The Getting Smart Podcast covers topics in K-12, HigherEd and lifelong learning. Episodes cover developments in research, technology, entrepreneurs, methods and more to bring listeners some of the most informing, insightful and innovative strategies around education today.
Rank #1: 154 - What’s Up With All the Design-Focused Schools?.
This week on the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom is talking to his colleague, Emily Liebtag. Emily is the Director of Advocacy at Getting Smart. Emily has been a teacher, and a learner, in a myriad of different classroom spaces — ranging from K-12 public schools to online institutes of higher education. In the last several weeks, The Getting Smart team has visited so many unique, innovative schools. They’ve been to cities across the country, visiting well over a dozen different schools — all of which serve as great examples of successfully implementing deeper learning, design thinking, and student agency. In this episode, Tom and Emily talk all about their favorite design-thinking schools, positive trends happening in schools across the country, and the changes they have observed in schools after implementing design-thinking. They also discuss design-thinking across the curriculum, supporting design with skill-building, formative assessment, and extended challenges. Key Takeaways: [:14] This week, Tom is talking to Emily Liebtag to discuss all of the amazing, innovative design-focused schools they have had the pleasure of visiting in the last several weeks. [:31] Emily’s favorite school from the last several weeks: Agnor-Hurt Elementary. [3:40] About Tom’s recent visit to Tacoma Public Schools’ Science and Math Institute. [4:46] Why The Getting Smart team thinks design focus is so important in today’s education. [6:50] How design-thinking has changed in education from years ago to now. [8:47] One of Getting Smart’s favorite schools is One Stone, that is a great example of well-structured design-thinking methodology. [10:09] An example of a successful project by a student, that came out of a design-thinking school. [11:51] Positive trends taking over schools across the country. [14:28] All about D39 — a school that embodies these new, innovative trends. [15:36] What Emily loves about Del Lago Academy. [16:47] About VIDA school — a school that was going to shut down but reinvented themselves as a design-thinking school. [17:38] What Emily and Tom love about High Tech High in San Diego. [19:55] Tom’s thoughts on Purdue Polytechnic Institute. [21:18] How the design-thinking frame helps students to incorporate different skills. [23:26] Some elements of design-thinking in Albemarle County Public Schools that have really stood out to Tom and Emily. [27:27] SAMI and other schools in the Pacific Northwest that Tom would like to shed a light on. [29:30] Recapping this week’s episode. [31:25] Where to learn more about school visits. Mentioned in This Episode: Emily Liebtag Agnor-Hurt Elementary School Albemarle County Public Schools Tacoma Public Schools: Science and Math Institute (SAMI) One Stone Design39 (D39) Del Lago Academy VIDA High Tech High High Tech High International El Paso School District Purdue Polytechnic Institute Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh Grable Foundation Woodbrook Elementary School Design Tech High School Emily@GettingSmart.com (Emily’s email) Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review and subscribe. Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Jessica@GettingSmart.com, Tweet @Getting_Smart, or leave a review. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!
Rank #2: 224 - Diane Tavenner on What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life.
Today on the podcast, Tom is speaking with Diane Tavenner and Mira Browne from Summit Public Schools. With the backing of a group of parents, Diane Tavenner formed Summit Public Schools in 2003. Now, a network of secondary schools in the Bay Area in Washington State, the thirteen cohorts of Summit graduates have all graduated college-ready. As a mother, teacher, and network builder, Diane has learned a lot about getting kids ready for college, for work, and for life. Since 2011, Mira Browne has served as the Chief External Officer at Summit Public Schools. With the launch of Diane’s new book, Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life, Mira is stepping into a new role of leading an initiative called ‘Prepared Parents’ to share what they’ve learned about youth development and powerful parenting. In this episode, Tom and Diane sit down together to talk about her new book, Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life, and some of the key ways they implement the ideas in her book at Summit. Mira also joins the conversation throughout to share more about Prepared Parents. Key Takeaways: [:14] About today’s episode and guests, Diane Tavenner and Mira Browne. [1:12] Tom welcomes Diane to the podcast! [1:22] Diane gives a quick origin story of Summit Public Schools. [2:15] Diane describes the Summit learning model. [4:02] The kinds of learning you’ll see if you walk into a Summit Public School! [4:55] Diane shares about the incredibly unique opportunity Summit offers for students: two-week expeditions four times a year! [7:00] Mira joins the podcast and talks about why and when she first joined Summit. [8:30] What’s Mira’s favorite thing to show people at Summit when they first come to visit? [9:50] Why did Diane write her book, Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life? [12:06] Tom outlines the three sections of Diane’s book as well as the first two chapters. Diane explains what the second chapter titled, ‘Because it’s a solvable problem,’ means to her. [14:57] Diane explains why she thinks the third chapter of her book, on real-world and project-based learning, is important. [16:42] Tom highlights more of what is covered in Chapter three of Diane’s book, and Diane speaks about why projects can be easy to take on but hard to do well. [18:17] Tom and Diane speak about Summit’s incredible teacher-to-teacher collaboration, why it is so successful, and how it makes a difference at Summit. [19:21] Why is Chapter four’s topic on self-direction important in education? [20:52] Diane speaks about chapter five’s topic on reflection and the role mentors play at Summit. [22:04] Chapter six is on collaboration — what does collaboration look like at Summit? [23:20] Chapter seven is on success habits — why are they important? And how do they help develop them at Summit? [26:26] Chapter eight is on curiosity — how do they provoke curiosity with their learning model at Summit? [28:22] In chapter nine, Diane talks about a set of universal skills and identifies a set of cognitive skills that are key in learning. How do teachers assess each of these cognitive skills? [30:42] In Prepared, the epilogue provides a blueprint for parents. How has this become so important for Mira and what is her new journey going to be about? [32:57] What will the Prepared Parents initiative look like at Summit? [34:55] Mira speaks about the self-directed cycle in the epilogue of the book and how a parent can make that a part of their child’s day. Mentioned in This Episode: Summit Public Schools Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life, by Diane Tavenner Mira Browne (LinkedIn) Diane Tavenner (LinkedIn) Turnaround for Children Dr. Pamela Cantor Getting Smart Podcast Ep. 217 with Dr. Pamela Cantor PreparedforSuccess.org (The Prepared Parents initiative) For More on the Building Blocks of Success, Listen to: Episode 217 with Dr. Pamela Cantor! Get Involved: Check out the blog at GettingSmart.com. Find the Getting Smart Podcast on iTunes, leave a review and subscribe. Is There Somebody You’ve Been Wanting to Learn From or a Topic You’d Like Covered? To get in contact: Email Editor@GettingSmart.com and include ‘Podcast’ in the subject line. The Getting Smart team will be sure to add them to their list!
See Podcast
