Learning Unboxed Annalies Corbin & NOVA Media

Christian Martinez knows firsthand what it’s like to be a young immigrant in America: The language barrier, financial stress, feeling alone and hopeless. That’s why he does what he does today. Christian is the founder and community innovator for The Camino Program and he’s our guest on the show today.
Christian tells us  about the Camino program, not just what it does, but how it makes its participants feel. The program offers support in professional development, mental health, peer support, and career navigation for teens transitioning into adulthood. While it’s only four months long, it’s just the jumpstart of creating a lifelong network.
The most important impact of the program is one that’s hard to measure, but is foundational to success: Hope. The Camino is literally “a path forward” for youth who have finally found a place where they can connect.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:
How immigrant youth experience disconnectionThe critical importance of hopeMeeting youth where they are at– especially when they’re not at school
Resources:
Learn more at CaminoProgram.orgFollow the Camino Program on Instagram: @CaminoProgram
Produced by NOVA Media

In 2015, Norris School District came to Johnna Noll with a learner-centered educational consultant’s dream request. The tiny school district’s residential population consisted of a treatment center for kids, and it asked Johnna to help it transform into a learner-centered, trauma-invested, constantly evolving program. Of course, she said yes.  
Johnna joins the show today to tell us about what the school district has built. It uses a very clear learning design process: Profile, Plan, Pathway, Progress, and Proof. Students create their own unique learning paths based on their hobbies, talents, and interests. Then it’s up to the learning specialists to make sure academic competencies are tied into it.
The foundation of the entire learning environment is students and staff deeply learning about each other, building agency and confidence. From there students are connected to resources in the community to learn about what they are specifically interested in. 
We also talk about how truly empowering students and staff goes hand-in-hand with scaling up. Authentic success stories for students and communities, plus a healthy workplace for educators, is necessary to sustain the growth rate needed to one day benefit all students across the state, country, and world.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:
Building student and staff profiles Tying academic competencies in with community-based learningChanging job descriptions and workplace policies to support learner-centered education
Resources:
Learn more at NorrisAcademyWI.org
Produced by NOVA Media

How do you even begin to create systems change in education? Our guest today is Rob Collins. He manages the Innovative Learning Network in the Kentucky Department of Education. Rob gives us a peek into what systems change looks like right now for the state of Kentucky.  
We dive into the teaching initiatives that the Kentucky Department of Education is undertaking in this area. Rob tells us about how the Innovative Learning Network provides institutional support and learning opportunities for school leaders and teachers. For example the network has brought in PBLWorks, a community organization, to successfully train a third of Kentocuky teachers on project-based learning.
We also cover efforts to change assessment and accountability. For example, two districts in Kentucky now release accountability dashboards along with state test scores to show there’s more to education achievement than standardized exams. Also, at the state level, there’s now a Kentucky United We Learn Council that includes legislators in exploratory discussions.
Changing systems happens across different levels and through different dynamics. Rob’s stories are excellent examples we can all learn from as we try to change the education system around us.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:
What diverse stakeholders want out of the education systemProviding organizational structure while encouraging free-form growth among leaders in education innovation The importance of connecting innovative educators so they don’t feel like they are on an island
Resources:
Learn more at Kentucky’s Innovative Learning Network 
Produced by NOVA Media

It’s time to get free from oppression, both inside the classroom and out: internalized oppression, interpersonal oppression, ideological oppression, institutional oppression. That’s what Dr. Michelle Sadrena Pledger is here to talk with us about today.
Michelle is the Founder of Living for Liberation and is also the Director of Liberation at the High Tech High Graduate School of Education. Her specialty is liberatory project-based learning. That’s when young people experience a learning environment that’s culturally responsive and centered in knowing and improving the world around them. 
We talk about how to incorporate equity stances, identity, belonging, place, dialogue, and democratization in teaching practices— even if you have to stick to a standardized curriculum. 
And there’s absolutely no expectation of being perfect! So please enjoy this episode with Michelle and enjoy liberatory learning.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:
Michelle’s Notice, Name, Navigate frameworkThe importance of student agency and action in liberatory learningHow liberatory learning leads to deeper learning
Resources:
Learn more at LivingForLiberation.comRead: Three Steps to Success with The Human Experience GPSRead LIBERATE! Pocket-Sized Paradigms for Liberatory LearningPodcast: Unapologetic & Uninterrupted with Dr. Michelle Sadrena Pledger (Available on all platforms)
Produced by NOVA Media

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City is the nation's first and the city's largest youth mentoring organization. Chief Program and Innovation Officer Michael Coughlin joins us today to tell us about their newest iteration of mentoring: their workplace mentorship program.
Starting sophomore year, students are paired with corporate professionals who act as their career mentors through high school graduation, and sometimes all the way through college. These one-on-one mentorships are closely supported by a program manager from Big Brothers Big Sisters to make sure they have the foundation needed for a successful mentoring relationship.
Michael takes us through the research that led them to create this program, and lessons learned along the way. If you’re looking to start or grow a community-based mentorship program, don’t miss this episode!

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:
The need for mentor relationships to be long-term and resource-orientedPaying attention to students’ and families’ perceptions about a programHow to convince corporations to join a mentorship program
Resources:
Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York CityFollow Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City on Instagram @BBBSNYC
Produced by NOVA Media

Steve Heath calls himself a “professional confuser.” In a world where kids are defined by grades, test scores, attendance, and behavior, Steve’s organization asks them what they want to do and then helps them do it.
Steve is executive director and co-founder of FabNewport. FabNewport provides underserved youth with the opportunity to learn how to code, sew, design, prototype, run CNC machines, and imagine new possibilities. In the 10 years, he’s served more than 20,000 middle and high school students, maintained long-term relationships with 3 school districts, and trained hundreds of educators to be better engaged.
Join us as we discuss how to develop ecosystems of personalized learning by connecting home bases, learning hubs, and field sites.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:
How to scale up an organization while still providing an individualized approach for each learner.The concept of ecosystems of learning and the role of community in education.The importance of building a lasting mentorship team around each kid.
Resources:
Learn more about FabNewport.Follow FabNewport on Instagram: @fabnewport.Watch Education Reimagined’s Big Idea video. 
Produced by NOVA Media