Podcasts about independent education

055 - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. Now today we're speaking to someone really quite special. When Stephen Thorpe is on TV or in the movies he's more commonly known as Stephen Campbell Moore. But today he's not with some of the biggest names in the industry (I'm talking Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Dan Aykroyd) he's not with them at all because he's with us. And he's about to talk about his life when he was at Berkhamsted.We find out how the school helped him with his love of drama, what it was like featuring in a major movie when he was right at the start of his career and how things might change in the industry in the future.But we also find out what he'd say to a student who was considering if an acting career was right for them, interesting to get his thoughts on this.Anyway, that's all coming up in this episode. So let's cut the intro and instead step into this conversation as we talk to theatre, film and TV actor, Stephen Campbell Moore.Stephen Campbell MooreBerkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

053 - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. Now today this is a great episode because I'm speaking to someone who left Berkhamsted back in 1993 having gone through the school's CCF programme and then joining the army. Charlie Taylor is our guest and he talks about what life in the army was really like, what he did, where he served, what it's like being in different parts of the world and what it's like for those who are left behind. But we also talk about how the school's CCF programme prepared him and what he might say to someone considering it at school today.It's a great episode and I think you're going to love this conversation. So come with me as we find out about CCF and army life by talking to Charlie Taylor.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

052 - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. Today we're talking to the recently appointed Head Girl and Head Boy at school so we've a real treat for you. Ella and Dan are both in Y13 and they talk about the process they went through, what they'll need to do in these positions, how they'll balance this with their academic work and what they think they might be doing once they leave school. Also, turns out it's a special day for Ella, find out more when you listen to the episode.Anyway, for all that and for a whole lot more come with me as we speak to the current Head Boy and Head Girl, it's Dan and Ella.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

RC024 -  Change Management and Leadership in Schools with Courtenay Shrimpton   Courtenay Shrimpton is the Lead Consultant at Blue Sky Thinkers. Courtenay has been a leader in Independent Education and has held positions of leadership for the last 30 years.  From the moment Courtenay began his career he has driven new program development. From Student Leadership models, to Advisory Programs, Maker Spaces, Arts-Co-curricular initiatives and so much more.   “The process by which you understand who you are, where you are and where you need to go I think is really critical." - Courtenay Shrimpton   “It's the great leadership TEST: Trust, Empower, Support and Thank. You have to TEST all the people around you." - Courtenay Shrimpton   This week on the Roll Call Podcast:     Why is change in schools so difficult? Prioritizing what matters Getting started  Where are you and where are you going? Aligning with your vision and mission Using data to drive change Profile of a leader Shifting culture   Resources Mentioned:   https://blueskythinkers.ca   This episode is sponsored by REACH Boarding   This episode is sponsored by REACH Boarding, an award-winning, feature-rich boarding school management tool used by over 400 schools in five continents to manage risk, increase efficiency, and improve communication in boarding school management.   To learn more about REACH Boarding, its features and integrations, visit www.reachboarding.com   Empowering the Future of Independent Education & Boarding School Management   Thanks for tuning into this week's episode of Roll Call with Brian Murray and Josh Simons, the show helping education professionals stay at the forefront of global education trends. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest review.   Don't forget to share your favorite episodes with your colleagues on social media to help us spread the word and help more education professionals stay at the forefront of independent education and boarding school management techniques to empower the future of the education environment.

051 - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. Today we have a great episode as we're finding out about the recent school trip to Singapore and Malaysia, both amazing places for pupils to visit.Clare Tan is our member of staff who was heavily involved in the planning of this trip but while it's good to hear from her it's great to hear from some of the pupils who enjoyed this trip. So we're also joined by Ben in Year 8, Jemimah in Year 9 and Charles in Year 10, and they're going to tell us about some of the things that happened on this trip, why it's so good for them as teenagers and how it helps so much given that they're learning Mandarin in school.So let's not waste any more time but instead come with me into Berkhamsted as we speak to three pupils and Miss Clare Tan.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

“We have an opportunity to be part of the solution, to restore true choice in education, and to regain liberty and prosperity. It starts with us, with our families, and with our resolve to make a difference." – Alex Newman Are you concerned about the state of education in America? Join us on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast as Yvette Hampton sits down with Alex Newman and Leigh Bortins to discuss the groundbreaking Declaration of Educational Independence. Dive into their comprehensive research on the history of education, the separation of civil government from education, and why it's crucial for parents to take back control of their children's education. Get inspired to make a difference and sign the Declaration today! Come back tomorrow for the rest of this important conversation. Watch this full conversation on our YouTube channel.  Leigh Bortins is the founder and chief visionary officer of Classical Conversations Inc., an organization that models the home-centered learning approach to empower learners of all ages. She trains facilitators dedicated to duplicating her methods and is thereby transforming education and improving the quality of family and community life. Check out Leigh's books here. More from Leigh Bortins on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast Alex Newman is an award-winning international journalist, educator, author, speaker, investor, and consultant who seeks to glorify God in everything he does.  In addition to serving as president of Liberty Sentinel Media, Inc, he has written for a wide array of publications in the United States and abroad. He currently serves as a contributor to the Epoch Times, a correspondent for the Law Enforcement Intelligence Brief, foreign correspondent and senior editor for The New American magazine, a writer for WND (World Net Daily), an education writer for FreedomProject Media, a columnist for the Illinois Family Institute, and much more. Check out Alex's books here. More from Alex Newman on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast   Discussion Questions For the Series: How does the concept of education as a family responsibility differ from the prevalent view that it is the government's responsibility? What are the main arguments made by the speakers against government involvement in education? Do you agree or disagree with these arguments? In what ways do you think the current education system is failing? Can you provide any personal experiences or examples to support your answer? What are the potential implications of government funding and control of alternative education options, such as homeschooling? How do you interpret the biblical and patriotic references made by the speakers in relation to education? Do you believe there is a strong connection between faith and education? The Declaration of Educational Independence emphasizes the importance of defining principles and goals for education. Do you think this is necessary? Why or why not? What role do you believe parents should play in their children's education? Do you think they are the most qualified individuals to teach their own children? How do you think education should be separated from civil government? What steps do you think need to be taken to achieve this separation? The Declaration of Educational Independence calls for a return to family-led education. How do you think this would impact society as a whole? What benefits or challenges do you foresee? Recommended Resources:  Podcast Note-Taking Guide Sign the Declaration of Educational Independence HSLDA Grants for Homeschooling Classical Conversations Scholarship Fund Ambleside Online (free homeschool curriculum) Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool (free homeschool curriculum) More free homeschool resources for every grade

“We have an opportunity to be part of the solution, to restore true choice in education, and to regain liberty and prosperity. It starts with us, with our families, and with our resolve to make a difference." – Alex Newman Are you concerned about th...

050 - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. Today I hope you're hungry because if you're not then you will be shortly. Sally Rowe is the Head of Food and Nutrition at Berkhamsted and she's talking to us today about, you guessed it, food.We talk about what food tech looks like at school, the fact that more and more boys are getting into food, and we talk about food in our society, where it all comes from, why that's important, the different advice that we're given and the relevance of so-called fad diets.It's a great episode, I know you're going to love listening to it. So come with me into the world of Food and Nutrition at Berkhamsted as we speak to Sally Rowe.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

049 - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. Now today we're getting into sport, in particular Netball. Dani Wates is the outgoing Head of Netball and she's joined by Dannii Titmuss Morris, the incoming Head of Netball who is also a former Netball Superleague coach. And then we also have Louise Travis, she's a parent in the school community who is an international netball umpire and she recently umpired at the Netball World Cup in South Africa. So we have quite a team here today!I get to ask them all about what Netball looks like at Berkhamsted, we hear about some recent successes, how each of them got into netball when they were younger and the importance of being an inspirational teacher.That's all coming up in this episode so let's not waste anymore time but instead come with me as we speak to Dani Wates, Dannii Titmuss Morris and Louise Travis.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#047  - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. And today we're speaking to some of the sixth formers.Finn, Bella and Henry are with us and they run the Berkhamsted Union, a debating society that was formed last year.So we're about to find out what the union looks like, how often they meet up, what kind of issues they debate, how people can get involved and what some of the challenges are to running something like this.But we also get to find out the benefits of being involved in something like this, not just if you're running it but however you might be involved in it.That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to sixth formers Finn, Bella and Henry.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#046  - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. And today we're stepping into Heatherton to speak to Headteacher Nicola Nicoll.Now Nicola's been on an earlier episode but that was not long after she joined the school so I was very keen to hear how she's getting on and what changes she's gone through herself.But I also ask her about something called Game Changers (she explains all about that), we talk about how the school helps girls there to dream big for the future, and we talk about how to break those stereotypes for girls' career choices.All that's coming up right now so come with me as we step into Heatherton and speak to Headteacher, Nicola Nicoll.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#045  - This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. And today I'm super excited for you to hear this, we're speaking to James Rodwell, pupil at the school from 1991 to 2002 but after leaving the school he stepped into professional rugby, he's England's most capped rugby sevens player, an Olympic silver medalist and he was the Head Coach for the England women's sevens team.And now he's back as a rugby coach at Berkhamsted.So we're going to find out his experience being a boy at school, where he went to university but also all about his professional career, travelling the world and I ask him what it's like to play rugby in front of 85,000 people, that's a number I can't quite get my head around.But we also find out what this means for him now he's working at school and, more importantly, what that means for the pupils.Whether or not you're into rugby, this is a great episode and I know you're going to love it. So come with me as we speak to professional rugby player, coach and member of staff at Berkhamsted, it's James Rodwell.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

Erin Jones is an Independent Education and Systems Consultant Public Speaker Mrs. Jones has been involved in and around schools for the past 26 years. She has taught in a variety of environments, from predominantly Black to predominantly White to some of the most diverse communities in the nation.

#044 -  This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight, the podcast showcasing a remarkable community. I'm so pleased you're here because it's a new year and this episode features Richard Backhouse, Principal at Berkhamsted. Now the last time Richard featured on the Berkhamsted Spotlight was back in April 2021 and in that time quite a bit has changed.We're going to find out some of those things and we're going to find out some of the upcoming changes in the next 12 months. But I also throw Richard a couple of challenging questions which, given that he had no insight into what I was about to ask, makes his responses all the more remarkable.Anyway, all that's coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to the Principal, Richard Backhouse.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#043-  This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight and today we're talking all about technology and how it impacts our lives and, importantly, the lives of our children.Sarah Shields is a school governor who's spent the last 15 years working for Dell Technologies. She holds a senior position there and as you'll hear she's passionate about technology and how it shapes our lives.Sarah is also a parent with two children at the school which puts her in the perfect place to be a school governor. So, if you have children and if they use technology, if they have a phone, if they engage in social media or online gaming, then you're going to love this episode. Come with me right now as we speak to school governor, parent and technology enthusiast, Sarah Shields.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#042- This is the Berkhamsted Spotlight and today we're stepping into Berkhamsted Girls as we speak to Headteacher Emma Watson. Now Emma's career before working in education was very, very different and I think you're going to love what she was doing. Today she's in an all-girls environment so she's going to tell us what that means, we talk about risk too, we find out what's happening over the next few months in school and we find out more about Emma herself. It's a great episode and I think you're going to love it so come with me as we speak to Headteacher at Berkhamsted Girls, Emma Watson.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#041 -  In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking all about what happens when pupils leave the school. We speak to an Academic Consultant at Berkhamsted which means he works with pupils to help them put their best foot forward to pursue their journeys and to realise their potential, particularly post sixth-form study to university. That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to Mo TanweerBerkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

This time of year, students with disabilities of all ages are completing their Independent Education Plans. We learn more with Lucia Bellafante.

Pam Bondi, former Florida Attorney General, joins Liberty & Justice Episode 37.  Pam and Matt discuss their work at America First Policy Institute (americafirstpolicy.com), the synthetic opioid crisis and Tampa Bay sports.  Watch every episode of Liberty & Justice at http://www.whitaker.tv.Pam Bondi, elected twice to serve as Florida's Attorney General from 2011 – 2019, chairs the firm's Corporate Regulatory Compliance practice. This national practice area focuses on serving Fortune 500 companies to implement best practices that proactively address public policy challenges such as human trafficking, opioid abuse and personal data privacy. As chair of the Corporate Regulatory Compliance practice, Pam works with clients to design and implement publicly conscious initiatives that will elevate their corporate responsibility reputation as well as address their critical regulatory challenges.Bondi was one of Florida's most accomplished Attorneys General and earned a reputation among her colleagues as one of the toughest law enforcement officials in the country.  During her tenure as Attorney General of Florida, Bondi undertook dozens of major state and national initiatives, including filing the most comprehensive state litigation regarding the national opioid crisis. She played a leading role in achieving the National Mortgage Settlement that ultimately resulted in $56 billion in total relief nationally. In a tremendous victory for Florida, Bondi sued BP and other responsible parties in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill case and settled for more than $2 billion in economic relief for Florida alone.Since 2011, Bondi worked aggressively to shut down pill mills, combat opioid abuse, ban synthetic drugs, end human trafficking, test previously unprocessed sexual assault kits, develop a school safety app to prevent school shootings, recover more than $1 billion in consumer protection, antitrust, and false claims matters (not counting the National Mortgage Settlement and BP), obtain more than $870 million in settlements and judgments through the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, supervise the prosecution of hundreds of multi-judicial circuit criminal cases, defend Florida's laws and constitution, and guard against federal overreach.She has served on numerous boards, including: President's Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis; Chair, Florida Statewide Council on Human Trafficking; Co-chair of the Substance Abuse Committee for the National Association of Attorneys General; and the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission.Pam has also received numerous awards and accolades, including: the 2017 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence in Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse; the 2018 Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association Furtherance of Justice Award; 2018 Drug Free America Lifetime Achievement Award; 2013 Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida Champion of Independent Education in Florida; and the 2012 National Association of Attorneys General President's Award.Bondi is a fourth-generation Floridian who spent more than 18 years as a prosecutor, trying cases ranging from domestic violence to capital murder. With her successful first-time run for office in 2010, Bondi became the first female Attorney General in Florida's history.Matthew G. Whitaker was acting Attorney General of the United States (2018-2019).  Prior to becoming acting Attorney General, Mr. Whitaker served as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General. He was appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by President George W. BusZBiotics Pre-Alcohol ProbioticBreaks down the byproduct of alcohol responsible for rough mornings after drinking.Brand

#040 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're speaking to one of the school's Governors, Gavin Laws. We're going to find out what it means to be a Governor, how the board of Governors is made up, how it helps the staff and possibly more importantly how this in turn helps the pupils at school.That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to school Governor, Gavin Laws.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

Independent Education Evaluations (IEE) are something that we typically talk about in Special Education under very high-stress situations. With worried parents, stressed school staff, and a scramble to collect all the data needed - it's no wonder all that can lead to stress! In this episode, I'm bringing a couple of solutions to you when it comes to IEE. I can't wait for you to check out Parallel Learning! Learn to Become a Master IEP Coach Get free weekly IEP training! Get expert IEP Help you can't get anywhere else! Get Started with Parallel Learning Today: Book a free consultation at parallellearning.com/schedule-your-consultation or call them directly at 914.377.5655

#038 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're speaking to Will Findlay who works at Berkhamsted doing three different roles. He's a Girls' Head of House, he's also a Boarding tutor and then in a teaching capacity he's also the Second in History.He explains to us what each of these roles encompasses, how they all fit together and what that means for the students too. But we also hear what Will has changed his mind about in the last two years and what his remarkable moment at Berkhamsted has been (he cheats in that a little but it's OK, we can let him off).That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to Will Findlay.Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#038 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're going into a school production. Mrs Turnley, Head of Drama at Berkhamsted, is joined by five of the Year Six pupils and together we hear what it felt like to be in a recent school production. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

Mark Northam chats to Deborah Knight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johanna Mikkola is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wyncode Academy, recently acquired by BrainStation, whose project-based programs have helped over 100,000 professionals launch new careers in the tech industry. Chad talks with Johanna about creating a digital skills training bootcamp, the hiring and training market and challenges, and prioritizing inclusion and diversity in the student population. BrainStation (https://brainstation.io/) Follow BrainStation on Twitter (https://twitter.com/brainstation), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BrainStation), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brainstation/), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/school/brainstation/). Follow Johanna on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JoMikkola) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanna-mikkola/). Follow thoughtbot on Twitter (https://twitter.com/thoughtbot) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/). Become a Sponsor (https://thoughtbot.com/sponsorship) of Giant Robots! Transcript: CHAD: This is the Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast, where we explore the design, development, and business of great products. And with me today is Jo Mikkola, the Co-Founder, and CEO of Wyncode Academy, recently acquired by BrainStation, whose project-based programs have helped over 100,000 professionals launch new careers in the tech industry. Jo, thank you for joining me. JOHANNA: So excited to be here. Thank you. CHAD: I actually think that the weather we're calling from today might not be so different. It's very warm and sunny, and everything in Boston. So I'm pretty happy today. How are things where you are? JOHANNA: That's great. We're coming to you live from the 305 in Miami, and it's turning into summertime here, which means it's pretty hot and sticky. But I'm originally from Finland, so I can't complain. CHAD: [laughs] JOHANNA: The novelty after eight years of living here has not worn off on me. I do enjoy the sunshine and the palm trees. CHAD: That's great. So we'll definitely circle back and talk about Miami and the tech industry there and everything. But before we do that, I'm curious; you have recently been acquired by BrainStation. Let's rewind a little bit to getting started with Wyncode and what brought you to creating a digital skills training bootcamp. JOHANNA: It's been quite the journey. It all started back in 2013, and at the time living in Toronto. I, at that point, had been working at the National Hockey League in Toronto for eight years and had just joined the management there on the hockey operations officiating team, which was an amazing chapter of my professional journey, and I love all the individuals that I worked with there. But I got to a point in that career where I didn't quite know what the next step would be professionally, and I was looking at getting an MBA. But at the same time, while I was working at the NHL, I was helping lead an internal software build project. And it kept coming to the forefront for me that wow, hockey is being disrupted by technology or technology is being very integrated into something I thought, you know, I didn't think I would see that happen. And at the same time, my co-founder, who's also my husband, we're both from Finland. His name is Juha. He was an entrepreneur in the e-commerce sporting goods space, and he actually had joined a coding bootcamp in Toronto, an early one. And as he was going through the process, we were both kind of at this inflection point professionally about what we were going to do. And so everything he was learning, the transformation of individuals he was witnessing first-hand, him experiencing that himself, and me being a non-technical business person leading a technical project at the NHL, we were like, wow, we're on the cusp of some serious change in the world, and we want to be part of that wave. So we were like, where can we go and be first to market to provide this life-changing, career-changing education and, in turn, really dive into not only education but also the technology space? And ultimately, we landed on Miami. We had actually looked at Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles as options as well. But we arrived here in Miami, and it was very like a Hollywood thing. We were sitting at the coolest cafe in Miami at the time. We were here on Christmas holiday. And we, on a napkin, started writing ideas and brainstorming. You know, founders get very excited about logos and brainstorming names, or at least I do. CHAD: [laughs] JOHANNA: And it all came together really quickly. That was December 2013. We attended a startup meet-up here. We met four key players in this ecosystem, some of which are major drivers today, like the Knight Foundation and Endeavor. We heard their vision, and what they were doing, and how much funding was being put at the time into building a tech ecosystem in Miami. And we were like, wow, we want in. So we went from concept to launch in three months' time. And it was a pretty exciting ride. I mean, so much happened in that time [laughs], and obviously, the acquisition came early last year. And so we've kind of seen it go full circle. And for me professionally, I went from being a startup founder working very regionally, being somewhat nationally known but being a strong regional player, to being a global player overnight with BrainStation. So that also has been really exciting. CHAD: At thoughtbot, we helped create a web development bootcamp around the same time actually. JOHANNA: Love that. CHAD: And that was for Kaplan, and they ended up purchasing Dev Bootcamp and then shutting it down. So I have some experience, and not only that, but thoughtbot has hired a lot of people from bootcamps into our apprentice program. JOHANNA: Love that. CHAD: So, from a hiring and training perspective, I think it's great. From a business perspective, it seems to have been a very challenging market. How did you weather that? JOHANNA: Oh yeah. I mean persistence, unwavering commitment to the people we worked with, and the people we were helping gain these skills to change their careers. And like with any startup, there are moments where it's like, wow, you know, this is a big challenge. How are we going to overcome this? But we've always had the mentality of if there is a will, there is a way. And don't get me wrong, it doesn't always work out. But fortunately, now that I have hindsight, I can say that that mentality resulted in where we are today, and it was very positive. And I have the really fortunate position of looking back on those stressful moments and seeing the lessons now, which is such a gift and maybe also alludes to me being old, I don't know. [laughter] But it really was a great journey. And I mean, the challenges started in the beginning for us, which is turns out it was a federal offense to operate without a license in the state of Florida, you know, lots of details to talk about there. But come full circle, we ended up being the first coding bootcamp to be licensed by a State Department of Education in the entire country. So even though other people were operating in their states, it was different statutes, different legal requirements. And so, we were the first to be licensed. And as a result, we actually helped advise some of those other big names that we all see in the coding landscape to explain how it worked for us. And shout out to the Florida Department of Education and Commission for Independent Education for working with us to make it all come together. But it started off with a very exciting beginning getting that letter, which was essentially telling us to shut down before we had even begun. [laughter] And it all worked out. And we have a great relationship with them. And we learned a lot there. And I will say just in the coding landscape, what ended up happening and what's happened with a lot of for-profit education is there was a huge opportunity, and there still is. People really genuinely need these skills. They really need this vocational training, and the companies hiring really need this talent, as you know firsthand. And so a lot of people jumped in and saw that there was money to be made because professionals and maybe also people who can afford it...there are a lot of financing companies that came in. And so the thing that started wavering is the quality in terms of the training. And that's one of the things that you just, you know, one of the things we were unwilling to compromise at Wyncode and also why BrainStation, I like to say, is our soulmate because they feel the same way. To go from zero to software engineer or zero to UX designer (We also teach data science and digital marketing.), it really takes high-quality education, high-quality educators, and a high-quality network to do that at the level that we want to do that. And then the other thing that a lot of people fell into is this desire to scale really quickly, so take in too many students which quality goes down, open too many locations, quality goes down. And to be the best, you got to learn from the best, and that means learning from software engineers, product designers, individuals who are really highly sought after right now. So, in the same way that software companies are facing talent issues, for us, that was also a key piece for us to solve and work out. We're really fortunate that in the space of education, this is such rewarding work. We build such amazing relationships with the people coming through the programs and, in turn, are contributing so much to our local ecosystems that it hasn't been that hard to attract amazing talent to be our educators because it is so rewarding. They're getting an opportunity to apply their craft to something they love and really shape the minds of future technologists. And it's just a wonderful thing to watch and be part of, so really fortunate to be in that space. CHAD: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that's one of the things that has made the space challenging is you come into it with the desire to have that really high quality, but there's a cost to that. And if you don't scale the number of students, you might have trouble covering that cost. How did you balance that? JOHANNA: In the early days of Wyncode, it was easy because we were self-funded, and we were growing organically. So we were quite conservative about how we scaled and how many people we took on, and we stayed very true to that. And honestly, we stayed very focused on the state of Florida. So at one point, we actually had three locations; we had Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami, and we scaled them down to have a large HQ in Miami. Because we saw that when the team was together, and the community was together, the overall experience from network to learning was better because we were self-funded. And then, later, when we had partners who were committed to quality, we were able to make decisions for the sake of quality instead of profitability. And then now with BrainStation, I mean, BrainStation is an incredible company. It's been around for ten years. It has been very successful. And right now, what we've been able to do is invest. BrainStation is in a position where we're investing in different pilots to see what things will make learning even better than it already is, although I will say it's at a really high quality right now. And so we're in a fortunate position where, of course, it still needs to make sense. The unit economics needs to make sense. But we're also doing everything we can to continually iterate and make it a great environment for people to learn in. And I think that has come with taking the approach that we're in a long-term marathon. We're not in a sprint with what we're building right now. And I think a lot of the companies in this space that ran into issues were really sprinting to a certain scale, which is a way of operating that we haven't operated. CHAD: Well, so based on what you've said so far, I can make certain assumptions about how you answer this next question. JOHANNA: [laughs] CHAD: But I think it's an important topic, and so I want to make sure even if it's obvious that we talk about it and that's how to bring in students, how to scale the business while still prioritizing inclusion and diversity in the student population, in your organization. What sort of attention did you put on that? JOHANNA: Yeah, so this is a really key one. I mean, in the early days of Wyncode, we were able to do things in a different way than we are now with BrainStation. But I would say Miami is naturally a very diverse and international ecosystem. And so, from the beginning, we really wanted to see that reflected in the people who were in our programs because I knew that would, in the long term, provide so much value to building a great ecosystem. And so, in the beginning, we partnered...we worked very hard to partner with The Knight Foundation to launch what was called The Future Leaders of Tech Fellowship. This is an example of something we did with different groups throughout all the years and continue to do today, but I'll use Knight as the example, which essentially was a full-ride scholarship for underrepresented individuals in technology. So the first iteration we ran of that was a full-ride scholarship because we thought that was the main barrier. Then we realized that a lot of these individuals who hadn't had the means before and didn't necessarily have the educational training needed a little extra training, and they needed to start working right away. So what we created was a pre-program for them. It was a full-ride scholarship, and then it was a guaranteed three-month paid internship at a tech company. And of all the people who went through that program, the majority transitioned, with the exception of two, transitioned into full-time salaried roles. And those are incredible stories that are truly life-changing. But I think the important thing there and what we learned over time is people need support, financial and educational, and they need time. So obviously, in an accelerated learning program, you want things to go as quickly as possible but through the help of partners and making it work for certain communities, we were able to do that. We also partnered with the YMW...it's the Women's...YMCA for women. I cannot remember the acronym right now. CHAD: WYMCA. JOHANNA: Thank you. Thank you. We provided a program in-house for them specifically. CHAD: No, it would be the YWCA. [laughter] JOHANNA: Yeah. CHAD: Sorry to interrupt you. JOHANNA: I'm sorry. I'm not doing you all a good service here. But it's an amazing organization here in Miami. And that was geared specifically towards women from disadvantaged backgrounds, giving them the education they needed. And with that group, we had actually a 70% success rate, which was wonderful. Those are individuals who had no options for any type of white-collar position, many of whom we still keep in touch with today. So, in the beginning, with diversity and inclusion, we were doing things at a smaller scale, very specialized, and very catered to make sure that they were successful in the hope of eventually building more momentum to do this. And the work very much continues. So BrainStation, larger company, we have a lot more firepower in terms of what we're able to do. So we've partnered with companies like Ernst & Young, Shutterstock, Microsoft with our Impact Scholarship, which is also full-ride scholarships for the underrepresented communities in technology, and that's been really successful as well. And, again, education is really rewarding, but it's also really rewarding to see, in particular, those success stories. CHAD: Yeah, one of the things when I speak at bootcamps or when I talk to apprentices who are joining us, I often reinforce or remind them that they bring something to the table, which is really special. I started programming when I was in middle school. I went to school for computer science. Aside from a brief stint as a dishwasher and a checkout person at a grocery store, this is all I've ever done. And I recognize that that has pros and cons. Like, I just don't have the same perspective and diversity of experience, let alone actual demographic diversity that many of our team members bring to the table. And there's something special in that, whether it be from your experience working in another industry like hospitality or something like that. You bring a perspective. There are so many hospitality startups, for example, that would love to bring a new developer onto their team who actually has industry experience. It makes it very powerful for people. JOHANNA: Yeah, absolutely. And I think oftentimes, people in anything when you're transitioning a career, there's maybe a little bit of imposter syndrome or a lack of confidence. And I see oftentimes not only minority groups but everyone shying away from their previous professional backgrounds. But technology is built for us, for humans who are very diverse in background experience and the products and services that we need. And so we really try to emphasize at Wyncode and at BrainStation to lean into your past profession. Because if you can bring that through and really focus on the things you learn there, you can provide so much firepower to what you're building with technology, and it's super important. And I will say healthtech is big in South Florida. And so we have had various people with some type of health background, whether they were an assistant or worked in a medical office, or we've had a few doctors go through the program. They were, as you can imagine, really sought after for the healthtech companies because not only do they bring technology skills, but they have this understanding that no one else does. So it's really unique. CHAD: You're part of the tech industry now. [laughter] How has that diversity of background...you mentioned at the beginning, at the top of the episode that you were originally at the NHL, to starting to lead software projects there. How have you leveraged that for yourself and for your business? JOHANNA: Oh yeah, 100%. So we do an exercise at BrainStation where you have a chart, and you plot out your past professions, and you look at the things that you learned, and the mistakes you made, and the things you didn't like, to start to build a thread of what are things carrying over? And for me, the thing that has come to the forefront is technology or not...and I feel like anyone investing is also saying this all the time, and maybe founders say it too. But it always comes down to people and relationships and how you are listening and taking in the information to then digest it and deliver something. And so, I think my ability to connect with people and mobilize people around common goals is something that has been a common thread throughout my career. It's interesting. I'll say some of the best things I learned as a founder came from engineers, the first being agile. Like, we weren't operating like an agile company in the beginning because we weren't a software company. And our very first hire was a guy named Ed Toro, an MIT graduate. Shout out to Ed. It's actually his birthday. CHAD: [laughs] JOHANNA: Incredible, incredible engineer originally from Boston. He was our lead educator for software for so long. And he just brought so much knowledge to us about how software is built and works. And we integrated that into how we operated as business people and organized the company. I mean, it's amazing. I actually don't remember what it's like to not be organized in that manner anymore. Although I can tell you going from the NHL to Wyncode was a huge jump because NHL, even though we were using and leveraging technology, was still organized very traditionally. And so I'll give you a simple thing, some software teams...I know a lot of software engineers appreciate transparency. So, in addition to organizing in a very agile method in terms of how we operated the business, we also pivoted to be extremely transparent as a team as well in terms of how the company is doing, which is something that is not common in a multibillion-dollar industry like the NHL. Although you see that more and more with tech companies, which is interesting. CHAD: How long ago did you join up with BrainStation? JOHANNA: So we were introduced to the founders and owners of BrainStation really because they were potentially looking at coming to Florida. And a mutual friend, a mutual business person, had said, "Hey, you know, if you guys are looking at Florida, probably you guys should meet Jo and Juha. They built something called Wyncode. You're going to get to know them anyway." And so I would say a little bit over a year and a half ago, we started chatting. And we realized that we had a lot in common in terms of how we had built the businesses, where we wanted to see the business go. And the rest isn't history because we're a year and a half in. CHAD: [laughs] JOHANNA: So you know what happened. It all worked out. It's really great but also really excited for the future. Because now with the BrainStation acquisition comes a lot of firepower in terms of experience on the team, much larger team, capital, reach of team. We have students in over 100 countries. So I'm very excited for what we're going to do in the future as well because we can have so much more impact, and that is really exciting as well. Mid-Roll Ad: I wanted to tell you all about something I've been working on quietly for the past year or so, and that's AgencyU. AgencyU is a membership-based program where I work one-on-one with a small group of agency founders and leaders toward their business goals. We do one-on-one coaching sessions and also monthly group meetings. We start with goal setting, advice, and problem-solving based on my experiences over the last 18 years of running thoughtbot. As we progress as a group, we all get to know each other more. And many of the AgencyU members are now working on client projects together and even referring work to each other. Whether you're struggling to grow an agency, taking it to the next level and having growing pains, or a solo founder who just needs someone to talk to, in my 18 years of leading and growing thoughtbot, I've seen and learned from a lot of different situations, and I'd be happy to work with you. Learn more and sign up today at thoughtbot.com/agencyu. That's A-G-E-N-C-Y, the letter U. CHAD: You mentioned before you had a very Florida-specific focus previously. Is part of this next stage to be working across BrainStation and really working more globally? JOHANNA: Yeah, so working regionally with a focus on South Florida but with the know-how and the resources of a global team for sure. And being on the senior leadership team here, I am still 100% focused on Florida, but I get to have perspective from all the other markets. We have five campuses in New York, Toronto, Vancouver, London, and now Miami. So that's very interesting. And I have to say, when we were running Wyncode, we were always like, man, I wonder, how it's going in New York? CHAD: [laughs] JOHANNA: Or I wonder how it's going in Vancouver. Well, now I know. So it is really interesting because it also gives you not only a perspective in terms of bootcamps and how that's going but also a perspective on those ecosystems and how the tech companies there are growing and hiring. Because we're at that really interesting spot where we always know everyone's closed a round of funding because they go on a hiring spree. And then we see the bigger companies who are continually hiring. So we always kind of have a little bit of a pulse on what's going on in all of the ecosystems. And also really, before, we were primarily American students in the southeast, but now as BrainStation, I mean, it's global. So seeing how different everyone is but also still so similar in terms of their end goals and collaborative, it's really special. And yeah, it's been great. CHAD: So you have the campuses, the geographic locations, and then you have the global students. Are they in different silos, or do the two groups of students interact with each other at all? JOHANNA: Yeah, great question. So we do execute our..., and we call them diploma programs for the bootcamp programs, both online and in person. So as you can imagine, students in over 100 countries we're executing in all the time zones because of online delivery. But much of that, if they're outside of the geographic region of one of our campuses, they're likely an online student. CHAD: Are they being taught by an instructor in one of the campuses, or is it a separate thing? JOHANNA: Yeah, our educators are located in our campuses geographically. CHAD: How did the pandemic change or not change the experience of students, and what you needed to offer? JOHANNA: Wyncode, at the time, we were still Wyncode when the pandemic hit. I'll never forget having an all-hands meeting in our conference room and being like, hey...it was a Thursday. We're like, come Monday; we're going fully remote. We weren't a remote educator at that time. Everybody needs special permissions and licenses to also have remote teaching, which most governments made exceptions for because of the pandemic. So we were all good there. But we were thinking at the time, oh, maybe it'll be a month. Well, two years later, we're just about to have our grand reopening of the space in Miami. Our other campuses have already opened. And it was pretty exciting. When the pandemic hit, there was definitely an oh no moment. Like, people paused their enrollments, understandably. That was March. But as we got into early summer, we actually saw enrollment skyrocket. So huge success was pivoting to go remote. We were very fortunate that we had a pretty seasoned senior team on our software and UX side. And they had been through the world of remote learning and just being on tech, you know, Yahoo, Google. They had worked at Yahoo, Google, so they knew remote, and they were able to help us and bring that expertise. So the transition to remote was easy. And then we got all these students. And actually, that started a wave which has continued to this day of really people having an appetite for online learning and continuing to want to pivot careers into technology, both out of individuals' interests for technology but also because of the demand. So the pandemic was terrible. Business-wise for sure, there have been challenges, but there have, I would say, been a lot more successes and opportunities as a result of the pandemic. And for me personally as an entrepreneur, the pandemic got us, you know, we were doing well and having a lot of success, so the pandemic also got us on the radar for BrainStation. We started that conversation, and that was really exciting. And, again, here we are as a global educator now. CHAD: I've talked to a lot of people and seen it in our applications as well, like, it was really two things: people losing their jobs because of the pandemic and then getting that opportunity to take a look around and say, you know what? I'm not going back to that industry, and I want to learn to code. And then a lot of other people saying, you know, sort of the great resignation kind of stuff saying like, I want to change and actively switching as well. And you can see it in our applications the number of switchers, the number of people who have taken the last year, year and a half to do a remote bootcamp and make a career transition. It was always high. It's even higher now. JOHANNA: Yeah, totally agree, like, very respective of what we see as well. And we've had a great relationship with CareerSource South Florida as well. And they fund workforce transformation. And so initially in the pandemic...we're not seeing those layoffs now, but initially, a lot of those people who were getting laid off many of them were able to qualify for CareerSource as well, which also really fueled people's ability to take part in this education. And South Florida is interesting. I think 65% of the workforce before the pandemic...a lot has changed. Tech has moved in, a lot of big names have moved in. But before the pandemic, 65% of people professionally here were working in hospitality or real estate so it was definitely a big pivot for some people to go into the direction of technology. CHAD: That's great to hear that they were able to be helped by that because that can be a big impediment to this. I believe that the cost of an average bootcamp for what you actually get and for the impact it can have on your salary or your compensation is worth it. But if you can't afford the tuition, then it's a non-starter. JOHANNA: Yeah, yeah, exactly. And then it goes without saying, but there are some people...there are a lot of opportunities. There are a lot of jobs. There are a lot of ways to get in, but it doesn't mean that it's for everyone. And I think for us, some of the work that's required to get into the program in our admissions process and our advisors who spend a lot of time with people considering this are also helping people guide this thought process of what they go into and what they're going to do to decide if it's the right direction for them. And I think ultimately, the large majority who come in have done good research and good work and have really thought it through, and it's a good fit. But again, it's not for everyone. So it goes without saying it's good to go online, do some coding. Download Figma if you're going to go into UX. Tinker around with some stuff. Ask some people, go to some meetups, and then start looking into the education piece. CHAD: Yeah. Are there ways in which you're exploring how either through partnerships or that kind of thing like it sounds like you've done to make it more accessible to people? JOHANNA: Yeah, so we put, again, Wyncode and BrainStation now puts a lot of importance on building a diverse, inclusive environment. And the most important thing is just collaborating also with organizations in our various regions that serve communities that are underrepresented in tech so that we can provide certain pathways to this. And one of the key things that we're doing with our Impact Scholarships, I think we've committed over $1.2 million just as BrainStation to giving those pathways. The other thing that we're piloting right now is what we're calling Tuition Free. So we piloted in London. Miami is the only other city we're testing it with in-person learning, not online, but it being completely tuition-free for the individual coming into the program, which we're calling a trainee. And then working with some amazing partners here in South Florida, in London who essentially, if they opt to hire someone for the program, are going to be paying a percentage training fee for hiring that individual. So we're really excited to be piloting what's called a reverse model. But more so, training people in a very specific skill set that companies need, eliminating financial barriers as much as possible, and then also providing a very robust, rapid pathway for this incredible talent to then join companies. And maybe we'll do a synopsis in about a year, and I'll let you know how it all went. CHAD: [laughs] That'd be great. That'd be great. So a common thread throughout this conversation has been Miami, and it's come on my radar recently in terms of the ecosystem there and how it's expanded and grown significantly over the last several years. You mentioned you picked up and moved there because you identified it as a great market. What has it been like for you? JOHANNA: It's been a whirlwind. I mean, #Miamitechisonfire, literally. CHAD: [laughs] JOHANNA: It's a pretty exciting time to be here. I got to say, when we moved in 2014, our campus was and still is based in Wynwood, which is a wonderful creative space but also mixed in with tech companies. CHAD: Is that why it's called what it's called, Wyncode? JOHANNA: Yeah, that's right. [laughs] Wyncode and Wynwood, yep. So the landlords knew they really had all the leverage, right? But we have had, and I've always had, an amazing space here. And when we first opened, the biggest complaint we got from people who took the program was there were not enough places to eat. And for anyone who's listening who's from Miami and spent time in Wynwood, that sounds crazy because now all the hottest restaurants are here in Wynwood. And that's happened in the span of, you know, I know we've been here for eight years, but that's happened like in the last five years. So a lot has changed. Wynwood is kind of an analogy to what's happened in the rest of Miami. It was kind of like a little bit quiet and slow, known for hospitality, awesome partying, real estate, not really known for all of this other stuff. The pandemic, again, was horrible from a business standpoint, terrible for some people, amazing for others. It was amazing for Miami. The state of Florida remained relatively open throughout the pandemic. So that attracted people here. The tax situation, no income tax, has also been very appealing, particularly for anyone who's made a lot of money in tech and crypto, in particular from Miami. And then we have this incredible Mayor, Mayor Francis Suarez, who, long before what's happening now, has been an advocate and supporter of the tech ecosystem and startup founders here, which I've personally had experience with. He's been amazing. You know, in Silicon Valley, there was some social media going on for anyone who saw it on Twitter, and he tweeted back, and he said, "Hey, Miami would love to have you, guys. How can we help?" And so there's this tagline in Miami which is how can we help? Trying to be an ecosystem that's here to help that's open to all. And that's been going on now for almost two years. And as a result, there's been a huge number of people in technology in particular who have moved here, both big names like Jon Oringer, Founder of Shutterstock, Keith Rabois, Founders Fund. There are so many people to name down to founders who are like; I'm starting a new startup. I don't want to do it in New York or Silicon Valley. I want to do it in Miami. So that's really exciting. I can tell you; there's more going on here than I could...before I could keep an Easy Calendar, I knew everyone. I knew what events were going on when and now it's just...there are multiple events, meetups, multiple companies to meet. So it's really, really an exciting time. I think Mayor Francis Suarez has said this, too but definitely making a play to be the capital of crypto. So there's a lot going on in the crypto space here, a lot going on in Web3. Like Web3 being at the beginning, this is still at the beginning. This is a moment that we're hoping to turn into a movement, and I think it's really, really exciting. I don't think everyone is going to stay here. I don't think Miami is going to be the next Silicon Valley or New York. It has its own character. It has its own vibe. It has its own way of functioning, and that's what it is. Its original kind of environment is also what's attracting people. So it's an evolution right now. It's going to change. The people who have come here and who have been here are all in the process of evolving to what the next chapter of Miami tech is. But it's definitely an exciting time. It was a place for me where I came to professionally reinvent myself as well and really be a part of building an ecosystem. And that's very much true today for anybody who is coming here. And I think that type of opportunity is really, really exciting. There's definitely an energy, yeah. CHAD: The state of Florida has passed laws like the Woke Act recently, which can present a challenge to employers strictly speaking. You're not allowed to ask certain questions around diversity or inclusion in interviews now. And that can be uncomfortable or difficult to do business in or to say, "Hey, we're the most welcoming company. Come here. Come to Miami." Is that something that's, you know, I'm not there. So is it a challenge on the ground, or does it not really affect people day-to-day? JOHANNA: I mean, that's a really good question. I would say I haven't encountered it personally or even on the professional side with how we've been hiring. So it's hard to say from my perspective. I think certainly there are some things going on in Florida that Florida and California are very different. I myself I'm not an American. I'm not as involved in the politics. But it'll be interesting to see what happens in the future and how these things shape. I will say that employers have a lot of power because they're the ones who are bringing in a lot of money into a state. They're hiring people. And so some of the responsibility is also on the companies and employers who are in their respective areas to advocate for the things that they want to see. And one of those things is diversity, inclusion, which not everybody has made that a number one priority. And the one thing that I've said in the past is creating an inclusive and diverse ecosystem is the opportunity I think that Miami has because it is a less established tech ecosystem. The canvas isn't fully painted over, so we have an opportunity to be unique and be different and to try to avoid maybe some of the biases that have existed in other tech ecosystems. But at this point, while there has been progress made and there are some amazing individuals doing amazing things like Leigh-Ann Buchanan leading Tech Equity Miami and JPMorgan Chase coming in to support that in a really big way and Knight Foundation, we're still at a state where the minorities are advocating for the minorities. And that's something I hope to one, personally contribute to changing but as an ecosystem as a whole hope to see that happen. Because, like I said, Miami is attracting people for a certain reason, and that's great. And I think if we could build a diverse ecosystem, that would also attract certain people and retain certain people. And I am a firm believer, and, I mean, there are also stats to back it up, but the best products are built by the most diverse teams. So it goes without saying that the most diverse ecosystem is going to result in the best companies, best environment, et cetera. And I think that's the big opportunity for Miami, but we still have a lot of work to do to get there. CHAD: Yeah. Well, if folks want to follow along with you or get in touch with you or learn more about BrainStation, where are all the places that they can do that? JOHANNA: Yeah. I would love to connect with everyone. On LinkedIn, we have all of our respective social handles just at BrainStation. Even our Wyncode handles are still alive, so that's great. My parting words would be if you know someone amazing, a professional who wants to pivot careers and learn in person, now is an amazing opportunity to apply to BrainStation for incredible education and network. And I'm really looking forward to seeing amazing professionals come through the program. CHAD: And I assume if you're in a position where you're hiring talent that you should also check out BrainStation. JOHANNA: Yes, thank you, Chad. We 100% the thing we take the most pride in is connecting this amazing talent with awesome companies. I always like to tell everyone to keep a very wide lens on the type of talent you're hiring for your technology teams because some of the best individuals have very non-traditional tech backgrounds but bring so, so much to the table. Our team does a lot of work in terms of once we get to know a partner, which I would love for you all to reach out and join; we do a lot of work to make sure that we are connecting curated talent to companies. And if you go to brainstation.io/hiring-partners, you'll be able to sign up there. CHAD: Wonderful. Jo, thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate it. JOHANNA: Great. Thank you so much. Great to be on. CHAD: You can subscribe to the show and find notes and a transcript for this episode at giantrobots.fm. If you have questions or comments, email us at hosts@giantrobots.fm. And you can find me on Twitter at @cpytel. This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot and produced and edited by Mandy Moore. Thanks so much for listening, and see you next time. ANNOUNCER: This podcast was brought to you by thoughtbot. thoughtbot is your expert design and development partner. Let's make your product and team a success. Special Guest: Johanna Mikkola.

#037 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight I'm joined by Hannah Butland, Deputy Head: Teaching Learning & Innovation and James Cutler Head of Research and Teacher of English, and they're here to talk to us about research. And when I say research I'm talking about staff research, to improve their teaching practice.  That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to Hannah and James Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#036 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Alastair Harrison, Head of English, EPQ Coordinator and Sixth Form tutor Alastair is going to talk to us today about how he got into English, what he did after completing his time at Exeter University what he finds most challenging at school in 2022, enrichment activities, literary walks and even meditation  That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to Alastair Harrison, Head of English, EPQ Coordinator and Sixth Form tutorBerkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#035 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Headteacher at Berkhamsted Boys School, Tom Hadcroft. Tom's going to talk to us about his first term as Headteacher, how he's found it there, some of the differences between Berkhamsted and where he was before, and what makes Berkhamsted so special. But we also get to hear what his remarkable moment has been in just the first few weeks and, at the end, what he's changed his mind about in the last two years (and hooray, it's not Covid related) so stick around to the end to hear what that might be. That's all coming up in this episode so come with me now as we speak to the Headteacher of Berkhamsted Boys, Tom Hadcroft. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#034 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're speaking to Head Girl and Head Boy Rebecca and Orlando. They'll discuss the process of applying for the roles of Head Girl and Head Boy, some of the challenges they face and what they like about the roles. But we'll also hear about what subjects they're studying and how their recent mock exams went (hopefully all good!) So come with me now as we speak to Head Girl, Rebecca and Head Boy, Orlando. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#033 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're speaking to the cast and crew of this year's school performance Shrek The Musical. We'll be hearing from pupils Louis, Anna, Will and Ellie, as well as Performance Director, Mrs Dawn Wylie. They'll tell us all about the roles they played in the performance, the emotions they were feeling during their final show and their highlights from the entire production. So come with me now as we speak to the cast and crew of Shrek The Musical. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#032 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're going back in time. We are revisiting our pastoral podcast featuring our Chief People Officer, Tracey Evans, and Dr Kathy Weston from TooledUp Education. Berkhamsted Schools Group are partnering with TooledUp Education to provide access for parents to their large resource of a truly inspiring online digital library of evidence-based resources on all aspects of parenting, education and family life. Berkhamsted and TooledUp Education will be hosting Dr Kathy in a webinar for parents on 21st March to run through the details of this provision – so if you are a parent listening to this podcast please make sure you refer to your e-mail of how to sign up! So let's delve into the world of pastoral care and how this is a large part of life at Berkhamsted SchoolBerkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

Hybrid in a post-Covid world. Relevance, reflection & practical application In this episode Jax addresses the Heads of central region independent schools, taking them through Edu Inc's Covid journey, asking some tough questions about missed leadership opportunities and pointing out easily sustainable and practical contributions to education in a post-Covid world. Connect with Jax

Hybrid in a post-Covid world. Relevance, reflection & practical application In this episode Jax addresses the Heads of central region independent schools, taking them through Edu Inc's Covid journey, asking some tough questions about missed leadership opportunities and pointing out easily sustainable and practical contributions to education in a post-Covid world. Connect with Jax · EduInc website · Facebook (Public) · Facebook (closed group) · Twitter (closed group) · YouTube · Review us on Google

#031 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're looking back at a previous episode because the team are excited that the work for the new future of Berkhamsted Sixth is set to begin next week. So this is an episode with Martin Walker, Headteacher at Berkhamsted Sixth, recorded in 2021 but it's still just as relevant today in 2022. So to accompany the work that's starting next week we're going to hear Martin talk about sense of purpose, we'll hear about young entrepreneurs coming back into the school and we hear what shaped the way that Martin leads the sixth form, whether that was his own experience of being a student or what he's picked up on the way. So come with me now as we jump back and hear from Headteacher of Berkhamsted Sixth, Martin Walker. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#030 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Amanda Attfield, the Head of Design and Technology at Berkhamsted. Amanda's going to tell us all about Design and Technology, and how she gets young students to be passionate about the subject, why its important to get more girls doing Design and Technology and we also get to hear the opportunities A Level students can expect with their qualification. This is a great episode, I'm sure you're going to love it so let's dive in now with Amanda Attfield. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#029 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're stepping into Heatherton because on the morning of Friday 18 March they'll be holding an open event. So if you're a member of the school community then why not share this episode with people you know who might be interested in coming along. To book your place just visit www.berkhamsted.com/admissions and everything you need is right there. And in this episode Headteacher Nicola Nicoll talks about Heatherton and science.  Find out about the remarkable people and pupils at Heatherton. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#028 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're going back in time. Heads-up for you, Berkhamsted Pre-Prep and Prep are holding their open events on Saturday 26 February with Pre-Prep's in the morning and Prep in the afternoon. So we thought it would be good to revisit two conversations from 2021 and put them together into this episode. Headteachers Karen O'Connor and Jamie Hornshaw provide some insights into their schools which is a great place to start if you're looking to find out more. If you'd like to book your place then you can do so on the website: www.berkhamsted.com/admissions But in the meantime come with me as we jump back to two earlier episodes, first with Karen O'Connor Head of the Pre-Prep, followed by Jamie Hornshaw, Head of Prep. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#027 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're going outdoors with the wonderful world of outdoor education. Simon Payne, Director of Outdoor Education, explains what it's all about. And if you ever thought it was just going to be geography field trips then you're in for a surprise! Simon talks us through how outdoor education looks for the young children in school right through to sixth form, and even what happens when children leave school and they're persuing their own adventures. So let's not waste anymore time but instead come with me now as we dive into the world of poutdoor education at Berkhamsted with Simon Payne. Email: spayne@berkahmsted.comBerkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#026 - Remarkable community indeed. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're jumping into the music department. This means we get the chance to speak to Steph Gunary, Director of Performing Arts Development, Ben Noithip, Head of Solo performance and Malcolm Melling, Head of Ensembles. And what a team they are! We hear all about solo concerts, the visiting music specialist teachers, what it's like playing in groups, the junior orchestra, the choir rehearsals on Tuesdays and what they're currently singing. And then we get to hear how music features as part of the curriculum and the skills the students learn from music to help them into the future. Now this episode is a smidge longer than normal but I think you'll find it's worth it. So come with me now as we dive into the world of music at Berkhamsted with Steph, Ben and Malcolm. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#025 - Remarkable community indeed. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Berkhamsted Girls Headteacher, Liz Richardson. Liz will talk to us about the values in single sex education, the benefits it has in a teaching environment, the wellbeing of the girls and their happiness in a same sex environment and how she responds to those that claim same sex schools have become outdated. Liz will also talk a little bit about her background and experience, what school was like for her growing up and how it's changed since. So come with me now as we dive into the world of Berkhamsted Girls School with the Headteacher, Liz Richardson. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#024 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to the Director of Drama Dominic Curtis. Dominic will discuss his role as Director of Drama, why drama at school is such a useful subject regardless of a student's career aspirations and what the House of performing arts is all about. But we'll also find out about his responsibilities as an Inspirational teacher at Berkhamsted. So come with me now as we speak to Director of Drama, Dominic Curtis. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#023 - It's Christmas in the Pre-Prep and this may well prove to be one of the favourite podcast episodes of the whole channel so far. We have a unique moment to enjoy some time with some of the children in Reception, they'll be talking to us about Elf Day, some children from Year One talking about the Nativity, the children from Year Two giving their understanding of what the Christingle service is all about and finally we hear from two of the parents from Stepping Stones talking about the Woodland Walk. This is so much fun and if it doesn't fill you with all those good feelings of Christmas then quite frankly, I don't know what will! So let's step into Christmas right now as we begin with a conversation with our Reception aged children. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

Butch Porter has a conversation with former Loudoun County (Virginia) School Board member, Debbie Rose about the controversies surrounding the school system involving COVID, race and diversity, LGBTQIA+ issues, including the teaching of CRT in the schools, including the Resolution 8040 issue, and other issues which swirled around last months gubernatorial race. It's the beginning of a conversation about how best to approach these issues if one is concerned about the issues at play, and how best to protect, love, cherish, and educate our children. The rule for this episode is: "If you choose to serve, prepare for disagreements." Debbie mentioned how the school board weaponized a few rather harsh protests into shameless measures to stifle free speech, which the school board is still not fully recovered from. _______________________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://www.greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Loudoun Field Center (Lucketts, VA): https://loudounfieldcenter.org

#022 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to the Deputy Head, Curriculum and Assessment, Nick Cale. So, in this episode we're going to be talking about something called Power BI, what it is, how it's used and how it helps the teaching staff at Berkhamsted. We also have a chance to talk to Nick about his background and how he got into teaching.  That's all coming up in this episode, so come with me now as we speak to Deputy Head, Curriculum and Assessment, Nick Cale. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#021 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to the school Chaplain, Reverend Jane Markby, and Assistant Chaplain, Chloe Hopkins. So today, we're going to discover how the school's Christian ethos works alongside the many faiths and diverse cultures in the school, how the Chaplaincy support students and why it's important to encourage reflection. But we also get to discuss the bigger picture about the impact of faith and spirituality in the Berkhamsted community. That's all coming up in this episode, so come with me now as we speak to Jane and Chloe. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

Terry Burke, the branch secretary of the Independent Education Union Queensland and the Northern Territory, which represents faith-based and independent schools, said staff expected the mandate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#020 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to the Deputy Head Leadership, Duncan Hardy. Now, Duncan is in charge of co-ordinating opportunities for leadership development for pupils and staff at Berkhamsted. That means in this episode we'll get to find out how the leadership programme works, what co-curricular is and why children learning skills like leadership and public speaking is so important to their development in school. So come with me now as we speak to Berkhamsted Deputy Head Leadership, Duncan Hardy. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools 

#019 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're stepping into the boarding houses as we talk to Head of Boys Boarding and Head of International Recruitment, Chris Sutton. So we're going to find out from Chris just how boarding works at Berkhamsted, the diversity and community aspect of boarding life and what he would say to a parent whose child wants to board but they might be feeling a little apprehensive. But then, as always, we get to hear what Chris has changed his mind about in the last two years and what his remarkable moment at Berkhamsted has been. So let's get into boarding life right now as we speak to Chris Sutton. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

#018 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to someone who is in many ways the backbone of the school, or at least one of them, for sure. Julian Anthony is the Chief Operating Officer and you would be amazed the different aspects of school life he gets involved in. Which means that in this episode you're going to hear some of the examples of school life his department is involved in and he tells us what it's like to be responsible for some of the old buildings on the school site, buildings that have been around for centuries. But then, as always, we get to hear what Julian has changed his mind about in the last two years and what his remarkable moment at Berkhamsted has been. So come with me now as we speak to Chief Operating Officer, Julian Anthony. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

Jessica and Butch take on the topic of "same-sex attraction" and the Christian Church. This is a really dicey topic and is very complex, so we're trying to explore ways in which we can love and care for and welcome those who don't identify in a "traditional" way sexually. This is the beginning of a conversation on the topic, not the end, but we tried to lay out where the problems really lie and what the challenges are. So listen with an open mind and an open heart. That's the only way we feel like we can talk about it. PLEASE share and subscribe and leave us a 5-Star Review. ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://www.greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Loudoun Field Center (Lucketts, VA): https://loudounfieldcenter.org

For our third “Civics and Community” event at the Loudoun Field Center in Lucketts, VA we sat down with Preston Huntington and Tori Carr with Xelevate, a drone training and testing facility right across the street from the Loudoun Field Center, to discuss the burgeoning and blossoming drone industry. We had some kids, parents, and previous guest of Rules of the Game, Tony Howard, to chat about how this technology and those which are adjacent to it will affect the next generation. For more information on Xelevate, check out their website: https://xelevateus.com ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://www.greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Loudoun Field Center (Lucketts, VA): https://loudounfieldcenter.org

#017 - In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to the Headteacher of Berkhamsted Prep School, Jamie Hornshaw. Now Jamie knew he wanted to work in the world of education from a very young age which means he was able to follow that path immediately. So you're about to hear about this and some of the activities children undertake and the benefits these bring. We also get an insight into life as a Headteacher by taking a sneak peek into a typical day of his. But come with me now as we speak to Berkhamsted Prep Headteacher, Jamie Hornshaw. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

Welcome to our new podcast, the place to find out more about our school and where we'll be speaking to staff, pupils and parents so that together we're all connected. Our first main episode is coming soon so be sure to check back here in the next few days to see the first release. If you have any questions in the meantime please contact the school through the main website. Thank you for taking an interest, we'll see you soon.Channing School onlineWebsite: www.channing.co.ukFacebook: www.facebook.com/channingschoolLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/channing-schoolTwitter: https://twitter.com/ChanningSchoolInstagram: www.instagram.com/channing_school

#016 - Remarkable community indeed. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight it's all about PSHE. Sarah Gledhill is our guest and she's about to open up this whole world to us, explaining exactly what it is, why it's so important to children in school in 2021, and how parents can engage with their children on this subject. And as always, I ask our guest what their remarkable moment has been at Berkhamsted and I ask what they've changed their mind about in the last two years. So come with me now as we get into PSHE with Sarah Gledhill. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

#015 - Remarkable community indeed. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking French, Mandarin, maybe Italian and Japanese, well, we're talking languages. Dr Nick Startin talks to us about the importance of learning languages in 2021, how French people view British people when people from the UK try to speak French, even if at a low level, why Mandarin is important today and what parents can do to encourage their children. And we hear what Nick's remarkable moment has been at Berkhamsted and, as always, I ask what he's changed his mind about in the last two years. So come with me now as we talk languages with Dr Nick Startin. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

#014 - Remarkable community indeed. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking about the community. Richard Thompson, Assistant Vice Principal, is in charge of the school's external relations which means he has a passion for connecting with the community and keeping those relations strong. So in this episode we're going to hear why community is so important for the school, what the Society is and how it works, how the local community can get involved in the school, and why it's important. But we also hear which of the school's alumni Richard would bring back (dead or alive) to give a talk at the school. See if you can guess who he chose. So come with me now as we talk Community with Richard Thompson. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

#013 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking Sport. Jo Vila, Director of Sport and John Riley, Assistant Director of Sport, talk to us in this episode about why sport is so important in the school's timetable, how it helps with academic education at school, and we find out about the ‘Sport for All' programme. If this episode doesn't inspire you to get your running shoes on then I don't know what will. Whether you're a parent or a student at the school, this is a great episode.  So let's get to it now with Jo Vila and John Riley. Berkhamsted Sport online: https://twitter.com/BerkoSportBerkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

This week's episode is a wide-ranging conversation between Gary Mears, Pastor of Faith Chapel Community Church in Lucketts, Virginia, right down the road from the Loudoun Field Center; and Paul Gernhardt, the Center's Executive Director. Butch Porter facilitates the discussion, which touches on the subjects of "mega-churches" and on how churches create a sense of community and family; helping those in need; being a place of spiritual healing, and how a church and the faith which it represents necessarily operates differently than simply a non-profit or a club. There is even a discussion about sin. More on Faith Chapel: https://www.faith-chapel.com and it's food pantry ministry: https://www.faith-chapel.com/our-food-pantry ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Loudoun Field Center (Lucketts, VA): https://loudounfieldcenter.org

Ginny Gentles joins the podcast to discuss this month's policy focus: Putting Parents in Control of Their Children's Education. We discuss why school districts abandoned their educational mission during the pandemic, how parents are engaging in local school board elections, and detail what some states are doing to expand educational options. Ginny Gentles is a long-time school choice advocate and former state and federal education policy leader. As founder of School Choice Solutions, LLC, she helps organizations with policy analysis and development. Ginny previously served as a senior political appointee in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement under President George W. Bush, and she led the Florida Department of Education's Office of Independent Education and Parental Choice.--She Thinks is a podcast for women (and men) who are sick of the spin in today's news cycle and are seeking the truth. Once a week, every week, She Thinks host Beverly Hallberg is joined by guests who cut through the clutter and bring you the facts. You don't have to keep up with policy and politics to understand how issues will impact you and the people you care about most. You just have to keep up with us. We make sure you have the information you need to come to your own conclusions. Because, let's face it, you're in control of your own life and can think for yourself. You can listen to the latest She Thinks episode(s) here or wherever you get your podcasts. Then subscribe, rate, and share with your friends. If you are already caught up and want more, join our online community. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to ensure you're equipped with the facts on the issues you care about most: https://iwf.org/connect. Independent Women's Forum (IWF) believes all issues are women's issues. IWF promotes policies that aren't just well-intended, but actually enhance people's freedoms, opportunities, and choices. IWF doesn't just talk about problems. We identify solutions and take them straight to the playmakers and policy creators. And, as a 501(c)3, IWF educates the public about the most important topics of the day. Check out the Independent Women's Forum website for more information on how policies impact you, your loved ones, and your community: www.iwf.org. Subscribe to IWF's YouTube channel. Follow IWF on social media: - on Twitter- on Facebook- on Instagram#IWF #SheThinks #AllIssuesAreWomensIssues See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jessica and Butch take on the crisis in Afghanistan. (Ok... when we say "take it on" we don't mean actually... doing anything about it, but talking about it for almost exactly an hour.) What it boils down to Butch on Afghanistan is that we've lost honor in the world by not fulfilling our commitments to the people that we've made promises to for almost a generation. Jessica seems to think there is more to this; there are some things going on behind the scenes that we don't understand. Other players, other stakeholders are moving the pieces behind the scenes and Joe Biden is just along for the ride. To Butch the decision, and its execution, was just a matter of ego. Time will (hopefully) tell. ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame Loudoun Field Center (Lucketts, VA): https://loudounfieldcenter.org

For Episode 21 of Season Two, Jessica and Butch talk about the gains in efficiency (based on his latest article on Great Conversation(s)) brought on by the modern age in general, the pandemic in particular, and some ways in which efficiency can come at a cost... in terms of how we work, eat, worship, and live. There is a lot of talk about prayer, and even a little on Downton Abbey. This week's Rule is: "Efficiency almost always wins...and we're often the worse for it." Butch's article on "Efficiency..": https://www.greatconversations.us/p/efficiency-always-wins-out ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

In this Episode, Laurie and Abbey discuss the value of an Independent Education Consultant in a student's life with friend and colleague, Beth McGaw. They talk about what an Independent Education Consultant is, and in what ways they can be of assistance to middle school aged students, all the way to college and beyond. Resources: Beth McGaw - bethmcgaw@gmail.com or call 404-401-9400 https://launchpadconsultinggroup.com https://www.gapyearassociation.org Contact info for the podcast: letstalklearningdisabilities@gmail.com E-Diagnostic Learning Website: https://ediagnosticlearning.com Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eDiaglearning/ Twitter: @diaglearning LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diagnostic-learning-services/ Instagram: @diaglearning

For our 20th episode of Season 2, Jessica and Butch discuss what it means to be an "adult"... we have a tendency to focus on the stuff and things that adults need to DO, as opposed to the qualities and characteristics they need to BE. So we talked a little about "kids these days" and some of the things that makes the upcoming generation(s)' experience different. It's a rough way of introducing the new educational endeavor our host has taken on in Loudoun County, VA, namely: the Loudoun Field Center: https://loudounfieldcenter.org ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#012 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Olivia Haverson, a nutritionist who actually works with Chartwells Independent but she spends her time in the school because it is such an important role, especially for children in 2021. Olivia's about to explain to us the importance of pupils understanding their nutritional needs in order to lead healthy lives, how to cope with fussy eaters, and how parents themselves can support their own children over the summer holidays when it comes to having a good balanced diet. We also find out Olivia's remarkable moment and, as always, what she's changed her mind about over the last two years. This is a great episode, I'm sure you're going to love it so let's dive in now with Olivia Haverson. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools 

The PatMan creates a new holiday on an observed holiday... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/intelligenthumanvoice/message

Jessica and Butch seek to understand the "anti-tribalism" phenomenon a little more. We talk about Tanner Cross... racism vs. prejudice... what the word "systemic" means... and we ask the question: who are we supposed to love and respect the humanity of if not the person we find the most unappealing and "deplorable"? ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#010 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to nine year 6 pupils, thankfully though not all in one go! In the first half of this episode we meet five girls from Heatherton School, then we jump across to Berkhamsted Prep, the co-ed, and speak to four more pupils over there. I ask them what their experience has been of year six in their schools, what they're going to do next year and how they feel about it too. But I also ask them about what plans they have for summer and sunshine plays an inevitable role in their answers. Come with me into this episode while we step into the world of Year six at Heatherton first and Berkhamsted Prep second. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

#011 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In our last episode we were talking to a number of Year 6 pupils from Heatherton and Berkhamsted Prep, in this episode we're talking to seven year Seven pupils. First we have Lexi, Poppy and Genevieve and in the second half we speak to Sean, Bradley, Harry and Archie. We're about to find out what life is like on the other side of that step up into the wonderful world of Year seven. They explain what it's been like joining a new school, especially in that first week, how quickly they made friends and what it's like when you have to navigate your way around an unfamiliar place. So come with me into this episode while we step into the world of Year seven at Berkhamsted. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

#009 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Tracey Evans, Chief People Officer at Berkhamsted, and Dr Kathy Weston from Tooled Up Education. Tracey is part of the Schools Executive and she's the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the Prep Schools. Her role means she's involved in the pastoral strategy and implementation at Berkhamsted. Meanwhile, Kathy holds a Masters and Doctorate in Philosophy and worked for many years as a policy researcher and research fellow in education. She's also the co-author of two books on “Engaging Parents” (Bloomsbury, 2018; 2020) and she's a much sought-after keynote speaker. Which is why we're going to be looking at pastoral care at Berkhamsted, why it's so important for young people today, what the parent partnership is and some of the things parents can do at home during the summer holiday to support the efforts of staff at the school. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

For our 41st Episode, Jessica and Butch start out chatting about the Terrence Mallick film, The Tree of Life, and quickly switch gears (to dig in deeper at a later date) to "What it means to be a Southerner?" It's a conversation about "values" and "value sets" and what it means for a southern (especially a southern Christian) when they hear things like "D & I (&E)" as a "value." One of the more common slights to Southerners is their tendency to "act fake" in their kindness and sweetness, and Jessica and Butch take issue with that and the importance of handling life's ups and downs with charm, grace, and a smile... in other words: "Fake it 'till you make it.." ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#008 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Vice Principal, Andy Ford. Amongst other things we're going to find out more about the development of children through Berkhamsted School, we'll find out about the BLP, that's Building Learning Power, and more about metacognition and learning how to learn. But we're also going to hear Andy's remarkable moment and what he likes to listen to in the car when he's on his own. So let's get into the episode and speak to Andy Ford right now. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

Welcome back to America's leading higher education podcast! In this episode, sponsored by MDT Marketing, we welcome Lynn Mulherin, Commissioner, Florida Commission for Independent Education! Lynn talks to us about why online education is here to stay. Like so many other leaders in the space, she makes a distinction between online and remote learning - and how the pandemic pushed (not pulled) institutions to the online competitive market. Understanding the adult market is critical, their motivations are different and it's critical that higher ed leaders define what they mean by "student" when they are discussing consumers. Lynn says it's time to move from disruption to transformation - the trends are accessibility, affordability, and scalability! Students will still benefit by moving up the learning ladder! Lynn Mulherin leverages the power of technology and teams to advocate for student access, equity and education evolution. Her career includes twenty years as an executive at University of Phoenix and fifteen concurrent years as a commissioner for the Florida Commission for Independent Education. Her particular focus has been on first-generation adult college students. Lynn also created and launched a platform designed to virtually celebrate graduations and other life milestones at sharepearlsofwisdom.com. Another episode sponsored by our great friends at MDT Marketing! Get your free marketing consultation today! mdtmarketing.com/edup Thanks so much for tuning in. Join us again next time for another episode! Contact Us! Connect with the hosts - Elvin Freytes, Elizabeth Leiba, and Dr. Joe Sallustio ● If you want to get involved, leave us a comment or rate us! ● Join the EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! ● Follow us on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Thanks for listening! We make education your business!

"What is up with the real estate market?!?" is a question a lot of us have been asking lately. Butch has a "Great Conversation" with his good friend (and the best Real Estate agent in the Milky Way Galaxy) Pamela Jones with Extraordinary Transitions in Loudoun County, VA. We talk about what's going on, why it's so crazy here and elsewhere... a little bit about why women are so much BETTER at it, and how she views what it means to put down roots and be a part of the community. Pamela's Rule for the podcast is a four parter: "Show up, pay attention, tell the truth, and don't be attached to the outcome." For more information on Extraordinary Transitions and Pamela's work, go to: https://pamsellsfinehomes.com ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#007 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode we're talking Science with Nicola Nicoll. We're going to find out what led her to working in science in education, why it's so important for girls to learn this at school and how the school goes about keeping the girls encouraged about science. But we're also going to hear Nicola's remarkable moment and the joys she experienced coming back to school after 2020. So let's get into the episode and speak to Nicola right now. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

Jessica and Butch continue a conversation started with our special guest in the previous episode with a question of, "From where do people get their moral foundations if not from religion?" We explore the issue thoroughly in terms of online communities, and the workplace and the #metoo world as well. Notwithstanding the conundrum of finding morality in the secular world, we posit that "power" is a poor measure of it. The rule for the day is: "Pursue morality first..." because without it, where will justice emerge from something as confusing as #metoo? ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

Local business consultant, Debbie Gee, is a special guest of Butch Porter, and they talk about powerful women in the workforce, the "battle of the sexes" and culture wars in general, the #metoo movement, among other topics involving men and women. The rule for this episode is little bit of a crib from Heather Heying: "Come to me as a human being first, an individual second, and THEN you can go tribal..." For more information on Debbie, check out: https://www.maximumstrategiesllc.com ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#006 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to sixth formers from Years 12 and 13, who'll be telling us all about the Learning Leaders programme. We're going to find out what the programme is, what skills our pupils can learn from this and what they might say to other people thinking about applying for the programme. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

Want to move BEYOND the chair?  Has the past year + been a wakeup call? are you just ready for a change and wanting to explore options for your next chapter? If you want to be an independent educator - make money without working beyond the chair, using the skills you already have, and do it you own way and on your own terms - not be beholden to a brand or anyone but yourself - this episode is for you! I first posted this episode in May of 2020, but I've been ranting about this since 2017, I am ALL in on independent education, digital products, and doing the darn thing that builds your dream life.   you can download the Beyond The Chair Just Start Guide at www.beyondthechair.pro  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/independentstylist/message

For Episode 37, Jessica and Butch have decided to dive deep into the dilemma of: Truth vs Unity. Is it more important to be RIGHT, or to be UNITED? Is it more important to admit what the real "truth" is or to get along with your fellow man? Do we have to choose between, say "evangelism" vs. "ecumenism" in our religious conversations? We talk about CRT a little and specifically what it means for continuing "dialogue" when County Governments, like the one in Loudoun County, VA (where Butch lives) create a "Chief Equity Officer" position. https://www.jobapscloud.com/LDN/sup/bulpreview.asp?R1=21&R2=139&R3=2200 Today's Rule, oddly enough came from the AppleTV show: Ted Lasso, where Ted wins a bet, while explaining how important it is to... ask questions.... be CURIOUS, before judging someone. Next week, Butch will be continuing the conversation with none other than Loudoun's own: Sophia Nelson, who visited with Butch on his SECOND episode. This one will take the "Truth vs Unity" question to the modern political situation with the Republican Party, Donald Trump, "Conservatism," etc. ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#005 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we talk to Hannah Butland and Laura Knight about Innovation and teaching at the school. We hear about the concept of 'failing forward' and metacognition, how Berkhamsted's innovation strategy helps students later in life and what their own future plans are too. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

Evelyn Jerome-Alexander, Independent Education Consultant and Megellan College Counseling Founder, shares pearls of wisdom about the process of preparing for college and when to begin. The relationship a family should have with the high school counselor and the role math plays are just a few of the pearls shared in our recent conversation. www.magellancounseling.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cherice-taylor/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/cherice-taylor/support

#004 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community. In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Joe Beadle, previous Head Boy at the school and now student at Cambridge. Joe talks about what he's studying at Cambridge, how he balances work with other activities and how the school prepared him for life. Berkhamsted online Website: www.berkhamsted.com Facebook: BerkhamstedSchool Twitter: @berkhamstedsch Instagram: berkhamstedschools

For our 36th episode, Jessica and Butch discuss the nature of terms of the intellect. The journey of Jordan Peterson is a big topic, as well as the concepts of fasting and feasting, intellectual humility vs. "skepticism" and of course the proper way to do theology: apophatically. The Rule for the day is: "Tell stories that are True..." ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

#003 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community.In this episode of the Berkhamsted Spotlight we're talking to Karen O'Connor, Headteacher of the Pre-Prep School. We'll be unpacking life at the Pre-Prep school to find out what it's really like. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools

#002 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community.In this episode we talk to Martin Walker, Head of Berkhamsted Sixth. We'll be finding out what's coming next in the exciting developments of life in the sixth form. Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools

#001 - Welcome to the Berkhamsted Spotlight, Berkhamsted School's podcast channel. Join our weekly guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond BS. Find out what it's really like to be part of our remarkable community.In this episode we talk to Richard Backhouse, Principal at the school. We'll be finding out what a rounded education really means, what the future holds for Berkhamsted School, and also what Richard is doing in relation to reaching one million metres...Berkhamsted onlineWebsite: www.berkhamsted.comFacebook: BerkhamstedSchoolTwitter: @berkhamstedschInstagram: berkhamstedschools

Independent Education Is a Must: Fireside Chat Daisy Ross Of Ispeak Program and Iworldschool. This was a powerful conversation with Daisy Ross about the power of Homeschooling and Independent Education. This Fireside Chat was very Intriguing and inspirational. Learn of the efforts of Ispeak to keep our cultural languages alive like IBO,TREE,KISWAHILLI AND MORE. This is a conversation you don't want to miss. Tap In with us. #BLACKHOMESCHOOLING #AFROCENTRICEDUCATION#BLACKLOVE#BLACKEXCELLENCE --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mindsparkcreations/support

Jessica and Butch chat about the importance of human connection and how much it's been compromised for the last year. Sure the pandemic is serious, but just like anything else, there are tradeoffs, and the cost of losing human connection has been really high, while the benefit is very hard to define or prove. For weeks we were told how (we're still being told how) to wash our hands and count to 20. Our rule for this week: "Hug your neighbor with both arms... and count to 20." ________________________ Independent Education: https://inded.us Great Conversation(s) Blog: https://greatconversations.us Great Conversation(s) Network: https://gc.inded.us ROTG Podcast: https://rotgpodcast.us Patreon: https://patreon.com/rulesofthegame

Dunkirk. June 4, 1940 - Operation Dynamo, later to become known as ‘The Miracle of Dunkirk': 336 000 French, British and other Allied troops are evacuated from where they are cornered on the beaches of Dunkirk to England by 850 small, private, boats. An operation so critical, after these troops had been trapped by a German pincer movement, that the failure of it may well have resulted in the Allies losing the war against Nazi Germany. In a recent conversation with Professor Jonathan Jansen, I was fortunate enough to spend some  time discussing the parallels between ‘the small ships of Dunkirk' and independent education in South Africa. In a country where we have upward of 26,000 schools (over 80% of them considered to be non-functional) and approximately 2,500 independent schools catering to 7,2% of the basic education sector, we feel a lot like the small ships of Dunkirk. Connect with Prof Jansen on LinkedIn · Read the accompanying article · EduInc website · Facebook (Public) · Facebook (closed group) · Twitter (closed group) · YouTube · Review us on Google

In this LIVE from ISSE with Hairbrained episode we have Keya Neal of Texture vs. Race back with us for round two! We talk about ALL THE THINGS, from the reality of independent education, Keya's journey in becoming an awesome public speaker, and the recent problematic Blackish episode on black hair and salons. For even more context and education, please listen to Keya's first episode on the podcast where we discussed cultural appropriation, braided styles and inclusion. A big shout out of gratitude to Keya for coming back and sharing her heart and brain, and to PBA and Hairbrained for creating this space for us to chat and to all the awesome humans who joined us LIVE. You can find Keya on the gram @keya_artistically_neal and on Facebook at Texture vs. Race.

Russell Rickford is an assistant professor of history at Cornell University. We Are an African People: Independent Education, Black Power and the Radical Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2016) offers an intellectual history of the Pan African nationalist schools that emerged in the late 1960s from dissatisfaction with urban school desegregation and its failure to provide an equal education and foster racial pride. Influenced by Third World theories and African anti-colonial campaigns, these black institutions promoted self-determination and black political sovereignty. Beginning with the campaigns for the community control of schools to visions of a Black University, Rickford identifies the key ideological strengths and weaknesses that ultimately resulted in the failure to build strong independent institutions necessary for cultural renewal. The Afrocentric ideas and schools that survived were congruent with a neoliberal ideology that elided the socio-economic conditions of African Americans. Lilian Calles Barger, www.lilianbarger.com, is a cultural, intellectual and gender historian. Her current book project is entitled The World Comes of Age: Religion, Intellectuals and the Challenge of Human Liberation.

Russell Rickford is an assistant professor of history at Cornell University. We Are an African People: Independent Education, Black Power and the Radical Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2016) offers an intellectual history of the Pan African nationalist schools that emerged in the late 1960s from dissatisfaction with urban school desegregation and its failure to provide an equal education and foster racial pride. Influenced by Third World theories and African anti-colonial campaigns, these black institutions promoted self-determination and black political sovereignty. Beginning with the campaigns for the community control of schools to visions of a Black University, Rickford identifies the key ideological strengths and weaknesses that ultimately resulted in the failure to build strong independent institutions necessary for cultural renewal. The Afrocentric ideas and schools that survived were congruent with a neoliberal ideology that elided the socio-economic conditions of African Americans. Lilian Calles Barger, www.lilianbarger.com, is a cultural, intellectual and gender historian. Her current book project is entitled The World Comes of Age: Religion, Intellectuals and the Challenge of Human Liberation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies