At "free schools," kids decide what they want to learn. Teacher Gia Rae Winsryg-Ulmer honors their right to be themselves and the independent-thinking people they are meant to be. This is Gia's Story.
Teacher Stories
Educators Share Experiences and Innovations
Former park ranger-turned-professor Margo Farnsworth believes that biomimicry is one of the most important new tools for sustainability. It gets her students outside and unleashes their scientific and entrepreneurial minds. This is Margo's story.
Lilian Hill has a vision that the next generation of Hopi People will be healthy and return to the land. Through Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture, she reconnects all ages to traditional farming and ecological wisdom. This is Lilian’s story.
Social worker Judy Pruim takes you behind the scenes at Muskegon High's Teen Health Center at —a place where students feel safe, and their success and well being are supported. This is Judy's story.
Sarah Anderson’s philosophy of happy, healthy, and democratic communities unexpectedly led her to place-based education and the students of Southwest Charter School in Portland, Oregon. This is Sarah’s story.
Is it our civic responsibility to help students with language-based learning disabilities discover how they can learn? Landmark School headmaster Bob Broudo passionately believes so. This is Bob’s story.
Seattle high school history teacher Jesse Hagopian's greatest teaching moment came after he was arrested at the state capitol—and his students made their own history. This is Jesse’s story.
Rich, stuck-up hippies. Racist gun-loving trailer trash. Two teachers try to bridge the divide between their rural and urban middle schoolers by having them write each other’s narratives in poetry form. This is Charles’ story.
Gov. Scott Walker's 2011 legislation on collective bargaining created pandemonium in education. How did one teacher’s community pull together to protect what they worked so hard to create. This is Jean’s story.
Brendan Clarke reflects on his first day of teaching, and why he left the classroom to rebuild our connection with the natural world. This is Brendan’s story.
By being part of a human painting, students are instilled with the power to change the world and protect endangered species. This is Daniel’s story.
Dan Coulter uses film to help teachers understand what goes on inside the head of a student with AS, so that student can thrive in the classroom. This is Dan's story.
Girlie Forman, a former probation officer, uses her sense of humor and food to connect with her high school students—and their families. This is Girlie's story.
In New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, an old grocery store and urban farm is also a school. Our School at Blair Grocery meets crises with open eyes, humble hearts and social entrepreneurship. This is David’s story.
How do you get distracted teens to take care of their local watershed? Peter Donaldson’s carrot is the opportunity to produce smart, hip videos and be the on-air expert. This is Peter’s story.