Breaking the Paradigm

How do we support the positive development of boys in our educational spaces?

How does creating a truly gender inclusive classroom lift up all young people, including boys?

In my last podcast with Tom Brown and Justin Tosco, we got our “section of the choir together” to discuss the crisis of boys in schools and how that manifested in the research and our own personal experiences.

If you haven’t listened to that episode, you can find it here!

In this part two episode, we were joined by Breaking the Paradigm Co-Host Kelly Jonelis, and sought to put our conversation about boys in education into the context of creating gender inclusive environments for all young people.

In a wide ranging discussion, Kelly, Justin, Tom and I touched on diagnoses (and mis-diagnoses) among boys and girls, understanding gender as a social construct, supporting young people as they find their place in the gender spectrum, and so much more.

If you want to support human flourishing for all your students, and are looking to understand how to support the various identities that your students have, this is a must-listen podcast!

Thanks for Stopping By!

If this work resonates with you, I invite you to consider becoming a paid subscriber. It is a great way to support this work so I can continue to bring thoughtful interviews and blogs to you all year long! Thank you so much for your continued support!

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

When you interact with others, what are you expecting from them?

If you asked me this question a few weeks ago, I would have said that I went into interactions with others without expectations.

That completely changed with my co-host, Kelly Jonelis shared this phrase with me:

Stop expecting you from other people

This phrase stopped me in my tracks.

I reflected back on interactions I had with adults and young people alike and realized that I was going into these interactions expecting others to be like me.

I was getting frustrated with these interactions because (no surprise), these people are not me!

We dig into this phrase and how it can support educators in their practice of self-reflection. If we are expecting ourselves from our students or our colleagues, we are setting them up to fail.

And, in this episode, I share one of my biggest failures as an early teacher, which was a result of expecting myself from a student.

We invite you to engage in reflection with us!

But Wait, There’s More!

If this work resonates with you, I invite you to consider becoming a paid or free subscriber. It is a great way to support this work so we can continue to bring thoughtful interviews and blogs to you all year long! Thank you so much for your continued support!

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

Our boys are not alright.

An ideal education environment support all children, and meets all of their developmental needs.

However, we have a systemic problem in the US where many classrooms are not prepared to meet the developmental needs of young boys.

We see this in all types of education, from traditional to Montessori. Both of my guests, Tom Brown and Justin Tosco, had boys who were counseled out of their Montessori classrooms for being “disruptive.”

Yet, when those same boys went to traditional classroom settings, they thrived. The problem wasn’t their boys, but rather the environment that their boys were in.

We must remember to change the environment, not the child.

When we think of the “normalized child,” as we say in Montessori circles, we must be careful not to have a single archetype of that that means. We must open up our perceptions of who all our children could be so we can honor the diversity of their emerging human spirit.

This is a podcast episode not to miss, especially because Justin and Tom are now an official part of the Breaking the Paradigm Two-Timers Club! We are currently planning a part two on this topic because there is so much to say so stay tuned!

If you have not already, I highly recommend you subscribe to Marigold Montessori and Justin Tosco to see more of Tom and Justin’s work!

**Disclaimer**

The topic of supporting boys in educational environments is deeply connected to other critical social justice issues. In this episode, we focus exclusively on the struggle of cis boys in schools and cis men in society. While we did not mention the difference between sex and gender, talk about the gender binary, or discuss non-binary and trans students, this does not mean that these issues are unimportant, and we are looking forward to complicating and expanding the frame of our discussion in future podcast episodes.

Thanks for stopping by!

If this work resonates with you, I invite you to consider becoming a paid or free subscriber. It is a great way to support this work so I can continue to bring thoughtful interviews and blogs to you all year long! Thank you so much for your continued support!

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

When I first observed in a Montessori toddler classroom, I was in awe.

Children, as young as two years old, were handling glass plates and cups by themselves, they were engaged in solo activities, unaided by an adult, and were able to meet many of their basic human needs.

The adults were either working with individuals or observing in the corner of the room.

My jaw was on the floor because this reality was in contrast to our cultural view of a toddler who is characterized by the phrase, “the terrible twos.”

My podcast guest, Beven Barnhart, had the same sense of awe when he observed a toddler classroom as a floater in a Montessori school. It was at that moment that he saw something special about an environment that affords young people such trust, independence, and responsibility.

Beven and I have been friends and colleagues for many years. In fact, our conversations on the playground many years ago were part of the inspiration to start this podcast, because I wished I could go back and listen to our collective insights over again!

Beven is not only a Montessori elementary guide, but perhaps one of the best currently teaching. When observing his class, it’s nearly impossible to find him, yet his environment is buzzing with self-directed, meaningful activity by all of his students.

In this episode, we dig into the importance of spiritual preparation for adults working with young people in order to combat the societal norms that prevent us from allowing students the independence they deserve.

We also dig into the topic of standardized testing in Montessori schools, with a controversial conclusion. We are hoping to make folks uncomfortable so as to invite them to examine their own practices.

When education is based on human development, and when adult guides get out of the way and allow students to own their learning, incredible outcomes are possible, both for the school community and our broader society.

My conversation with Beven is one not to be missed!

Happy New Year!

I have a lot of great podcasts lined up for 2025, so stay tuned for an exciting lineup! As we come into a new year, and if this work resonated with you during 2024, I invite you to consider becoming a paid or free subscriber. It is a great way to support this work so I can continue to bring thoughtful interviews and blogs to you all in the new year!

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

What happens when two former Montessori students, now Montessori administrators and leaders, sit down to have a conversation?

You get a conversation that goes beyond the scope of a typical education podcast.

In typical Montessori fashion, my conversation with Justin Tosco ranged from pedagogy and social justice to family histories and the lost era of 2000’s music.

Broadly titled "Montessori for All," our conversation digs into the history of Montessori education in the US, how that history converges with our own personal histories, and possible futures for the method that are more accessible to all.

If you’re a teacher, leader, or education disruptor, this podcast is a must listen!

Justin is the Director of Middle School at Sterling Montessori Academy and I am so grateful to have met him at the Montessori Association of North Carolina Conference this fall. His insight and experience, both as an educator and leader, has already changed how I see my own practice.

Shout out to Mira Debs and her book, Diverse Families, Desirable Schools: Public Montessori in the Era of School Choice, which was a key touchstone in our conversation! If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it.

Breaking the Paradigm of Traditional Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Special Announcement!

I just published my first ebook, Every Child is a Wellspring: Designing Student-Centered Learning for Empowerment, Self-Direction, and Autonomy

It’s written for those I’ve met who want to implement the ideas I discuss on this Substack but don’t know how to start.

This book provides a tested framework to develop an emerging curriculum with your students, around their needs, meeting them at the “just right” level of challenge.

In Every Student is a Wellspring, you’ll learn:

* How understanding human development can transform your teaching.

* A framework to create student-centered curriculum which meets the needs of your students and responds to external standards you may have to teach.

* How to create systems in your classroom that run themselves, allowing your students to own the learning process from start to finish.

This ebook is for you if you are an educator or administrator who:

* Wants all your students to be deeply engaged in meaningful learning.

* Is seeking a framework to design student-centered curriculum.

* Is ready to shed traditional education and truly serve each student in your care.

Begin the journey of transforming your curriculum and pedagogy and download a copy today!

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

How do educators balance the need to critically reflect on our actions with the importance of giving ourselves grace as we grow in our practice as educators?

Our work with young people is so important, and I personally know the pressure that we educators put on ourselves to be as prepared as we can.

However, despite our preparation, we will make mistakes. It’s a part of our work, and it’s how we can continue to grow no matter how many years we have been in this work.

This week, I had a thought provoking conversation with Suzanne Tipton from the Authentic Institute of Montessori about how spiritual preparation empowers Montessori practitioners to realize what matters most in our work and to give ourselves grace when we falter.

For those of you listening to this podcast in the US, this is two to three week “sprint” between Thanksgiving and Winter breaks is often the busiest of the year. I hope this podcast can be an invitation to you to slow down, observe, and give yourself some grace as we move through this holiday season.

Breaking the Paradigm of Traditional Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Special Announcement!

I just published my first ebook, Every Child is a Wellspring: Designing Student-Centered Learning for Empowerment, Self-Direction, and Autonomy

It’s written for those I’ve met who want to implement the ideas I discuss on this Substack but don’t know how to start.

This book provides a tested framework to develop an emerging curriculum with your students, around their needs, meeting them at the “just right” level of challenge.

In Every Student is a Wellspring, you’ll learn:

* How understanding human development can transform your teaching.

* A framework to create student-centered curriculum which meets the needs of your students and responds to external standards you may have to teach.

* How to create systems in your classroom that run themselves, allowing your students to own the learning process from start to finish.

This ebook is for you if you are an educator or administrator who:

* Wants all your students to be deeply engaged in meaningful learning.

* Is seeking a framework to design student-centered curriculum.

* Is ready to shed traditional education and truly serve each student in your care.

Begin the journey of transforming your curriculum and pedagogy and download a copy today!

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

How do we awaken to our deepest sense of purpose and connection to our work as guides and teachers?

How does discovering ourselves in the context of the cosmos impact the ways in which we work with young people?

What does it mean to be a vitally responsive practitioner, and what does it take to get there?

The answer is the spiritual preparation of the adult guide.

In Montessori educaiton, when we discuss spiritual preparation, we are talking about the inner reflection, mindfulness, and resourcefulness needed to truly see what our students need, and to be able to respond appropriately.

Spiritual preparation is what empowers us as adults to be in a mutually transformational relationship with the students we serve. While we seek to transform them, when we are at our best, they also transform us.

I am so lucky to call Tammy Oesting a friend and to have her as a guest on my podcast. Her insights on the importance of spiritual development are incredibly rich and will speak to the heart of any practitioner, whether you’re in you first or fifteenth year in education.

Join Tammy and I on this journey of spiritual preparation. If you enjoyed this episode, or have thoughts and ideas to share, join the conversation in the comments!

Breaking the Paradigm of Traditional Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

Check out our other offerings here!

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

www.FirstIntention.org

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

www.EnlightenedEducatorProject.org

Montessori education is designed to be an aid to life.

Our goal is to support the positive human development of each student in our care, and to ensure that their fundamental needs are met.

Traditional education is designed to imprint upon students certain ideas; to pour them into the “empty” brains of students and test them on their ability to remember said ideas.

There is no consideration for the holistic health, wellbeing, and development of the individual in the system of traditional education.

It’s why we have an adolescent mental health crisis.

This is not to say that teachers in traditional systems don’t care about their students. Quite the opposite is true, in my experience.

Yet, these individuals are caught in a system that incentivizes dehumanizing pedagogy and discipline. Their care for students alone is not enough to counter the systemic affects of traditional education.

That’s why Dr. Ayize Sabater, education guru and host of the #U Must Learn radio show, calls Montessori education “common sense education!”

I was honored to be a guest on his radio broadcast last week, alongside my colleague and friend Joana Ferreira, who is the Founder and Head of School of Casulo Montessori Bilingue School in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Dr. Ayize was generous enough to let me repost his show in full here. We are guests in the second hour of the show, and we even had live callers from Baltimore and Germany join the conversation!

The first half of the show is an interview with Stephanie Kane of the SAB (Senegalese American Bilingual) school and Jason Harris of Baltimore's BlkRobot Project. It is an interview not to miss!

#U Must Learn airs every Thursday night at 6:00pm EST, and you can listen anywhere in the world at the WPFW website!

Breaking the Paradigm of Traditional Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people. Check out our other offerings here!

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

www.FirstIntention.org

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

www.EnlightenedEducatorProject.org

What is the purpose of education?

For Andrew Kutt, founder of the Oneness-Family Montessori School, the purpose of education is the development of the heart.

Over the last 40 years, the United States spent millions of dollars in “education reform” focused on mass standardized testing of discreet, alienated skills and content. This funding has done two things:

* The push toward standardization has not increased student knowledge or abilities, as measured by the tests that the reformers claim to champion.

* The push toward academics and a compliance and control model of education at has created the child and adolescent mental health crisis that we see across our country.

In this educational ecosystem where academics are still seen as the most important, how can educators bring ourselves back to our mission to support the whole child?

What can schools do to stay true to their mission and how can they communicate that to key stakeholders?

I dig into all of these questions, and more, with Andrew on this podcast. Enjoy!

About Andrew Kutt

Andrew Kutt is Founder and Chairman of the Board of Oneness-Family School, the Montessori-based, international peace academy founded in 1988 in Bethesda, MD. He serves on the board of the International Montessori Council and is a founding member of the Montessori Peace Academy, which advises schools with a peace-centered curriculum.

Academics, self-discovery, and world service are integral parts of the curriculum Andrew developed at Oneness-Family School, a curriculum that is sought after and has been adopted in schools around the world. The program is recognized for its success in preparing students with the leadership skills necessary to understand and meet the challenges of the 21st-century, global society. 

Andrew has spent the past 30 years in Montessori education, guided by Maria Montessori’s adage “to follow the child” in his work as teacher, administrator, trainer, and educational consultant. In addition to academics, his curriculum materials address positive discipline, conflict resolution, diversity, happiness, and other extensions to the Montessori classroom.

A poet, songwriter, and musician, Andrew’s latest children’s CD is entitled Earth Songs and the piece "Montessori Child" is dedicated to Maria Montessori’s mission. Andrew writes regularly about education, cultural trends, and human development.

Breaking the Paradigm of Traditional Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Breaking the Paradigm is a division of Developing Education, which is on a mission to fundamentally transform education globally to foster human development and flourishing for all people.

Check out our other offerings here!

First Intention: Curriculum and pedagogy support for Montessori adolescent practitioners, specifically with math and language across the prepared environment.

www.FirstIntention.org

The Enlightened Educator Project: Supporting educators with mindfulness and resiliency through professional development and downloadable resources.

www.EnlightenedEducatorProject.org

What if we’re focusing on the wrong things in education?

I’ve been posing this question lately.

I fear that those of us in Montessori, Progressive, Learner-Centered circles are often too focused on the products of education.

The stellar paper. The math project. The capstone speech. The microeconomy sale.

I won’t argue that these things aren’t important, but they cannot be the most important aspects of an education designed to foster positive human development.

We are at a time of the school year when the anxiety of “are students learning fast enough” sets in.

Rather than go down that rabbit hole, this podcast episode reframes our work in education as about fostering strong relationships and deep love between students and guides. We dig into why this focus will produce greater academic outcomes than the traditional method which has a sole focus on academics.

Because, in the end, our students will be OK- whether or not they remember the quadratic formula!

Thanks to Kelly Jonelis for a great conversation, as always!

Breaking the Paradigm of Traditional Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Join our Waitlist for The Enlightened Educator Cohort 2!

October is the time when our start-of-the-year-idealism fades and stress builds.

The ambitions we had in August begin to look like pipe dreams compared to all the tasks on our plate.

But what if your October could tell a different story?

The reality is, those ambitions aren't pipe dreams. They are right around the corner, if you're willing to take the right steps.

Our second cohort is a four-month program designed to turn this period of difficulty into a moment for you to strengthen your resilience, develop new tools to support your own wellbeing, and enhance your practice as an educator.

The cost of not being in this cohort may very well be your longevity in the field and the impact you are capable of having in the lives of young people.