Free Range Humans

Jal Mehta, Rod Allen

Free Range Humans is a podcast that explores "how we can make schools fit for human consumption." Hosted by Jal Mehta, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Rod Allen, former district superintendent and Assistant Deputy Minister with the BC Ministry of Education.

  1. 23 HR AGO

    Courage is Contagious: Leading for Equity in a Time of Backlash

    LaShawn Routé Chatmon is the founding CEO and President of the National Equity Project, leading the organization’s transition from the Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools (BayCES).  Under her leadership, the National Equity Project has catalyzed a movement to revitalize our country’s approach to equity in education. Tom Malarkey is the director of strategic consulting at the National Equity Project. He works with leaders within school systems on equity-centered instructional change, collaborative learning and teams, and organizational and systems change. Highlights from their conversation include: hearing about Jal's recent red eye flight that resulted in little sleep but a lot of reading; why equity work must begin with self-reflection and move outward; what it means to lead for equity in today’s political climate; how, despite our differences, we all tend to want the same thing for our children and their future; understanding that listening—real, intentional listening—is one of the most powerful tools leaders have; how public education remains one of the last truly shared civic spaces where solidarity can still be built; and a lightning round that deviates from the "short snapper" format to remind us that we can all play a role in shaping the future.  Learn more about the National Equity Project Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    1hr 4min

  2. 28 APR

    Real World Swirl: When the City is the Classroom

    Dov Stucker is a co-founder and Lead Teacher of Burlington City & Lake Semester (BCL) – a partnership between the Burlington School District and Shelburne Farms. He taught Social Studies at Burlington High School from 2011-2021, including School Innovation Seminar, a course that engaged students in the complex work of school redesign. Before returning to the classroom, Dov worked for nine years coordinating community-based learning and service-learning projects in Burlington and the French West Indies. Highlights from the episode include: an opening reflection on the prowess of Norwegian cross-country skiers; the origin story of BCL and the team-based design that brought it to life; how schools can rethink partnerships, expand who counts as a teacher, and build learning ecosystems beyond the classroom; what rigor looks like when it’s rooted in trust, risk, and relevance; how student-led portfolios can reveal learning more honestly than traditional assessment; the importance of the question, "What can we do here that we can’t do anywhere else?" when designing a meaningful learning experience; and a lightning round that somehow combines stalking and ice cream!   Learn more about BCL BCL Blog – Student Reflections Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    54 min

  3. 21 APR

    Transformation in the Age of AI: Education for Human Flourishing

    Anthony Mackay is the immediate past CEO and current Co-Chair of the Washington DC-based National Center on Education and the Economy, while also serving as Deputy Chancellor, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia; Honorary Senior Fellow of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne; and Visiting Professor to the International Centre for Educational Enhancement, University of Bolton, UK. He has held multiple positions within education and continues to consult in parts of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia – it's safe to say that Tony has been leading or part of every important global conversation around education in the last 20 years. Highlights from this season premiere episode include: an opening dialogue that reminds everyone of how old they are; artificial intelligence's disruptive nature and whether it can be viewed as a mirror showcasing what tasks no longer make sense in education systems; comparing AI to a "crappy intern;" how we can identify localized innovation and build it into larger scale transformation; the redefining of education to be focused on human flourishing – moving towards the portrait of a learner that is caring for self, others and the planet; and of course producer Gino's lightning round with an AI twist!  Check out the OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026 Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    55 min

  4. 25/07/2025

    The Potential Pitfalls of Progressive Education (And How to Avoid Them)

    Alisa Berger is now a Free Range Humans regular, making her fourth appearance on the podcast. She was the founding co-principal of the New York City iSchool and is the author of How To Innovate: The Essential Guide for Fearless School Leaders, among many other accomplishments. Jal was very interested in bringing this topic to the table in an effort to better balance perspectives on progressive education, many examples of which appear throughout season four of the podcast. Highlights from the episode include: defining progressive education and examining some of the misconceptions; illustrating pitfalls and challenges while also giving advice on how to avoid them; distinguishing between classroom level and system level approaches; what it takes to really build student-centered experiences that work; the importance of balancing student and teacher agency; an opening conversation on summer fun that sheds light on the sensitive side of our producer; and a lightning round that combines insurance commercials, snacks, and a personal revelation from each participant.  Thanks again to all of our listeners for staying engaged and supporting our work. Season four is officially in the books, but we already have interviews lined up for the fall, with the start of season five scheduled for September! Cheers! Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at  freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    1hr 5min

  5. 17/07/2025

    Rooted in Respect and Reciprocity: Exploring Land-Based Learning

    Kyle Peruniak is a former wildland firefighter and current land-based educator in British Columbia. He is focused on creating inclusive experiences that promote empathy for the land, respect and appreciation for indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing, and provide youth with healthy, rich, learning opportunities. Lori Hryniuk is an experienced public school secondary Principal and educator who has a keen interest in redesigning how we organize schools. She is motivated to empower educators to think differently about their teaching practice and to help create authentic, engaging, inclusive learning environments with a focus on CORE and curricular competencies. Both are now working to support land-based learning initiatives in K-12 schools across British Columbia. Highlights from their conversation with Rod and Jal include: what prompted Lori to step away from the traditional education system; a brief history of Kyle's career as a wildland firefighter and how it shaped his leadership development; defining land-based learning and what distinguishes it from "outdoor education/recreation"; the importance of reciprocity with the land and developing respect and agency across every level of the education community; how land-based learning can transform student identity and engagement—even in urban settings; and a lightning round that will make you want to do some karaoke!  Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at  freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    53 min

  6. 11/07/2025

    Beyond the Report Card: Teaching with Heart and Kindness

    Paige Fisher is an associate professor at Vancouver Island University with 18 years of experience in teacher education and leadership development. Her work has included embedded teacher ed programs, Indigenous teacher education initiatives, and explorations of non-traditional grading and assessment. Highlights from her conversation with Rod and Jal include: reflections on her own experiences as a student and teacher; a powerful story that illustrates the disconnect between traditional grading and student potential; how working at a community-driven homeschool program reshaped her approach to education; how Indigenous teachings have guided her leadership development; an emphasis on teaching with kindness and building community both in and out of the classroom; why you sometimes have to be more interesting than a goat to get students to pay attention; and a light-hearted lightning round that covers swimming and screen time habits!   Read Dr. Fisher's Dissertation: The Stories We Planted: A Narrative Exploration of Evaluative School Experience Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at  freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    48 min

  7. 03/07/2025

    A School that Feels Like Family - Welcome to SMASH

    SMASH isn’t new — it’s been doing things differently for over 50 years, emphasizing multi-age classrooms, social-emotional learning, looping, and strong adult-child relationships. Jessica Rishe (principal) and Malika Boyer (6th grade teacher) share how the school cultivates trust, responsibility, and belonging across all grade levels — and why it still stands out even as others catch on to ideas like project-based learning and social-emotional learning. Highlights from the conversation include: how multi-age groupings shape student growth and leadership; the importance of a fully informed and integrated parent population; why respect goes much further than titles and first names; how SMASH builds a culture that encourages staff to stay; whether students feel prepared and are able to excel as they move on to more traditional high school environments; can the model scale as the school continues to grow; what influence SMASH has had on the greater community; and a lightning round that will have you feeling lucky!  Learn more about SMASH: www.smmusd.org/smash Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at  freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    59 min

  8. 26/06/2025

    Human Schools - A Sneak Peak at Jal Mehta and Libby Woodfin's New Book

    Libby Woodfin is a writer and educator from western Massachusetts. She has authored or co-authored nine books for teachers and published numerous articles and blogs for educational outlets such as EdWeek, Middleweb and Educational Leadership. Libby began her career as a fifth and sixth-grade teacher at the original lab school for the Responsive Classroom in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and went on to become a counselor at a large comprehensive high school. Highlights from the conversation include: a little background on Libby's "hockey" playing career; the definition of a "human school" and why it matters now more than ever; tackling the question of what kind of human beings our world needs, and what role can schools play in creating those human beings; real world examples from various sites both Libby and Jal have visited; reflections on the future of learning; how schools are grappling with AI and how it fits within the human school model; and a lightning round that has everyone facing their fears!  Questions? Thoughts? Feedback?  Email us at  freerangehumanspod@gmail.com or Tweet us at @jal_mehta and @Rodroad219

    57 min
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About

Free Range Humans is a podcast that explores "how we can make schools fit for human consumption." Hosted by Jal Mehta, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Rod Allen, former district superintendent and Assistant Deputy Minister with the BC Ministry of Education.

Information

  • Creator
    Jal Mehta, Rod Allen
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Free Range Humans

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