#EduCrush

This week on #Educrush we are exploring the idea of questions! What does the best day at school look like? Kids are known for their ability to dream BIG right? Do the systems of schools nurture this natural inquisitiveness or is there something that we're doing that stifles that in the classroom? I spoke with a few people, including a 5th grader and his mother about curiosity.

Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Links Mentioned:

Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity

Ghana Education Minister

Brene Brown says, "When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own them, we can write a brave new ending." Natalie's work in assessment, in many ways, has been her way of writing a "brave new ending" to her own experiences in school. In this episode, she comes to you solo to share how she broke free from perfectionism and a need for external validation to finally find her voice.

Show Notes:

• A bold decision following the first failure on an assessment called the Mad Minute.
• "Did you ace it?"
• The dark side of grade grubbing.
• An optimistic new beginning, and a devastating resurgence.

"Making the Grade" on The Happiness Lab podcast

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On this week's episode of #Educrush we continue to work through the essential question "How can we rehumanize education through story?". We talk to various teachers about their experiences with the first day of school and reflect on the idea that teachers are students too.

Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel

Email Alex: [email protected]

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

For too long, the "real world" has been a mythical place that only exists in schools when teachers are trying to make students do things they don't want to do. Stories of the real world create a culture of compliance. It begs the question… what's it really like in the world of work beyond school? Dr. David Finch is a Full Professor and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. He joins Natalie to offer his research findings on the "enabling skills" that are required in every industry for a city to be able to adapt and tap into the competitive advantage of the future; learning. Get ready for a reality check on the real world!

Show Notes:

Show Notes:

• Embracing a mindset of disruption to see opportunities for improvement, then make change happen. (8:00)
• Natural resources are no longer the competitive advantage for a city; now it's the adaptive capacity of people. (9:40)
• Determining the skills required of a city to enable constant and rapid change. (19:00)
• A need for more accountability in high school and university for the development of enabling skills; rethinking what is meant by "foundational" skills. (26:15)
• Shocking findings from the Talent Ecosystem Audit in Calgary that reveal most of the learning happening in the city is devalued. (32:50)
• Disrupting the monopoly that credentialed organizations (schools, universities) have on "learning" (40:30)

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On this Episode, we continue our look into how people feel about the first day of school. At least we tried, but in the process of spending time interviewing Parents, our theme for the episode shifted. This episode is simply about the stories of parents and School. You will hear from two parents as well as hear me summarize a few of the other conversations that I had. Truth be told, this was a challenging episode to work on, but I found it to be a worthwhile endeavor. I hope that as we continue to explore this question of rehumanizing education that you feel empowered to hear the stories of those around you, interacting with the education space.

One of the most persistent narratives of the school system is that it's a place where students do work in exchange for grades. However, what would school look like if grades didn't exist? Chris Sarkonak is one of many teachers involved in the grassroots movement called "ungrading" to move school away from a culture of compliance, towards a culture of authentic learning. He joins Natalie to talk about why he tried this approach in his Physics classroom, how he pulled it off, and why it helps to cultivate growth, risk-taking and confidence in learners.

Show Notes:

• Understanding "ungrading" as a journey, rather than a destination. (9:45)
• The unintended outcomes of the traditional, events-based grading system. (13:00)
• How to launch an alternative assessment approach in a way that inspires all learners to think differently about grading. (18:00)
• Reorganizing assessment and grading around skills to better learn the content. (23:45)
• Determining percentage grades in partnership with students (and parents). (35:45)
• Providing ongoing communication with parents outside of grades. (40:00)
• The purpose of education. (46:30)

There are FOUR spots left in the Empowerment Ecosystem --> Book a meeting with Natalie if you want in!

Grading from the Inside Out Workshop, Long Beach, CA --> Register here!

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During this season, we're looking at the role story has to play in how we see and interact with education. There are many people and perspectives needed for us to answer this question. Today you are going to hear from students, some at the very beginning of school life, some at the end and some far beyond the hallways of high school. They are going to share their perspectives, not about school in general, that's too big. Today, we're tackling the first day of school.

Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod

Podcast Website: www.educrushpod.com

Show Notes:

Introduction (00:38)

Introducing our guests (02:42)

Most memorable first day of school (03:11)

Significant thoughts on the first day school (05:29)

What they would tell their teachers (09:35)

The Purpose of Education part one (11:51)

Trent Interview (16:30)

The first day is the start of the story (20:47)

The Purpose of Education part two (26:08)

The Children Interview (29:07)

Significant quotes:

We're All a bit terrified, go easy on us (09:43) Reese

Just be real, what can you actually achieve with us (10:31) Nathan

100% I appreciated you so much (11:22) Nicole

If we're moving humanity forward the general population has the right to know everything [about atoms] as well (14:17) Ryan

That first moment is like chapter one. It sets the tone of the narrative and it's a lot easier to keep going with the same story than to course correct … you've already started telling yourself the story of the kind of year you're going to have and that sets the tone (21:10) Trent

The teacher can set the tone of how a student is seen, heard, and validated (22:05) Trent

My teacher held the power to dismiss what I was about to say, to minimize it or to embarrass me by it, even accidentally. But they held the space, creating permission for me to be myself. (22:15) Trent

Welcome to season 3 of #EduCrush! As a primer for the season, we are talking about the secret to "rehumanizing" education. It is something that we ALL do naturally, yet don't understand very well. Learn what this powerful tool is and how it helps to elevate our consciousness, build empathy, and create a positive culture.

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Are you struggling with any of the following?

• Motivating learners to take ownership of their learning.
• Inspiring others to rethink their assessment and grading practices.
• Creating a meaningful feedback system without burning out.

The Empowerment Ecosystem is for people who want to go from feeling lonely, misunderstood, and demoralized by the status quo to feeling empathetically connected and impactful so that they amplify student voice and show their community how powerful assessment can be.

You'll learn how to clarify your vision, open empathetic dialogue with others, co-create irrefutable evidence of learning with students, and coach others to rethink and unlearn.

Interested? Chat with Natalie to learn more. Book a call!

We're back, baby! This season, we're trying something new and organizing our episodes around a central theme: story. Join us as we release new episodes every Monday to explore the essential question, "How might we rehumanize education through story?"

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In the final episode of season 2, Nat and Alex come together to look back on the highs, lows, and learnings from the past year and reveal the season 3 theme. #conceptbasedpodcasting

Show Notes:

• Checking-in on our rose/thorn moments this past school year. (1:20)
• The unanticipated benefits of podcasting that Alex has experienced since joining EduCrush. (5:20)
• Exploring the differences between season one and two of the podcast. (7:00)
• In his half-season with the podcast, Alex is learning that we can reimagine education as "an avenue for people to develop their stories and to share." (12:30)
• Unpacking Nat's vision for a reimagined education that is authentic and empowering. (19:00)
• Topics we are curious to explore in season three (and an impromptu reveal of the season three theme!). (25:00)
• Activating community and going solo in season three. (30:20)

Teach Better Conference: www.teachbetterconference.com/register -- Use code "educrush22" for $50 off registration!

Email the Podcast: [email protected]

Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod

Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso

Alex on Twitter: @MrAlexNoel

Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod