Modern Learners: Recent Episodes
Modern Learners
I’m in a group chat with several of my favorite fellow educational leaders where we help each other work through issues stemming from a variety of topics. But one recent question posed to the group really got to the heart of so much of what is facing educators in the United States: Fear.Fear has a profound impact on public education, often holding back progress and innovation.From curriculum choices, to developing a supportive school culture, to the fear instilled by standardized testing for both students and teachers, fear in educational environments limits critical thinking, disengages students, and keeps teachers stuck with outdated methods and practices.Overcoming these fears involves fostering a supportive environment that encourages risk taking, values diverse viewpoints, and prioritizes the well being of both students and teachers.But it is possible to create change in our educational systems and there are three essential Ps that can help us do it.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Why Permission is crucial to cultivating an environment where students and teachers can innovateWhy teachers need Protection from punitive consequences in order to take risks and create opportunities for growthHow Policy Reduction helps educators be more agile and responsive in implementing new ideasQuestions for educators and leaders to help identify where and how to bring more of the 3 Ps into schoolsLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
Navigating the complexities of organizational change and personal growth can be challenging. Often we find ourselves stuck, unable to move forward because we haven't truly embraced the power of learning. But by fostering a culture of learning in our organization, by prioritizing the personal and professional growth of the people in our organizations, we can overcome the obstacles that hold us back. As Modern Learners embarks on our project with the New York State Department of Education, we know that working with educators and administrators to reimagine assessment is asking for a lot of growth and change. One of the first exercises we’ll do with the seventeen schools participating in the PLAN Pilot Program will be to lead them through the Immunity to Change map, developed by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey.Today, I am revisiting the Immunity to Change framework and outlining this process that helps people and organizations find the clarity that they need to make real change happen.And feel free to grab a pen and a piece of paper and follow along with me as you listen!LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Why a commitment is not the same thing as a goal or an outcomeHow the Immunity to Change map helps parse out behaviors from the emotions that drive themHow to identify and test the assumptions underlying your competing commitmentsRESOURCES:Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock Potential in Yourself and Your Organization, Lisa Lahey, Robert KeganLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
I want to share an exciting project that Modern Learners will be doing. We’ve been selected by the New York State Education Department to be the Technical Assistance Center for the PLAN Pilot work.This is a big deal.PLAN stands for Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks. The work of the PLAN Pilot is to create a network of schools that will explore assessment strategies that foster high quality instructional opportunities where the learner is at the center of the learning experience.I believe this work has the potential to be the most impactful work that my team will do in our entire careers. Supporting a state that has standardized tests in place as a graduation requirement with the work of reimagining their assessment system is wildly exciting. And a little bit scary. The idea of the Regents Exams going away is unimaginable to some. However, New York’s Blue Ribbon Commission has been planting the seeds for that work, and in a call last week, it was mentioned that the Blue Ribbon Commission would be beginning discussions as early as June 2024.Though our project is separate from the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission, it is intended to help New York plan and prepare to support the schools in the event that the Blue Ribbon Commission charts an alternative path to graduation.The primary objectives of the PLAN Pilot are three-fold.To build capacity and knowledge. The pilot seeks to build a strong, shared knowledge base of performance-based learning and assessment among students, educators, families, and communities. There is a lot of information that needs to be elevated in relation to this work, because shifting our brains from thinking about the Regents Exam as a graduation requirement to more of a performance-based assessment will raise a lot of questions and uncertainties. So we will build capacity and knowledge to help calm fears and build more certainty. This involves developing assessment literacy so that stakeholders understand and can effectively use performance data to enhance teaching and learning.Professional learning and support. I’m really excited about this because educators will engage in high-quality professional learning experiences. I believe that in all systems, everyone is a learner. We have to stop being teachers first and become learners first in order to experience the shifts in the field that we’re hoping for. These include school-based and network-wide trainings, professional developments, and participation in a community of practice. The collaborative environment will be designed to increase and continuously improve the capacity to develop and use high-quality, performance-based approaches to learning and assessment.Systemic change and sustainability. The pilot aims to establish a sustainable and systemic change in educational assessment by supporting schools in creating transition plans and budgets that ensure the longevity of performance-based learning and assessment practices. This involves working with technical assistance centers like the ones we at Modern Learners will be hosting and building to provide ongoing support and resources. We want to support schools and districts with operationalizing the systems that will need to be implemented in schools. By having a Technical Assistance Center, you can build out supports that can help multiple schools at one time and do so in a way that is strategic, predictable, and consistent. That is our goal.The PLAN Pilot imagines that we will have enhanced learning opportunities where the focus is on creating authentic learning experiences that engage students more deeply and meaningfully. Performance-based assessments allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills through real world tasks and projects, which are more reflective of their learning and their abilities.The next outcome that we believe we will see is a fostering of more equity and inclusivity by tailoring learning and assessments to meet students where they ar...
Documenting our processes and outcomes when we’re doing change work is vital.I recently encountered a philosophical concept that perfectly helps illustrate this, and today, as part of our ongoing series of explainers, I want to talk through the ideas of studium and punctum and how they can be applied to our work in and out of the classroom.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Philosopher Roland Barthe’s definition of studium and punctumWhat we can learn about the use of studium and punctum from Taylor SwiftHow employing studium and punctum will impact how we at Modern Learners document our process of reimagining assessments in New York stateRESOURCES:The Writing Teacher's Guide to Pedagogical Documentation: Rethinking How We Assess Learners and Learning, Angela StockmanCamera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, Roland BarthesLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
Learning design and lesson planning might sound interchangeable, but they have distinct uses and purposes in education. So what’s the difference? In today’s episode, I’m responding to a listener question and parsing out these two concepts. I’ll talk about why, how, and when both of them apply to our learning environments, along with key questions …
- What is the Difference Between Learning Design and Lesson Planning? Read More »
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All change is linguistic. It’s something that I frequently remind people of, but what do I really mean when I say that? The words we use have meanings. Changes in our language reflect the deeper cultural shifts at play and help us dismantle barriers and promote understanding. In this episode, I want to take a …
- All Change Is Linguistic Read More »
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As part of our series on event planning and community, Gina Bianchini, founder and CEO of Mighty Networks joins me to talk about why People Magic is more than a set of tools, but a guiding philosophy of making valuable connections between people.She also explains why many online groups are using their platforms “off-label,” and how Mighty Networks is changing the game in community engagement.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Why member to member connection is the most important factor to the success for online communities and eventsHow Mighty Networks has reimagined the member profile as a site for engagement and connection with other usersThe coming role of AI in community moderationHow communities get people out of the constant churn of social media content creationLEARN MORE ABOUT Gina bianchiniMighty NetworksConnect with Gina on LinkedInLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
In this installment of Off the Cuff Rants on Learning, I’m sharing my unfiltered thoughts and perspectives on accessibility.A recent experience speaking at an event has accessibility and universal design for learning on my mind, and I want to invite you to consider these issues with me.Let’s think through how we can remain true to our values of inclusion even when the pressure is on, the tech isn’t working, or other obstacles crop up.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:The incident with a tech issue and an event organizer that left me feeling shaky Our responsibility around accessibilityLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
In this installment of Off the Cuff Rants on Learning, I’m diving into the deep end and offering my unfiltered thoughts, passion, and perspectives on a topic that keeps me up at night: Bullying.These rants aren’t about getting it right on the first try, but about unpacking concepts and facing uncomfortable truths so that we can reflect and revolutionize our understanding of the challenges classrooms face every day.Let’s start the conversation.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:How I handled reports of bullying as principal of a small, rural schoolWhat students can gain by going through a conflict resolution processWhy students need to learn conflict managementHow current systems disempower students who are being bulliedLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
Welcome back to our series on creating impactful events.In the last episode, Liz Lathan asked the question, “You know what would be really fun?” To which I said, “Inviting Liz’s business partner at The Community Factory to talk more about fun and spontaneity in events and dream about what events could be!”So today, Nicole Osibodu joins me to dig into creating events that aren’t cookie-cutter and build real connections between attendees. She’ll also share about the first secret business trip and being barefoot in the boardroom.Nicole Osibodu is a hug-addicted visionary and human catalyst with a flair for the unconventional. Her strength is building and growing businesses through community that converts!For Nicole (and Maya Angelou), the road to success is paved by the people that are part of our communities. Together, we create memorable moments that live on forever in the stories we tell. She’s been fortunate to have been on teams that have built incredible moments for impactful organizations like The White House, Harpo Productions, created the world’s first secret business trips and even Austin's first women's professional sports team.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Creating a formula that makes each event feel unique and impactfulHow Nicole and Liz pulled off bringing 80 notoriously Type A professionals on a secret tripWhy Nicole creates collaborative events that include herself, the attendees, and even the location owners and managersThe lasting impact in life and business of the tight-knit bonds Nicole’s events createHow Nicole embraces being a “walking blooper reel” in her brand on LinkedInLEARN MORE ABOUT Nicole osiboduThe Community FactoryConnect with Nicole on LinkedInInstagram: @thecommunityfactoryLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
When dreaming up memorable events, today’s guest’s favorite question to start with is, “You know what would be really fun?”In this episode, we talk about bringing a flair of fun and spontaneity to your events, how creating shared experiences among peers builds community, and the time she ended up hosting a wedding at a corporate event.Liz believes that conversations can change the world when you facilitate an open exchange of ideas, and that's what The Community Factory's Spontaneous Think Tanks aim to do. By bringing people together to share challenges and solutions, magical moments of co-creation can emerge. Watching the connections get made and community form right before her eyes lights her up every day. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Why what happens in “the box” is more important than what the container looks likeThe challenges of creating community experiences at live events in the post-COVID worldHow to create a “Spontaneous Think Tank” that engenders real connection and conversationHow building emotional connections at your event benefits your brandBreaking away from the keynote, breakout, expo conference formatWhy the fun has to be tied to memorable contentFive key Cs for building community at your eventsLEARN MORE ABOUT Liz lathanThe Community FactoryConnect with Liz on LinkedInLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
At Modern Learners, we help people and organizations host meaningful events. We focus on designing high-quality learning events and leverage a variety of design techniques and tools to do that.In this new series, we’re digging into some of those design techniques and tools by speaking with a variety of industry experts. Each of our guests will bring their expertise and point of view on various facets of event planning and execution, from budgeting nuances, to creative activations, to evolving attendee expectations.Today, I’m speaking with Michael Helmbrecht of RingCentral about how technology can empower attendees and transform the dynamics of virtual, hybrid, and on-site events. We'll explore the crucial concept of attendee agency, delving into how it shapes the events, and the event experience and the pivotal role technology and AI play in facilitating this.Michael Helmbrecht is the VP of Product Management for Video at RingCentral, which he joined in April 2022. He has extensive product and operating experience. Before RingCentral, Michael was Chief Product Officer at AmplifAI, an AI performance enablement platform for contact center employees. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at Lifesize and Logitech working in the video conferencing and contact center markets in Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer roles. Michael also spent 9-years at Dell in product and marketing leadership positions.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR how:RingCentral Events approaches the challenges of hybrid or fully virtual events and allows organizers to build engaging experiencesBalance opportunities for attendees to engage with each other with the ability to be an observerRingCentral Events is integrating AI tools to make it easier for organizers to produce high-value eventsVirtual events are changing the monetization and expo models of traditional conferences and trade showsLEARN MORE ABOUT RINGCENTRALWebsiteLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
In the final installment of this series on Just Culture, Julie Stephenson and I do a deep dive into the spectrum of behaviors within the Just Culture framework and how behaviors, actions, and outcomes are handled by the framework.Julie Stephenson’s commitment to and passion for conversations that move organizations toward a healthier and more human place to live, work and learn have guided her entire career. Currently, she supports a critical access hospital in southwestern Wisconsin as a certified coach and Just Culture leader. Her most recent creative endeavor includes The Water We Swim In series and The Lab — a cultural and storytelling experiment she co-created. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:How Just Culture helps us accept the inevitability of human error and fallibilityThe importance of judging behaviors, not just outcomesExamining situations in which someone knowingly caused harmAssessing at-risk behaviors within a Just Culture frameworkThe two most prevalent behaviors found in workplacesThe difference between risky behavior and reckless behaviorHow Just Culture responds to behaviors, from consolation to sanctionRESOURCES:The Just Culture CompanyLEARN MORE ABOUT julie stephensonCompounding CourageFacebook: @CompoundingCourageLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
Julie Stephenson returns to continue our special series on Just Culture.In our previous episodes, we’ve defined what Just Culture is, along with the common language used in implementing it. We’ve also learned how mission, vision, and values are intimately connected to creating a Just Culture.Today, we’re digging into our duties in the workplace, and how we respond to breaches of those duties within a Just Culture framework.Julie Stephenson’s commitment to and passion for conversations that move organizations toward a healthier and more human place to live, work and learn have guided her entire career. Currently, she supports a critical access hospital in southwestern Wisconsin as a certified coach and Just Culture leader. Her most recent creative endeavor includes The Water We Swim In series and The Lab — a cultural and storytelling experiment she co-created. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Breaking down the expectations of conduct within an organizationDefining procedural compliance in the workplace and how we respond to changing information and protocolsHow baking a cake illustrates the essential duties employees owe their organizationGetting to the root causes of breaches in dutiesRESOURCES:The Just Culture CompanyLEARN MORE ABOUT julie stephensonCompounding CourageFacebook: @CompoundingCourageLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
I’m back with Julie Stephenson for our special series on Just Culture. We’re continuing to define how Just Culture emphasizes fairness, empathy, and shared accountability and how shifting to this system is transforming the hospital where Julie works.In this episode, we explore how implementing a Just Culture model can truly impact an organization’s mission, vision, values, and beliefs.Julie Stephenson’s commitment to and passion for conversations that move organizations toward a healthier and more human place to live, work and learn have guided her entire career. Currently, she supports a critical access hospital in southwestern Wisconsin as a certified coach and Just Culture leader. Her most recent creative endeavor includes The Water We Swim In series and The Lab — a cultural and storytelling experiment she co-created. LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Defining mission, vision, and values in a just culture frameworkThe relationship between vision and valuesHow just culture recognizes and addresses the potential for competing values between individuals and organizationsThe difference between hiring for culture and hiring for complianceHow implementing just culture impacts employee burnout, retention, and sustainabilityHow just culture systems help organizations and individuals handle when it’s time to part waysRESOURCES:The Just Culture CompanyLEARN MORE ABOUT julie stephensonCompounding CourageFacebook: @CompoundingCourageLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
A Just Culture is one where fairness, empathy and shared accountability are paramount. In this special four-part series, returning guest Julie Stephenson and I will examine how this culture has transformed the hospital where she works, shifting from punitive responses to understanding and addressing root causes. We'll also look at the challenges of implementing just culture, from overcoming resistance to change, to fostering a blame-free, yet accountable environment.Julie will shed light on the nuances of mistakes, at risk behaviors, and the value of curiosity and systems thinking in this context.In this episode, we’re defining what a just culture is, how the model accounts for the systemic structures in which individuals make choices, and what it meant to implement a just culture framework in Julie’s rural critical access hospital.Julie Stephenson’s commitment to and passion for conversations that move organizations toward a healthier and more human place to live, work and learn have guided her entire career. Currently, she supports a critical access hospital in southwestern Wisconsin as a certified coach and Just Culture leader. Her most recent creative endeavor includes The Water We Swim In series and The Lab — a cultural and storytelling experiment she co-created. This work destigmatizes mental health, normalizes sharing stories, and honors the lived experiences of our friends and neighbors in southwestern Wisconsin. In 2018, Julie founded Compounding Courage to create a movement inspired by Mr. Rogers’s wise words, "Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone." LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Why implementing a just culture requires embracing human fallibility in order to reduce harmHow working through COVID shed light on structural inequalities that existed within the hospitalFour key components and definitions with just cultureWhy understanding context is essential closing the gap between what we believe and what we doThe challenges of moving away from systems that are hierarchical and punitive to one that is more strategic and compassionateHow implementing a just culture framework supports the wellbeing of those within the systemRESOURCES:The Just Culture CompanyLEARN MORE ABOUT Julie StephensonCompounding CourageFacebook: @CompoundingCourageLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
In the first of a new series, Off the Cuff Rants on Learning, I’m ditching the script and speaking straight from the heart.In each of these rants, I’ll share my thoughts and experiences, unfiltered and unrestrained, about a variety of issues in education and learning. I'll be tackling the topics that keep me up at night, the concepts that need unpacking and the uncomfortable truths we need to confront.First in this series is about Multi-Level Systems of Support.I’ve worked on several projects recently that have required me to study and reflect on MLSS models and I have thoughts. Get ready.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Breaking down how we got here through Response To Intervention (RTI) modelsWhat the research shows about the limitations of RTIHow RTI morphed into Multi-Level Systems of Support–and how little has changed except the languageA different way of thinking about tiers that emphasizes the supports available, not sorting the students who need themWhy we need clear success criteria for supports and interventionsLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
Sharing and listening to life’s stories can have a profound impact on us and the people around us. Storytelling is an opportunity to learn, and when people learn, people change.Today, I’m talking with Graham Callis about the power of storytelling. Graham Callis is a storyteller and life coach. He founded Your Story Life Coaching and is an experienced storyteller, having graced the stage at many events such as Madison Story Slam and The Moth. He believes in the power of our own personal stories as means to heal, help, and grow and centers his practice around that belief. Graham spends his time outside of coaching playing board games, kayaking, and reading.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:How Graham made the connection between the storytelling experience and coachingHow storytelling builds community and connection through shared experiencesWhy listening and holding space for clients to process is a key part of Graham’s coaching practiceHow telling their stories can allow clients to come to their own solutionsRESOURCES:Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal, Rachel Naomi RemenLEARN MORE ABOUT Graham CallisYour Story Life CoachingConnect with Graham on LinkedInConnect on FacebookLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
AI, chatbots, and generative search are already changing the way that we find and take in content online, and their impacts will only continue to grow.I’m joined today by Alex Birkett to talk about the future of search and how people will discover and interact with content online.We discuss whether websites and traffic numbers will even matter in the future and how evolutions in how we search will change how content gets accessed and used.Alex Birkett is a co-founder of Omniscient Digital, an organic growth agency that builds content & SEO programs for ambitious B2B brands. Previously, he worked on growth and experimentation at Workato, HubSpot, and CXL. He lives in Brooklyn with his dog Biscuit.LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:Why generating AI content is a short-term solution to the wrong problemHow novelty and expertise-seeking can drive content use beyond simplified AI answersWhat is information gain and why content producers should focus on itWhy websites and email lists still matterThe hot takes and competing commitments of adapting to the future of searchLEARN MORE ABOUT ALEX BIRKETTOmniscient DigitalAlexBirkett.comThe Long Game PodcastConnect with Alex on LinkedInLEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:Modern LearnersModern Learners Community
My guest, Nancy J. Hess, brings her perspective on education and organizational change based on her deep work with state and local governments. Her expertise is rooted in guiding leadership through change, developing strategies for more efficient and engaging HR structures, and fostering learning environments that address the many challenges of local government. Nancy and I have a conversation about engagement within organizations and how true engagement drives change and transcends mere visible involvement and compliance. We discuss engagement as an intricate process tied to meaningful connections, active learning, and individual experiences. We also discuss frameworks for driving engagement and collecting narratives within organizations as we tackle complex problems that require long-term thinking.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
How Nancy convened a large group of municipal employees from multiple departments to effect change
Why individuals within an organization should build a portfolio of skills and projects
How politics in local government clashes with the need to solve complex problems
The power of collecting stories and narratives across an organization, not just surveys
Three layers of making sense for organization change
Why engagement and community building are essential to learning
RESOURCES:
Harold Jarche: Personal Knowledge Management
Cynefin Framework
SenseMaker
LEARN MORE ABOUT nancy j. Hess
NJ Hess Associates
Connect on LinkedIn
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Joining me for a conversation on volunteering and altruism is Nicole Sdao, founder and CEO of Altruize. Nicole is a firm believer in the transformative power of volunteerism. She challenges conventional views of volunteering as strictly a service to others, and invites us to see it as an investment in ourselves and a path of …
Ep. 07: How Volunteering Becomes a Path to Learning with Nicole Sdao Read More »
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When Google first came on the scene, it forced teachers to change the way they taught learners and to ask “better questions”. The common adage was, if it could be Googled (by the student), it wasn’t a good question. Now, with the rise of AI tools, we are again forced to look at our teaching methods and how to better support learners. But the question can’t only focus on how AI can or should be used by teachers. The more impactful change is in how teachers can integrate and implement AI in a way that benefits the learners. This time, it’s about helping learners ask better questions. It’s a shift from a traditional form of education to a culture of agency and inquiry. To dive deep into this topic, I’ve asked Jody Britten to join me on the show. Jody Britten is the Director of Learning Technologies at the Team4Tech Foundation. She is a relentless advocate for leveraging technology to empower social change, a former teacher, professor, and consultant specializing in innovation, learning, and measuring impact. She is passionate about finding ways to optimize teams through data-informed decisions and evidence-based practices. Her work has been featured in USA Today, EdWeek, EdTech Magazine, and more. We’ll discuss data privacy, the labor of training large language models, and the biggest changes we expect to see when it comes to AI in education.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
Why we have to recognize that we’ve been using AI in education for longer than we think
Key points to consider when evaluating a tool to use in your classroom
The difference between open and closed model tools
Why educators need to consider the possibilities of AI tools beyond fear of cheating
How AI tools can support a culture of agency and inquiry
Why we’re not yet at a tipping point with AI and ChatGPT
Why youth need to be included in the conversation about using AI tools
RESOURCES:
Team4Tech Foundation
ChatGPT
Elicit
Bard
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Today I have a conversation that delves into the intriguing concept of the Wellness Contagion with my guest, Katrina Johnson. A Wellness Contagion shifts the focus from illness to well-being and aims to spread awareness of protective factors. At the core of Katrina’s work is a program called Sources of Strength, which empowers students to take the lead in promoting mental health awareness, while receiving support from adults. This initiative creates a culture of support and connection, emphasizing experiential learning, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, and fostering a sense of belonging. Today, Katrina shares her journey in expanding the program across multiple schools, the barriers she has faced, and why it’s so important to have a dedicated point of contact at each school. She also outlines next steps for building a comprehensive school-based mental health program and the groundwork she is laying to develop systems that can be duplicated in every school and community. Katrina Johnson is a helper in spreading a wellness contagion throughout one school district and community at a time. She is a licensed clinical social worker, regional trainer for Sources of Strength, and dairy farmer. Current work includes designing and facilitating what she has coined, "Protective Factor Literacy." These projects interface with the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Steering Committee, Office of Children's Mental Health, and Coalition for Expanding School-Based Mental Health. There are three loves that guide her persistence in informing best practices in school-based mental health: 1) love for data, 2) love to learn, and 3) love to play.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
How reframing language towards wellness and protective factors impacts behavior
How the peer-to-peer element of Sources of Strength makes kids change agents in their own environments
Why implementation of Sources starts with one key point of contact
How Katrina helps schools find avenues of funding for Sources of Strength programs
Three key factors Katrina wants to see addressed in mental health programming
Why it’s vital for mental health screenings and programs to be in schools
RESOURCES:
Sources of Strength Wheels
LEARN MORE ABOUT Katrina Johnson:
Connect Strength
Instagram: @connectstrength
Facebook: @ConnectStrength
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What happens in your organization when someone makes a mistake? Is the process about blame and punishment? Or is it about shared accountability for systems and recognizing the humanity of those involved? Today, my guest, Julie Stephenson, and I are diving into the concept of building a Just Culture. A Just Culture radically shifts the approach to accountability from punishment to taking the time to understand root causes, treating employees as whole individuals, and acknowledging their outside commitments. A Just Culture is one where organizations take responsibility for their systems and respond to employees with fairness and equity. But implementing a Just Culture isn’t without challenges and resistance to change. Julie and I discuss what happened at the hospital she works with as they began to move toward a Just Culture. We’ll talk about the difference between mistakes and reckless behavior, as well as the value of curiosity and questioning when assessing risk awareness, the systemic impacts of individual actions, and the importance of understanding the broader context of personal decisions. Join us for a deep dive into how Just Culture can transform workplace environments, promote shared accountability, and enhance the overall quality of service.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
How indirect and cultural messages within an organization impact the perception of acceptable behaviors
How Just Culture brings accountability to implicit and explicit systems that impact employee behavior
Why implementing a Just Culture model improves how employees show up at work
Challenges and roadblocks that come up when moving to a Just Culture
Three reasons why people follow rules, and why avoiding punishment and sanction isn’t enough
The fundamental difference between true mistakes and risky behaviors
more about my guest, Julie stephenson:
Julie Stephenson’s commitment to and passion for conversations that move organizations toward a healthier and more human place to live, work and learn have guided her entire career. Currently, she supports a critical access hospital in southwestern Wisconsin as a certified coach and Just Culture leader. Her most recent creative endeavor includes The Water We Swim In series and The Lab - a cultural and storytelling experiment she co-created. This work de-stigmatizes mental health, normalizes sharing stories, and honors the lived experiences of our friends and neighbors in southwestern Wisconsin.
In 2018, Julie founded Compounding Courage to create a movement inspired by Mr. Rogers’s wise words, "Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone."
RESOURCES:
Compounding Courage
Facebook: @CompoundingCourage
LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:
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Modern Learners Community
Education and professional development are undergoing a remarkable transformation, breaking free from the confines of traditional classrooms and textbooks. Instead, they're thriving at the intersection of community, events, and content. But what does this mean for you as a learner? In this episode, we explore the future of learning and the path to success for learners like you. We cover the interdependent components of modern learning and we talk about a continuous cycle of learning, applying, reflecting, and sharing. We also discuss the importance of not only acquiring knowledge, but of applying it in practical ways and contributing to the greater body of knowledge.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
The three components of modern learning: community, content, and events
Why those components must be treated as interdependent in order to foster a culture of learning
Why meaningful educational experiences start with giving learners agency over their learning
The role of social networks in fostering learning
The five phases of collective learning
RESOURCES:
The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, Peter Senge
Social Cognitive Theory: An Agentic Perspective on Human Nature, Albert Bandura
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In today’s world, personal growth and transformation are crucial for success and happiness. But often, we find ourselves struggling to make lasting changes. In Episode 01, we introduced the Modern Learners Lens, likening it to a kaleidoscope where beliefs, contexts, and practices come together to create a vibrant, harmonious learning culture. Today, we are going to connect the Modern Learners Lens to Immunity to Change, a powerful psychological framework from the work of Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey. This framework helps us uncover the deep-rooted assumptions and unconscious conflicting commitments that hold us back from achieving our goals. Throughout this journey, we'll guide you through the five essential steps to overcoming your immunity to change. As we delve into the Immunity to Change Map, a practical guide for navigating these hidden barriers and fostering growth, we'll also share stories of transformation to bring this concept to life. You'll learn how to connect the Modern Learners Lens with the Immunity to Change, to create lasting positive transformation in your personal and professional lives. Join us as we embark on this journey of self-discovery, growth, and lasting change. Let's dive into the world of Immunity to Change and unlock the secrets to transformation in your life.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
The five steps of the Immunity to Change framework
How Immunity to Change complements the Modern Learners Lens in building a culture of positive growth
Exploring our commitments and barriers to change in the Immunity to Change Map
RESOURCES:
Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock Potential in Yourself and Your Organization, Lisa Laskow Lahey and Robert Kegan
Immunity Map Worksheet
LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:
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Many people think they know what learning means, but often these beliefs go unexamined and can be oversimplified or even misleading. Our intentions are usually honorable when we think of learning. But when these good intentions result in total or partial failures, we are disappointed and puzzled. We direct blame to various factors. Rarely do we ask though if it’s possible that our conception of learning was faulty, grossly simplistic, or in need of an overhaul or even discarded. In this episode, we discuss why we need to reevaluate our understanding of learning, differentiate between learning and achievement, and remind our listeners that at Modern Learners, our focus is on learning.
LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE TO HEAR:
The fundamental differences between learning and achievement
The role of belief in driving learning and development and key questions to identify your organization’s fundamental principles
How to establish the context your organization and objectives operate in
Why practices need to be in alignment with both beliefs and context
Reflecting on how to cultivate a culture of learning
RESOURCES:
And What Do You Mean by Learning?, Seymour Sarason
LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:
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Modern Learners Community
Change is hard. It’s hard enough when you’re trying to break a bad habit or work toward a new goal, but leading change in your organization? That can feel impossible. So why is change so difficult? What most people don’t see when they acknowledge that a change is necessary is the competing commitments that work in our subconscious to keep us right where we are because it’s comfortable. When we identify our competing commitments and work to debunk our old assumptions, we can discover a path forward. I’m Melissa Emler, Chief Learning Officer at Modern Learners. I’ve spent 20 years in schools and classrooms. I’ve participated in, and even led, countless continuous improvement initiatives that fell flat. A few years back, I adopted my mantra: I’m not asking you to change, I’m asking you to learn. And you know what? Change–transformative, meaningful change–is exactly what happens when people embrace learning. Today, my team and I at Modern learners help organizations create cultures of learning so that they can get unstuck, move forward with confidence, and achieve their goals. Learning to Change is a podcast about the transformative power of learning. We share stories and interviews that showcase how learning leads to change and growth so that you can apply these lessons in your organization. We help you break down barriers to learning and make learning the cultural DNA of your team. With a shared passion for learning and a wealth of experience in professional development, our goal is to help you unlock your full potential and drive meaningful change in your life and your organization.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA EMLER AND MODERN LEARNERS:
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Zoom fatigue was coined as a relevant term in 2020 when the pandemic took charge of the world, and Zoom was the solution we all needed. The Harvard Business Review wrote the first article about Zoom fatigue on April 29, 2020, and National Geographic beat them to the punch on April 24, 2020. While Zoom …
Is Zoom Really Meeting Your Needs? Read More »
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What a better time to share the books near and dear to me and my work at Modern Learners than on World Book Day? The team relies on some awesome books to inform the work that we do in the community, content, and event space. First, let’s talk books about community. Peter Block’s book Community: …
World Book Day Recommendations Read More »
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At Modern Learners, we believe the purpose of events is to grow, change, and learn! In order to design an effective learning event, we start by asking our clients a lot of event design questions. We want you to be successful. We know events facilitate connections. Connections provide opportunities to learn more. Learning more together …
66 Event Design Questions Read More »
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Intentionally designing learning events sits at the core of what our team at Modern Learners does on a daily basis. Events are a component of what Modern Learners believes to be the future of learning. This component needs care and attention because when organization’s miss the mark on this, people are snoozin’ and losin’! You’ve …
Designing Learning Events Read More »
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No organizations are safe from the era of great resignation. However, I’m starting to understand organizations that focus on learning might have the best retention strategy. Organizations have a big task. Some of the barriers learning organizations faced before the pandemic are even more prevalent now. They must continue to support their people, and right …
Learning As A Retention Strategy? Read More »
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I often ask people about the impact of their most recent professional learning experience. Then I ask them to describe the most impactful learning experience they have ever had. The dialogue that ensues is lively and filled with smiles and often laughter. However, when asked how often people experience impactful learning, the smiles fade and …
Professional Learning: Path to Agency and Impact Read More »
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Are people talking about the future of learning? I see lots of headlines about the future of work on the front pages of our newspapers. The covers of magazines on the end caps of grocery store aisles feature companies who just went all in on forever work from home policies. Email subject lines feature interviews …
Future of Work Is Nothing Without Consideration For The Future of Learning Read More »
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Modern Learners Community is supporting the Montana Office of Public Instruction with MTEDx-21! Superintendent Elsie Arntzen will welcome Montana educators to MTEDx-21. Yong Zhao, opening keynote will spend time helping educators reimagine the possibilities. The afternoon keynote speaker, Dr. Dan Popov, will encourage serving the whole child, and Dr. Peter Liljedahl will be available on …
Montana Educators Set to Experience MTEDx-21 Read More »
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My grandma didn’t have a commitment to your privacy. When she caught you stealing cookies, she let the entire neighborhood know. Grandma Judy had a very recognizable voice, and she had an uncanny ability to know when we had raided her cookie jar. She didn’t care about preserving your dignity or your privacy. If you …
Our Commitment to Your Privacy: No More Cookies Read More »
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Why the new logo you ask? 2020 marked a new era for Modern Learners. The founders, Will Richardson and Bruce Dixon, were promoted to advisors of the company they started in 2013. Both were determined to support Modern Learners, but were being called to pursue other things. That left me to lead the day to …
New Site & New Logo: The Big Reveal Read More »
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Jenn Binis, President of Schoolmarm Advisors Consulting Group, shares her take on the purpose of American Public Education on today’s show. She pulls the rubber band back further on the narrative of factory model schools to give us a glimpse at the more uncomfortable beginnings of public schools. She thinks the factory model narrative is …
Factory Narrative Of School with Jenn Binis Read More »
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Bringing you today’s podcast guest, Dr. Kim Parker, brings me great joy! Dr. Kim Parker is a co-founder of #disrupttexts as well as a co-founder of the #31daysIBPOC project which we will discuss in great detail. Dr. Kim reminds us that teaching is political. To shy away from the idea of teaching being political means …
#31DaysIBPOC with Dr. Kim Parker Read More »
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At the time of the podcast recording, COVID-19 is rocking our world. The world is practicing social distancing, many states have safe at home orders, and schools are shut down until further notice. I invited Peter Grey on the podcast before the world was turned upside down by COVID-19. I wanted him to discuss his …
Peter Grey on Being Free to Learn During COVID0-19 Read More »
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Learning space design is the topic of the podcast today. I speak with Dr. Lennie Scott-Webber. She is a leading thinker on the evolution of what we know about learning, the learner, and the learning space. Dr. Lennie has pioneered research strategies addressing how the built environment impacts student engagement factors and learner success. Dr. …
Learning Space Design with Lennie Scott-Webber Read More »
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I’m excited to kick off our next Modern Learners Community theme “Places and Spaces” with today’s interview with Tom Vander Ark. Tom is the CEO of Getting Smart and his brand new book Place Based Learning: Authentic Learning through Place-Based Education has just been released. He co-authored the book with Emily Liebag and Nate McClennen. …
Place Based Education with Tom Vander Ark Read More »
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Last week, Dr. Nicki mentioned Peter Liljedahl’s research on vertical, non-permanent spaces. That took me on a journey into Peter’s work, and after reading all of Peter’s work around Thinking Classrooms, I had to invite him to the Modern Learners podcast. Luckily, he made time in his busy schedule before we concluded our math theme. …
Thinking Classrooms with Peter Liljedahl Read More »
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I’m excited to bring you my conversation with Dr. Nicki Newton. Dr. Nicki is a renowned writer and education consultant who works with schools around the country on elementary math curriculum. She has authored over 20 books on a variety of math topics. She’s most known for her work on guided math and math running …
Dr. Nicki Newton on Math Dispositions Read More »
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Today, we welcome Eli Luberoff, founder and CEO of Desmos to the podcast. His math identity began to take shape when he was just four years old, but it didn’t help him stay engaged in the k-12 curriculum. To this day, he does not have a high school diploma. He does, however, have a degree …
Desmos and the Modern Math Classroom Read More »
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Today’s show is the kickoff to our math theme in Modern Learners community. We’ll be exploring our beliefs about math education. We’ll look at what’s working, what’s not, and what’s possible! Considering the impact that machine learning and AI are having on the world, it’s important we start to consider how these fields will impact …
Conrad Wolfram on the Relevance of Math Education Read More »
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Will and Bruce have been “Promoted”! I’m in my office working on building out next month’s MLC theme (blogs, podcasts, and more) AND finalizing the details of getting three new courses shipped for our community. Yes, I’m working really hard while Bruce is likely swimming with the sharks, and Will is likely headed to Tuck’s …
They’ve been Promoted! Read More »
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Getting student feedback is not a new concept. Blog post after blog post encourages teachers to ask for student feedback. Jen Gonzales, author of Cult of Pedagogy blog, lays out the 5 Reasons You Should Seek Your OWN Student Feedback and the We Are Teachers blog offers these tips on what to do with student …
Student Feedback Surveys Ask the Wrong Questions Read More »
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It’s possible! The Modern Learners theme for the next year and likely the next decade is “It’s Possible!” December is normally a time. I spend some time looking back on the year and looking forward to the next. This year, I’m spending December reflecting on an entire decade. I’m thinking about it at a deeper …
It’s Possible -Focus on Learning for 2029 Read More »
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It’s hard to believe that we’re entering the holiday season already here in the US. It’s a couple of days before Thanksgiving and the real insanity is about to begin. And most of that insanity stems from the multi-billion dollar month-long war for capturing our attention. You don’t even have to turn on the television …
#77 – Attention Literacy with Alec Couros Read More »
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These headlines are one reason emotional intelligence is one of the most desired 21st Century skills: “What’s Lost When We Rush Kids Through Childhood” Emily Kaplan, Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, September 4, 2019 “We Have Ruined Childhood” Kim Brooks, NY Times Sunday Review, August 17, 2019 “Teen Depression and Anxiety: Why the Kids Are …
A Parent’s Guide to Prioritizing Emotional Well-Being Read More »
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A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I found ourselves wandering around a real bookstore, the kind with actual books in it, reminding ourselves what print on paper actually looks like. It’s not that neither of us no longer read paper books, we still do. (The local library is about 50 steps from our …
Your Attention, Please Read More »
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Welcome to the fourth and final episode in my month-long exploration of “power” in schools. I don’t know about you, but I found all of these conversations fascinating in terms of how much the power relationships we have in schools impact the experience that kids have, and the extent to which we are functionally unaware …
#76 – The Power of the System with Özlem Sensoy Read More »
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This is our third podcast on the theme of power, and when you think about both the good and the bad aspects of technology and the Internet and social media over the last decade, it’s hard not to conclude that like it or not, the individual has much more power in her hands today than …
#75 – Power and Success in the Era of Technology with Dr. Craig Watkins Read More »
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It’s interesting, to me at least, that whenever I have conversations about the role of power in school cultures, it seems everyone feels powerless. Students, who sit at the bottom of the “power org chart,” feel they have little or no ability to influence the ways in which they experience school. School isn’t a choice …
Are We All Powerless? Read More »
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We’re in our second week of exploring power and power relationships in schools which is a topic that I don’t think we reflect on nearly enough in schools. (Here’s the first “power” podcast with Rob Fried.) There’s an inherent tension when it comes to learning and power, namely how much power do you as a …
#74 – The Power of Learners with Sylvia Martinez Read More »
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So it’s a new month, and that means a new theme for our conversations, and it’s a theme I’ve been looking forward to diving into, namely “power” and the ways in which power relationships basically define the schools we’re in. Power is not something we often talk explicitly about in schools. It’s a complex dynamic …
#73 – Power in School with Rob Fried Read More »
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This is the fourth and final episode in our exploration of the theme community this month, and I want to say from the start, that this conversation you’re about to hear on equity, community, and culture has been one that I’ve been struggling with recently. There are many challenges and tensions that we face in …
#72 – Equity, Culture, and Community with Tricia Ebarvia Read More »
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So in case you may be new to the pod, each month we take on a different theme from four different angles, and this week, we’re looking at our theme of community through our third lens, that of classroom practice. As in what would the classroom look like if the community itself was the curriculum? …
#71 – Community as the Curriculum with Dave Cormier Read More »
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Here’s a question you may want to ask a representative sampling of your students: On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being “not at all” and 10 being “very,” how predictable is your school experience? As in how much of your school day (or school year) pretty much sticks to the script? Whenever I get …
Schools are “Totally Predictable.” We Good With That? Read More »
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Welcome to our second podcast on the theme of “community.” While the web has been around for about 25 years now, learning on the Internet really started way before the web was even in development. For those of us old enough to remember the days of computer modems and online bulletin boards, if you had …
#70 – Virtual Community with Howard Rheingold Read More »
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It’s a new month as we turn into September 2019 and that means a new theme for our podcasts and for our conversations in MLC, our Modern Learners Community. Podcastwise, I’m a little sad that our dive into the theme of Story in August is over. What I’ve learned is that we tell stories in …
#69 – The Power of Community with Peter Block Read More »
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One of our favorite phrases to use in education when we’re reflecting on the decisions we make in schools is “in the best interests of students.” As in we need to consistently put our kids ahead of anything else when we think about our practice and our systems. And no one disagrees with that sentiment, …
“In the Best Interests of Students” Read More »
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This is the fourth and final podcast in our series on the theme of “story,” and I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to them as much as I’ve enjoyed recording them. As many of my guests have expressed, we are in between stories in education, and this is both a challenging and exciting time for us …
#68 – Talking About Race, Culture, and Identity with Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi Read More »
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If you listened two our previous two podcasts on the topic of “story” I think you’ll agree that we educators are at an interesting spot when it comes to the way we think and talk about education and schooling moving forward. The old story that you have to be somewhere at a particular time with …
#67 – Creating a New Story of Learning With Mary Anne Moran and John Clements Read More »
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One story of school that we rarely acknowledge but that runs beneath almost everything we do is that school is a game to be “won.” At a minimum, students win it by doing what they need to do to graduate and attain whatever academic status is expected of them. Parents win it by doing what …
Game Over Read More »
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All this month in the community we're talking about the theme of story, how the story of school and education is changing, and what we need to do to help create a new story for teaching and learning moving forward. And so along those lines, in this week's podcast I interview long time blogger, author, and futurist Bryan Alexander to help provide some larger contexts for how life stories are changing in general and how we educators might help our students navigate the next 20 or 30 years of transition.
I first met Bryan about 15 years ago at Middlebury College, and since then he's been one of my most respected resources for tracking how the world is changing and what those changes mean for education. Bryan is currently a senior scholar at Georgetown University and teaches graduate seminars in their Learning, Design, and Technology program. He recently finished Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education for Johns Hopkins University Press (forthcoming fall 2019).
As you heard in that opening snip and as you'll hear throughout this conversation, we are in and are heading into some challenging times on a lot of levels. But despite the obvious headwinds, what I appreciated more than anything about this conversation is Bryan's unyielding faith in "Generation Z", that group of late teen and early twenty somethings in which he and I both have two children. Our question now is how do we prepare them to flourish in this moment, and how do we prepare the next generation of students that are coming after them.
Don't forget, at the end of the podcast I offer up three things that you can do right now to get your brain and your practice more deeply wrapped around the ideas that Bryan discusses in this podcast. And for more resources related to this episode, head on over to the Modern Learners Community and click on the "Podcast" topic.
Each month our Modern Learners Community (MLC) , we take on specific theme, and in August, our theme is “story.” As in what is the current story of learning we are telling in our schools, how is that story changing, and what might the new story be? And so to kick things off this month, …
#65 – A New Story of School Based on Beliefs Read More »
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Starting in August, we’re kicking off a new theme in our Modern Learners Community on “Story.” Through our podcasts, book studies, special events and more, we’re going to dive into the many https://modernlearners.communityways that stories define our work in terms of the paths we choose to follow, the ways we measure success, the way we …
We Choose the Stories We Tell Read More »
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- A few months ago I plopped myself down in a front row auditorium seat next to a young man with frazzled hair and braces who was looking uncomfortable in a collared, button-down shirt with an overly wide and ornate tie often seen on middle school boys. “How’s it goin’?” I asked. He looked up …
Why Wouldn’t We…Learn From the Kids Read More »
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I’ve come to read predictions about the future of work with a healthy skepticism. So much click bait. So much preying on fears. So much focused on the technologies instead of the choices we make about the technologies. So much…period. Today more than ever we need to be careful consumers of what’s being written about …
Inspecting for Signs of Decay Read More »
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Unpleasant Truth about Education #47: Kids learn more deeply in school when participating in extracurriculars than they do when being taught in classrooms. That’s one of the many provocative conclusions drawn by authors Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine in their book In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School. It’s …
#64 – In Search of Deeper Learning Read More »
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If you’re looking for a pretty compelling read for the summer, Todd Rose’s newest book Dark Horse should probably be on your list, especially if you’re at all interested in education and the shifts that are currently underway in our thinking about schools. In short, it’s about the need (if not requirement) these days to …
Fulfillment Beats “Success” Read More »
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For over 30 years, Gary Stager has been at the forefront of those arguing for a more constructionist approach to learning. In this podcast, he discusses the power and importance of letting students experience learning by doing in every interaction with school. Gary has been greatly influenced by the work of Jean Piaget, Seymour Papert, …
#63 – Gary Stager: “The Project Can Replace the Instruction” Read More »
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How do we make the world better than we found it? This is a question that has been raised in a number of our community conversations. Gary Stager mentioned it just last night in a chat with Will and Bruce. It’s posted on classroom and school walls to inspire and promote a reason for …
How do we make the world better than we found it? Read More »
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A lot of schools tout a “global curriculum,” but not many can say that they have a truly global campus. But that’s what “Avenues: The World School” is building. With physical campuses in New York City and Sao Paulo, a Shenzen, China opening this fall, schools developing in Miami, Silicon Valley, London, and Mumbai, and …
#62 – A Truly Global School Read More »
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When it comes to “student achievement,” I hardly know where to start. Literally. Should I begin with trying to define it? Or should I start with the fact that hardly anyone defines it? Or that whatever definitions do exist suggest a total lack of consensus and coherence? Maybe I could start with John Hattie and …
Rethinking “Student Achievement” Read More »
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Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our …
Belonging in Learning Communities and Beyond Read More »
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Gamechangers are few and far between. The only place they frequent is of course on our sporting fields, but metaphorically they also well describe those creative, courageous people who see a better way to do something and then they set about making it happen. Schools fit the metaphor perfectly with their protocols, rituals, rules, and …
The Risks and Rewards of Changing the Game Read More »
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Two things are becoming clearer by the day when it comes to our children and our schools. First, our kids are under duress. The latest survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 70% of 13-17 year olds see anxiety and depression as a major problem among people their age in the community they live. …
The Kids (and Schools) are Not Alright Read More »
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Despite the concern educators frequently express about the challenges of time in the scheduled life of school, most do still find time for conversations with colleagues. It might be over a morning or lunch break, or at either end of the school day, nonetheless they all value being able to connect with colleagues and share …
Feedback, Affirmation, and the Delusion of Good Work Read More »
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In this episode, Bruce and I chat with with Stephanie Rogen, author of a great new book titled “Creating Schools That Thrive: A Blueprint for Strategy.” Like the title implies, it’s a roadmap for schools who are on a journey to create mission and vision driven change that’s relevant for modern times. Stephanie’s work with …
#59 – Stephanie Rogen on Creating Schools That Thrive Read More »
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Head over to Google or Amazon and do a search for “difficult conversations” and you’ll quickly get the sense that people need a lot of help having them. Especially today when we are so fractured politically in the US and elsewhere. These days, it feels harder and harder to have an even somewhat congenial conversation …
The Conditions for Difficult Conversations Read More »
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Education is changing, and schools are still struggling to adapt. That’s the key takeaway from this interview with Rich Halverson, co-author of Rethinking Education in an Age of Technology which just came out in its second edition. First published in 2009, Halverson’s book is one on the most underlined and dog-eared of all of the …
#58 – Author Rich Halverson on Rethinking Education Read More »
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Our recently released 10 Principles for Schools of Modern Learning whitepaper provides a synthesis of the unique characteristics of schools from around the world that have taken on high-bar change initiatives responding to the new opportunities and challenges of learning in the modern age. Since its publication, the white paper has been downloaded by over …
#57 – Announcing the Audit Read More »
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Here’s my burning question for you in 2019: What are you going to do to change the experience that your students have in school to reflect more compellingly what you believe is the right thing to be doing for kids and learning? It’s a loaded question, I know. It suggests that as an educator, …
2019 – Time to Choose Read More »
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Given the opportunity to start a new community public school from scratch, what would you build? What process would you employ? And if you really wanted to create something really different, how would you convince parents that really different is not something their kids need but also something they should want? Those questions and more …
#56 – Megan Power on Creating a New Experience of Learning Read More »
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We often start the New Year with resolutions, some more ambitious than others, so when you hear Keith Richards is to give up the booze, you know the world is certainly changing! However nowadays it’s also become more common to end the year with titles such as Time’s Person of the Year, the Oxford …
Modern Learners 2018 Provocation of the Year Read More »
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Show notes coming soon.
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Given how much I read, I wish I was more like my friend Rob who has the insane ability to remember just about everything he reads down to where it’s located on the paper or digital page he reads it on. Unfortunately for me, that’s not the case. It takes much longer for the patterns …
The Most Important Skill for the Future: Being Human Read More »
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How do you identify potential? Do you know what potential looks like, long before it is realized? Some examples are obvious. You know the sort of kid I am talking about. Almost from when he started to walk, he had a ball in his hand. When he threw it, he was a natural, and …
Every Kid Can Do Amazing Things Read More »
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Turns out, we who live in western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic societies are actually as WEIRD as the acronym for that group spells out. According to research by University of British Columbia professor Joe Henrich (now of Harvard,) “Members of WEIRD societies, including young children, are among the least representative populations one could …
Designing for Learning Read More »
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The compelling case for reimagining schools is not difficult to make. It’s a combination of common sense and a clear understanding of how the changes in the world are creating new challenges and opportunities for learners both in and out of school. In other words, the compelling case is built on a sense of urgency …
#54 Old Urgencies, New Urgencies for Change Read More »
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Will and Lyn talk with educator and library administrator Bud Hunt who asks us to consider when we stopped making schools a place of wonder? We discuss the connections between literacy and making (“making is a fundamental thing that people do”); a library’s purpose as a community space where people can engage in civil discourse; …
#53: Why Don’t We Wonder in Schools Anymore? with Bud Hunt Read More »
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Teacher-librarian and Senior Fellow for the Foundry Makerspace Heather Lister joins us for a conversation around this month’s Modern Learners Community theme: modern literacy. Heather provides valuable insights on the changing role of libraries as she works to fulfill her mission of “abolishing the stereotype of libraries and librarians.” In this podcast we discuss copyright …
#52: Literacy, Libraries and Making with Heather Lister Read More »
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Equity is a topic that takes center stage in many education conversations, and rightly so. It’s about every child being given a “fair go.” We often voice our concerns about the plight of the underserved in our communities, and as educators, we always strive to address their disadvantage within the resources we have available. At …
The Unpleasant Truth About Equity Read More »
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Change School alumni Mark Heintz joins Bruce and me in another episode of the Modern Learners Podcast. You can join is in Change School. All the details are on the site! Mark is a Teaching and Learning Facilitator at Elk Grove High School in Illinois. Tired of viewing success only by a score. he and …
#51: From Old School to Change School Read More »
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The “Let’s Change School” conversation came to the forefront again this week after a video collaboration between Ted Dintersmith and the rapper Prince Ea went viral. As we write this, the video has been up for a little over 4 days, and between YouTube and Facebook, it has almost 10 million views and over …
A response to Prince Ea’s viral video “What is School For?” Read More »
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Now that everyone is turning their focus to developing the skills and dispositions kids need to thrive in the future, many are starting to ask “Well, how do we assess those things?” As in how do we create a data point for curiosity or creativity or persistence? And what skills and dispositions should we be …
#50: Measuring (Or Not) the Immeasurable Read More »
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It’s been a long time coming, but the emergence of the learning economy has been as inevitable as it is has more recently become overwhelming. This is a time when learners rule. When it’s not so much about what you know now, but rather what capacity you have to learn. When it’s not about what …
The Rise of the Learning Economy Read More »
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In our last Shifting Conversation post, the 250th in the series, Bruce shared the evolution of Modern Learners over the last five years, a few of the tools we use to thrive (and survive) as a team, and the pivots we made along the way. Since Bruce and Will have spent the past week traveling …
Connections and Community in a Modern Learning World Read More »
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In episode 49 of the Modern Learners podcast, Missy and Lyn talk with Superintendent Dr. Joe Sanfileppo of the Fall Creek School District in Wisconsin. Joe is known in educational leadership circles as “the relationships guy,” a dynamic school leader who speaks often about the role of relationships in learning and who celebrates loudly the …
#49: Dr. Joe Sanfileppo discusses Relationships, Leadership and Learning Read More »
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I recently reviewed a Seth Godin podcast called the Long Term. It was an interesting commentary by Seth on the significant benefits we see when we are committed to the long run…olive farmers and investors included. So given this week’s post will be our 250th Shifting Conversation, I’m giving myself the luxury of reflecting on just …
How Long is the Long Run? Read More »
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As I wrote about in last week’s column, this new book titled Timeless Learning by Ira Socol, Pam Moran, and Chad Ratliff may just be the best book I’ve read about how to change schools and bring all the things we know are important about progressive learning to traditional public and private schools. In this …
#48: Timeless Learning With Pam Moran and Ira Socol Read More »
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While it’s hard to count the number of profound thoughts and insights that frequent Timeless Learning, the absolutely powerful new book from Ira Socol, Pam Moran, and Chad Ratliff that’s coming out next week, this one particular passage had my inner and outer edu-activist pumping his fist: Adults may argue about this – they do …
Choosing Progressive Education for Modern Learning Read More »
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I’m pretty sure I’ve written this before in this space, but one of my favorite essays relevant to the whole conversation around school change is Margaret Wheatley’s “Willing to be Disturbed.” It was first published 16 years ago as a commentary on how confusing the world seemed to be post 9/11, and I’ve always found …
Willing to be Affirmed Read More »
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Could it be that one of the biggest barriers to change is that we rarely have any real shared understanding of the language we use around learning? That’s one of the many interesting conclusions that Dr. Beth Holland arrived at while doing her recently published dissertation from Johns Hopkins University. And it’s one of the …
#47: Dr. Beth Holland discusses Learning, Language, and Leading Read More »
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With all the talk around modern learners, it’s probably time we got up close and personal to understand a little more about their motivations, behaviors, and attitudes. First up, let’s be clear. Modern learners aren’t defined by an age group or demographic but rather by their habits, dispositions, and most importantly their ideas about the …
Who Are These Modern Learners? Read More »
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In the kickoff to our Modern Learners Community July 2018 theme of “Refresh, Renew, Relax,” we hand the podcast reigns over to Missy Emler and Lyn Hilt of our Modern Learners team who talk with Dr. Joyce Young and Liza Engstrom from the High Health Network, an organization dedicated to helping leaders harness the power …
#46: Mental and Physical Wellness for Educators Read More »
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In this episode, Bruce and I discuss a powerful essay written by Carol Black titled Children, Learning, and the Evaluative Gaze of School, one that discusses the very real effects on kids of a culture of surveillance and assessment. Some of the questions we kick around: Why have we gotten to this point where we …
#45: Watching our Kids Too Closely Read More »
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Have you noticed the “new” trend in thinking about schools? I put “new” in quotes because, of course, it really isn’t new at all. In fact, you might call it a renaissance of the thinking that we’ve always known to be true about bringing kids together to learn with adults in shared spaces. Maria Montessori …
Why Start With Why Not? Read More »
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I think it might be high time we called “accountability” and its kissing cousins “metrics” and “performance indicators” to account. For educators, that draws a focus to assessment, where maybe it’s time we asked if high-stakes standardized testing has finally reached its use by date? I mean what do you think it will take before we …
Accountability and the Tyranny of Metrics Read More »
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Before COVID-19, Surveillance Software was the focus of EdTech. The question is will it remain that way or have we learned a few things? This post from sometime in 2017 is still relevant. There’s a growing sense that we’ve reached a breaking point with technologies in the classroom. France is banning all mobile devices from …
Surveillance Software: the focus of EdTech Read More »
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Surprisingly, it wasn’t Deputy Headmaster Rohan Brown abruptly cutting a student’s hair that was front page news, but rather what came next. It was a day in early March when school photos were being taken, and as the young lad walked through the front gate of Trinity Grammar, a prominent boy’s school in Melbourne, Brown noticed …
Agency and the Rise of New Power Read More »
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Today I am excited to welcome Dr. Susan Blum to the show. Susan is a professor of anthropology at Notre Dame University and the author of one of my favorite reads of the last couple of years, a book titled “I Love to Learn; I Hate School: An Anthropology of College.” And, she’s also the …
#44: “I Love Learning, I Hate School” Read More »
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Why Change School? Part 1 It’s been almost six years since I wrote Why School? which happily ended up being a best-selling TED Book but, unhappily, didn’t allow me to retire to my island paradise due to the $2.99 Kindle-only cover price. I’m still humbled when I look at the Amazon reviews that people have …
Why Change School? Read More »
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“It’s hard to find good talent these days.” It’s a catch-cry becoming more and more familiar as the demands of our exponentially changing world force a quite radical shift in the way companies attract, retain, and build talent. Over the years, the Human Resources Department grew from what was previously known as the Payroll Department, …
How Do You Discover and Develop Talent in Your School? Read More »
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How important is it to ask what students think of their education? It’s vitally important for us to ask this of our students even though we may not be satisfied with what they say about their classroom experiences. Bruce and I are discussing this concept today, along with my recent eye-opening visit to a school …
#43: Be Careful What You Ask For Read More »
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Over the last dozen years, one of the things I’ve become most interested in is the ways in which schools define their value in the world. In fact, it’s one of the first things I try to suss out whenever I visit a school or a district or a board. What matters here more than …
If You Really Want to Change School, You Need to Change the Lens Read More »
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Is instruction really necessary in schools? That’s just one of the many intriguing questions we dive into in our latest podcast with our friend, mentor, and educational leader, Gary Stager, in a conversation that will have you thinking hard (once again) about teaching and learning in the modern world. Gary’s focus is on the nature …
#42: The Lost Art of Teaching with Gary Stager Read More »
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For all of the discussions we have shared in these posts and beyond in our Changeleader Community and in Change School, the cold hard facts are that many educators are reluctant or rather, immune to change. The irony of this comment is that for the most part, anyone reading this post has already self-selected as …
How Does Your Practice Reflect the Modern Context? Read More »
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Would you ever think that Justin Bieber would be the starting point for one of our conversations? Though it may sound crazy, that’s where we begin today, discussing what is possible through social media and technology, since there is no better poster-child for the subject. As always, we’re talking about what learning is and how …
#41: Conflict with Competency Based Assessments Read More »
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What if one primary goal we had in schools was to develop kids as “professional learners”? As in people who make money because they are learning. That’s the intriguing phrasing that one of my favorite workplace bloggers Jane Hart uses to describe what people formerly known as employees need to be to thrive today. In …
Wanted: Professional Learners Read More »
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If you haven’t heard (or seen) the movie “Most Likely to Succeed,” you may be in the educational minority today. The documentary highlights the problems of traditional schooling through the eyes of students, parents, and teachers who are seeking, and in some cases participating in a very different education, and it’s become one of the …
#40: Interview With Ted Dintersmith Read More »
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Brodie is an interesting kid; not precocious or in any way insolent, but also not afraid to share his opinions. He’d been going to one of Melbourne’s leading schools when late last year he decided it was time he and the school parted company. It was about that time his father, Nicholas, a local realtor, …
Will Learner Voice Lead to the Learner’s Revolution? Read More »
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What are the "Internet Trends" that educators need to wrap their brains around? That's the question Will and Bruce kick around as they take a deep dive into Mary Meeker's Internet Trends Report released last week. They don't discuss all 355 slides in the report, but they do pick out several top level themes and discuss the impact those trends will likely have on schools. Such as: Continuation of the Move to Mobile Adults spend 5.6 hours a day on devices and 3.1 hours specifically on mobile. To what extent will schools need to support learners in finding balance in life? How will we help students learn how to be physically and mentally healthy in the face of this very connected world? Also, what responsibility do w have to make sure students know about the data their mobile phones are tracking and sending to advertisers? Voice Search Voice recognition software is actually meeting the threshold of human accuracy. More products are being developed that are powered by voice. Twenty percent of all queries were made by voice as of May 2016. That number will likely continue to increase because of the accuracy now available through voice search. Video There is no doubt that video is king right now. Social media continues to put greater emphasis on video creation and sharing. Bruce and Will discuss how much better video has gotten for learning purposes. In Change School, it is common to have 40 people from all over the world on a video conference at once. The quality is surpassing our initial expectations. Gaming The gaming trends are mind-blowing for educators. Will specifically references slide 80 because of it's refernce to Modern Learning. Today there are 2.6 billion gamers and the average age of those games is 35. Interactive gaming revenue comes in at $100B. Gaming is optimized for learning and engagement. Just Dig Into the Internet Trends Report It is really important to dig into the rest of the report. Take what you can and do your best to think deeply about these topics and the impact they will have on learning. Will and Bruce mentioned Byjus.com which is a learning site from India with some similarities with Khan Academy, but after you see it, you'll agree that Byjus.com is so much more. We'll be talking about the report in our Modern Learners Facebook Group. We'd love for you to join us there.
In our newest podcast, Will and Bruce discuss the new Change.School learning community, and they talk about the history of Modern Learners and how it's led to this new push to raise the bar on reimagining schools. It's a little bit of backstory, but it's a lot of how we got to the "How?"
Change.School has its genesis in the thousands of conversations that Will and Bruce have had with leaders from around the world who are guiding change projects in their schools. In fact, it's built on the idea that despite being really hard work, reimagination is possible, that the ingredients are clear, but that every school is on it's own unique path to change. Right now, building leadership capacity to do high-bar change in existing schools is where the most important work in education lies.
The notes for this episode are short because everything you really need to know can be found at change.school. Yes, .school is now an extension!