Class Disrupted

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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Diane and Michael break down the latest frenzy around artificial intelligence and education. They explore if and how ChatGPT could be an innovation in education, what would make it innovative (hint: it’s not the technology!), and how it could be a useful tool in creating better learning experiences.

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