Rebecca Winthrop

And she had to list out for herself, these are the standards I'm meeting for whatever grade she was in, 10th grade, I think, history and science. And she did an escape room around the assassination. of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. But she had to design this escape room. That turned her on like nobody else. And she got super excited. And she did several of those.

And then she actually said she was so motivated, she went back to sort of normal classes. They're doing that across the district. That's one small example. There's other examples of schools that, we're talking about AI, do sort of tech-based education on core subjects for a couple hours a day. math, science, reading, social studies.

And then she actually said she was so motivated, she went back to sort of normal classes. They're doing that across the district. That's one small example. There's other examples of schools that, we're talking about AI, do sort of tech-based education on core subjects for a couple hours a day. math, science, reading, social studies.

And then for the rest of the day, they are doing projects together on whatever it may be that they so decide. And there's a curriculum, there's things, you know, the teachers want them to learn. It's not a every kid do whatever you want, but that's super motivating. There's no reason that we couldn't do that with the existing staff and people and school buildings and infrastructure.

And then for the rest of the day, they are doing projects together on whatever it may be that they so decide. And there's a curriculum, there's things, you know, the teachers want them to learn. It's not a every kid do whatever you want, but that's super motivating. There's no reason that we couldn't do that with the existing staff and people and school buildings and infrastructure.

We just have to have the willpower to decide to do things differently.

We just have to have the willpower to decide to do things differently.

I love that. What's an example? So you started political blogging and then what happened?

I love that. What's an example? So you started political blogging and then what happened?

Right.

Right.

And this is something we talk about around finding your spark. Kids need to find their spark. And they may have many sparks and their sparks may change. But when kids find their spark, for Kia, it was this idea of doing an escape room around historical residential assassinations. For other students, they find sparks in other places.

And this is something we talk about around finding your spark. Kids need to find their spark. And they may have many sparks and their sparks may change. But when kids find their spark, for Kia, it was this idea of doing an escape room around historical residential assassinations. For other students, they find sparks in other places.

One of the characters in our book, Samir, absolutely loved local politics and dove in, getting himself on the school board, ultimately, in high school. Another student, Mateo, was super excited and turned on by robotics, and that's what really turned him around. And when you're motivated, this internal drive, it makes you engage more. You lean in more. You enjoy it more.

One of the characters in our book, Samir, absolutely loved local politics and dove in, getting himself on the school board, ultimately, in high school. Another student, Mateo, was super excited and turned on by robotics, and that's what really turned him around. And when you're motivated, this internal drive, it makes you engage more. You lean in more. You enjoy it more.

There's a virtuous upward cycle. And there's lots of evidence to show that it often spills over. So Kia talks about doing these studios for a couple years, which really helped her re-engage and care about school. And then she went back and did some high school college credit courses, which were very traditional structure.

There's a virtuous upward cycle. And there's lots of evidence to show that it often spills over. So Kia talks about doing these studios for a couple years, which really helped her re-engage and care about school. And then she went back and did some high school college credit courses, which were very traditional structure.

And she said she didn't love the structure, but she had enough motivation to figure out how to bend the class to her interests. So, that's the best case scenario. It doesn't always spill over automatically. What you talked about when you said you enjoyed it, you loved it, you loved English, but you didn't give the teachers what they want, it's probably because you're a total explorer.

And she said she didn't love the structure, but she had enough motivation to figure out how to bend the class to her interests. So, that's the best case scenario. It doesn't always spill over automatically. What you talked about when you said you enjoyed it, you loved it, you loved English, but you didn't give the teachers what they want, it's probably because you're a total explorer.

And we do not reward engaging in school in a way that supports explorers in general. Some schools do. And that is what we have to change.