91. Unlearning the Status Quo so Students Can Thrive with Peter Hostrawser

Think about how different the lives of our children are, compared to how we grew up or how our parents and grandparents grew up. It’s like night and day when you consider the technology changes, social development, human connection, racial awakening, and more.

And yet. The status quo in education is for students to sit in a classroom and listen to a teacher talk.

We’ve learned so much over the years about the importance of student agency, getting the child involved, hands-on learning, and more. Yet we keep doing the same thing and expect different results from the young adults in the workforce.

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Peter Hostrawser, the “unlearning coach,” about how we can stop checking off boxes in the classroom and start to let kids share their stories and design their own education.

It wouldn’t be difficult for any educational institution to get started; all it takes is an open mind and a desire to do things differently. With how different life is today, I’d say it’s a requirement.

Known as the "Unlearning Coach", Peter Hostrawser has been a business educator for over 20 years. He is an entrepreneur and change agent for traditional educational systems as well as a business coach. Peter has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and educators innovate their craft. Peter is the host of the Disrupt Education Podcast where creative and non-traditional learners share their stories and thoughts on how to change education. He currently teaches business at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, Illinois, USA, is an eLearning Curriculum Developer and EdTech consultant.

• [1:40] - Disrupting and evolving education for Peter
• [3:54] - Times have changed and what we need to do
• [5:18] - Unlearn the status quo
• [6:17] - Most interesting question in education
• [7:20] - Let students lead their own stories
• [8:54] - Creating an audience and purpose for what kids create
• [13:41] - Where to start helping kids to own their story
• [17:26] - Kids are willing to teach us if we truly want to learn
• [18:46] - What’s next for Peter and his mission
• [20:02] - Turbo Time
• [24:20] - What to know about finding your value
• [26:18] - Peter’s Magic Wand - That school is the place where curiosity met experience and they can follow their curiosity (also in communities); where people not afraid to fail
• [27:49] - Maureen’s takeaways

• EF Education as a Human Right Tour
• Disrupt Education Podcast
• Listen to my interview on the Disrupt Education Podcast
• Spikeview portfolio platform
• Agilities profile and career information
• Episode 11: Aligning Kids’ Futures with Agilities Testing
• The Giant Killer book and Amazon movie
• Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity? 
• Email Maureen
• Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools
• The Education Evolution
• Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
• Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
• LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
• EdActive Collective
• Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids
• Micro-school feature on Good Morning America
• The Micro-School Coalition
• Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition
• LEADPrep