In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with award-winning journalist Jenny Anderson, former New York Times reporter and co-author of The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better.

Together, they explore one of the biggest challenges facing schools today: student disengagement. But this conversation does more than diagnose the problem. It offers a powerful framework for understanding why so many students feel disconnected from school and what educators can do to help them come alive again.

Jenny unpacks the shift from an age of achievement to an age of agency, explaining why success in today’s world requires more than students simply jumping through hoops. She introduces the four modes of learning from the book: Passenger, Achiever, Resistor, and Explorer, and makes a compelling case that schools must create more opportunities for students to step into Explorer mode, where engagement and agency come together.

Stephen and Jenny also discuss the power of real-world learning, why relevance matters more than ever, how struggle actually strengthens students, and what it looks like for teachers to move from traditional instruction toward a more mentor-driven model.

This episode is especially important for school leaders, teachers, and parents who want to build schools where students do more than comply. They grow, contribute, take ownership, and discover what matters to them.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

-How Jenny defines agency and why it matters so much in an AI-shaped world

-Why achiever mode is no longer enough for student success

-The four modes of learning: Passenger, Achiever, Resistor, and Explorer

-Why fewer than 4% of students regularly experience Explorer mode

-How real-world learning helps close the relevance gap for students

-What parents and educators often get wrong about struggle

-Practical ways teachers and school leaders can build more autonomy, ownership, and engagement into school

-Why mentorship matters so much in helping students grow

LINKS:

Jenny’s Substack, How to Be Brave: https://howtobebrave.substack.com/

The Disengaged Teen website: https://www.thedisengagedteen.com/

Jenny Anderson’s page: https://www.jennywestanderson.org/

Seed Tree Group: https://www.seedtreegroup.com/

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

In this episode, Adam Richardson of Jupiter Christian School and I explore why entrepreneurship education is one of the most powerful ways to prepare students for life right now. This conversation highlights what happens when students move beyond theory and into real-world building—learning how to solve problems, create value, communicate clearly, and grow through challenges. We also talk about how hands-on entrepreneurship experiences help shape the entrepreneurial mindset in meaningful ways, including growth mindset, grit, redefining failure, and opportunity seeking.

You’ll hear practical insight for school leaders and educators who want to engage students more deeply and create learning experiences that are relevant, formative, and future-ready.

Learn more about Jupiter Christian School: https://www.jupiterchristian.org/

Learn more about Seed Tree Group: https://www.seedtreegroup.com/
 
Connect with Stephen Carter: [email protected]

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

For decades, schools have been designed around achievement—grades, test scores, and carefully mapped pathways to success. But the world our students are entering no longer rewards compliance or perfection. It rewards agency.

In this episode, Stephen Carter explores the growing shift from the Age of Achievement to the Age of Agency, drawing on research from the National Association of Independent Schools, David Yeager’s Mentor Mindset framework, and emerging insights about learning in an AI-driven world.

You’ll hear why high expectations alone are not enough, why struggle is not a sign of weakness but of growth, and why the Mentor Mindset—high expectations paired with high support—is essential for developing resilient, adaptable learners.

We’ll unpack the difference between Resisters, Passengers, Achievers, and Explorers, examine why so few students are given real opportunities to explore, and challenge the assumption that a perfectly mapped path is the best preparation for life.

If we want students who can set meaningful goals, navigate uncertainty, ask for help, and thrive in a rapidly changing world, we must intentionally design for agency.

Because when schools shift from maps to compasses, real learning begins.

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

Entrepreneurship is often celebrated for creativity, innovation, and problem-solving—but at its core, it requires something deeper: courage.

In this episode, we explore why the entrepreneurial mindset is inherently a mindset of courageousness. Real entrepreneurship involves risk—real risk—where loss is possible, failure is visible, and outcomes are uncertain. And if there’s no chance you could lose, it’s not truly a risk at all.

We unpack how schools often unintentionally design learning environments that reward comfort, compliance, and safety, while entrepreneurship calls students to step into uncertainty, take meaningful risks, and act even when success is not guaranteed. Courage, it turns out, is not a personality trait reserved for a few—it’s a skill that can be developed through intentional experiences, supportive cultures, and real-world laboratories like student-run businesses.

If we want to form resilient leaders, creative problem-solvers, and students prepared for life beyond the classroom, we must stop protecting them from risk and start preparing them to face it.

Courage isn’t optional.
It’s the curriculum.

Reach out to Stephen Carter at [email protected] or by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

McKinney Christian Academy is stepping into a bold season of growth—and Heath Nivens is leading with a coach’s mindset and a Christ-centered mission. In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with the Head of School at MCA to talk about building a new STEM center, launching an entrepreneurship program, and weaving innovation, mission, and durable “human skills” into one cohesive ecosystem. 

Heath shares lessons from coaching and leadership, why “fail forward” matters for educators and students, how mentorship can reshape student development, and how Christian schools can prepare graduates for a future where many jobs don’t even exist yet—without losing their biblical foundation.

Learn more about the school by visiting https://www.mckinneychristian.org/

Learn more about Seed Tree Group and Entrepreneurship Education by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

What if the future of Christian education isn’t just about better programs—but about a different kind of mindset?

In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with Dr. John Patterson, Head of School at Brentwood Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, to explore how a Christ-centered growth and entrepreneurial mindset is reshaping life on their 6–12 campus. From daily fitness and Bible classes to capstone projects and advisory groups, Brentwood Academy is intentionally designing a culture where students are challenged, nurtured, and equipped to solve real problems for the good of others.

Dr. Patterson shares why he believes the entrepreneurial mindset is the future of education, how innovation really works in a school with deep traditions, and why relationships—not programs, facilities, or technology—remain the foundation of lasting impact.

If you care about Christian schooling, student formation, and preparing the next generation to think critically and courageously in a rapidly changing world, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you.

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with Jeff Williams, Head of School at Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas, for a powerful conversation on innovation, student engagement, and the future of Christian education. Jeff shares how TCA is cultivating a culture obsessed with “finding a better way,” empowering faculty to take risks, and preparing students for a rapidly changing world shaped by collaboration, AI, and real-world problem-solving. The discussion highlights TCA’s bold move into entrepreneurship—including a student-run coffee shop fueled by donor support—and why hands-on ventures are becoming essential learning laboratories for today’s learners. Jeff also reflects on the role of leadership, the importance of trust and flexibility, and how schools can avoid “failing the next generation” by embracing creativity, curiosity, and the entrepreneurial mindset. This is a must-listen for school leaders seeking practical wisdom, inspiration, and a vision of what Christian education can become.

Learn more about TCA by visiting their website: https://www.trinitychristian.org/

For more on Seed Tree Group and entrepreneurship programming, visit https://www.seedtreegroup.com/

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with Amir Mahadi, Founder and CEO of Joshua Expeditions, to unpack how a nonprofit Christian travel organization launched in 1997 has grown into a global, mission-driven partner for hundreds of Christian schools. Amir shares his story of blending business ownership with deep dependence on God, why JE is “mission first, travel second,” and how student trips can become catalysts for calling, leadership, and even entrepreneurial thinking. They discuss JE’s new London office, post-trip momentum for schools, limiting digital distractions on trips, and the big idea that business and ministry are not rivals — they’re allies in the Kingdom. If you’re a Christian school leader building entrepreneurship, global leadership, or missional programs, this conversation will help you see how travel, faith, and an entrepreneurial mindset can all live in the same lane.

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

In this episode, Stephen Carter sits down with Rod Gilbert, Head of School at Santa Fe Christian Schools in Solana Beach, California—a K–12 school just over a mile from the Pacific Ocean that’s redefining what innovation in Christian education looks like. Together, they explore how schools can move beyond comfort and control to create environments where students develop true resilience, moral agency, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Rod shares his conviction that education must invite students to try, fail, recover, and grow stronger through real-world challenges. From launching a student-run coffee shop to forming an AI task force, his leadership is rooted in courage and vision—showing that the future of Christian education isn’t about avoiding risk, but transforming it.

Stephen also reflects on his visit to Santa Fe Christian, where he was inspired by Rod’s blend of spiritual depth and forward-thinking leadership. This conversation is a powerful reminder that schools can be both deeply faithful and boldly innovative.

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium

Shark Tank has become the pop-culture symbol of entrepreneurship, filled with high stakes, fierce competition, and investors circling for the best deal. It reflects what business scholars call a red ocean world, where everyone fights for the same space and survival becomes the goal.

Entrepreneurship in schools should look different.

In this episode, we explore how Blue Ocean Strategy can reshape the way we teach young innovators to think. Instead of chasing crowded markets or flashy inventions, what if students learned to identify real, meaningful problems that are still waiting for solutions?

Listeners will gain practical insight into:
 • Why competitive pitch events often limit creativity
 • How to shift student thinking from reactive to proactive
 • Principles of Blue Ocean Strategy that ignite purpose and innovation
 • Real examples of breakthroughs created by solving overlooked human needs
 • How collaboration builds deeper belonging and more impactful ventures

We introduce a new Seed Tree Group initiative designed to help students explore the open waters of possibility, where compassion and creativity meet. The goal is not to impress the sharks. The goal is to help the world.

It is time to stop preparing students for tanks when the world needs explorers.

Dive in, and discover how to create the conditions for the next generation to set sail.

Join the movement - sign up for the 2026 Entrepreneurship Symposium today by visiting https://www.seedtreegroup.com/2026-entrepreneurship-symposium