The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning

Kyle Wagner
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The Student-Centered Shift: Empowered International Schools and Classrooms Through Project-Based Learning

Want to turn your classroom into a hub of curiosity, innovation, and real-world impact but don’t know where to start? The Student-Centered Shift with internationally acclaimed educator Kyle Wagner equips international school educators with the simple shifts to move from passive to active learning spaces, so you can grow more engaged and empowered learners. Each week, Kyle interviews forward-thinking educators who share actionable strategies and proven frameworks to create a classroom buzzing with energy and purpose. Past guests include project-based powerhouse Ron Berger and bestselling author Gary Stager. By tuning in, you’ll unlock: * The mindset shifts needed to transition from teacher-led to student-centered spaces. * Strategies to empower students as independent thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers. * Tips for designing and implementing project-based experiences * Practical ways to redefine your role from instructor to facilitator. Discover how Kyle made the same shifts to transform his own teaching from burnout to breakthrough—guiding students to publish bestselling novels, launch businesses, and build museums. Over 1,000 classrooms have experienced similar results worldwide—will yours be next? Let’s shift learning together!

  1. JUL 15

    Is Your Classroom Built for Student Thinking? 4 Design Shifts to Spark Shared Ownership

    Is Your Classroom Built for Student Thinking? 4 Design Shifts to Spark Shared Ownership Ever walk into a classroom and instantly feel the energy? Not from the teacher—but from students leading the work. That’s not an accident. It’s the result of intentional design choices that turn passive learning into shared ownership. In this episode, I walk you through four practical spatial shifts to transform your classroom into a hub for student-led collaboration. These aren’t high-budget maker spaces—they’re reimagined learning environments where thinking becomes visible and shared. Whether you’re planning for your next project-based unit or reworking the layout of your room, these provocations will help you support deeper dialogue, better teamwork, and more student agency. You’ll explore: Why table clusters can make or break group work How to equip students with shared tools—and why visibility matters The role of vertical thinking spaces in making ideas public and iterative How to create distinct studio zones that support diverse learning tasks This is part two in a four-part series on designing student-centered learning environments. If you're ready to move from controlling learning to cultivating it, this episode offers a practical next step. Get more ideas in my 12 Shifts Book for Student-Centered Environments: 'Where is the Teacher?'

    9 min

  2. JUL 8

    From Classroom to Co-Working Space: How to Design Learning Spaces That Invite Agency and Flow

    Still stuck in the same classroom setup year after year? You’re not alone. Too many classrooms signal teacher control before a single word is spoken—and that design choice shapes everything about how students engage. In this episode, I take you inside the transformation of an old office into a vibrant Montessori adolescent hub—and unpack what it means to move from “classroom” to “co-working space.” You’ll learn how even small space shifts can foster agency, collaboration, and creative thinking. You’ll discover: Why subtracting furniture may be the boldest design move you make How to create learning “zones” for different kinds of student work Why your teacher desk might be sending the wrong message How co-working models can inspire fluid, student-led learning Practical design tweaks—from flexible seating to portable whiteboards—that invite movement and autonomy Whether you’re working with a blank slate or reimagining a familiar room, this episode gives you the mindset and strategies to build a learning environment that empowers—not controls—your students.

    14 min

  3. JUL 1

    Looking to Deepen Student Agency? Tools to Support Inquiry, Independence, and the Shift to Facilitator

    Even after shifting to student-centered learning, it’s easy to fall into familiar routines: sparking a project, guiding students along, and quietly doing the heavy lifting ourselves. But what does it take to fully hand over the reins—and trust students to direct their own learning? In this episode, inquiry-driven educator Robynne Esther shares how she made that shift herself, and the practical tools she now uses to support real student independence, without sacrificing structure. From co-creating checklists to guiding expert research and using visible thinking strategies, Robynne walks us through how to scaffold agency without oversteering it. You’ll hear: How inquiry provocations can open up—not narrow—student-led direction What expert groups and feedback loops look like in project-based units Why the right checklist isn’t about control, but about clarity How thinking routines help students reflect, take risks, and follow their curiosity The subtle mindset shifts that allow teachers to lead by stepping back Whether you’re refining your role as facilitator or looking for ways to help students take the next leap in self-direction, this conversation offers inspiration—and strategy—you can put to use right away. Connect with Robynne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynne-esther-24990771/  Dive Deeper into Student-Centered Environments: Get the 12 Shifts Book  Robynne's Bio: Ever wonder how to spark genuine curiosity in your students? Robynne Esther has spent 15 years, including seven within the PYP, unlocking that secret through inquiry-based and project-based learning. She has empowered teachers across Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shanghai to adopt 21st-century learning through engaging IBL/PBL & AI workshops. Currently inspiring young minds at DSHK, Robynne leads Grade 6 Project-Based Learning and teaches Grade 4 Inquiry, fostering classrooms buzzing with collaboration and community. But her journey's even richer than that! She's an AFHEA-accredited mentor who has guided aspiring teachers at Sunderland University and has even spent time as a pastry chef in Hong Kong's Soho district. Robynne brings this uniquely diverse background to her exploration of the fascinating intersection of PBL and IBL. Join her as she shares her insights on their similarities and differences.

    38 min

  4. JUN 17

    Essential Summer Reading List: 5 Books That will Transform Your Life as an Educator

    What if a single book could transform your life as an educator this Summer?  Shifting burnout, boredom, and breakdown to BREAKTHROUGH.  That's what these 5 📖 books did for me.  One helped transform my uninspiring worksheets into student designed works of art- where no two products looked the same  One helped unlock the magic formula for designing prompts that transformed disengaged learners into citizen scientists, authors, and budding engineers  One helped transform preclusion into new possibility One uncovered three traits to motivate all learners without using grades  And one helped shift my role in the classroom forever  So what are the five life changing books? I reveal them in this short episode.

    20 min

  5. JUN 10

    Is Inquiry Still Teacher-Led in Your Classroom? How to Design for True Student Ownership

    Is inquiry still too teacher-directed in your classroom, even when it’s framed as student-centered? You’re not alone. Many international educators find that despite good intentions, “inquiry” still looks like teacher-planned lessons with limited student agency. In this episode, I speak with Dawn York, Head of Hanoi International School, about how she and her team shifted from teacher-led inquiry to real student ownership. From launching a student-led middle school council to embedding project-based learning across grades 6–10, Dawn shares how to design structures that make student-led learning stick — even in a busy international curriculum. You’ll discover: How to carve time out of the timetable for student-led PBL Why teacher-led inquiry still dominates (and how to shift it) Strategies to build buy-in through teacher leadership, not compliance What motivates students when grades and gold stars are removed How PBL transforms student ownership, even for neurodiverse learners If you're ready to move beyond surface-level inquiry and build classrooms where students truly lead their learning, this episode offers both inspiration and practical tools. Connect with Daun: LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/daun-yorke-469b9540/  Get the 12 Shifts for Student-Centered Environments Book: 'Where Is The Teacher'- https://www.amazon.com/Where-Teacher-Kyle-Wagner/dp/1032484713  Daun's Bio: Steering Hanoi International School with a steadfast commitment to educational excellence, Daun's role as Head of School for 2.5 years has been marked by fostering an environment where staff development and instructional design thrive. Her expertise in creating sustainable educational ecosystems positions our team at the forefront of progressive education management. As a Professional Development Lead Educator at The International Baccalaureate for nearly a decade, Daun has honed her skills in educational leadership, ensuring that each initiative contributes significantly to our global mission. Her organization's recognition as a #Edruptor of 2022 reflects our collective efforts to innovate and inspire within the international education landscape.

    35 min

  6. JUN 3

    Hiring for a Student-Centered School? 3 Shifts to Attract the Right Educators

    Starting a student-centered school or program but not sure how to find educators who can thrive in it? You’re not alone, and the answer isn’t just another job fair or standard posting. In this episode, I share the exact 3 shifts that helped me staff our brand-new Montessori Middle School with mission-aligned “unicorn” educators in less than three weeks. If you’re launching a new initiative or simply want to rethink how you hire, this will help you attract the right teachers: You’ll discover: Why the traditional job description fails for student-centered roles How to build a visual, values-driven educator profile that attracts the perfect candidates Smarter ways to share your opportunity (that attract the right candidates) How to go beyond interviews and actually see how applicants think and teach This is the blueprint for recruiting educators who do more than fill a role, they bring your vision to life. Listen in, and have a whiteboard ready. Link to the Sample Educator Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kwagssd3_educationalleadership-schoolleadership-activity-7307687237410795521-P7ll/

    22 min

  7. MAY 27

    No Time and Space for Project-Based Learning? How One Shift Changes Everything

    Feel like project-based learning sounds powerful—but totally unrealistic in your packed curriculum and schedule? What if one small shift could open the door? In this episode, I talk with international educator, VIS Dean of Academic Affairs and social scientist Tristan Reynolds, who shares how he replaced a single unit test with a project—and saw student ownership, engagement, and reflection skyrocket. From rural Texas classrooms to interdisciplinary teaching in Taipei, Tristan walks us through the simple mindset and planning shifts that helped PBL work within, not outside of, school structures. It’s a refreshing look at how real change happens—not through an overhaul, but through intentional, evidence-based experimentation. You’ll learn: How one teacher redesigned a single assessment and sparked student agency What student data revealed about deeper learning and engagement How interdisciplinary collaboration builds momentum for school-wide change Why project-based learning can fit within your constraints—not fight against them Ready to see how one small step can unlock student-centered learning in your setting? This episode shows you the shift in action. Connect with Tristan: Instagram, LinkedIn Data Studies Around Benefits of PBL on Learning: Wide Scale Studies  Tristan's Bio: Tristan Reynolds is an educator and writer who focuses on international best practices in education and the impacts of globalization on education. As an experienced international educator, he understand the importance of creating schools which support celebrating different cultures, and which cultivate a cosmopolitan attitude in students. Tristan's work helps build a clearer picture of how to help students and teachers move beyond local limits to education. He holds an M.S.Ed. from Johns Hopkins University, American and British teaching & administration licensures, and is a 2021 Teach For America alum.

    40 min

  8. MAY 20

    Teacher Led vs Peer Led: What Sparks Real Student Action?

    You want your students to take action but how do you actually empower them to lead real change? In this episode, I speak with Arlian Ecker, a 19-year-old environmental changemaker and co-founder of Plastic Free Boy, who has reached over 1.5 million students across 350 schools through film, storytelling, and action-based learning. From citizen science on the Great Barrier Reef to student-led plastic audits and five-year sustainability campaigns, Arlian shares what truly ignites youth agency and how educators can help nurture it. If you’ve ever wondered how to move from structured lessons to real student-led action, this conversation offers a powerful starting point. You’ll learn: Why storytelling, not frameworks, is the spark that sustains youth-driven work How students build resilience, empathy, and global citizenship through project ownership How to support changemaking without needing to be the expert What makes peer-to-peer learning more powerful than adult-led initiatives Learn to shift from guiding student action to growing student changemakers.  Connect with Arlian: Linkedin (@arlian-ecker), Instagram (@plasticfreeboy),   Learn more about Arlian's Work: www.plasticfreeboy.com  Arlian's Bio: Arlian Ecker, a 19-year-old Australian-Austrian changemaker and co-founder of Plastic Free Boy, has spent eight years leading youth-driven sustainability efforts—from protecting the Great Barrier Reef to advocating for global waterway conservation. Alongside his mother, award-winning underwater filmmaker Karin Ecker, Arlian has reached over 1.5 million students in 350+ schools through films, workshops, and interactive programs that empower youth to take environmental action. Their “Generation NOW” initiative and upcoming Global Solutions School Academy promote student-led, real-world learning and cross-border collaboration. This May and June, Arlian joins the International Commission for the Danube River to lead the world’s largest youth-driven citizen science water quality survey.

    48 min
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About

Want to turn your classroom into a hub of curiosity, innovation, and real-world impact but don’t know where to start? The Student-Centered Shift with internationally acclaimed educator Kyle Wagner equips international school educators with the simple shifts to move from passive to active learning spaces, so you can grow more engaged and empowered learners. Each week, Kyle interviews forward-thinking educators who share actionable strategies and proven frameworks to create a classroom buzzing with energy and purpose. Past guests include project-based powerhouse Ron Berger and bestselling author Gary Stager. By tuning in, you’ll unlock: * The mindset shifts needed to transition from teacher-led to student-centered spaces. * Strategies to empower students as independent thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers. * Tips for designing and implementing project-based experiences * Practical ways to redefine your role from instructor to facilitator. Discover how Kyle made the same shifts to transform his own teaching from burnout to breakthrough—guiding students to publish bestselling novels, launch businesses, and build museums. Over 1,000 classrooms have experienced similar results worldwide—will yours be next? Let’s shift learning together!

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