Challenging the Status Quo: The Impactful Journey of 'Forget What You Learned' in its Debut Season
Explore the resonant themes and insightful discussions from season 1 of 'Forget What You Learned' that have sparked a discussion about educational reform and inspired listeners seeking meaningful change.
As we reflect on the inaugural season of "Forget What You Learned” and begin planning for season 2, we can’t help but feel immense pride for what we created. What started as a germ of an idea in a brainstorm meeting grew into a platform for thoughtful discourse that resonated deeply with our listeners. With around 700 downloads and active engagement across platforms, it's clear that the podcast tapped into a shared sentiment about the shortcomings of conventional education. A huge thank you is owed to every listener, sharer, and contributor who helped create this space with us. As we start to construct season 2, it’s the perfect time to reflect back on what we created together. If you haven’t yet listened through the first season, now is the perfect time to get caught up.
We chat with several practitioners and thought leaders who question the status quo. For instance, education consultant Komal Shah critiques the "factory model" of education for stifling students' innate love for learning. Her work highlights the need for educational systems to prioritize inner fulfillment over marketable success. We also chatted with Josh Horwatt who discusses the unique needs of boys in education, emphasizing that developmentally, boys may require different support systems to thrive. Dr. Karen Wilson provides insight into the alarming rise of childhood anxiety and connects the dots between mental health and educational pressures. All hope is not lost, though. Our podcast is focused on solutions, with Dr. Wilson offering parents actionable advice on advocating for their children's well-being within the school system. This same solutions-oriented approach threads its way through Dr. Irena Smith’s episode as she provides a critical look at the Ivy League’s tunnel vision on success and advocates for a redefined perception of achievement.
During the lightning round for each episode, we asked our guests to share what they thought children needed more of, in one word. Here are their answers.
Its title a light play on words, our podcast Forget What You Learned encourages you to do exactly that: to try to think beyond the lessons that have shaped how we think of education for decades. But hand in hand with forgetting is reimagining what education could look like. For this reason, the second half of our season paints a picture of hope by highlighting the voices of people who are interested in building something new. Cory Greenberg's own child, Wyatt, adds a personal touch, sharing his middle school experiences and advocating for a system that allows more freedom and encourages passion-driven learning. Sam Young's experience as a twice-exceptional individual gives listeners an inside look into the strengths and challenges faced by 2e kids and what it looks like to design classes exactly for them, while Jim Hahn and Jon Cassie of Qualia School present a model for cultivating capable, critically thinking adults through an intellectual playground approach to education. Athena Academy's Anne Boswell introduces an innovative model that harmonizes project-based learning with individualized approaches, particularly for students with dyslexia and twice exceptionality, hinting at the potential for broader application in larger educational settings. The podcast also delves into unconventional paths with Iris Chen's "Untigering" movement, which calls for generational and cultural transformation through peaceful parenting and educational freedom. Bristyl Garvin's founding of The Treehouse Academy envisions an educational utopia that honors individuality and fosters a nurturing environment. Lastly, Alex Asher from LearnCube discusses the rapid evolution of virtual classrooms and the exciting potential and challenges of AI in reshaping education's future.
Each episode is a testament to the need for an educational renaissance, offering resources and inspirational stories that ignite a call to action for listeners to participate in the transformative journey of reimagining education. Our guests offered us their wealth of knowledge, suggesting resources, institutions, and organizations that will help listeners reimagine for themselves. To support you on your journey to “forget what you learned,” we invite you to explore our collected list of resources, built from our guests’ expertise. Stay tuned for Season 2 in spring 2024!