# 44 - Challenging Our Mental Models
Episode description
As educators, we can sometimes entrench ourselves in certain ways of thinking when it comes to what is best for students to be able to know, understand and do. In today’s episode, Tom Johnson and I have an in-depth discussion about the importance of removing ourselves from these entrenched positions and to approach teaching and learning differently. The journey of learning is a noble pursuit that both teacher and student must be equal stakeholders. However, in order to create this type of learning environment, there are major considerations that must be well-thought out if we are to maximize the impact that students and teachers can have on the learning process. Tom delves into his PHD studies and the major lessons he has learned throughout his own learning journey in education that are applicable in the current work that he does. As well, Tom and I take a hard look at what it means to be a ‘leader’ in education. Bio:Tom Johnson is father of a four year old son named Mickey. This has been the game-changer. He is also a practicing academic and a scholar-practitioner. He is an intrapreneur, a learning coach, a designer, and was once a Google Certified Individual. He founded the Learning and Technology Exchange Network (LTEN) that has now gone almost fully Turkish. Tom has lived through hurricanes in Mexico, earthquakes in Guatemala, political unrest in Thailand, gun-fights in Toronto, hold-ups in Niagara, motorcycle accidents in Taiwan and hopefully a PhD. in Turkey and China. As you will hear, he would argue for the modification of any fixed model of thinking. Connect with Tom:Twitter:@ictechdesignWebsite: ict-design.orgThemes Discussed:Disrupted Leadership, Cognitive Dissonance, Blended Learning, John Hattie, Dylan William, Daniel Pink, Seth Godin, Maximizing Student Learning, Teacher Motivation