Living On The Edge of Chaos

As you listen, I have three listener challenges for you to consider participating in for ongoing engagement.Listener Challenge 1: "Empowering Learners" Based on Sarah's insights, how can you apply her approach to empower learners in your own setting? Whether you're a teacher, a manager, or a parent, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Share your strategies or experiences.Listener Challenge 2: "The Power of Story" Sarah emphasized the importance of story in various aspects of education. We challenge you to share a story that had a significant impact on your learning journey or one you've used to facilitate learning. Let's inspire each other with compelling narratives!Listener Challenge 3: "Striking Balance" Balance may not be the right goal, as Sarah suggests, but being present is. Share a moment where being present made a difference in your professional or personal life. Or, share your strategies for staying present amid the pressures of time and performance. We look forward to hearing your experiences!Listen Now: Direct LinkApple Podcast - Explore this episode and more!Spotify - Dive into this episode and our entire podcast library!Show Highlights:Getting to Know Sarah: Delve into Sarah Brown Wessling's intriguing backstory and discover why the human condition plays such a crucial role in her life journey.Powerful Insights: Sarah discusses the power of story, the true complexity of teaching, and the challenges of implementing learner-centric education.The Art of Feedback: Uncover Sarah's unique approach to feedback and its role in shaping students' skills and understanding.Challenges & Goals: Sarah opens up about her personal and professional challenges, from balancing life to creating safe spaces for educators and empowering learners.Key Quotes:"I want to do good work; that's the bottom line.""It's always about figuring out what people need to learn and how they need to learn it.""If teachers become robots, then their students are going to be robots.""It is complicated, and that's what I wish people understood about the craft [of teaching].""You can't fall so far into the routine that you forget to be a human."Deeper Takeaways:Explore how Sarah's insights reveal the importance of storytelling in education, the often-overlooked skills of teachers, and the need for deliberate decision-making in teaching practices.Emerging Patterns:Our conversation uncovers common threads among teachers seeking connection with students, the importance of community support, and the focus on empowering learners through thoughtful teaching practices.Resources & Further Learning:Check out Sarah's Website for more insights and ideas.Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahbwesslingFavorite Moments from the Conversation:Throughout our conversation, Sarah shares a wealth of powerful insights and ideas. Here are just a few of our favorites:"My way of being has always been to do the best work that I can with what's right in front of me and then believe that the next most honest step will open up and it's my job to find it or my job to pay attention to it.""The bottom line is I want to do good work. That's the bottom line. And I think good work is human work.""The throughline in the journalism, the philosophy, the psychology, the literary is story.""When a teacher ends up in the center it is probably because they aren't being seen elsewhere or because a system isn't taking care of them. It's probably because they feel incredible pressure around time. It's probably because they feel incredible pressure around performance. It's probably because they are overwhelmed.""And I taught them how to think because I taught them how to read carefully and I taught them how to write and I taught them how to find the language to capture their ideas and how to make that language mean something to a reader.""I think it's always about figuring out what people need to learn and how they need to learn it. And that's never about me, it's always about the learner. It's always about their goals. It's about empowering them. It's about seeing in themselves what they can't see yet. I think that kind work is pretty consistent whether you're talking to a 15 year old who hates to read and doesn't want to write, or you're talking to an adult who's feeling demoralized in the profession.""It's easy for me to say it's about the learner. That doesn't mean that it's easy to live.""Because what that means is when you feel the pressure of time, you're willing to say the time is not as important as me finishing this 60 second conversation with this student. It is just not as important or getting to the end of that chapter might not be as important as the time it would take to do the rest of the chapter really, really well. That's where the rub is that teachers have to make those kinds of decisions and those are kind of like value based decisions and they can come at a personal cost.""We can make very deliberate decisions about what myths we do and don't buy into, about teaching and learning. We can make really deliberate decisions about how we think about time. I think we can make really deliberate decisions about the research that we do.""I've always approached feedback to really deconstruct for students when they're doing something well and why it's working because I want them to replicate it more deliberately in more complex ways later.""You can't fall so far into the routine that you forget to be a human and you can't be on the other end of the spectrum either and be like all we're going to do is feel good and talk to each other and not drill down to the actual skills and the content. It is complicated and that's what I wish people understood about the craft.""Balance is an unfair goal for people to try to work towards. For me to reframe that as presence felt really empowering.""The best way to work through something difficult is to make a connection with another person.""It's really hard for somebody to be present if they are worried about not being able to take care of their life. So that's not about balance, that's just about taking care of humans."Join us for this enlightening episode as we explore the human side of education with Sarah Brown Wessling.

Topics:Who is Andrea Stewart?What is her origin story?What is Learning Couture and why is this work important?What is deeper learning and  why it's so important for teachers and students to tackle real-world situations?How can creating a Profile of a Graduate help schools and districts set the stage for deeper learning? How is a profile or portrait different from typical mission and vision statements?Teaching is pretty heavy right now. As districts shift to a focus on deeper learning competencies, how do they keep this movement from becoming “one more thing” for educators?What do listeners need to know about competency-based education–where did it come from and where is it going?A key point is how our education system was designed at a time and based on the needs of a factory model. Why doesn't this model fit for today’s learners and today’s economy?Undoing 150 years of how we do education seems daunting. How do districts and schools might start their journey? What do they need to be successful and what might be standing in their way?How do we see AI playing a role in helping bring about the changes you’ve described today? We discuss examples of how AI is already being used in education and how it might be used in the future?Key takeaways from this conversation include:Despite feeling like change isn’t happening rapidly in education, there are growing movements and momentum picking up.COVID-19 has played a role in accelerating some changes within the education system.AI tools have the potential to help educators create more personalized lesson plans and experiences for their students.If you are interested in learning more about how to customize learning experiences for yourself or others, you don’t want to miss this episode!About Our GuestAndrea Stewart has 12 years in personalized, competency-based learning and 25 years in education, both PK-12 and in teacher/administrator preparation. She leads transformational change with schools, districts, education service/state agencies, institutions of higher education, and via national conferences and cross-state partnerships/consultation. Andrea co-authored the Aurora Institute’s 2022 report, Teachers Making the Shift to Equitable, Learner-Centered Education: Harnessing Mental Models, Motivations and Moves, and supports leaders with strategic planning for and implementation of these key levers for change. As Learning Couture, LLC’s founder and CEO, she created the organization’s methodology and tool set for learning redesign, and works closely with partner-clients to ensure they are supported in their learning journey. Part of this work includes leading districts in the design and implementation of a portrait/profile of a graduate, which then serves as the compass for school improvement, reimagining graduation outcomes, empowering learners, and transforming education systems.Andrea served on the Iowa Department of Education’s CBE Task Force, CBE Collaborative, and Design Team where she led the state’s competency design and assessment process. Andrea also served on the Midwest Comprehensive Center’s Cross-state CBE Consortium, where she co-created micro-credential quality criteria/tools, and contributed to multiple technical advisory groups for the Aurora Institute’s National 2017 Summit on K-12 Competency-Based Education. Her work in competency-based education began in 2011 where she led pilot implementation of standards-based assessment and reporting and competency-based education in an Iowa district. Prior to this work, Andrea taught high school English for 12 years. She holds a BA in English Education from the University of Iowa, an MA in Teacher Leadership from Morningside College, and an EdS in Education Administration from Drake University.Connect with AndreaLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-stewart146Twitter: @ajs_stewartEmerging PatternsIn this episode, we also explore some of the emerging patterns that Andrea has observed in her work and research. These include:The need for more experiential learning opportunities within education systems.A shift towards focusing on learning instead of time spent in classrooms.The importance of starting with “why” when implementing changes in education.Building a network or community of experts and practitioners to support each other through these changes.Adopting an agile mindset to iterate quickly, fail forward, and build successes incrementally.Key MomentsHere are some of the key moments from this conversation that you don’t want to miss:“I’m a change agent, and I help young and adult learners become agents of change too.”“In my heart of hearts, I’m a designer, I’m a builder, I’m a creator.”“We want our young learners to have [an experience] that’s really empowering.”“The future of living learning and working is unpredictable.”“We can’t predict the jobs that are going to be around in five and ten years from now.”“The momentum is really picking up and what often felt like these little, maybe tiny bright spots here and there were, you’re starting to hear more and more stories of like the movements happening.”“Competency-based [education] is a disruptor in terms of its blowing up seat time.”"We need continuous improvement in school… we also need discontinuous improvement, which means there’s been some disruptor put in place."Listener Challenge:We challenge you to think about how you can customize your own learning experiences or help others do the same. What are some of the competencies that you want to develop or improve? How can you design a learning pathway that suits your needs and interests? How can you involve other stakeholders in your learning journey? How can you measure your progress and celebrate your achievements?💬 Share your thoughts and ideas with us on social media and tagging us. We would love to hear from you and learn from your experiences!Resources From The Show: Learning Couture One PagerLearning Couture Portrait/Profile of a GraduateTeachers Making the Shift to Equitable, Learner-Centered Education_ Harnessing Mental Models, Motivations, and Moves Transforming Learning through Competency-Based Education (Susan Patrick, Aurora Institute)Quality and Equity by Design: Charting the Course for the Next Phaseof Competency-Based Education (Contributing authors from Iowa: Mandi Bozarth, Susan Pecinovsky, Andrea Stewart, Circe Stumbo)Does Deeper Learning Improve Student Outcomes?Results From the Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes7 Elements of Learning Agency (infographics by Kathleen McClaskey and Barbara Bray)A Promise for Equitable Futures: Enabling Systems Change to Scale Educational and Economic Mobility Pathways (Patrick & Casey, Aurora Institute)Competency-Based Education: Students with Learning and Attention Issues (National Center for Learning Disabilities)Favorite Ideas from the Conversation:

Introduction:Embrace the challenges and goals of rethinking education and fostering critical thinking.Explore the importance of moving beyond traditional differentiation and personalized learning.Challenges:Moving beyond traditional differentiation and personalized learning.Fostering authentic connections and curiosity in learners.Balancing virtual and in-person interactions in the post-pandemic world.Goals:Develop and implement truly individualized learning practices.Encourage students to create their curriculum and collaborate in the learning process.Build a global community of educators to share ideas, research, and support.Surprising Takeaways:The scale and reach of the "What School Could Be" community, with 14,000 members and 50,000 connections globally.The concept of "rethinking" the time in the classroom with time spent doing things that matter instead of tedious tasks that can be done by tools like ChatGPTKey Moments:Susanna Johnson introduces herself and her work in education.The discussion of Susanna's involvement with "What School Could Be" and her role as the Director of Coaching and Curriculum.Susanna's emphasis on critical thinking as a skill set and the need to connect at a human level.Emerging Patterns:A focus on collaboration and shared learning experiences among educators and students.The importance of authenticity and human connection in the learning process.The shift towards a more global and connected approach to education.Discussion Points:Inquire about the power of personalized learning and how it can change students' educational experience.Explore the concept of rethinking the classroom and the potential benefits of this approach.Engage with the idea of a global community of educators and the role it can play in shaping the future of education.Conclusion: Rethinking education and fostering critical thinking is crucial for the future of learning.Authentic connections and collaboration are essential for a more human-centered approach to education.Let's work together to build a brighter future for our students and create a more connected global community.Listener Challenge: Share your thoughts and experiences with rethinking education and fostering critical thinking on social media.Reach out to other educators and build a supportive network for sharing ideas, research, and support.Encourage others to join the conversation and help shape the future of education.💬 Share your thoughts and takeaways from this enlightening conversation with us on social media! What resonated with you the most? Resources Mentioned in Show: https://www.individualizedrealized.com/ https://www.impact-bound.com/https://whatschoolcouldbe.org/ Favorite Ideas from the Conversation:

Show Notes:🌿 Introduction: Meet Steffany CartelloneThe woman behind A Snail's Pace blogA devoted mother, nature lover, and experienced educator🌱 Steffany's Origin StoryFrom the tranquil waters of Deer Lake, Minnesota to the classrooms of North Carolina, Texas, Iowa, and MarylandHow teaching a high ropes course in the mountains led to her A-HA moment🌳 Lessons Learned Through Teaching Across the USEmbracing new perspectives and understanding cultural nuancesThe power of shared experiences and connections between people🍃 Bringing Learning to the Dinner TableMerging her passion for nature, outdoors, and photographyThe art of capturing human emotions and perspectives in her writing and photographsOvercoming vulnerability and the courage to hit the "Publish" button💡Challenges, Goals & Surprising TakeawaysStriking a balance between proficiency measurements and nurturing students' curiosity and passionThe importance of intentionality and setting the right tone in educationThe realization that middle school students share similarities despite cultural differences🔑 Key Moments & Emerging PatternsThe continuous pursuit of learning and growth as an educatorThe influence of personal passions and perspectives in shaping one's teaching approachListener Challenge:📷 Embrace the beauty of nature - take a picture outdoors, write a few words or a poem, and share your creation with us and the world.📚 Dive into my example I did this weekend in preparation for the episode Strength in Adversity: Overcoming Life's Obstacles with the Wheelbarrow and Wagon Approach, 💬 Share your thoughts and takeaways from this enlightening conversation with us on social media! What resonated with you the most?Join us in exploring Steffany Cartellone's fascinating journey through education and nature, and let her story inspire you to see the world through a new lens!Resources Mentioned in Show: Her website of writing, insights, and photography - http://www.a-snails-pace.com/Read this latest piece on perspective and tell me your coffee does not taste better looking at these images!Where the Crawdads Sing https://amzn.to/3NgYgBARead all the things from Mary OliverArmchair Expert podcast with guest David LettermanBrene Brown booksFavorite Ideas from the Conversation:

Show Notes:Introduction: Who is Carol Hill?Carol's origin story and journey to LEGO EducationGlobal insights that led to successIdentifying a problem before falling in love with a solutionThe meaning of being agileDeveloping an agile, growth mindset in colleagues and studentsBuilding psychological safety and promoting a nimble approachCarol's preferred structure/framework for agile workThe importance of providing quality feedbackCapturing deep levels of thinking while being agile and working with othersKey Quotes:"If you don't have that psychological safety, really, not a whole lot is going to come of the conversations in the room.""Don't fall in love with the solution; fall in love with the problem.""It's so impactful to take the time, and it does take time to build these kinds of skills [problem identification]."Listener Challenge:Share ideas you gathered from the conversation with us on social media. What resonated with you?Resources Mentioned in Show:Carol Hill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-rueckert-hill/List of books from her post and discussionRadical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity https://amzn.to/43GuoEQThe Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth https://amzn.to/40jEZCuRebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking https://amzn.to/3mFBKrnNonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships (Nonviolent Communication Guides) https://amzn.to/3MLqEMdEMPOWERED: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products (Silicon Valley Product Group) https://amzn.to/3A2o2lxINSPIRED: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love (Silicon Valley Product Group) https://amzn.to/43GyuNeCascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change https://amzn.to/3MPCOnbBuilding a Culture of Innovation: A Practical Framework for Placing Innovation at the Core of Your Business https://amzn.to/3KJZFhjSeeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen https://amzn.to/3L7cljISense and Respond: How Successful Organizations Listen to Customers and Create New Products Continuously https://amzn.to/3KN46YGPirates in the Navy: How Innovators Lead Transformation https://amzn.to/3mNIu6qBe Less Zombie: How Great Companies Create Dynamic Innovation, Fearless Leadership and Passionate People https://amzn.to/40hJFsuThe Corporate Startup: How established companies can develop successful innovation ecosystems https://amzn.to/3A5XEad The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses https://amzn.to/3ULUFxdThe Agile Leader: How to Create an Agile Business in the Digital Age https://amzn.to/3UJPJsOSucceeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum (Addison-Wesley Signature Series (Cohn)) https://amzn.to/3A3YNz1Jobs to be Done: Theory to Practice https://amzn.to/3GPSF1mStrategyzer (5 book series) Kindle Edition https://amzn.to/3KQCmmeWhat's Your Problem?: To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve https://amzn.to/41dVoK7 Favorite Ideas from the Conversation:Building psychological safety for learnersFocusing on understanding the problem rather than jumping to solutionsDeveloping an agile mindset that embraces iterative development, testing, adapting, and dealing with uncertaintyUsing LEGO bricks as a storytelling tool to express thoughts and feelings more comfortablyThe power of tangible building activities (e.g., using LEGO) in facilitating communicationJUST A FEW OF MY FAVORITE IDEAS FROM THE CONVERSATION! 

TOPICS WE EXPLORE(giving tiny tidbit for inquiry in your behalf:)Who is Josh Reppun?His origin story from Hawaii to being a chef, hotel manager, then into education.What have been so of the impacts of MLTS as a springboard to create change in education over the years?What are the commonalities that Josh has been able to gather from all the perspectives and teaching in various locations?How do we think about the education system based on success stories from all over.What is next for Josh in his work in education?Overview Breakdown(help from Notably)Participant: - The primary participant in this conversation is Josh, an experienced educator and advocate for innovation in education. He works with Ted Dintersmith's organization, whatschoolcouldbe.org, and hosts the "What School Could Be" podcast.Challenges and Goals:- The main challenge discussed is the need for a shift in educational practices to better prepare students for the rapidly changing world.- The goal is to connect educators and foster collaboration across various fields, leading to innovative teaching practices that better serve students in today's world.Takeaways:- The impact of Ted Dintersmith's film "Most Likely To Succeed" on Josh's approach to education and advocacy for change.- The importance of building a community around education reform, as seen through the development of whatschoolcouldbe.org, and its associated online community.- The rapid spread of innovative ideas in education, fueled by increased communication and collaboration among educators worldwide.- The potential impact of podcasts and other digital resources on education.Emerging Patterns:- Increased focus on skill-building and content analysis from kindergarten onwards, rather than focusing solely on content during K-12 education.- Integration of technology and innovative approaches in education to improve student outcomes and empower them for future success.- The power of continuous conversations and support in helping people move from their point A to point B in their personal and professional lives (concept of "big magic"). - Using podcast episodes as a "spark" for professional learning experiences and fostering intentional connections between educators in various settings.YOUR CHALLENGEShare ideas you gathered from the conversation with us on the socials.What resonated with you?RESOURCES MENTIONED IN SHOWPodcast - https://wscbpodcast.com/https://whatschoolcouldbe.org/Twiiter - https://twitter.com/joshreppunMost Likely To Succeed - https://teddintersmith.com/mltsfilm/100. Ted Dintersmith, Relentless Crusader for What School Could Be https://blubrry.com/wscbh/93736556/100-ted-dintersmith-relentless-crusader-for-what-school-could-be6 Ways to Use ChatGPT to Save Time https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-ways-chatgpt-save-teachers-time/Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear https://amzn.to/3UvGP21103. Bike Repair, Great Coffee and Three Pioneers at Embark Education https://blubrry.com/wscbh/94993764/103-bike-repair-great-coffee-and-three-pioneers-at-embark-education JUST A FEW OF MY FAVORITE IDEAS FROM THE CONVERSATION!

TOPICS WE EXPLORE(giving tiny tidbit for inquiry in your behalf:)In this thought-provoking episode, we dive into the world of education and technology with renowned expert, Gary Stager. Join us as we explore:The journey and accomplishments of Gary StagerThe concept of "computing" as an action, shaping how we perceive technologyThe thought-provoking question: Does the computer program the child, or does the child program the computer?The importance of balancing opposing ideas in modern educationDiscover key insights on:The need for all kids to have programming experienceThe consequences of K-12 computer science curriculumThe challenge of balancing educator experience with legislative mandatesThe idea of granting "permission" to both educators and students in the learning processWe'll also discuss the impact of tools like ChatGPT on education, the fusion of mathematics and computing in teaching, and the power of block-based coding languages. Finally, we reflect on the role of technology in shaping education and the difference between "old" and "timeless" teaching methods.Don't miss this enlightening and engaging conversation with Gary Stager! YOUR CHALLENGEShare ideas you gathered from the conversation with us on the socials.What resonated with you?RESOURCES MENTIONED IN SHOWWebsite - http://cmkfutures.com/Gary Stager Website - http://professorgarystager.com/Twitter - https://twitter.com/garystagerInvent To Learn - https://inventtolearn.com/Book - Invent To Learn – Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the ClassroomBook - Twenty Things to Do with a Computer Forward 50: Future Visions of Education Inspired by Seymour Papert and Cynthia Solomon’s Seminal Work Adrift: America in 100 Charts Stephan Wolfram - What is ChatGPT Doing? and Why Does It Work?Constructing Modern Knowledge Summer Institute JUST A FEW OF MY FAVORITE IDEAS FROM THE CONVERSATION! 

TOPICS WE EXPLOREWho is Leon Furze?Why did Leon go into a Ph.D in artificial intelligence prior to ChatGPT blowing up?How does Leon help educators working through the process of how AI can benefit the classroom?Why is the conversation on cheating is a distraction to the bigger issues to tackle?The big topic of ethics and AIHow do we tackle these topics when most have no idea about these tools at all?What are the questions Leon is hearing from educators in the field?YOUR CHALLENGEShare ideas you gathered from the conversation with us on the socials.What resonated with you?RESOURCES MENTIONED IN SHOWWebsite: https://leonfurze.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonfurzeAtlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence https://amzn.to/3ZxCAnkCollege Essay Is Dead: Generative AI is progressing furiously—and educators need to catch up fast, @StephenMarche writes. Just a few of my favorite ideas from the conversation!End of High School EssayHas Elon Musk Infiltrated Generative AI(ChatGPT)? Unlocking the Power of AI for Next-Level Critical Thinking Skills  JUST A FEW OF MY FAVORITE IDEAS FROM THE CONVERSATION!

TOPICS WE EXPLORENote to listener: we recorded this episode mid February of 2023 prior to all the updates with ChatGPT 4 and more. Just providing contextWho is Peter Pappas?Setting the stage with his teaching style and how it came to be by thinking about how to teach like an art teacherHow has Peter navigated AI in the landscape of education?How is Peter trying to process AI in his teaching and learning in his practice with concepts like his AI toolkit and more?How do we manage currently being behind in media and digital literacy skills with the addition of AI skills?Exploring the hot topic of AI and cheatingWhat can teachers do with AI?YOUR CHALLENGEShare ideas you gathered from the conversation with us on the socials.What resonated with you?RESOURCES MENTIONED IN SHOWWebsite: https://peterpappas.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edteck/Taxonomy of Reflection: https://peterpappas.com/2010/01/taxonomy-reflection-critical-thinking-students-teachers-principals.htmlAI Toolkit For Teaching and Learning: https://edtechmethods.com/ai-toolkit/Gary Marcus - http://garymarcus.com/index.html https://neeva.com/ Just a few of my favorite ideas from the conversation! 

TOPICS WE EXPLOREWho is Rafranz Davis?What is her origin story from education to her new job?How do we work to increase the opportunities to have someone take notice of us to make a difference?What are some of the parallels and areas of focus we need to continue in education based on her experience working in education, her life experience, and now LinkedIn.How do we connect community to education to help students become aware of the opportunities around us all?How do we look back at our work and journey to move forward in a positive light?The power of posting in a globally connected network.YOUR CHALLENGEShare ideas you gathered from the conversation with us on the socials.What resonated with you?RESOURCES MENTIONED IN SHOWRafranz LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafranzdavis/ She also has a newsletter on the platformPencils and Popcorn podcast she just launchedJust a few of my favorite ideas from the conversation!