BONUS: Why Nature is the FUTURE of Education
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
01/24/25
•22m
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A bonus episode where I read selected entries from Gwyneth Hagan's Substack microblog Starting Small. The episode explores how natural patterns like bubbles, chaos, and flow can serve as metaphors for transforming education from a factory model to a forest model.
Gwyneth's work combines poetry, educational theory, and observations of nature to envision more organic, interconnected learning systems. The readings include reflections on finding joy in learning, embracing uncertainty, and accepting periods of withdrawal (what Hagan calls "snail mode") as natural parts of growth and change in education.
- The Joy of Learning from Bubbles
- In Chaos & Flow
- How to start small when you are scared
- Snail Mode Acceptance and Emergence
#EducationTransformation #NatureBasedLearning #ForestModel #TeacherGrowth #ProfessionalLearning #PatternsinNature #SustainableEducation #CollectiveLearning #EdLeadership #TeacherWellbeing #OrganicLearning #EducationEcosystem #TeacherPoetry #MindfulTeaching #LearningDesign #EducationalChange #TeacherReflection #HolisticEducation #SystemicChange #TeacherAgency
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
In this episode, I speak with educator, designer, and facilitator Gwyneth Hagan about transforming education from a traditional factory model to what she beautifully describes as a forest model. Drawing on patterns found in nature, Gwyneth shares powerful insights about creating more organic, interconnected learning systems that honor both educators' and students' natural growth processes.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Moving beyond the factory model of education to embrace a more ecosystem-based approach
- How natural patterns like spirals, waves, and fractals can inform better learning design
- Why educators need to experience the same wonder-filled, permission-free learning they want to create for students
Gwyneth also shares her personal journey of incorporating poetry and natural observation into her professional work, challenging traditional boundaries between artistic and educational practices. The episode concludes with her moving poem "Small Things," which beautifully encapsulates her philosophy of taking time to notice and appreciate the smaller moments in learning and life.
Gwyneth's Substack, Starting Small & Recommendations:
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Design for Belonging by Susie Wise
- Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown
- Letters from the Future (of Learning) by Sam Chaltain
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
The TRUTH About Daycare (Myths & Misconceptions) with Dr. Dan Wuori
January 27, 2025
•42m
In this episode (S4E21), I welcome Dr. Dan Wuori, founder of Early Childhood Policy Solutions and strategic advisor at The Saul Zaentz Charitable FoundationTM, to discuss his book, The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care and Education (and What We Should Do About It).
Key Discussion Points:
➡️The three simple truths of early development: learning begins in utero, the prenatal to age 3 period is uniquely consequential, and brain development is optimized through stable one-on-one interactions
➡️Why terms like "daycare" and "childcare" need to be reconceptualized to reflect their true educational nature
➡️The crisis in early childhood education, including 40% annual teacher attrition and severe wage disparities
➡️State-level innovations in early childhood policy, highlighting initiatives in New Mexico, Vermont, Washington D.C., and North Dakota
➡️The economic case for investing in early childhood education, featuring research by Nobel laureate James Heckman showing a 13.1% annual return on investment
Striking Statistics:
💡1 in 4 American mothers must return to work within two weeks of giving birth
💡Early childhood educators earn 59 cents per hour less than dog walkers
💡40% of early childhood teachers leave the field annually
Some Episode Mentions:
➡️ Research by Dr. James Heckman, Nobel Prize-winning economist
➡️ New Mexico's free child care program is bringing relief that millions of U.S. families need
➡️ The Vermont Child Care Contribution
➡️ Washington D.C. Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund
➡️ North Dakota - Governor Doug Burgum
➡️ South Carolina Pre-K to Kindergarten Transition Plan: Family Engagement
#TheDaycareMyth #EarlyChildhood #ECE #ChildDevelopment #EarlyLearning #EducationPolicy #TeacherPay #WorkingParents #ParentingResources #EarlyEd #ChildCareReform #BrainDevelopment #EarlyYears #PreschoolTeacher #EducationEquity #InfantCare #TeacherRights #FamilyPolicy #PaidLeave #StatePolicy #EducationInvestment #PreK #ECETeachers #ChildrensRights #EarlyIntervention #EducationReform
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
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