Category Archives: Uncategorized

By Dacher Keltner I was headed to bed at midnight when I noticed the glow at the bottom of my 18-year-old daughter Serafina’s bedroom door.  “Are you going to bed soon?” I asked. “I just need to finish studying for my math test after I’m done with science,” she said, in the tense and tightContinue reading “Small Wonders: Finding Everyday Moments of Awe”

Every child needs to know the power of their VOICE! Every child needs to know that their VOICE is more than their words. Their VOICE is also how they show up in the world. Written by Dr. Katrina Hutchins (Dr. K.), CEO of and the Founder of the Re-Source Solutions Foundation The My Voice isContinue reading “Elevating Student Voice through Voice Leadership Camps and the MViP Books”

Just north of Bend, Oregon in the shadow of Mt. Bachelor is Cascade Academy, a small K-12 independent school focused on experiential learning. The beautiful building (featured image) sits on 52 wooded acres on the Deschutes River adjacent to Tumalo State Park.   The Cascades staff shares a beautiful set of values: cultivate belonging, empower individuality,Continue reading “Outdoor and Experiential Learning Across the Country”

By: LeVar Jenkins These are hard times for educators. Students are striving to make gains after the biggest disruption to student learning in the history of American education. Students and adults have significant social-emotional needs, staffing shortages are real, and districts are confronting everything from budget shortfalls to political battles. From my own experience asContinue reading “Go Fast to Go Slow: Change Through Focus”

A study from the American Psychological Association found that student mental health is in a current crisis since the pandemic. Additional research shows that although the pandemic accelerated the continued deterioration, student mental health was already declining for years before the pandemic. In my experience as a superintendent, I observed that building an approach toContinue reading “Closing the Loop on Excellence”

Visiting High Tech High in San Diego taught me about project-based learning. Visiting the first Big Picture school in Providence taught me about work-based learning. Visiting Francis Parker in Boston taught me about principles and habits of learning. Visiting Mountain Academy in Wyoming taught me about place-based learning.    Visiting One Stone in Boise taught meContinue reading “One Stone: Forging An Army of Good “

By: Jimmy McCue Embark Education is a competency-based school driven by the authentic integration of learning in projects at our enterprise, Pinwheel Coffee and co-authored learning experiences. My own collaboration with a group of learners has brought a transformative and deeply personalized dimension to learning. Rather than design and ask my colleagues for feedback throughContinue reading “How to Co-Design Curriculum: Fostering Inclusivity through Shared Family Narratives”

Our team is incredibly fortunate to participate in and attend dozens of conferences around the world where we learn with and from experts, facilitate sessions and cover various conference happenings. Throughout our travels, we continue to curate and update a list of our favorites that we think everyone should attend. Here is the latest listContinue reading “Can’t Miss Education Conferences in 2024”

Building a new school can take years. Agreeing to can take decades. In Owatonna, Minnesota, there had been frustrated failed attempts and dreams of passing bond referenda for a new Owatonna Public Schools high school since the late ’80s.  Fortunately, in late 2019, that changed. District Superintendent Jeff Elstad partnered with Wold Architects and EngineersContinue reading “Owatonna’s New School Sets Eyes on Local Pathways”

A foundational tenet of problem and project-based learning is having students address real-world problems. The students and staff at Laguna Beach High School have unearthed the natural FLOW of how to spot local challenges and equip learners with the tools, dispositions and opportunities to grapple with them. FLOW stands for Fire, Land, Ocean and WaterContinue reading “Laguna Beach High School Gets in the FLOW of Environmental Literacy”