Learning Unboxed

Today we’re going to talk about Restorative Practices and Responsive Classroom, a relatively new but incredibly powerful approach to formal educational spaces that utilizes a variety of social and emotional learning techniques.To learn more about what these practices are and what they look like in a classroom (even a virtual classroom), we sit down with Allison McMannis, a third-grade teacher at Herbert Mills STEAM Elementary School in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Learn more about Herbert Mills Elementary: www.reyn.org/herbertmillselementary_home.aspxTwitter: twitter.com/missmcmannisLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohiio

At some point growing up, kids discover dinosaurs — and most kids at least go through a phase where they love (if not obsess over) dinosaurs. So, today we're going to talk about dino digs and how they create an opportunity to learn about an entire career and a field of scientific study from an amazing expert. Our guests are JP Cavigelli, who organizes dino digs at the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College, and Dylan Trent, a sophomore at Upper Arlington High School who participated in a dino dig.We also discuss how paleontology and the love of dinosaurs can be leveraged to teach kids about a number of other subjects, in both formal and informal spaces.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Learn more about the Tate Geological MuseumCheck out the Tate Dinosaur DigsLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Fatima Bainazar and Katie Corbin are both college freshman, one at a large public university and the other at a small liberal arts college. What they now have in common, like so many college students around the globe, is a sudden and sometimes jarring experience with virtual instruction.  Listen in to learn from their experiences during a global pandemic.

The MATE ROV program is one of the most wonderfully unique, engaging, and fun expressions of STEM education that a student can participate in. The MATE ROV Competition uses remotely operated vehicles — AKA underwater robots — to inspire and challenge students to learn and creatively apply STEM principles to solve real-world problems and strengthen their critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation. It’s awesome.To learn more about MATE and all that MATE is and aspires to be, we sit down with is the Jill Zande, the Associate Director and Competition Coordinator for the MATE Center, as well as the President of MATE Inspiration for Innovation (MATE II).To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Learn more about the MATE competition: materovcompetition.orgMATE Inspiration for Innovation: mateii.orgLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jill-zande-271b887/Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

What do engineering and empathy have to do with each other and how we learn? That’s the question we’re going to address in today’s episode with Melissa Higgins, who is the Senior Director of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) at the Boston Children's Museum. Melissa loves to create exciting hands-on, minds-on STEAM challenges that inspire children and educators to engage and enjoy STEAM learning, and she has some great insight into how kids learn and how we all think that are invaluable for educators of all kinds.Joining Melissa is Michelle Cerrone, a Senior Research Associate at the Education Development Center, where she leads research studies and evaluations that deepen the understanding of how to harness media and digital technologies to enhance education. Michelle also co-leads a National Science Foundation study investigating the design and implementation of engineering and empathy activities in early childhood settings, and that investigation is what we’re really jazzed to be talking about today.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Boston Children’s Museum: www.bostonchildrensmuseum.orgEducation Development Center: www.edc.orgRead the abstract: “Design and Development: Engineering and Empathy Pre-K/K”Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Cleveland happens to be home to one of the most unique and innovative education initiatives in the country: The School of One, a flexible program that provides instruction to meet the student's needs — socially, emotionally, and academically — at one of eight sites within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. In this episode, we’re focusing on the site at The Foundry, which is actually not a school but a rowing facility and part of a partnership with MCPc, a data protection company headquartered in the area.We have three guests to provide insight on every aspect of the initiative: Jalen Baldwin, a student in the School of One MCPc Foundry program; Melanie Lynch, an administrator at the School of One’s Foundry location; and Michael Trebilcock, the Managing Director & President of Community Innovation Partners at MCPc.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Learn more at www.clevelandmetroschools.org/SO1Learning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

In previous episodes, we've talked about the importance of computer science and coding, the opportunities that open up for students when they do get exposed to this education, and how hard it can be for schools and teachers to really ramp up computer science programs. The good news is there are some amazing organizations out in the world that are trying to be partners in this space. And today, we’re talking with Alice Steinglass, who is the President of Code.org, one of the biggest and most experienced organizations in this space. Plus, Code.org has some incredible resources for parents and teachers during the current health crisis — and we know that there are a lot of parents looking for resources like this right now! You can learn more about that at code.org/athome.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Resources for parents who are homeschooling: code.org/athomeInstagram: www.instagram.com/codeorgFacebook: www.facebook.com/Code.orgTwitter: twitter.com/alicesteinglassLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

When our host Annalies grows up, she wants to be today’s guest: Emily Knapp, the conservation education coordinator at The Wilds, where she has access to a 10,000-acre classroom and facilitates some of the most amazing programs.In addition to sharing how Emily educates and engages the community through The Wilds, she has a ton of fantastic advice for parents who are, to their surprise, currently homeschooling for the first time.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Learn more at thewilds.columbuszoo.orgInstagram: www.instagram.com/visitthewildsFacebook: www.facebook.com/visitthewildsWatch Secrets of the Zoo: www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/secrets-of-the-zooLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

There’s incredible career potential in the fashion industry, and when you show that to a kid and you show them the variety of careers behind the scenes in the fashion industry, it can get those kids excited to learn.So, today, we’re sitting down with three of the people who are devoted to engaging kids and teaching them about the opportunities in this industry, especially in Columbus: Joe Brim, a self-described engagement experience strategist and creative who focuses on design through the eyes of the end user; Yohannan “Yogi” Terrell, CEO/Partner at Warhol and WALL ST, plus the new lead director of the Columbus Fashion Initiative; and Rob Smith, a chemist who travels the world, transforming the fashion industry through science and innovation.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgResources:Columbus Fashion Initiative: columbusfashion.orgCheck out PAST’s Techno Fashion Summer Program: www.pastfoundation.org/events/techno-fashion-2020KIPP Columbus: www.kippcolumbus.orghttps://cutthroughbeheard.com/Belowthebrim.comLearning Unboxed is produced in part by Crate MediaRecorded by Eric French at WOSU Studios in Columbus, Ohio

Jeff is a PAST Teaching and Learning Coach as part of our School Design team and better yet, Jeff is a veteran virtual teacher with tons of experiences, do’s , dont’s and so much more for us to think about to be successful in making this switch. • How does a teachers thinking need to change as we move quickly into online education?• How does student thinking need to change in response to this new direction in education?• Logistics of Digital Classes• Give students the work and let them do it in their time, with their resources, in their own unique circumstances