the ground up. Joining him is Katie Flanagan, a teacher at VIllage High School, as well as Kate Bennett and Kenny Dufalt, two students attending the school.We dive into what Village High School is, why it’s a unique hybrid model, and why those out there thinking of transformative education should consider some of the components of that hybrid model.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The student experience as an impetus

One of the best ways to empower students with the life skills they’ll need as adults is to entrust them with solving challenging, real-world problems. Now imagine being able to pay them for those problems. That’s the reality of the Smart Skills Program here at PAST—all about creative, innovative ways to think about workforce development.Smart Skills is a six-week program over the summer, a career exploration and work-based learning experience with youth ages 15-18 that explores several different STEM career paths, develops design thinking skills through solving real-world problems, and gets support from local industry professionals. It gives interns the opportunity to hone in on a focus area, develop career skills, and even earn industry credentials—all while developing leadership, communication, and other soft skills.We’re speaking with the Project Director of the Smart Skills Program, Nikki Stancampiano of the PAST Foundation, along with four student participants, about their experience within the program,

We believe kids learn best through experience. But what happens when we start holding our young ones back in a misguided attempt at keeping them safe?Gever Tulley is the co-founder of Tinkering School which came about in 2005. It gives kids the opportunity to prove how capable they are by supplying them with the tools to solve real-world problems and watching them make mistakes, learn, and build great things.We’ve come to believe that protecting kids from experiences is a good thing, but what ends up happening is we cripple their ability to make decisions, function as adults, and be intrinsically motivated in anything. We talk about how trusting kids lead to big things, how teachers and students can collaborate effectively, and why age-restricted learning is a tool of the past.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How Gever put kids in charge of his summer campsWhy Tinkering School exists and how it helps kids understand their own potentialTaking a collaborative approach to education with teachers

Anyone will tell you: Teaching is hard. But when we have teachers who are good at their jobs but are feeling that struggle, how can they overcome that hurdle and go on to have long, joyous teaching careers?Bill Manchester is an old friend of Learning Unboxed. We met with him and his students back in episode 34, Engineering Creativity Through Music. If you happened to miss that one, we’ll catch you up: Bill is an 18-year (and counting) veteran teacher who runs his classroom in a way that most teachers dream about. Most recently, he’s published a book titled "When You Feel Like Quitting Teaching, Read This Book".We talk about the nudge needed to keep teachers on track and feeling good, the small consistent steps for a solid teaching foundation, and how to find your footing in a tumultuous landscape.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why Bill felt the need to write his bookWhat stands in the way of our teachers loving their jobs long termThe learning triangle that becomes the foundation of

When we can use entertaining games as amazing educational tools, everyone wins. It’s clear that the game of chess can lead to some stellar learning opportunities, but what's not always obvious is how to get kids interested in it at all.Elliott Neff is the founder and CEO of Chess4Life, a platform that teaches kids critical thinking skills, problem-solving, EQ, and other important life skills through the game of chess. He’s also the author of A Pawn’s Journey: Transforming Lives One Move at a Time.We talk about how Chess4Life uses the game of chess to teach kids how to fail fast, learn, and improve, focus on individual strengths, and celebrate differences.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Why chess makes such a valuable learning toolScaling the impact of coachingTaking failure as an opportunity for growth and iterationThe Chess4Life curriculum and how to get involvedResources:chess4life.comelliottneff.comRead: A Pawn's JourneyLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elliott-neff-9b53473

When we spoke to members of The Willowell Foundation, Jen Olson & Tasha Ball, about the Wren’s Nest, we realized there’s so much more to this story that needs to be explored. How we contextualize our relationship with nature is so important, and getting kids interested in it at the ground level may have far-reaching implications.Matt Schlein is the founder and director of The Walden Project and The WIllowell Foundation. As you may know, Willowell offers nature-based education programs and activities to help connect communities to the natural world. While Wren’s Nest is their preschool program, The Walden Project offers alternative public education for grades 10-12. We talk about the origins of the foundation, why connecting with nature is so important, and how we can get this level of education across the world.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The origins of The Walden Pond Project and The Willowell FoundationCreating a K-12 experience where students are immersed in natureHow Willowell is

There’s a lot to learn by taking the time to understand things that kids are invested in, even if it doesn’t seem to relate to education. Take esports, for instance: Could this thing that so many adults pass off as a waste of time actually teach our kids valuable life skills?North American Scholastic Esports Foundation (NASEF) is the world’s first academic approach to esports, providing opportunities for students to learn STEAM skills and prepare themselves for the work of the future. In 2018, Gerald Solomon created and launched NASEF when he recognized the possibility of reaching disenfranchised learners through a pass time that kids love. Kevin Brown was a lifelong gamer himself and wears many hats at the foundation under the title of Chief Academic Officer. We talk about the unlikely bond between gaming and education, how to open up skeptics to these opportunities, and how to scale programs like this across the globe.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Taking STEAM skills already present in es

In previous parts of Hacking School, we’ve taken a look at our education system, the role it’s played, and what could happen if we allow ourselves to imagine other possibilities. Change is difficult—especially getting started—and once you’ve decided to make a change, picking a direction to go in can be even harder. We’re joined by August Majtenyi, a member of PAST’s research team, to have a conversation about the single biggest question I get when we start talking about ways to hack school: How do we know problem-based learning even works?To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:Acknowledging the work ahead of usThe evidence behind problem-based learningHow we can improve the research supporting PBL and combat hesitancyResources:startSOLE.orgedutopia.org

If the role of school is to prepare students for their adult lives, then academics are only a part of what they need to learn. We’re going to look at an innovative program that is working hard to bring SEL (social emotional learning) to the forefront of our thinking as we look at transforming our school structure.Bridget Durkan Laird is the chief executive officer at Wings for Kids, an organization that recognizes how emotional intelligence was a missing component in schools and sought out to give kids these skills by the time they’re teenagers. We discuss why Wings for Kids was founded, their approach toward teaching SEL, and the impact they are hoping to have.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The goal of Wings for Kids and the importance of social emotional learningHow Wings for Kids works to bring SEL into the classroom in engaging waysPartnering with teachers who are passionate about SELThe importance of adult buy-in when teaching kidsFinding the kids that need the most helpResources:Learn

We’re speaking to a number of people from one of Ohio’s leading STEM schools, the National Inventors Hall of Fame School, including Sam Crews, a founding teacher at the school with over 20 years of experience in schools. Joining him are two former students, Mar Lin and Camryn Woodley. They share their learning experiences at the National Inventors Hall of Fame School and how what they learned there has carried with them throughout their young adult lives.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The story behind the National Inventors Hall of Fame SchoolHow the school’s strong founding ethos carries on throughout the yearsCreating meaningful experiences for studentsRolling out STEM education to the broader school communityMaking the decisions that are best for kidsResources:invent.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sam-crews-bb795512a