Modern Education Movement

Today we shine a light on youth taking action in education and in the world. Addie Lentzner is a 17 year old with a passion for social change. She is the founder of the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network. This group of students promotes anti-racism in schools through curriculum change. She's involved in homelessness work, with an ambitious goal to house every person in her community. Addie is living proof that youth can and do make a difference, when given the opportunity. She's joined by Richard Fransham, a former teacher and youth supporter to talk about Youth Rights Day, an event to promote the rights of youth and the issues they are fighting for so that we can build a better future for everyone. Graham joins me for this conversation, which we really enjoyed! Enjoy :)

Technology dominates most of our lives. Do you remember what life was like without a smartphone? Cars are basically now computers with 4 wheels, and in the future we'll all have self-driving vehicles. Every aspect of life is affected by technology in one way or another. That in turn means the demand for computing skills is exploding. My guest today saw an opportunity to help children find joy and skill in coding. Hansell Lynn founded theCoderSchool to provide children aged 7 to 18 years with a welcoming environment to develop computer programming skills. They've been at this for over 6 years, with over 50 locations, 4500 students, 750 staff, and lots of happy parents and kids. They've published 2 books on kids coding, and a self paced learning platform. But what sets them apart, and what they are most passionate about, is their Code Coaching approach. If your child has an interest in coding, or you'd like to give them that opportunity to explore this exciting space, today's episode is for you.

David Caballero Pradas is hard to define in a few words. He's done a lot of different things… genetic engineering of biological memories, negotiating deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars and building an adobe house. He has given lectures on leadership and has taken care of cleaning the bathrooms in a hostel. He has failed more times than he has tried at entrepreneurship; and has angered more people than he has inspired. He has lived in five countries and feels at home in many more. For the past two and a half years, he has been travelling with his partner Luz, researching innovative practices in education around the world. They've collected their discoveries in a new documentary called Killing Curiosity and in their online platform for parents and educators called Evolving Education. Today we'll explore the discoveries they've made on the future of education.

Do you have a child interested in becoming a doctor? For those already in high school or post secondary, have you thought about what it takes for them to get into medical school? These days, getting into medical school is tougher than ever. There are so many variables to focus on - test scores, shadowing physicians, doing tons of extracurricular activities and getting great recommendation letters. And even with all that, it's often not enough to get in. So how do you decide what to do? My guest today, Dr. Shirag Shemmassian faced a similar problem in his youth. He went to a small high school, and was determined to go to a top level school. He figured it out, and became the only Ivy League graduate in his high school's nearly 60-year history. He's now the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions, college admissions, and graduate school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school and top colleges. Over 90% of their students have gotten into at least one U.S med school - the first time they apply. He has figured out a method that works. Today, we'll explore the ins and outs, the do's and don'ts of your child getting into medical school to become the doctor they aspire to be. We'll also explore ways to make med school more affordable. Today's conversation will be full of valuable information you won't want to miss.

A lot of young people go to college or university because, well that's what you are supposed to do. They spend a few years of their lives going through the motions of attending classes, and then hopefully on the other end, wind up with a degree that will serve them the rest of their lives. Oh, and accumulate a lot of debt in the process. Is that really serving young people? Too often the big choice offered to high schoolers is what college to pick, rather than what life to pick. My guest today is on a mission to change that narrative. Michelle Jones is doing her life's work right now, which is both exhilarating and terrifying. Her purpose in life is to help others figure out what they want to do with their lives and start doing it. She is the founder of Wayfinding Academy, which offers programs to do just that - help young people undercover what truly lights them up, and then prepare them for a career in that direction. Many graduates have gone straight from Wayfinding into fields that require no additional schooling but where having a strong network is essential, such as: event planning, carpentry, wildland firefighting, small business start-ups, teaching at alternative schools, and hospitality. Others have gone on to enroll in four-year colleges to make an impact in fields such as: education, biology, philosophy, and communications. And here's an amazing statistic - 100% of Wayfinding students graduate debt-free. This is going to be an incredible conversation you won't want to miss.

Today's guest is one of the most unusual voices in education circles. His name is Matt Barnes and he believes that every role in education must shift, starting with the parent. His position is that the parent -- not the school -- must become the child's "Head Coach" and that good grades are no longer the aim. Instead, he coaches parents on how to build their kids into "independent learners." He has taught thousands of parents how to adopt a "Head Coach" mindset for their kids through workshops and educational podcasts. Today we'll explore what parents need to do and most importantly, who they need to become, so your kids can thrive in the modern world.

So... what IS education for? We put in so much effort on education as parents and as students, so what is our WHY? Is it to ‘get kids into college'? To ‘get a good job'? Those common narratives from the educational establishment are weak at best. My guest today, Frank Forencich sees a real problem in that modern schooling lacks relevance. He sees the need for a narrative relevant to the future world students will inhabit. (climate change, ecological collapse, social ambiguity). Today we'll talk about the ‘"original human education" that was universal through most of human history. We'll explore the mismatch between our ancient human bodies, sculpted by evolution for success in wild, outdoor environments that now live in a radically different world, an alien, sometimes health-hostile environment. A To address these and other challenges, Frank will go over the "sapience curriculum." This is a list of subjects that he believes students need to study for survival/adaptation in the coming years. Frank is a writer, educator and movement teacher with a Paleo orientation. After studying human biology at Stanford, he traveled to Africa on several occasions to study human history and the ancestral environment. Frank has taught martial art for many years and is the author of several books about health and the human predicament. This is going to be a fascinating conversation, unlike any other we've had on this podcast.

Today we're excited to chat with an amazing 15-year-old student. Praja Tickoo is on a mission to empower students through the process of Design Thinking. Two years ago, Praja had an experience that changed his life forever. At an event called Design the Future, he collaborated with other youth to help design a better ankle brace for a multiple sclerosis patient. This experience taught him the power young people have to reshape their world. It also reinforced his conviction that problems can only be solved by questioning assumptions and involving those directly affected. At the same time, Praja noticed a lack of attention in the education system to core skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. He then founded Impact The Future, an organization aimed at teaching the process of design thinking to middle and high school students. The goal is to equip students with the ability to approach any problem and understand how to adapt to the rapidly changing future. Prepare the students of today to solve tomorrow's problems. Today we'll explore how Praja, at the young age of 15 is changing the world.

Bridgemont International School provides an alternative for secondary students who want to graduate from a Montessori high school, but do not have that option in their community. As more students discover that learning online at home and in the local community works, Bridgemont aims to offer so much more than the typical home school program. I'm delighted to have two guests with me today - Dr. Robin Howe, Director of Bridgemont and Danielle Parker, one of the lead teachers and developers of the program. We're going to explore the world of Montessori education and Bridgemont, this exciting new initiative in the online education space, launching this fall.

My guest today is on a mission to bring creativity back to the classroom. He believes and I agree that in traditional classrooms, kids are not developing the critical motor, language, social, and decision-making skills required in today's world. This, despite 72% of business leaders in a recent survey saying that creativity is the #1 skill they seek when hiring. He realized he had to do something, and Imagine Arts Academy was born. Imagine Arts Academy delivers programs that combine traditional art with real-world applications and creative problem solving. These programs have been proven to help kids foster the creativity required for today's world. My guest today, Shafik Mina is the CEO of 2inspire Kids, the parent company of Mad Science® Group and Crayola® Imagine Arts Academy. Mad Science and Imagine Arts Academy franchises are located in more than 23 countries around the world, bringing educational entertainment to millions of children each year through after-school programs, preschool programs, in-class workshops, camps, birthday parties and special events Today we'll explore the unique approach Shafik is using to foster creativity and collaboration skills in kids, through hands-on STEM learning and progressive arts education.

Today you get to meet Luke Hohmann - one of the most energetic, thoughtful people I know on the planet. We first met and also worked together during my days in the software industry as an Agile coach. I also had the privilege to help facilitate one of his Budget Games for the city of San Jose - citizens engaged in prioritizing the multi-million dollar city budget by playing a game to spend limited funds on a range of budgetary options. He's now the Founder and CEO of FirstRoot, Inc., a Benefit Corporation devoted to creating greater economic equality. That's a very complex problem, and Luke recognizes that it can't be solved individually - we have to work together to come up with ideas and solutions, and then work together to make them happen. FirstRoot's approach is to give youth financial literacy in a unique, fun way, through something called Participatory Budgeting. His audacious goal: student groups in 1M schools globally to each budget $1k and watch what happens when youth control $1B in capital. And by the time this episode launches, Luke and his team will have a version of Participatory Budgeting for families so together they can work out plans for money decisions like vacations and charitable giving. Today we're going to explore how your family and school can tap into the power of Participatory Budgeting to build financial literacy skills and get youth involved in solving problems that matter.

Online learning options for students are exploding, especially over the last couple of years. There is more choice now than ever for families to choose from, which is a great thing. The problem is that word - online. We all need connection, and well, chatting through a Zoom screen just isn't the same as face to face. And not everything can be done virtually either, like going outdoors. Many students like my son David are drawn to traditional school because they offer that in-person experience. Here-in lies an opportunity… What if… we could take the best of online learning, and marry it with a physical location where kids learned together? That's exactly what my guest today is setting out to do. Lizz Quain is with Galileo, an innovative online school with a self-directed education model. It's the school my son Graham attends. Lizz is leading an initiative to help students around the globe have the best of both online and in-person learning. She's building a network of local dojos, or learning centres, and already has dozens of locations around the globe launching soon. If you would love the best of both worlds for your child, listen in and discover more about Galileo and what they are doing to revolutionize education. This is the future. You may decide you want to be a part of the solution, too, and start a dojo in your area. Let's dive in.

Today we're in for a fun ride. With me today is the self proclaimed Jay Z of youth education. The Kanye West of business and tech education for youth. The Lil Durk of youth instruction. Big Stew, Scott Steward, or Professor Steward (depending on how you know him) grew up loving school, but hating learning, because it wasn't fun. He had few teachers he could identify with, or who took an interest in him, and with little motivation, he struggled, leading to mediocre results in the classroom. Fast forward to today, and Scott is changing things for the better through Genius Lab. Genius Lab is a young entrepreneur mentoring program, especially for Black and Latinex youth, focused on careers in IT. At Genius Lab, the goal is to make learning fun, exciting, and useful… where every student feels valued and appreciated. Today we'll explore how Scott is changing the world of education through Genius Lab and other pursuits, and riff on where education is heading.

I'm really excited for today's interview. Today we're going to talk cryptocurrency, a topic I'm super passionate about for reasons that may surprise you and that we'll get into on the show. My guest today and friend Alex S. Elliot is an early bitcoin and cryptocurrency investor, who started way back in 2013 with her first of many Bitcoin investments. I consider her one of the smartest people I know in the crypto space and someone I and many others turn to for guidance. These days, Alex helps regular folks like you and I earn Cryptocurrency Passively with her free, supportive FB Group, the Crypto Chill Lounge and her more advanced paid “Sat Stacker” Mastermind, where she dives deep into loads of passive crypto income strategies. I've been following and learning tons from Alex about crypto for quite some time now, so I asked her if she'd be willing to come on the show. Thankfully she agreed to come on to help you and your family unravel the incredible opportunity happening in the crypto space right now.

Do you have an aspiring athlete or performer at home? What do you think matters most to their success? Is it a natural ability? Skill? Determination? If you really want to know, my guest today Jay Tuft has the definitive answer. He's a mental performance expert, coach, and teacher who worked at the United States Olympic Training Center. There he spent hundreds of sessions with the world's best athletes to elevate their performance. Jay's tackled the mental side of so many sports - gymnastics, basketball, beach volleyball and so on - name a sport and he's probably coached an athlete in it. His incredible success led him to start his own practice. Through Performance Excellence & Recovery Consulting (PERC), he's bringing the benefits of mental training to athletes at all levels. He now oversees the mental performance training for 16 organizations and impacts over 5000 athletes, performers, executives, business owners, parents, and coaches every year. Today we'll explore how you as a parent can support the athlete or performer in your family, to achieve their very best.

My guest today, Lois Letchford had big dreams and hopes for her young boy Nicholas, like all moms do. After her son entered formal education, those dreams soon came crashing down. Her son failed first grade. His prognosis was dire. Testing revealed that he could only read 10 words, displayed no strengths and had a "low IQ." She was also told by a teacher that her son was "the worst child I've seen in 20 years of teaching," The diagnosis was compounded by "fixed" ideas on how to teach reading. She was driven to remove the label "worst child ever" and see him achieve at the highest levels. It wasn't easy. She soon discovered her own dyslexia, but examining her reading failure caused her to adapt and change lessons for her son. The results were dramatic. Lois soon became a literacy specialist to assist other failing students. She is a cofounder of the Teaching Students With Dyslexia Writing & Reading Program. Lois and her son Nicholas are an inspiration for parents, teachers, and listeners to believe in themselves, to seek solutions beyond the “average,” and that they may achieve the impossible.

My guest today Steven Hall is a medical doctor who specializes in people with chronic problems that conventional medicine hasn't been able to help. For over 30 years he has watched his patients heal, sometimes from things that seem impossible, by addressing the root causes of their pain. They showed him that healing is a process; a deep transformational process, not a quick fix. And that healing is a practice that follows the same seven steps, which Dr. Steven calls The Seven Tools of Healing. He now coaches parents in how to raise their children to have a high level of emotional intelligence, so their children won't need so much healing work later as adults. He is married to a child-education and literature expert and, together, they have raised four children, several of whom home-schooled for parts of their education.

Trent McEntire is an inspiring individual. He's an example of how one can overcome limitations with determination and a creative spark. Born with a mild form of Cerebral Palsy, Trent experienced pain and stiffness every day from the time he was a child. This limited his ability to play sports which he loved, and made it more difficult to read and do school work. He studied many forms of movement science, and in time he figured out how to repair his own body. This breakthrough enabled Trent to play sports, and he eventually moved on to become a professional dancer, performing on stages throughout the country and abroad. Now, Trent has developed the program “Fire Up Your Brain For Kids”. Today we'll dive into how this program can help your child increase brain performance, enabling them to be at their best in the classroom and on the field.

My guest today was introduced to me through Taryn Helper, a mom I interviewed a few weeks ago. If there is anyone on this planet that has a pulse on where alternative education has come and where it is going, it's Dr. Peter Berg. Dr. Berg has over 25 year's experience with alternative school systems. He's worked in everything from Democratic schools, to self-directed learning environments to innovative public school programs. Professionally, he's a mental health counsellor and coach for teens. Clearly he's very passionate about helping teens find their true potential. He's also the main conference organizer for AERO, short for Alternative Education Resource Organization. AERO happens to be the only organization with a global reach that brings learner-centered educational alternatives together under one roof. Today we're going to explore where education is headed, learn about the vast resources AERO has that you and I can take advantage of, and hear about AERO's conference happening later this month, which I'll also be presenting at.

Like many people I interview on this podcast, my guest today, Gail Swift has a mission fueled by a painful experience in her life. This happened for her at the age of 15. At that time, she was putting effort into being something she wasn’t. She was working against the way she was designed to work, and that caused her a lot of unnecessary stress. Fortunately for the rest of us, Gail chose to use that pain to become a speaker/advocate for youth. She has an unwavering passion to teach every youth how they naturally solve problems, to discover their ideal way of doing things. How is this useful? - This new awareness guides college-bound students to know their ideal major. - It helps parents better understand their children, building deeper and lasting relationships. - There is no greater joy than in finding your true essence. That’s what we want for our kids right? Gail is a certified Kolbe consultant and president of Plans to Prosper Coaching, and today we’re going to uncover how you can help your child find their ideal path in life.

James Thornock is a former school teacher who found the constraints of the public school system didn’t allow him to do what he loves most - create a great learning experience for kids. He's now a young dad and Operations Officer for Coder Kids. We delve into what it takes to create a great learning environment, in particular with online learning, and how at Coder Kids they are able to keep kids as young as 6 engaged for hours at a time. We explore how learning coding develops valuable skills, even if it’s something that isn’t a long term passion for them. Coder Kids offers a buffet of learning experiences, from programming itself to teamwork, videography and art design. They cover many platforms, from Minecraft to Fortnite, Scratch, Python and more. Enjoy the show!

Even before Covid most of us spend way more time sitting than is good for us. Covid has amplified a systemic problem even further, especially for our kids. Annette Cashell discovered this the hard way. She had a series of serious injuries, despite living an "active" lifestyle... or so she thought. She began to realise that outside of her gym workouts and weekend hikes, she was sedentary the REST OF THE TIME. And, it turns out, the REST OF THE TIME was what really mattered! And so she started to add movement into her day. Frequently. And with variety. And her body thrived. So much so that she was able to avoid the neck fusion operation and all the pain/heartache associated with it. My guest today Annette Cashell is a Natural Movement Coach who helps people add movement (not exercise!), into their everyday lives for better whole body health. Her offerings are specifically designed to undo or prevent the damage caused by excessive sitting, in a highly practical, sustainable and even fun way! Her mantra is - Exercise is optional; movement is essential. Today we’re going to learn how to do that.

Today we shine the spotlight on an amazing family to inspire you on your education journey. Through these examples, we want you to know that if your situation isn’t working, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can find your own success path, and it may look very different from what you are doing right now. And you’re not alone. That’s what Taryn discovered. Her and her 3 kids moved through 17 schools in 10 years. Each of them were diagnosed with disabilities, prescribed highly scheduled drugs and attended years of multiple therapies. By some miracle when things were at their worst with Shane, their neighbor introduced them to Self-Directed Education and their lives began to transform. Shane started directing his own education. He attended a democratic school before making his big decision to take his drumming career to the next level. He spent a year full time completing the highest grade in music and now teaches drums. Inspired by these positive shifts, Taryn launched into the depths of research in alternative education methods. She also trained as a Self-Directed Facilitator and was a staff member at a Sudbury school, for 1 year. While Shane had a really rough beginning with school... since self-directing Shane no longer needs meds, therapies or has any diagnoses. It's a really inspiring story and one you'll definitely learn a lot from.

My guest today, Michael Barton has a very personal message to share. You see, Michael is autistic, and he wants everyone to know that the world is a better place because of the unique gifts autistic people possess. While still at a young age he has already published two books and given over 100 talks on autism, Asperger's syndrome and neurodiversity. His talks focus on positive aspects of being autistic, to inspire people and break down the barriers autistic people face. Michael also advises companies on their Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) policies surrounding neurodiversity. Fascinating fact: Michael works as an E-commerce Data Analyst for Autovia, making him one of just 16% of the autistic population in full time employment. I learned a lot about the world from the view of an autistic person. I realized there is much I have to learn still. Have a listen and together lets create a world where everyone's kids can thrive, which includes the world of education.

Stephanie Ryan is a learning scientist and a young mom on a mission - to simplify the complex world of science for parents with younger kids... so they gain confidence finding and teaching the science around them. Quote: "You can pull a lot of [learning] out of simple things, if you are willing to look for it" She recently wrote a new book Let's Learn about Chemistry! Which is all about starting young readers off on a lifelong love of STEM, These days you can find her active on the @letslearnaboutscience Instagram account. There she shares early learning resources for parents, often sharing questions parents can ask and mistakes of her own that she makes.

Stephanie Ryan is a learning scientist who has dedicated herself to making parents with younger kids more comfortable finding and teaching the science around them. She recently wrote a new book Let's Learn about Chemistry! which is all about starting young readers off on a lifelong love of STEM! These days you can find her active on the @letslearnaboutscience Instagram account. There she shares early learning resources for parents, often sharing questions parents can ask and mistakes of her own that she makes.

Quotes From Episode "And I would say no matter what option you pick, Covid [life] has shown us is you can't just hand off or delegate learning education to the school system, right? It's not enough or perhaps even not even the right thing at all for you." Don't Miss: 1:30 I talk about my new business direction I'm really enjoying 3:47 The shift from taking anything to really focusing, and how that accelerated momentum 5:18 How to apply the focus principle to make the right educational choices

My co-host and son Graham Kirk is back with me in the podcast booth. He joins me to interview a father-son who have chosen their own unique path for education. We give you this real-life story to inspire you and to learn from as you figure out the right choices for your family. The Aberle’s believe in entrepreneurship. Their question for you and I today is...can you shift from the traditional ways families operate and embrace what they call the Kidpreneur family? They actually created a program for entire families to start thinking and acting like true entrepreneurs. This father/son duo have invested heavily in themselves to be strong mentally and sound practically in all aspects of life and business. And the results speak for themselves. Troy is a master at sales, having sold over $390 million personally. He now hones his craft as an Executive Life and Business Strategist which to me is a pretty fab title. Luke is 12 years old and back when he was 9, he started a website all by himself! He reviews tech products, camping gear and photograph! These are things he loves to use outdoors near the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Solo episode this week! Hey, everyone, today I want to talk to you about the age old question of how do you get kids to help with chores? I've got three teenage kids myself... a daughter who's 16... twin boys who are 14... and recently I've had some changes in my life. I moved into my own place beginning of February... which has been awesome. It's an opportunity to try some some new things. Because in the previous place, I noticed a lot of the time chores were often a hassle... this battle that would go on to get things done. I don't want to be a nag. I want them to be internally motivated to do things. And ultimately, I just want everything in life to be fun. That's something I'm really focusing on a lot in my life right now. So how to make this work so everyone is happy? I share a few things I'm trying that I think are working pretty well.

For parents with young children, this pandemic is particularly challenging. Kids want and need to move, to play, to experience life with all of their senses. None of us want our kids glued to screens for hours at a time, being passive content consumers... yet so often that’s what happens. My guest today, Drew Vernon is passionate about creating a playful, stimulating experience for young kids. He is a father of three and for years ran his own daycare facility, so he’s got some skin in the game. He is now the U.S. marketing lead at Tonies. The Toniebox is a popular audio system that uses screen-free storytelling and playful characters to bring stories to life. And get this. If you are a parent or loved one who can’t be with a child in person, you can read a story or send a message through the Toniebox, right to your child. What a great way to connect grandparents and grandkids. There are now over 1 million Tonieboxes across Europe, and just recently have become available in North America. Today we’ll take a close look at this unique product, birthed out of two dad’s desires to do something meaningful for kids. We’ll also explore the role of play in early childhood development.

Some of you know a little about my backstory. I’ve been an entrepreneur for most of my working life… I love the freedom to choose what I do, how I structure my days, where I invest in my personal development and in my business. Freedom is EVERYTHING to me. I want to live my best life now, to wake up every day excited for what lies ahead, and to have choice in the matter. That’s why I’m excited to speak with today’s guest, Naomi Fisher. She went from working in a hand made cake factory, a highly stressful job where she didn’t even have control over her break times, to now a clinical psychologist and author of Changing our Minds: How Children can take Control of their own Learning. In her book, she argues why having control, having autonomy in learning and life is essential for growth, health and happiness. We’ll dive in deeply into this topic, which I think is especially relevant given the world we live in right now, where in the battle against the pandemic, much of our collective control over our lives is greatly reduced. We’ll examine the affects of a controlled environment on kids who spend much of their childhood in the school system, where like Naomi experienced, you have to raise your hand to go to the bathroom. She is a mother to two self-directed learners who were unschooled for 6 years, then attended a Sudbury-model school in Paris and now are members of the Self-Managed Learning College in Hove. Get ready to dive into the psychology of self-directed learning: why it works, how it works and how to make it work for you and your family.

Today we’re going to explore the one educational subject that I believe causes the most grief and frustration for parents and their kids… It’s a four letter word that has the power to turn a peaceful moment at home into a battle for survival… I’m talking about math of course, and my guest today, Dr. Aditya Nagrath has a contagious passion for it. And he has a bold promise for you parents who’d rather lock your bedroom door and turn up an 80s playlist real loud than help your kids with their homework… He guarantees your child will learn 1 year of math in just 3 months, doing 30 minutes a week using his system, affectionately called Elephant Learning. And… the kids who use it enjoy it, in fact they’ll choose to spend the time learning, without you having to say anything. So… wanna get some sanity and free time back? Of course, what matters most is setting your kids up for future success. And in a world increasingly more tech and data-driven, math problem-solving skills are more important than ever. So let’s find out more about this incredible guy and his mission to empower children through mathematics.

Better grades. Less stress. A skill set for life. As parents, that’s what we want for our kids… for them to not only achieve well, but do it with joy and confidence. We want to do our part to set them up for future success once they are out of the home. So naturally, I was curious when I saw those 9 words prominently displayed on my guest’s web site. Kelsey Komorowski has been tackling this challenge for quite some time… she has spent over 30,000 hours working with families… first with the Ministry of Education here in Ontario, my home province, and now through her company, Komo Consulting. She knows that every student can succeed in school, so long as they’re shown how. She’s uncovered 5 shifts, 5 things she’s seen successful students and families doing. Parenting is a tough road, and it’s really hard at times to know what to do. I certainly speak from experience, with 3 teens of my own. As a family coach, Kelsey loves empowering parents with the skills and knowledge to help their kids reach their potential. She shows them how to establish positive household dynamics around school. Plus, she loves to travel, something I’m really into as well. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so listen in!

I was introduced to my guest today, Travis through a mutual friend, Joy Anderson, who is also a previous guest on this podcast. She said to me... you've really got to meet this guy. He's doing incredible work with teens and entrepreneurship, so naturally I was curious to find out more. I did a little bit more digging and turns out he's a pretty super creative guy. He's a product designer and business developer. He designed a travel toothbrush that cleans itself, which sounds pretty cool, that blew up big on Kickstarter. But even more than that, he's really super passionate about investing in young people... the future generation. He founded a nonprofit that helps teens start their own businesses. He's been doing that for about four years now, and he's worked with over 100 young people, mentoring them as they walked through a process that he calls the Creator's Path. He's also working in an Acton Academy school, which is a cutting edge K to 12 school that Jeff Sandefer, who was in our third episode, launched. And so we get a chance to learn a bit more about that. Today we'll explore how his model of entrepreneurship is changing teen lives for the better, preparing them for an uncertain future, and how your teen can get involved if it's the right fit for them.

It's easy to forget how much nutrition and lifestyle affect educational success. What if your child's performance could be improved... simply by changing their diet? A lack of motivation and tiredness could be less about workload, and more about energy levels. Diet affects mood, sleep and ability to recover. The extra stresses from pandemic life make it more essential than ever to take care of our bodies. That starts with the food we put into them. You can't out learn a poor diet, no matter how hard we try. Yet, figuring out what to do, and then sticking with it, especially with our kids, is easier said than done. My guest today, Megan Dillabough solves this problem for entrepreneurs and busy families. She is a Holistic Nutrition & Lifestyle Consultant, fondly referred to as the Wellness Wizard & Kitchen Witch. Megan uses her kitchen as her lab, then shares her amazing discoveries, so we can get back to the basics of eating well & feeling great. If you are looking for simple and effective ways for you and your family to stay healthy, today's show is a must listen.

Homeschooling is on the rise. In a Gallup poll in August of 2020, 10% of parents in the US indicated they intended to homeschool that year. And that doesn’t include children at home enrolled in a public or private school. That’s double the number of families homeschooling from the previous year. Success varies of course. Trying to work from home, in some cases for the first time, while also playing the role of teacher is more than some parents can take, or really want to do. Not that you have to be the teacher. There are many flavors of homeschooling - what you do reflects who you are, what you value and where you want to go. So, is homeschooling an option for you and your family? My good friend Pat Fullingim is joining us today to discuss these questions and more. She is a crisis & homeschooling coach, working with parents to shift chaos & confusion into clarity & confidence as they begin their homeschooling journey. Pat is a 23 year homeschooling veteran who not only taught her own 6 kids but also assisted hundreds of families along the way through a homeschooling coop she helped establish and run. If you've been considering homeschooling, or are already on the the journey and looking for guidance, this episode is for especially for you.

Today we turn our attention to children in their younger years... I’m really excited because my guest today is on a mission to help women create successful preschools (not daycares) so they can stay home with their kids, create a consistent income, and make a difference in children's lives. She was once there too. After becoming a single mother overnight, Joy Anderson had to figure out how to create a full-time income while also caring for 3 young children. She was committed to staying home with them. She refused to put them in daycare or even worse, start a daycare. That's when she discovered a third option, PRESCHOOL, and started one in her home instead. She quickly grew it into multiple locations, where she taught over 1,000 students and made $1.75 million before finally selling it. Joy realized this preschool business model had the potential to bless millions of mothers' lives, so she set out on a mission to share this message. As the founder and CEO of Preschool System, she's helped thousands of women create successful preschools... and she won't stop until every woman in the world knows there IS a third option to childcare: they too can start a preschool, stay home with their kids, and create incredible wealth for their family. If you are looking for an income option that works for you and your family, or additional support for your pre-school kids, this episode is especially for you.

Here's your chance to hear the back story of your hosts, me Gerry and son Graham (14). We have a lot of fun talking about... - the "split test" that led us to shift from regular school to our flavour of homeschool/unschool - our unique educational / learning journey we've taken as a family (3 kids) - how Graham saved the day in Mexico busking for money - why we let strangers stay at our house - what business Graham is currently making money doing - Graham's reflections after 4 months of Galileo, an online self-directed school ... and more!

If you have kids in high school, or approaching that age, today’s episode is especially for you. If you want a look at the future of education happening right now, keep listening. My guest Indra Sofian is the co-founder of Sora Schools, a live, virtual project-based high school where students explore their interests and future careers. That’s an understatement, actually. Imagine a school where kids get mentored in projects of their own choosing, like building a rocket, with the support of a SpaceX engineer… And the learning objectives achieved through that rocket project are evaluated and translated into an accepted transcript for university... Where the focus is helping students discover and develop their passions, and turn that into an exciting career choice? Sora Schools is trail-blazing the future of education. Now Indra’s journey to reimagine high school education began while he was in college at Georgia Tech, where he started his first business Elevate Media, producing videos and content for companies like Coca Cola and State Bank & Trust. He also led the student entrepreneurship community at Georgia Tech and became a venture partner at Contrary Capital, a venture capital firm investing in university-founded startups. Eventually, Indra realized that he was learning far more from his business and other involvements than he was sitting in class. He began to research educational models and last year founded Sora Schools with his co-founders, Wesley Samples and Garrett Smiley. Enjoy the show!

We covered some incredible ground in 2020! The Modern Education Movement started back in October, which in 2020 feels like a decade, right? Today I look back at the first 20 episodes, and pull out 5 major themes from so many incredible conversations. You'll be surprised by what emerged. Listen in and get a short cut to the biggest takeaways from these modern educators.

Welcome to the Modern Education Movement podcast. This week on the podcast we’re bringing you a bite-sized, 10-15 minute clip from one of our favourite and most popular episodes. Catch the full conversation in Episode 12 - The School Myth Exposed with Jennifer Sutherland of Beyond School. >>> https://link.chtbl.com/episode-12-jenn-sutherland Today my good friend Jennifer Sutherland dives into why so many parents are grieving a lost ideal - that traditional, mainstream school is the right choice for their families. She then guides listeners with practical, actionable advice on how to move past that letdown, and with courage, find another way forward that gives them and their children a life they didn't know was possible! Jennifer has a degree in education and has worked with hundreds of families as a consultant and educational coach. She has over 20 years of experience supporting families in developing world class education for their children outside the four walls of a classroom – beyond school. She’s now the CEO – Chief ‘Evangelist’ Officer and Chief Education Officer– of Beyond School, an experience she describes as a path between school and homeschooling, that enables parents to create a more conscious and intentional education for their children. If you need help in figuring out the right learning path for you and your family, or are simply curious about what might be possible, this episode is for you.

Do you have teenagers? Are at your wits end more days than not, trying to help your demotivated, under-performing and frustrated kid? My guest today has the cure for you. He’s figured out how to engage and motivate young adults. What black magic is this, you may be wondering? Here’s a hint - he doesn’t resort to bribes or threats to take away the PS4, or the PS5 if you are lucky enough to find one. Henry gets consistent results using these ingredients - trust, love, openness, respect and accountability. Now, that all sounds well and good, but the real question is, how? With lots of practice and experimentation. Henry Dingle has worked with 100s, maybe even 1000s of teenagers and their parents over the past 20 years as a tutor, mentor and coach. That’s thousands of hours figuring out how to help teenagers succeed, and parents to maintain their sanity. One graduate of the program, when asked how she overcame her personal challenges and learning difficulties to achieve the outstanding grades she did, simply responded: ‘His name is Henry, and he made me believe in myself again’. Today, you and I get to learn the methods behind the results.

Do you dream some day of becoming a millionaire? Of being financially free? What about for your kids? Well, what if you one day achieved that dream, and then a year later lost everything? My guest today Cody Loughlin lived that experience. He became a millionaire at the early age of 27, and went bankrupt at age 28! How did that happen? How could he go from being on top of the world, achieving all this success, to then having his possessions taken away, and deep in debt? Cody learned he was missing one essential skill, and without it, it can ruin the most talented, determined individual. What was that skill? He was financially illiterate. He didn’t know how to manage his money. They didn’t teach that in school. Fortunately, Cody’s story doesn’t end there. Cody's companies have reached over $200M+ in sales. They reached the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies twice. He also served as the vice-president of a commercial bank and financed over $100M+ in loans. 10 years after that bankruptcy, Cody was able to retire. Now Cody’s mission is to equip youth with those essential financial literacy skills. He works with parents so they can educate their children on how to become financially free. These families build deep, lasting relationships. If you want to give your kids the necessary skills for success in life, this episode is for you.

Every parent wants their child to be successful. I know you do, that’s why you are listening to this podcast. You want the best educational experience for your child. That’s the frustrating part. So many of us put faith in traditional school because, let’s be honest, it was the one we went through. No one showed us real alternatives for our families. At some point, you’ll have to decide on post secondary education. It’s a life changing decision. My guest today doesn't want you and your children to feel trapped once again. You need to understand the options in order to make a confident, informed, decision. What if you knew not 1, or 2, but 12 viable options to college and university? That’s why it’s incredibly important that you listen to today’s guest. SJ Barakovy works 1:1 with parents who are dissatisfied with their kids’ educational journey. He shows them what is truly possible. He then guides them to create a solution tailor fit to their needs. He has served dozens of families , individuals (primarily students & other solopreneurs ), & business workplaces over the past 6 years in the educational space (mentor/consultant/facilitator, advisor) & nearly 3 years before that as a life/family coach. More than that, he’s incredibly fascinating! He is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about education, steeped in the history of how education evolved, and also where it’s going! You are in for a real treat today! Enjoy this episode...

Today is a super exciting day. First, my part-time co-host and son Graham Kirk is in the studio! Graham joins me to interview a father-son who have chosen their own unique path for education. We give you these real-life examples to inspire you and to learn from as you figure out the right choice for your family. That, and we just love hanging out with them! Our parent guest, Rocky Buckley knew from the beginning homeschooling was the right fit for his family. As a child he struggled a lot in school, mostly from boredom and being bullied for not fitting in. He and his partner, a former school teacher, wanted something better for their kids. Professionally, Rocky guides knowledge experts who want to monetize their expertise, but don’t know how. If you are an author, speaker, consultant or coach, imagine leveraging what you know into your own high-ticket, lifestyle-friendly business. His clients have sold a combined 100 million dollars in training programs, curriculum, and information products to the market. Jack Buckley is a 16-year old homeschooler, filmmaker and host of his own YouTube podcast called The Jack Buckley Show, aimed at young creators. Jack has appeared on television, newspapers and radio as the creator of the world's first Minecraft animated feature film, an action-comedy called Remnants, which he released when he was only 14 years old. He is currently working on his next mystery feature project, projected to release in 2023. Tune in for this fascinating conversation about their educational journey!

The teenage years. What immediately comes to mind? I have 3 teenagers right now - my daughter Malia who is 16, and twin boys David and Graham who will be 14 in a couple of weeks. I get to see it all... - The moody swings that puberty brings. - David’s bottomless appetite - The insecurities - The deepening voices and developing personalities - The needing friendships more than ever and parents less over time - Trying to discover their own identity, what they are passionate about - Making decisions for the future and trying to juggle lots of competing interests The pressures can quickly become daunting and overwhelming! That’s where my guest comes in. Amanda Chatzeekonstanteenoh is a Certified Master Life & Wellness Coach whose life mission is to equip teens & young adults to navigate the stresses that come on their way to adulthood. She equips her clients with essential life skills, effective goal setting tools and stress management strategies to become confident, self- motivated, independent and resilient adults. That’s what I want for my kids, and since you are listening to this podcast, I know you do too. Even if you don’t have kids, you’ll gain some valuable insights you can apply to your own life.

A lot of you are getting exposed or considering non traditional forms of education, and I know many of you are really wondering what is hype, and what really works. Well today, we’re going to pull back the curtain, and take an academic research point of view at one of the lesser understood schooling options. Unschooling. It’s a fundamentally opposite approach to traditional education as the name suggests. My guest today Gina Riley is known internationally for her work in the fields of homeschooling, unschooling, and self-directed learning. In addition, Dr. Riley has extensive experience in online education and distance learning at the college/university level. She is an educational psychologist, Clinical Professor, and Program Leader of the Adolescent Special Education Program at CUNY – Hunter College. Dr. Riley has over fifteen years experience working with teens diagnosed with learning disabilities and emotional/behavioral disorders. She is also a seasoned academic, with years of teaching, research, and supervisory experience within the fields of special education, psychology, school psychology, and mental health counseling. Fasten your seat belt everyone - we’re about to pull back the curtain and examine the world of unschooling and more through the lense of academic research.

My guest today, Julia Black was faced with a very real problem to solve. Her daughter was struggling at school. She felt fenced in, crushed and dispirited. The light inside her 7 year old child, for learning, had gone out. What would you do if you were in that situation? For Julia, she knew something had to change. And so she took action. She and her family spent the next 12 years on an amazing real-world adventure exploring cutting-edge educational practices, neuroscientific developments and mental wellbeing research. And the good news is that she found a way to transform children who were totally bored by what school has to offer and turn them into the most intrinsically motivated learners. Be aware - this is not for hands-off parents. To light up your child, you must first turn on the light in yourself, and that is challenging yet rewarding work. Fortunately, Julia has transformed thousands of families through her Lights On® Academy. They are leading more positive, creative and happy lives because of it. This is one of the most valuable interviews I've done on this show. Enjoy!

My guest today Mara Linaberger believes that each of us has chosen to be here at this moment in time for a specific reason—that we are each on a mission that we choose for ourselves. And that figuring out what we love, what we’re good at, and how we can be of service is the engine we need to fuel a lifetime of joyful learning. Mara also believes that school often slows down or stifles that excitement for students. So she is on a mission to create a global network of 100 microschools in the next 20 years—to harness education toward helping amazing children to develop their highest potentials while making learning fun again! Mara is a life-long educator, author, technologist, artist, ballroom dancer, and musician, having spent 25 years in service as a public school educator, teacher trainer, and administrator. She is the international two-time best selling author of HELP! My Child Hates School and The Micro-School Builder’s Handbook. Mara currently lives in Harmony, PA, with her husband Michael while she travels far and wide, directly supporting clients in her global Microschool Builders programs. On this episode, learn all about microschools, whether they are a good fit for your family, and if inspired, how you can start one in your own community.

Forget the kids (for a moment), and all they are going through. We've overlooked something that vitally needs addressing. Parents are grieving the loss of a dream they had... That by sending their kids on the yellow bus to school, just like they went themselves, many years ago... Their kids were being well looked after. This grief needs processing, in order to move forward, fully. Today my guest and good friend Jennifer Sutherland explore that topic and a whole lot more. Somehow, she homeschooled her own four children, quite successfully, from birth to university entrance while traveling the world, full time, for over a decade. Yeah they did some crazy things, some of which we’ll get into today. Jennifer also has a degree in education and has worked with hundreds of families as a consultant and educational coach. She has over 20 years of experience supporting families in developing world class education for their children outside the four walls of a classroom – beyond school. She’s now the CEO – Chief ‘Evangelist’ Officer and Chief Education Officer– of Beyond School, an experience she describes as a path between school and homeschooling, that enables parents to create a more conscious and intentional education for their children. If you need help in figuring out the right learning path for you and your family, or are simply curious about what might be possible, this episode is for you.

Are you a parent who would love to be able to homeschool while also running a thriving business? Well today’s guest Holly Homer has done just that. Once a physical therapist specializing in the treatment of chronic pain, Holly is now a professional blogger running the Kids Activities Blog and the Quirky Momma FB page, which has a community of over 3.5 million people. She is also a best-selling author - her three books have sold over 215K copies. And she’s done that while partial-homeschooling her 3 boys, meaning, she doesn’t do it all, in fact she’d happily tell you that these days, she’s mostly hands off because her boys can manage their day to day learning on their own. How has she created this incredible life for her and her family? You'll be surprised. Some of the topics we explore: - Importance of play, and the value of being bored - How to foster independence - Importance of planning, and being able to let go of the plan Enjoy the show!