This week, Tom is speaking with Ron Berger, the Chief Academic Officer at EL Education. Ron has been with EL Education since 2003 and is responsible for leading EL Education's vision of teaching and learning. Bringing with him 40 years of experience as a teacher and professional development designer, with 28 of those years teaching public school, Ron is highly regarded in the education space.

Going back to the beginning of Ron’s journey, he began teaching in a little town in Western Massachusetts. Just about everyone under the age of 50 in Shutesbury, MA, was one of Ron Berger’s students. The fact that his nurse, plumber, and accountant had all been in his class helped him understand the bigger picture. It made him ask himself, ‘Do they understand high-quality work? Do they have courage? Do they have quality values? And do they use critical thinking? Would I trust my life to that person?’ These became Ron’s principles in what he hopes for his students to achieve. When he went on to develop the Expeditionary Learning School model — a project-based community-connected approach focused on doing authentic, quality work — these principles remained at the forefront. Now, EL Education is helping more than 50,000 students become great scholars and active, ethical citizens with the capacity to build a better world.

Listen in to Tom’s and Ron’s conversation about the incredible impact EL Education is having on students, teachers, and schools; Ron’s journey in education and how it has impacted his life personally and professionally; about his upcoming book, a sequel to his 2014 release, Leaders of Their Own Learning; and some incredible examples of how students are building quality character through the framework Ron has helped build through EL Education.

Key Takeaways:

[:14] About this week’s episode.

[1:19] Tom welcomes Ron Berger to the podcast!

[1:33] Why and how did Ron become a teacher in Shutesbury, Massachusetts?

[5:04] How did Ron build his own house in Shutesbury, MA?

[6:16] Ron expresses his appreciation of craftsmanship and why it is so important in education.

[9:04] Along with his passion for craftsmanship, is it true that Ron also has a passion for disco?

[10:48] Is it true that Ron also remains a student of popular culture?

[11:38] When did Ron discover Expeditionary Learning (EL Education)?

[13:28] Ron speaks about his contribution to some of the early design principles at EL Education.

[15:15] Would Ron agree that around 2010 EL Education shifted to focus more on curriculum than developing a school network?

[18:55] Around 2011, Ron started a project with Harvard called ‘Models of Excellence.’ Ron explains the thought process behind it and what it means to him.

[21:22] Under what conditions do students do world-class work?

[25:02] Why does Ron’s character framework put the idea of contributing to a better world at the center?

[28:40] How Ron defines ‘character.’

[29:15] Ron gives an incredible example of students with character and breaking out of the standard curriculum.

[31:06] In 2014, Ron authored Leaders of Their Own Learning along with several other authors. He explains the impetus of that book and what it means to him.

[32:50] Why has Ron decide to write a sequel to Leaders of Their Own Learning? What does he hope to accomplish with it and how is it going to help teachers?