What exactly is the purpose of public education? It's a fundamental question that Kristina Cardot hits head-on in the work that she does every single day. As a longtime former art teacher in the public school system, she offers a powerful critique of something many are thinking and starting to talk about more than ever - public education's obsession with standardized testing. This is not to say we shouldn't have benchmarks, of course there should. However, since education reform in Massachusetts in 1993, Kristina (as many others believe) says creativity, spontaneity and some of the greatest opportunities to truly learn have been highjacked by high-stakes testing. "Art is the only place where you can have different answers and still be all right," says Kristina who is the founder of the RE-FORMation Academy powered by her business The Funky Phoenix, where they specialize in making wonderful new work out of repurposed materials. She is working with the Pittsfield schools to develop safe spaces for students and creating an atmosphere of belonging. Incidentally, the conversation in regard to standardized testing is timely as there is now a movement to abolish the MCAS as a graduation requirement. The Mass. Teachers Association is publicly supporting this ballot question. Also in this episode we cover: education reform, social-emotional needs of students and teachers, processing trauma, the origin of RE-FORMation Academy, everyone has creativity and how our system dampens it and discourages it, The Funky Phoenix origin, creating a more sustainable community and more.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kristina Cardot.