Learning Unboxed

In this episode, I connect with Jeneille Branen and Erin Corwine, the powerhouses behind the Palouse Prairie Charter School in Moscow, Idaho. As a credited EL institute, it’s exemplary in executing the EL Education philosophy (formally known as  Expeditionary Learning). We discuss what makes the Palouse community and curriculum unique, the intentionality behind their rigorous hiring process, integrating natural learning environments, and how they pivoted their practices during the pandemic. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Website: palouseprairieschool.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Sal Gordon, the Head of Teaching and Learning at Green School Bali, is here to explain the mission statement and vision behind the school in Bali which has now grown into a global movement. Sal spent 12 years in formal education and, at the end of his journey, realized that all he’d really learned along the way was how to learn. That’s what inspired him to join Green School; it matched up with his unique view of what teaching can and should be.We also get into how Green School Bali pivoted to keep moving during COVID, the ways that their model of education has helped students already, and its global expansion with other Green Schools in South Africa and Tulum.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Green SchoolGreen School BaliSal on LinkedInLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

The Conrad Challenge has been inspiring students to collaborate and innovate for years as just one of the programs run by The Conrad Foundation. Its founder and chair, Nancy Conrad, joins us, as well as tech investor and Conrad alum, Ankesh Madan, for a discussion on how the challenge continues to benefit people around the globe.A former teacher, Nancy is now a globally recognized leader in transformative education and a highly sought-after speaker. She established The Conrad Foundation to honor her husband, Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the moon. Also joining us is Ankesh Madan. Ankesh is a self-described recovering materials engineer who made the transition to tech investor following his involvement in the 2010 Conrad Challenge. Together, they give us a full picture of how The Conrad Challenge is able to innovate, bring people together, and bring the best out of our children.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:The Conrad ChallengeNancy Conrad on LinkedInAnkesh Madan on LinkedInLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Kaisa Koistinen is the mastermind behind Finland’s innovative Yrityskylä concept. Me and My City seeks to empower children to learn the world of business and entrepreneurship instead of expecting them to learn it on the fly once they’re older. The idea is simple but profound: children act out different roles within companies and organizations so as to build their understanding of the corporate landscape and how industries fit together. The idea is to prepare them for adulthood in a way that the current education system overlooks. In essence, they put the children in charge.For example, many young adults lack the basic capabilities to manage their own finances. Me and My City arms people with these tools before they reach an age where they need to rely on them.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Me and My CityKaisa Koistinen on LinkedInLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate Media

It’s fascinating the way archaeology impacts how we think about teaching, learning, and the future of the world.We’re going to be talking about exploring the legacy of race through archaeology as a teaching tool with Matthew Reeves, Director of Archaeology at James Madison's Montpelier in Orange, Virginia.The story of James Madison is a complex and fascinating one, and what they are trying to do at Montpelier is retell that story as accurately as possible. He was a father of the constitution, but he was also a slave owner up until his retirement. We look at the role of archaeology in digging up and telling that story, the value in uncovering the difficult history of the United States, and making sure all voices are heard.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:montpelier.orgLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthew-reeves-72295836Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

As the new academic year gets ready to start, we're going to have a conversation about some of the amazing science programs that are happening in and around our community. Today we’re taking a look at a program at the Ohio State University called WOW (Wonders of Our World), which brings creative, hands-on science experiments to elementary school classrooms grades K through five.Leading that conversation is Jessica Caton Diefenbach, the WOW Program Coordinator for the last five years at the Ohio State University. Joining Jessica are two third-year Ohio State students who have been participating in the WOW Program for a number of years, Brianna Agomessou and Grace Benecke.We talk about teaching forensic science to young students, how to approach them at their level, sparking an interest in science, and setting up the next steps for inspired students.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:wow.osu.eduInstagram: @wowprogramosuFacebook: facebook.com/WOWProgramOSULearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Elementary school students in the United States don’t typically focus much on science, but sparking that interest early can be a great opportunity to create a lifelong pursuit.Jessa Goldner is part of the PAST Foundation’s Student Experience Team. She’s been focusing the past six months on designing an environmental science program geared towards elementary students. She’s been building this program out at KIPP Columbus, a local school with an amazing outdoor space.She dives into the importance of teaching young children about the environment, how she gets them involved and interested in participating in something directly, and incorporating environmental education into every classroom.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:The PAST Foundation - KIPP Summer 2021 ProgramsLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

You’ve likely heard of safe spaces before. The problem is that, when having tough conversations, it may not always be possible to feel completely safe. That’s where the idea of brave spaces comes in – a space where people show up with good intent, but with the knowledge that mistakes will likely be made, and can be corrected as they happen. Creating brave spaces is critically important in what's happening in classrooms, schools, and communities today.Joining us to discuss brave spaces is Dr. Melissa Crum. She’s an artist, an author, a researcher, and the founder of Mosaic Education Network. She leads a consulting company that infuses the arts, research, storytelling, and critical thinking into professional development, community building, and curriculum development. We discuss why brave spaces are important, how coded messages in children’s media can have an impact on their perception of the world, and how to facilitate difficult conversations in the classroom.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:mosaiceducationnetwork.comInstagram: @mosaic_education_networkLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melissacrumLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

What happens when social enterprise meets education and opportunity? A whole lot of good.Nik Kafka is the Chief Executive and Founder of Teach A Man To Fish, a charity he founded after leaving a successful banking career. He discovered an innovative school in Paraguay that was aiming not only to teach the poor how to become rural entrepreneurs, but to do so as a self-financing enterprise. He helped transform the school and turn it into a replicable model which turned into Teach A Man To Fish.We hear all the time about what isn’t working in our education system – and yet there are examples of successful models out there in the world. We need to learn to capture what they are doing right and replicate them as possible in a variety of ways.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:teachamantofish.org.ukschoolenterprisechallenge.orgLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Apprenticeship is a classic mode of education that we have yet to tap into the full potential of in modern times. But there are organizations out there making the most of apprenticeship, and the benefits it can provide.Joining us to talk about apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and how these are taking place across the world are Rebecca DeMatteis and BJ Knutson of ApprenticeOhio.Rebecca is the program administrator at ApprenticeOhio and the Executive Secretary of The Ohio State Apprenticeship Council. She’s responsible for overseeing all aspects of the registered apprenticeship program for the state of Ohio. BJ Knutson is the Program Delivery Supervisor for ApprenticeOhio, who oversees the daily operations for Apprenticeship. We talk about who apprenticeship is for, and how it can benefit both industries and individuals.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:apprentice.ohio.govLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bjknutsonLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebecca-dematteis-1606a932Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio