Class Disrupted

Michael and Diane grapple with a concept that pushes their understandings of the test-and-learn approach in education innovation and see the beauty of embracing a child-like approach to learning and exploring boundaries to understand where new ideas work—and maybe more importantly, where they break. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-17-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E17%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class-disrupted-s4-e17-finalDownload

Michael and Diane talk about one of the biggest things to come out of the pandemic: the groundswell movement from parents and others to finally teach children how to read in line with the best evidence from the science of reading. And they express misgivings of whether a legislative approach that bans certain teaching approaches will ultimately help each and every student learn—and ponder the downsides of such an approach. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-16-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E16%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class_disrupted_s4_e16_finalDownload

In the aftermath of horrific school shootings across the country, schools have instituted a range of security measures. Diane and Michael argue that these steps likely have a cost in eroding mental health, which may further contribute to violence in schools and society. The point isn’t that schools shouldn’t “harden” per se, but that these steps are design decisions—and that schools must be more intentional about the ones they make, and why. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-15-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E15%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class-disrupted-s4-e15Download

With declining enrollment becoming a staple in American higher education and more students and families souring on the expense of a college education, Diane points out that this can an opportunity—and then puts Michael to the entrepreneurial test in designing what a college alternative might look like. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-14-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E14%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class_disrupted_s4_e14Download

As Diane Tavenner prepares to step down from 20 years of founding and leading Summit Public Schools, she shares some of her lessons from which educators, policymakers, and parents can all learn. Hint: It’s all about the students. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-13-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E13%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class_disrupted_s4_e13Download

All too often money is a taboo subject in schools—or at least any discussion that doesn’t talk about how schools need more of it. In this episode, Diane and Michael think through how that limits innovation on behalf of students and what could change the culture and actions of schools around this subject. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-12-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E12%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class_disrupted_s4_e12_finalDownload

Diane updates Michael on the latest progress on one of Summit’s pilots from this year and the two then delve into a discussion of how to bring the new innovation that’s working and scale it up inside the organization—and what to do about the old processes that are no longer needed. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-11-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E11%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class_disrupted_s4_e11_finalDownload

Back from their trips abroad, Michael and Diane reflect on what they saw in the countries and what that means for shaping educational opportunities for each and every child worldwide. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-10-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E10%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class_disrupted_s4_e10Download

Michael and Diane dig deep in analyzing the big acquisition of NWEA in the assessment market by Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt, one of the largest curriculum players in the United States. They conclude that we should be skeptical that the acquisition will improve teaching and learning for students or that it will pay off as much as HMH might like.  https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-9-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E9%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class-disrupted-s4-e9Download

In this episode, Diane reflects around why failure in life and schools is hard—and she and Michael dissect why it’s nevertheless important. Diane shares how, after a set of tests don’t work as planned, her schools then chart a pivot to a new direction. https://archive.org/download/class-disrupted-s-4-e-8-final/Class%20Disrupted%20S4%20E8%20final.mp3 Episode transcript: class-disrupted-s4-e8Download