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Surprise Me![ Podcast ]
No Children Left Behind with Mark Redmond
Today’s episode is with Mark Redmond, a thought leader already in his 39th year of supporting young people from very tough circumstances to succeed despite the odds.
[ Podcast ]
See without Eyes and Repurpose the Brain with Daniel Kish
By Dr. Lynda
What if I told you that you don’t need eyes to see? Today’s thought leader is the ‘real-life-Batman’ Daniel Kish. Daniel is an expert in human echolocation and one of the world’s foremost inspirational speakers.
[ Podcast ]
Institutionalizing Hopes and Dreams For Children with Linda Cliatt-Wayman
By Dr. Lynda
Today’s episode is with the retired principal, book author, and thought leader, Linda Cliatt-Wayman. Linda Cliatt-Wayman is a renowned education leader with an unwavering belief in the potential of all children.
13 minutes
[ Innovation ]
Become an Instant Backyard Scientist with iNaturalist!
What if you could go on a safari and get up close and personal with hundreds of plants animals, no plane ticket, no fancy guide, and no money required? Now, all of us can experience our own backyards with a little more wonder thanks to this amazing app!
12 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
Learning Life’s Gentle Lessons with the Seahorse Whisperer!
Can observing the gentle ways of a graceful sea creature actually make you a better person? Rog Hanson is known as the Seahorse Whisperer, and you don’t end up with a title like that for no reason! We’re diving in with him to discover how we can all grow as humans from one of nature’s most elusive miracles.
8 minutes
[ Culture ]
Helping Students Find Confidence by Helping Others!
Could there be a simple way to change the lives of young people around the world? They may be on to something at Tilden Middle School—helping their students build confidence, empathy, and kindness towards other people in just a single day. Here’s how it works! (And how it can benefit you, too!)
20 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
Meet the Man Behind Books Young People Actually Want to Read!
By Sam Burns
Could there really be a simple way to encourage youth to read more? See how the author, Jason Reynolds, is making it happen by telling stories that connect to the experiences of today’s young adults.
18 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
The School that Changed an Entire Community
By Sam Burns
What if lasting social change started by getting adversaries to become advocates for some new future that everyone could imagine together and feel good about? This is how Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya started a revolutionary school that is changing the lives of generations of students!
7 minutes
[ Creativity ]
“I SPY”: The Books that Still Catch Our Eye!
Have you ever been captivated by the magic of an “I SPY” book? Let us introduce you to Walter Wick, the photographer behind these imaginative works of art!
35 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
Tumble Down a Rabbit Hole of Wonder with Tumble!
By Dr. Lynda
Have you heard about Tumble, the science podcast for kids? Whether or not you have children, it’s a great way to get a little science into your day!
13 minutes
[ Culture ]
The Life Changing Work of a Master Craftsman
Behind the doors of Blue Ox Millworks, Eric Hollenbeck passes down generations of knowledge, instilling a sense of pride and healing with his work. By sharing the love for his craft, this woodworker is helping high schoolers and veterans alike find their own healing.
11 minutes
Principal Wayman’s Recipe for Changing Schools and Lives
By Dr. Lynda
Want to get the best out of every unique child? Build a system of support that includes at least one caring adult in every child’s life. Here is one of the most powerful TED Talks you will ever have the pleasure of watching!
21 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
How Playing Broken Instruments Brought Them Back to Life!
By Sam Burns
What do you do with a gymnasium full of broken instruments? Play them! Check out how this symphony of broken instruments repaired a community.
15 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
Skate After School: How Skateboarding Can Change a Kid’s Life!
By Sam Burns
What if you could learn life’s most important skills and have fun while doing so? This program is making that possible for hundreds of kids every week. Let’s hear from the kids themselves why this program is so important!
8 minutes
[ Culture ]
The Playgrounds Encouraging Safer Play by Using Hammers and Nails!
By Sam Burns
Could a playground with hammers, nails, shovels, and building materials actually make play safer? Adventure playgrounds are helping kids develop valuable life skills, letting them experiment with controlled risk, and encouraging creativity, exploration, and self-confidence!
6 minutes
[ Culture ]
How a High School in a Nursing Home is Changing Lives
What if we saw this new wave of people reaching retirement as a new generation of mentors? Connecting youth and older adults has remarkable benefits for everyone! Heres how one program is helping lead the way for whats possible.
20 minutes
[ Thought Leaders ]
The Haitian Project: A Blueprint for Solving Big Problems
By Dr. Lynda
What if the concept that could change the way we all look at solving the world’s most vexing problems is coming out of a nation facing the large brunt of them? It looks like the solution is thinking differently about how we decide to start attacking a problem. And this school in Haiti gives us just a glimpse of all of the possibility and hope that can come!
18 minutes
[ Pebbles ]
Supporting Education in the Mountains of Nepal
By Sam Burns
The vast majority of people who have summited Mount Everest have porters to thank for it—but being a porter is far from a safe profession. Yet, for many Sherpa, this is their only way to support their families. After becoming a porter at the age of 12 and summiting Everest 21 times, Apa Sherpa has created a foundation to ensure that children have another path to travel in life through their education.
26 minutes
[ Creativity ]
Can Super Mario Teach Us To Be More Successful?
There’s a tendency to look at what stands in our way to success and feel overwhelmed. But Mark Rober has a novel method to get around this, and he calls it the Super Mario Effect. Now, THIS is a game-changer!
17 minutes
[ Innovation ]
Every Brain is Beautiful: The Autism Advantage
By Dr. Lynda
What if we let disabilities take a back seat and we focused on the abilities that might look like superpowers in the right setting? Let’s take a look at some examples.
14 minutes
[ Culture ]
Forest Kindergarten: Challenging All Our Instincts!
By Dr. Lynda
When was the last time you saw pre-schoolers gleefully playing in a muddy ditch or climbing in a tall tree? Turns out that encouraging that sort of thing might be a giant leap forward in education! Take a look…
20 minutes
[ Business ]
A Tour of the Wonders of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a reality, and most of us barely understand what it means. No wonder there is a lot of fear and a shortage of wonder on the topic. Today we change all that with an expert guide!
7 minutes
[ Education ]
How Much Do We Know About Sleep?
We all know what it looks like when we are without sleep, but why is sleep so important to us? It turns out, our brains are doing some extraordinary things while we sleep! See what you think. (And learn what you “think” while you are sleeping!)
14 minutes
How Paper Tools will Change the World
When it comes to innovations that will change the world, shouldn’t we consider how many hands will have access to them? Check out this brilliant TED Talk from Manu Prakash, one of the remarkable brains behind the paper technologies of the future that will revolutionize how we think about science!
27 minutes
[ Animals ]
Live from the Bottom of the Ocean!
Ever wondered what life looks like at the bottom of the sea? Let us introduce you to a remarkable place where you can tag along live as scientists explore the ocean’s uncharted depths!
21 minutes
[ Curators' Best ]
Tim Minchin on the Wonder of Micro-Ambitions
By Dr. Lynda
Want to hear a refreshing, completely counter-intuitive take on realizing your path in life. Here’s an unlikely and brilliant source!
11 minutes
[ Business ]
Why the Worldwide Web is Not the Internet
By Dr. Lynda
Have you ever wondered if it was correct to refer to the web and the net interchangeably. Turns out the worldwide web is not the internet and here’s a very interesting reason why…
53 minutes
[ Business ]
What is a “Wiki”? The Difference Between Wikileaks and Wikipedia
By Dr. Lynda
Want to understand and get a refreshing look at the insane power of a well organized crowd? Believe it or not, Wikipedia is an example of the best of human potential. See why!
6 minutes
Explore the Universe in Your Coffee Cup
Your cup of coffee contains the forces that keep the universe in motion! It’s a great reminder of how being a lifelong learner makes the world more incredible!