Usually, one-on-one coaching is reserved for business executives, but Joel Nicholson’s mission is to bring it to students. Joel is the co-founder of Youthfully, a coaching and development platform for students. He’s our guest on the show today.

Joel explains Youthfully’s holistic and non-directive coaching philosophy. He walks us through their process, starting with an intake assessment all the way through application of the student’s stated goal. He also lays out his vision for scaling up the platform so more families can benefit from it.

Bloom’s 2 Sigma problem has been around for a few decades now– how do we achieve the outcomes of one-on-one teaching while being limited by resources. Joel is tackling this problem head-on and has a lot to teach us about the lessons he’s learned along the way.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• What the term ‘holistic’ means in education
• How to scale up one-on-one coaching
• The three levels of the Youthfully process: foundations, experiences, applications

Resources:

• Learn more about Bloom’s 2 Sigma problem
• Explore Youthfully.com
• Connect with Youthfully on LinkedIn
• Follow Youthfully on Instagram
• Watch Youthfully on YouTube
• Follow Youthfully on TikTok
• Connect with Youthfully on X
• Link up with Youthfully on Facebook

Produced by NOVA Media

Dr. Tyler Thigpen co-founded The Forest School in Fayetteville, GA and from there he also co-founded the Institute for Self Directed Learning. Tyler is our guest on the show today and shares with us key practices he has researched and used to nurture student-led environments.

We talk about the concept of mastery and how to measure it with single point rubrics, with an emphasis on longitudinal growth. We discuss the role exhibitions and practicals play in developing student responsibility. We also get into how to create space for students to forge their character and learn how to manage conflict.

The Forest School is a model for all of us interested in education innovation, and its Institute for Self Directed Learning is a resource to help us achieve it.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• How Tyler implements self directed learning at the micro school he co-founded, The Forest School.
• The importance of measuring longitudinal growth in a mastery-based environment.
• How to create an environment where kids take responsibility for their learning.

Resources:

• Learn more at the Institute for Self Directed Learning
• For more free online resources, check out Transcend
• Join the waitlist for Dr. Tyler Thigpen’s new book “The Playbook for Self Directed Learning”

Produced by NOVA Media

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” was made almost 40 years ago, yet it still is seen as an accurate representation of education in America. Kevin Stoller is on a mission to update America’s perception of its schools. He’s our guest on today’s episode.

Kevin is the founder of the Second Class Foundation and is creating a new docuseries called “What We Show Them.” He explains the power of entertainment to change culture.

We discuss the importance of leadership, how anyone can be a storyteller, and the roadmap for his series.

Be sure to check the Resources section to find out how you can connect with Kevin and potentially showcase your own innovative education program.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

• The power of entertainment to change culture
• The lag between progress in education and how it is reflected in the media
• How anybody can be a leader and a storyteller

Resources:

• Learn more at SecondClassFoundation.org
• Email Kevin at info@secondclassfoundation.org
• Watch “What We Show Them” Episode 1 on YouTube
• Read “The End of Average”

Produced by NOVA Media