By Ellen Perconti, Superintendent of Goldendale School District in Washington State. Years ago, in the depth of winter, our school team was asked by a teacher to support a kindergarten student (“Lisa”) who, in response to every request, replied “no.” Sometimes, the “no” was accompanied by a foot stomp, a plopping to the floor, or […]
Between November 9-20, 2020, the [RE]LEARN Online Learning Innovation Festival brought together thought leaders from around the world to share insights and strategies aimed at creating global shifts in education. With over 200 speakers and 60 countries represented, the festival gave educators the chance to collaboratively reflect on the purpose of education during the COVID-19 […]
For her continued innovation and thought leadership in the global education sector, The Learner First CEO Joanne McEachen has been selected as a Fellow by the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF), a network of leaders and entrepreneurs committed to incubating solutions to global problems in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and to making a lasting positive impact on […]
“Assessment shouldn’t serve as a judge, but a guide, giving students direction on where to go next. It ‘fits’ students into the academic system, but should show them how they fit into the world—who they are, where they’re going, and what gives them purpose. It currently separates the ‘good’ from the ‘bad.’ It should find […]
“When we’re talking about equity, we have to redefine success. Because meaning and fulfillment is the new wealth, and contribution is the only way to earn it.” —Joanne McEachen, CEO, The Learner First The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of educating the whole child and ensuring that their social and emotional needs are met […]
In support of the Getting Smart Podcast’s “difference-making” focus, The Learner First’s Joanne McEachen sat down with Getting Smart CEO Tom Vander Ark for a conversation on her new book, The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis: A Guide to Contributive Learning in Schools. Contributive learning means “learning to add to the world.” As […]
By Mary Coverdale, Director of The Learner First, Australia. It’s becoming common to use the anthropological term “liminal” to describe the period of time we are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. It means the space and time between things, the state between a past and future state, where our flow of life is disrupted and […]
The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), in support of Qatar Foundation’s UNGA Global Goals week platform, is hosting a virtual session launching a WISE Special Edition eBook titled Education Disrupted, Education Reimagined: Thoughts and Responses from Education’s Frontline During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. Throughout the first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic, education […]
“My advice for senior leaders is to do some work on yourself first. For me, learning about who I am and really being true to myself… has allowed me to be the best leader I can be. If I try to be somebody else, I’m a terrible leader…. The very best leader you can be […]
Available as a paperback and eBook on Amazon here. “The very best outcome we can hope for—from anything—is to make people’s lives, and the world, better.” — from The Depthvale Detectives and the Great Education Crisis, by Joanne McEachen and Matthew Kane “This book marks a true meta-moment for schools, a chance to consider what […]
When We Say NoJanuary 21, 2021 - 10:18 amBy Ellen Perconti, Superintendent of Goldendale School District in Washington State. Years ago, in the depth of winter, our school team was asked by a teacher to support a kindergarten student (“Lisa”) who, in response to every request, replied “no.” Sometimes, the “no” was accompanied by a foot stomp, a plopping to the floor, or […]