Getting Smart Podcast

The Students Know Best, Can Education Learn from Community? | Aylon Samouha

Mar 5, 2025

Aylon Samouha, CEO of Transcend and co-founder of The Third Way, dives into innovative education reform. He discusses the limitations of traditional top-down approaches and the need for community-based design. Aylon emphasizes the importance of listening to students to create effective learning environments. He reflects on how the pandemic reshaped educational perspectives, urging for greater parental involvement and emotional intelligence in teaching. The conversation cleverly parallels jazz with education, highlighting creativity and collaboration as keys to success.

28:28

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Episode guests

Aylon Samouha

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Quick takeaways

Aylon Samouha advocates for 'The Third Way', a community-based educational model that integrates students' insights to foster engagement and empowerment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped parental expectations, emphasizing the need for meaningful learning experiences prioritizing student engagement and emotional well-being.

Deep dives

The Need for a New Educational Model

Current educational systems often reflect outdated designs that do not meet the needs of today's students, rooted in an industrial model created over a century ago. The limitations of top-down mandates and grassroots efforts have highlighted a significant mismatch between what students require for success and what schools provide. Alon Samoa advocates for a new model called The Third Way, which emphasizes community-based design that incorporates the values and insights of students and families. This approach seeks to foster personal engagement, empowerment, and intellectual curiosity among students, thus preparing them for modern challenges.

Intro

2min

Redefining Educational Design Through Community Collaboration

4min

Barriers to Change in the Education System

3min

Reimagining Education Post-Pandemic

15min

Jazz Inspirations: Redefining Educational Engagement Through Music

4min

In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, host Rebecca Midles sits down with Aylon Samouha, the CEO of Transcend and a visionary in education reform. They delve into the concept of The Third Way, an approach that blends community insights with proven educational practices to create lasting change in schools. Aylon shares his insights from years of experience in the field, discussing the limitations of traditional top-down reforms and the challenges faced by grassroots efforts. Together, they explore the importance of truly listening to students and communities to design learning environments that meet today's needs. The conversation is a thoughtful journey through the complexities and possibilities of transforming education, emphasizing the power of student-centered learning and community-based design.

Outline