Learning Unboxed

Elly Blanco-Rowe is an expert in K-8 mathematics, with over 20 years of experience in teaching, coaching, and school leadership. We’re talking about Teaching Matters, a national New York City-based nonprofit whose mission is to close the opportunity gap of a radically unequal education system for underserved and historically marginalized children. We take a look specifically at their Math Acceleration pilot program and how it helps to build kids up in their critical areas of education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The background of Teaching MattersHow Teaching Matters offers support to students and educatorsAsking kids their perspective on their educationHow the learning experience changes from elementary to middle schoolWorking with the individual schoolsResources:teachingmatters.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/elly-blanco-rowe-2b797a7Learning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

High school is a critical age for students. As our kids’ social lives expand, it can be harder to keep them interested in learning. And the skills that they are taught in school may not be the most readily applicable for their future. So what can be done to improve that system?Giant Leaps Learning provides an after school enrichment program that helps prepare creative and curious students for life in college, the workplace, and beyond. Michael Trezza is the founder and CEO; his perspective aligns well with ours here at the PAST Foundation. We discuss how teaching kids the skills of critical thinking and self-learning can carry them much further than most archaic classroom lessons.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How the world is changing faster than our current education system can keep upWhat Giant Leaps Learning doesHow coaching meets educational needsTeaching kids critical thinking skillsResources:giantleapslearning.comLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Little Inventors is a creative education organization that inspires imagination by taking young peoples’ amazing ideas seriously. Dominic Wilcox is a British artist and designer who creates innovative and thought provoking work that is shown in galleries and museums across the world, as well as the founder of Little Inventors. Mark Muzzin is a K-12 STEM consultant for the Macomb Intermediate School District. He loves to develop new initiates, collaborate, and leverage his experience to empower others. Together, they share how kids can learn to think of themselves as inventors and the synergy that comes when working together with teachers and engineers to come up with innovative programming.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The story behind Little InventorsGiving kids a sense of agencyHow schools can shake things upGetting schools to buy into an ambitious new programBalancing open source and formal educationResources:littleinventors.orgFollow Dominic on Instagram: @dominic_wilcoxLearning Unboxed is produced, in part, by Crate Media.

Today’s guest has had a remarkable journey in the innovation and entrepreneurship space within education. His name is Josh Chernikoff and he is an innovative entrepreneurship advisor and strategist with over 20 years of experience in education, broadcast journalism, sales, marketing, and communications. He’s used that unique combination of skill sets and applied them to a wide range of work. We hear about his successes, failures, and the thinking that goes on behind the scenes.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:joshchernikoff.comcascadego.coLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoffLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Let’s talk about a place, a program, and a whole ecosystem all living under one name: IslandWood. Washington-based IslandWood is an environmental education nonprofit that believes there are many paths to creating a more sustainable and equitable world. Megan Karch, our guest today, has been the CEO of IslandWood since 2018. She sees, and tells us all about, the magic in the science and intention brought to the project. We talk about the importance of this kind of work, how it opens kids up to seeing the significance of the natural world, and how those without access to IslandWood can replicate its lessons in their own backyard.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:islandwood.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Rachel Shreve has been involved in Cooking with Kids, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization based in Northern New Mexico, since 2006. It is dedicated to educating and empowering children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable ingredients. We talk about nutrition, healthy foods, and the lifelong learning experiences that can take place between kids and their families as they learn how to cook, eat, and be in a happy and joyous relationship with food.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:cookingwithkids.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Reading and literacy are skills we can often take for granted, but they aren’t as accessible as we might think. Many children – and parents alike – don’t have access to reading material that can allow them to learn at their own pace. That’s where Worldreader and their mission comes in.The Worldreader website and app offer a digital library of books as part of their Keep Children Reading US programming and provides access to books in English and Spanish to families who otherwise struggle to access books and reading in a meaningful way.Kristen Walters is the Director of US Programs. She shares how the organization tackles overcoming the barriers to learning, helps parents and their kids connect and learn together, and provides reading materials around the country.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:worldreader.orgWorldreader AppBookSmart AppLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

Archaeology is one of the best examples of STEM education you can find. But it can take a lot of effort to get meaningful programming, access, and opportunity into communities as it relates to archaeology and local history. Joining us to talk about this is Dr. Alexandra Jones. She’s the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Archaeology in the Community and is an education leader focused on community outreach and service. We talk about how she started getting archaeology-based education into schools without giving teachers more work, what motivated her to start this nonprofit in the first place, and why it’s so important to get kids learning about archaeology.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:archaeologyincommunity.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexandra-jones-phd-rpa-79203162Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

This week, we’re talking about diversity and inclusion as it relates to the STEM fields and how we can continue working towards a more inclusive industry. Dr. Jose Morey is an MD known as the first “intergalactic doctor.” He’s also a leader in technology and innovation, and the founder and CEO of Ad Astra Media, a STEAM edutainment company that provides role models and educational content to encourage more diversity in STEM and STEAM fields. We talk about Dr. Morey’s approach to media education, why it’s so important for kids to see themselves in the careers they pursue, and how this content is being integrated with the traditional education landscape.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:drjosemorey.comadastrasteammedia.comInstagram: @drintergalacticLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josé-morey-03942357Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Andrea Ferrero is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Pockets Change, a nonprofit that provides curriculum workshops and professional development to build financial literacy and resilience through Hip Hop pedagogy.If you’re not sure what that means, we dive into all of that and more in this episode, including the difficulties involved in teaching finances in school, understanding different personalities and their relationship to both learning and money, and where you can get started including this in your schools.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:pocketschange.comLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media