Our Inspiration for Educational Change

We take inspiration from many places, people and movements including Reggio Emilio, Maria Montessori, John Holt, Piaget, Howard Gardner, Grace Llewellyn, The Green Movement, Tom Brown, and others, some of whom we feature below.

We strive to be aware of current conversations about alternative learning and education will pass on interesting links about topics pertinent to The Birch School.

Below are several video links to some of the current thinkers and environmental and educational change advocates. Please feel free to take some time and consider some of the perspectives presented.

Mimi Ito, Associate Researcher at the Humanities Research Institute at the University of California, Irvine, on Kid’s use of technology and social media, and learning. 

John Seely on Imagination and Learning Communities 

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, on “Kids learning better outside“. 

Media Scholar Henry Jenkins on Participatory Culture and Civic Engagement 

MacArthur Foundation Research Tony Wagner on Learning Environments that lead to Innovative Thinking 

Jon Young on Mentoring, Nature Awareness, and Coyote’s Guide with guests.