Noa is the founder and CEO of Building Outside the Blocks, co-founder of the Mentoree, a podcaster, a speaker, and the author of a children’s book about a peacock with an imperfect plume who finds his voice by strumming it rather than braying it like every other peacock has ever done. That book is called Strum and the Wild Turkeys. If you’re paying attention, the whole arc of her philosophy is right there in the title.

I brought her on Thinkering Minds (it was easy, she is Thinkering’s Mentorship Imaginator!) - because I wanted to understand how a person builds a body of work that is this coherent, this human, and this stubbornly joyful in the middle of an education system that is, by her own description, keeping people up at night.

Plus, Noa is always an uplifting joy! Watch the full episode here:

Teaching as an Act of Seeing

Noa did not always know she would be a teacher. She thought she was going to be a social worker. She started down that path, hit something that didn’t feel right in her gut, and followed the discomfort back to what she had always already been doing. Tutoring. Being around learners. Watching people figure things out.

“I became a youth group advisor and I was like, there’s definitely something in this.” — Noa Daniel

She got into the faculty of education when nobody was getting in, found a job early, found good mentors, and started building something in her classroom that she couldn’t quite name yet. She didn’t know she was doing anything original. Teachers live in their classrooms, she says. The walls are close. You don’t always see what’s happening from inside.

Then a mentor who wasn’t supposed to be assigned to her — Noa had been teaching long enough that the administration figured she didn’t need one — started asking questions. The students were talking about her projects in the hallway. What was she doing?

“I’m like, I don’t know. And she’s like, no, no, come on, tell me what it is. I’m like, I’m building outside the blocks.” — Noa Daniel

It took six weeks of unpacking to understand what she had. Voice and choice for students before voice and choice was even part of the conversation. Projects designed to build identity, not just skill. A framework for teaching that met kids where they were rather than where the curriculum assumed they’d be.

She didn’t invent the values. She excavated them.

The Blocks Are Not the Enemy

It would be easy to read Building Outside the Blocks as a rejection of structure. It isn’t. Noa is precise about this in a way that I think gets lost when people talk about student-centered learning. She does not believe the standards are the problem. She believes the assumption that standards can only be met one way is the problem.

“I need to know what the expectations are, but I don’t need to be told the only ways to meet it. I want to meet students where they are, build a room around who’s in the room.” — Noa Daniel

The distinction matters enormously. She is not handing the classroom over to chaos. She is handing students an invitation. There is a difference between a classroom with no walls and a classroom whose walls are built from the people inside it. Noa builds the second kind.

One of her projects, What Lights You Up, asks students at the beginning of the year to present something they are genuinely great at. Not something assigned, not something the curriculum demands. Something that belongs to them. A student who can solve seven different kinds of Rubik’s cubes brings that. A student who has spent years learning to draw a specific character brings that. The assignment criteria — presentation skills, vocal delivery, organizational structure — get met through something the student actually cares about.

“We’re not just looking at the solution or the end product. We’re looking at process, we’re looking at the role of failure and building skill. Because a student is much more likely going to throw a basketball a million times to try to learn how to make a three-pointer, but they’re less likely going to endure in school if they’re finding difficulty.” — Noa Daniel

What she is doing is creating a portable sense of self that the student can carry into everything harder that follows. The whole rest of the year, she can point back to it. Remember when you were presenting this and you felt amazing? What happened to you? And they tell her: who I am and what I value is important.

That is the whole thing, right there.

What Mentorship Actually Means

The Mentoree grew out of a similar instinct. Noa noticed that educators were being given mentors but not mentorship. They were being handed relationships without the architecture to make those relationships work. She had experienced what a real mentor could do — someone who helped her see her own practice clearly, who asked the questions that unlocked something she hadn’t known was locked — and she wanted to build that for other people.

The move most mentorship programs make is to assign a mentor and call it done. Noa thinks this misses the point almost entirely.

“The relationship part of it, that reciprocity piece, is so essential. To value learning and to accept people for where they are, their limitations, and still be able to learn from them — those are learning skills that will take you everywhere in life.” — Noa Daniel

The word she keeps coming back to is reciprocity. The mentor learns from the mentee. The person new to a context brings things the veteran cannot see. Starting mentees at step one when they are clearly at step seven is, she says flatly, the least effective way to do it. You have to know who you are working with. You have to get relational. The ship in mentorship, she points out, is about relationships.

In the Thinkering Mentorship program she is building, the vision goes further than a one-on-one match. The mentor becomes a network. The mentee has agency to choose who they spend time with, which experts they seek out, which relationships feel generative. The fixed elements of what the district requires are still there — the blocks — but the structure built around them is alive.

Music as a Language That Gets You There First

Somewhere in the middle of building her teaching practice, Noa discovered that music was not just a nice thing to bring into the classroom. It was a conduit. A way in and a way out at the same time.

Her podcast, the Personal Playlist Podcast, was born from a conversation with a student who had just experienced what Noa calls the P3 — a three-part project where students create a portrait, a playlist, and a photograph, each layer building on the last. That student’s gratitude for the experience, combined with a push from Voice Ed Radio founder Stephen Hurley, planted a seed. What if you did this with teachers?

She interviewed educators about their throwback songs, their identity songs, their pick-me-up songs. What she got back was something she hadn’t expected. People told her about their grandparents. Their first language. The song that came on right before their father died.

“Music is not only a way in and a way out, it is a language that we can connect with that brings us to our past, that makes us feel good, that can change our zone.” — Noa Daniel

The podcast eventually became impossible to maintain because of copyright enforcement — episodes being deleted despite people having sent her songs they owned, songs they loved, songs that held entire lives inside them. She made the decision to stop rather than compromise the intimacy of what people had shared. She went and gave a TED Talk about it instead.

In her classroom, music never stopped. Students add to a shared playlist all year. At the end of each day, a song plays at random from the list. Whose song is it going to be? They leave the way they came in — as themselves.

An Imperfect Plume

The children’s book started as a favor. A rancher called her and said he wanted a story about a peacock that had escaped its aviary and turned up a year later on a trail, leading a pack of wild turkeys. He wanted something funny for visitors to his ranch. Noa was deep in her TED Talk preparation and almost said no.

She said yes. She started with research, the way any good teacher would. She found out that wild turkeys have four distinct vocalizations: cut, gobble, kiki, and yelp. The characters built themselves from there. And then Strum arrived.

A peacock with an imperfect plume. He can’t bray it the way every other peacock does. He strums it. It’s different. It’s his. It takes him a while to stop trying to bray and start leaning into the strum.

“Even though Strum is strumming his plume instead of braying it like other peacocks, he figures it out and he embraces his unique self and that’s when his life changes. We all have things that make us feel less and we all have a need to belong.” — Noa Daniel

She says the universality of what came out surprised her. She was writing about music’s transformative power and she ended up writing about every person who has ever felt like they were doing it wrong, until they understood they were just doing it differently. She has since written five or six more Strum stories and the songs to go with them, half against her own will.

On her desk, she keeps a beaded version of Strum that her sister had made for her in South Africa. She showed it to me on camera — a small figure, carefully made, clearly treasured. She holds it up like proof of something.

What She Is Still Learning

I asked her near the end of the conversation what she is still learning as a mentee, because she talks about being both, always. Mentor and mentee at the same time.

The answer was quieter than everything else she had said.

She is learning to stop apologizing. She catches herself prefacing contributions with I’m so sorry, but. She knows the work is real. She knows the ideas land. She is still learning to let them land without first asking permission to speak.

“I’m really trying to just be me without questioning it, unapologetically, and really walk the talk. Some days are easier than others, but I really am working on that.” — Noa Daniel

That is the thing about people who build rooms for others to belong in. They are often still finding their own place to stand.

Connect with Jim on LinkedIn

“You are the mountain. You’ve already climbed so much of it.” – Michael Sykes

In the latest episode of Thinkering Voices, we sat down with Michael Sykes, founder of Equitable Solutions, to unpack what it means to truly humanize leadership. What emerged wasn’t just a conversation about equity in schools, it was a masterclass in leading with heart, slowing down, and returning to self.

Michael reminds us that equity isn’t a checkbox or a compliance protocol. It’s a daily practice of love:

• Love for self.

• Love for others.

• Love for humanity.

Equity Starts in the Mirror

It may feel radical to define equity as self-love, but Michael insists that’s where real transformation begins. As he puts it, “The first and most equitable journey you can go on is how you value and validate yourself.”

This flips the script on what we often think of as DEI work. Before we can extend empathy outward, we have to build the muscle inward. That means changing our self-talk, anchoring in gratitude, and becoming fluent in affirming language. Imagine writing down 1,825 things you love about yourself in a year. That’s not just reflection. That’s revolution.

Healing is Leadership

Burnout isn’t just a teacher problem. It’s systemic. And it begins at the top. Michael shared the powerful moment he began asking school leaders a deceptively simple question:

“How’s your heart?”

Nine times out of ten, the answer revealed an overlooked truth: you can’t lead well if you’re empty inside. When leaders heal, they invite their teams to do the same. It creates a ripple effect of compassion, presence, and joy, things we don’t always associate with leadership, but absolutely should.

Easy Equity Is a Practice, Not a Pitch

Michael’s book Easy Equity is a workbook and a movement. Born from a healing journey of his own, it’s a tool designed not to impress but to empower. The process is simple but profound: you learn a skill, you practice the skill, and then you live it.

That’s equity as a verb.

But more than that, Easy Equity creates language for a new kind of culture, one where it’s not just okay to love yourself, it’s expected. Where colleagues call each other in when denying language sneaks in. Where self-compassion becomes the standard, not the exception.

Grandma as North Star

Michael’s most enduring leadership inspiration came from his grandmother, a caretaker who radiated light into dark places and taught him that everyone has a story to tell. She saw the mountain in him long before he saw it in himself. Now, every time Michael helps someone else climb their own internal mountain, he’s moving closer to her.

We don’t talk enough about legacy in education. But here, it’s tangible. It’s spiritual. It’s the reason behind every workshop, every journal entry, every word written in the margins of Easy Equity.

What If Equity Wasn’t Scary?

In a time when even the word “equity” can spark political backlash, Michael refuses to rebrand. “I won’t change the name,” he said, “because that would be stepping away from my grandma.” Instead, he invites us to reclaim it, not as a threat, but as a practice of healing.

Imagine a world where equity is the norm, not the exception. Where the question “How are you treating you?” is foundational. That’s the vision.

And it starts with the first step: looking in the mirror and whispering something tender to yourself.

Try This: Your Easy Equity Starter Practice

1. Look in the mirror.

2. Say the most loving thing you can to yourself.

3. Repeat: “I am deserving of love. The world is better because I’m in it.”

4. Write down 5 things you love about yourself. Do it again tomorrow. And the next day.

It’s not ego. It’s practice. It’s equity. And it’s the beginning of something deeper than reform. It’s transformation.

📖 Pick up a copy of Easy Equity
📲 Follow Michael on Instagram @EquitableSolutionsColorado

Let’s all commit to moving at the speed of self-compassion. That’s the speed of love.

When parents ask “How was your day?”—and children respond “Good”—the conversation ends before it begins. Simon Yu, co-founder of Daysee, is building an app that turns that moment into something more: a bridge between home and school, powered by simplicity, safety, and celebration.

The Question Every Parent Knows

Every parent knows the question: “How was your day?”
And every parent knows the answer that follows—“Good.”

That single word hides a world of untold stories, unshared moments, and missed opportunities for connection. For Simon Yu, co-founder and CEO of Daysee, that silence became a calling. His mission: to rebuild the bridge between schools and families—one joyful moment at a time.

Daysee isn’t another management app for teachers. It’s a communication platform built around celebration. Teachers can quickly capture and share safe, private snapshots of classroom life with families—moments that spark conversation, strengthen relationships, and deepen learning.

“We wanted to make it effortless for teachers to share the magic that happens in their classrooms,” Yu says. “When parents know what’s happening, they’re more engaged. That engagement leads to stronger relationships, and that drives better student outcomes.”

An App Built for Teachers—Not at Their Expense

Daysee’s design philosophy starts with empathy. “In education, there’s a lot of software being forced on teachers,” Yu notes. “We wanted to do the opposite—create something that feels familiar, beautiful, and simple.”

Rather than add to teachers’ digital burden, Daysee strips everything down to what matters most: connection. The experience feels intuitive, more like scrolling through Instagram than navigating a management dashboard—but crucially, it’s private, secure, and classroom-focused.

“We borrowed what people love about social media—the creativity, the immediacy—but none of the noise,” Yu explains. “No likes, no public comments, no algorithms. Just genuine connection between families and teachers.”

That simplicity is exactly why teachers are adopting it. In pilot classrooms, Yu says, educators describe Daysee as “joyful to use.” Parents arrive at conferences already knowing what their children are doing, which changes the tone entirely: less about catching up, more about looking forward.

From Wall Street to the Schoolyard

Yu’s path to founding Daysee took him far from where it began. He grew up in Michigan, the son of immigrant parents who worked seven days a week. “They missed most of my school experiences,” he recalls, “but my teachers would develop photos and send them home. Those photos are still some of my family’s most treasured memories.”

Those images became a metaphor for what Daysee would later represent: presence, even when you can’t be physically there.

After a successful career in finance—first on Wall Street, then in private equity—Yu walked away to volunteer as a teacher in South Africa and Madagascar. What he saw there reshaped his purpose.

“I went thinking I’d coach soccer,” he laughs. “Those kids were way better than me, so I became a gym teacher instead.”
What struck him wasn’t what he taught—but what he saw: “There were so many incredible moments of learning and joy that no one outside those classrooms ever saw. I kept thinking—how do we make those moments visible?”

A Calling, Not Just a Company

Fast forward to today: Yu is a father, a founder, and a firm believer that connection is the foundation of education.

“When people ask what Daysee is about,” he says, “yes, it’s about enhancing education and outcomes—but at its core, it’s about human connection. It’s about family.”

That sense of purpose—what he calls his “2 a.m. moment”—was the catalyst for building Daysee. “It was one of those nights where I realized no one else was going to build this,” Yu remembers. “Parents want to be connected. Teachers want to be understood. Kids want to be seen. That bridge didn’t exist, so I had to build it.”

As a parent, he now uses the app personally to share his daughter’s day with his family and in-laws. “My dad doesn’t speak English,” he says. “But a photo or video doesn’t need translation. He can see her learning, and it means the world to him.”

That universality—moments that transcend language—is what Yu calls “the human language of learning.” It’s not just about information; it’s about emotion.

When Teachers Feel Seen, Students Thrive

Daysee isn’t just solving communication barriers—it’s helping combat something deeper: educator burnout. “When parents can see what teachers are doing, it creates appreciation,” Yu explains. “And that recognition matters. It fuels morale, retention, and trust.”

He’s quick to point out that Daysee doesn’t replace other tools—it complements them. “We’re not a management platform. We’re a celebration platform,” Yu emphasizes. “Our focus is on moments of joy, not metrics.”

Teachers using the app report unexpected ripple effects:

• Improved parent relationships: Conferences become more forward-looking and collaborative.

• Increased student engagement: Kids take pride in sharing their classroom experiences.

• Healthier school culture: Administrators can see, literally, the magic happening in classrooms every day.

And it’s not just anecdotal. Yu and his team are exploring ways to quantify how Daysee impacts engagement and student outcomes over time. “We didn’t start with data dashboards,” he says, “but the qualitative feedback has been so powerful that the quantitative side will follow naturally.”

Teachers at the Center

In an era of AI and automation, Yu insists on keeping teachers at the center. “Despite everything happening with technology, some truths won’t change,” he says. “Parents will always care about their child’s day. Teachers should always be at the center of the classroom.”

It’s a statement that resonates deeply with the Thinkering community’s own ethos of humanizing learning. At a time when many tools promise efficiency, Daysee promises empathy. Its goal isn’t to make teachers work faster—it’s to make them feel valued.

“We even built in daily affirmations for teachers,” Yu says. “We call them Daily Joy—just simple words to lift spirits. We know it’s been a tough time in education, and we want to shine a little light back into that world.”

Small Moments, Big Impact

The app’s name—Daysee—was intentional. It’s about “seeing the day,” capturing and sharing it before it disappears into memory. Each story a teacher posts becomes a spark for conversation, reflection, and connection at home.

Yu likens it to a highlight reel. “At the end of the day, families can sit together and watch their child’s day unfold—from circle time to science experiments,” he says. “It’s not about documenting everything, but celebrating the right things.”

And those conversations matter. Research consistently shows that family engagement is one of the strongest predictors of student success. When parents talk to their kids about school, academic achievement rises—and so does emotional wellbeing.

Daysee, in essence, is turning those daily interactions into a habit of connection.

The Bigger Picture

Beyond family connections, Yu sees potential for broader community impact. “Teachers are natural innovators,” he says. “They use Daysee in ways we never imagined—documenting professional growth, sharing creative lessons, even inspiring other educators.”

That creativity is why Yu believes Daysee could also serve as a reflection tool, an informal journal of a teacher’s career. “Imagine a first-year teacher using Daysee and being able to look back years later at all the growth and joy they’ve created,” he says. “That’s powerful.”

He’s even dreamed about the future: “When a Daysee teacher retires, imagine sending them a highlight reel of their entire teaching career—a lifetime of impact, captured through the eyes of their students.”

Why It Matters Now

The timing couldn’t be more relevant. Around the world, schools are struggling with teacher shortages, burnout, and declining family engagement. Research from McKinsey and UNESCO shows that teacher attrition has nearly doubled in the past decade, and more than 600 million students aren’t reaching minimum learning standards.

What’s missing, Yu argues, isn’t more content or curriculum—it’s connection. “We can’t solve systemic problems without human connection at the center,” he says. “That’s where real change starts.”

Daysee’s approach aligns with that belief. By bridging the emotional gap between home and school, it strengthens the entire ecosystem—teachers, parents, and students alike.

Celebrate. Engage. Empower.

When asked to summarize his mission, Yu doesn’t hesitate.
“We celebrate teachers and their impact. We engage families by deepening connection at home. And we empower students to see themselves as part of that story.”

He pauses, then adds: “We just happen to do all of that through photos and videos.”

Scrolling across Daysee’s website are the words: “Celebrate the Day.” It’s a mantra that reminds us that education isn’t built from grades or test scores—it’s built from moments of joy, curiosity, and care.

And that’s something worth sharing.

Learn More

📱 Try Daysee: Available now on App Store and Google Play
🌐 Website: www.dayseeapp.com
🔗 Follow on LinkedIn: Simon Yu

Thinkering Minds showcases innovators shaping the future of learning through human connection, creativity, and curiosity.

Subscribe to Thinkering Media on Substack for weekly interviews, educator stories, and fellowship spotlights advancing the movement to humanize education.

This is what it looks like when equity moves from theory to practice.

Equity begins with the choice to serve, not perform

Dr. Clark frames her leadership through the lens of servanthood. Her goal is not to “lead from the front” but to ask, every day: How can I be a blessing to others — to teachers, to students, to families?

That mindset led to a profound shift: no longer chasing test scores, but deepening relationships. When she stopped centering results and started centering people, outcomes followed.

Preparing girls of color to navigate — and name — the system

Dr. Clark’s doctoral work led her to build a transformative framework for empowering girls of color through intersectional identity awareness, culturally responsive practices, and critical race feminism.

It’s not theory. It’s practice. She runs after-school academies where students learn to name microaggressions, question systemic policy, and use language that disrupts without being dismissed. They leave equipped not only to survive school — but to transform it.

“If they don’t get it at home, they can get it in school — from teachers, clubs, mentors — anyone willing to build them up.”

Systems were never neutral — and discomfort is required

Before 2020, Dr. Clark — like many — absorbed the message to stay quiet. But the murder of George Floyd and the mentorship of disruptors like Yaritza pushed her to confront the systems she once tolerated.

Now, she doesn’t wait for permission to name the discomfort. Whether it’s a district overlooking Black students during school assemblies, or leadership ignoring the lived experience of multilingual learners and students with disabilities — she calls it out. And more importantly, she builds better alternatives.

Equity isn’t a job title. It’s a muscle a system has to build

After 27 years in the same district, Dr. Clark is just now seeing culturally responsive practices adopted district-wide. But she didn’t wait for a mandate. She organized.

Now, her district is training both classified and certificated staff, building equity into the structure of daily work, and eliminating reliance on consultants who leave. Instead, equity lives in-house — in people, relationships, and long-term capacity.

“Equity doesn’t live with me — it lives with us.”

AI without access is just another inequity

Policy means little if parents and students don’t understand it. Dr. Clark’s district wrote an AI policy — but community awareness and training are just beginning. This year, they’ll launch:

• Parent workshops on AI literacy

• Student-parent joint sessions

• Staff training across roles

This isn’t just about tools — it’s about trust. Families must feel confident using what students are already engaging with. Especially in communities where tech access has long been shaped by exclusion.

“Our students are already using AI. The question is: Are we helping them use it well — and ethically?”

Student voice is the heartbeat of equity work

From literacy to district policy, if students aren’t at the center, equity becomes aesthetics. Dr. Clark is launching quarterly Student Voice Academies across grade levels, guided by Umoja principles and built from student-led priorities.

She isn’t asking, “What do students need?”
She’s asking, “What do students want to build?”

“Students are your customers. If they don’t feel seen, heard, and valued, no strategy matters.”

EdTech is not about tools — it’s about people

Dr. Clark’s closing message for women entering EdTech is simple:
You don’t need to be a tech expert. You need to be a people expert.

Technical skills can be learned. Human-centered leadership takes vision, empathy, and consistency. Build your PLN. Find your people. Lead with relationships. And don’t wait for someone to invite you in.

What to do with this

If you're reading this as a district leader, teacher, coach, or parent advocate — there’s work you can start right now:

• Shift from outcomes-first to relationships-first

• Make student voice part of your governance structure

• Audit where your AI policies live — and who understands them

• Train every staff member — not just teachers — in cultural responsiveness

• Build with, not for, your community

Because the goal isn’t to talk about equity. The goal is to build systems where it lives.

Why this story matters to us

At Thinkering Media and Thinkering Collective, we don’t just document impact — we amplify it. Dr. Nyree Clark isn’t speaking theory. She’s living the work. Her example makes it clear: equity isn’t a checklist, a consultant, or a conference slide. It’s how we show up — every day — in service of students and the communities that trust us to do better.

For more conversations like this, explore the InnovateHer series and subscribe for deeper dives, case studies, and frameworks you can actually use.

You've Been Building Toward This, Too

If something in this story resonated — the tension, the breakthroughs, the urgency to do more than your role technically requires — you’re not alone.

You’re not just teaching. You’re building.
You’re not just solving. You’re designing.
You’re not just doing your job. You’re answering a calling.

That’s what the Thinkering Fellowship is about.

It’s a space for educators, innovators, and cultural architects who are tired of waiting for permission. A platform where your lived experience, creative leadership, and community-driven ideas become the blueprint — not the footnote.

We’re not here to polish resumes. We’re here to make systems bend toward justice, creativity, and collective transformation.

If you’ve been building quietly, it’s time to step forward.

Apply to the Thinkering Fellowship. This moment is yours.

Learn more and join us →

If we told a child to read Shakespeare before they knew the alphabet, we’d call it absurd. But in chemistry education, we do this every day.

We introduce students to molecules, equations, and labs before they’ve learned the basic language of chemistry. Then we wonder why they struggle, why they disengage, why entire populations of brilliant young thinkers write off STEM before high school.

Colleen Kelley has a name for this: molecular illiteracy.

And more importantly, she has a solution. Watch the full episode!

Chemistry Has a Branding Problem. And a Language Problem.

An Emmy-winning educator and creator of Kids Chemical Solutions, Colleen is on a mission to fundamentally reimagine what chemistry education looks and feels like. She’s not just designing curriculum. She’s rebuilding fluency—so that chemistry isn’t a test to survive, but a language students can speak, own, and love.

And it starts with a radical idea:

"Chemistry is not inherently hard. It's just been taught inaccessibly."

The Comic Book Disruption

Colleen’s chemistry comic series isn't novelty content. It’s a strategic intervention.

It recognizes that most students don’t struggle with content—they struggle with context. With entry points. With relevance. Her books flip the script: using character-driven storytelling, visual scaffolding, and layered repetition to build fluency without fear.

This is not dumbing it down. This is building from joy.

“The comic books are Trojan horses,” she said in our Thinkering Minds interview.
“They sneak in literacy, confidence, and wonder.”

This Is the Kind of Innovation Education Actually Needs

Colleen’s work doesn’t require new infrastructure, new mandates, or massive system overhaul. It requires something rarer: humility, imagination, and respect for the learner.

That’s what we look for in our Thinkering Partners, Mentors, and Fellows. That’s what we build into every capstone, co-design project, and partner collaboration.

It’s what makes a Thinkerer. And that’s why we’re holding up Colleen’s work as a model.

Because at its core, Kids Chemical Solutions isn’t just about chemistry.

It’s about changing who gets to feel smart in school.

- Jim

Want to Help? Don’t Just Share. Act.

• Buy her books. Don’t wait for a grant cycle.

• Donate them to Title I schools, after-school programs, youth shelters.

• Build a workshop around molecular literacy with your district or nonprofit. She’ll help!

• Talk to students about science as a language—not a sorting mechanism.

📚 Learn more → KidsChemicalSolutions.com

This is what rebranding science looks like—not as a product, but as a promise.

At Thinkering Media and the Thinkering Collective, we believe that innovation is not just about what you build — it’s about who you build it for. And too often, the stories of Women of Color driving transformative change in education, technology, and community spaces are overlooked or under-resourced.

The InnovateHer series exists to change that. In Episode 3, host Yaritza Villalba sat down with Jihan Johnson — also known as Jihan J — a cultural architect, futurist, and founder of the Jihan Collective and BeatBotics. Their conversation wasn’t just a spotlight on a remarkable career — it was a deep dive into the complexities of authenticity, equity, and survival in a system not built for you.

The work starts at home — and hits globally

When asked to introduce herself, Jihan didn’t start with job titles or accolades. She started with this: “I’m just a mom.” That grounding — the commitment to family, community, and real-life stakes — runs through everything she does, whether she’s building global networks in tech, teaching eSports, or designing cultural curriculum rooted in hip-hop.

From the start, Jihan made one thing clear: this isn’t about trying to fit in. It’s about building systems where people don’t have to leave their full selves behind. Whether in eSports, tech, or education, she’s been navigating — and disrupting — male-dominated, white-dominated spaces for years. Her tools? Cultural fluency, radical authenticity, and a refusal to code-switch just to get in the door.

“I’ve been the face for everybody else. Now it’s time to be the face for myself — and for people who need to see someone like me lead.”

Hip-Hop is the language of our learning

For Jihan, hip-hop isn’t a gimmick. It’s not an add-on to make curriculum “cool.” It’s the cultural backbone of how communities learn, connect, and process the world. Her workshops — from “Game Changers and Mic Masters” to her work with BeatBotics — blend hip-hop fundamentals with creative technology, allowing students and teachers alike to engage through rhythm, lyricism, storytelling, and digital design.

In her words, “Hip-hop is a global language. It's dancing, it's production, it's storytelling, it's identity. And it's already embedded in the games, the clothes, the platforms. We're just not naming it or honoring it.”

This isn’t nostalgia — it’s design. By integrating hip-hop into EdTech, she’s not just reaching students. She’s rebuilding their confidence and agency. Students write freestyles, design avatars, remix beats — all while engaging with AI tools, game theory, and narrative structure. This is what culturally grounded STEM looks like.

The discrimination no one wants to talk about — and why she walked away

But make no mistake: this work comes at a cost.

Jihan spoke candidly about being let go from a major tech company for making colleagues “uncomfortable.” She described being the only woman of color in the room — not just once, but repeatedly. Even now, despite her credentials, she sees peers without her experience securing contracts and recognition she’s been denied.

“They say you’re too much. But what they really mean is, you’re not willing to shrink.”

When the system failed to value her brilliance, she built her own. The Jihan Collective is her consulting platform and personal brand — rooted in cultural authenticity, human-centered design, and a refusal to replicate the same exclusionary norms. She’s also building tech platforms like BeatBotics with her son, anchoring education in identity, creativity, and family.

Against state testing, for real-world learning

In one of the episode’s most powerful moments, Jihan shared that she left education after a health crisis brought on by job stress. She described passing out at school, needing emergency surgery, and re-learning how to walk — all while still trying to meet the demands of a system that, in her words, “valued test scores more than children’s lives.”

She now advocates for learning that happens in and outside the classroom — learning that doesn’t depend on state testing or compliance metrics.

“Education is everywhere. It’s not just in a classroom. It’s in homes. It’s in travel. It’s in rhythm. It’s in connection.”

What others call culture, she calls home

Jihan doesn’t just push for culturally responsive teaching. She exposes how that language is being diluted and commodified — used for hashtags and conference panels without lived experience or accountability.

She challenges educators and EdTech leaders alike to stop extracting culture for content and start investing in the communities that created it. That means showing up, redistributing access, and asking the question she poses on her socials regularly: “How did you create impact today?”

“If you’re not stepping foot into Title I schools, into urban classrooms, into the communities you claim to serve — you’re not doing the work.”

A message for those coming up next

Jihan closed the episode with a message not just for women in tech, but for anyone navigating spaces that weren’t designed for them:

“Be yourself. Authentically, loudly, and without apology. You are the light. You are the brilliance. Never let anyone dim that. And never quit. Rest, sure. But never quit.”

Why this story matters to us

At Thinkering Media and the Thinkering Collective, we are building a new kind of storytelling platform — one that centers the lived experiences of educators, innovators, and community builders pushing for justice through creativity.

Jihan’s story reminds us that equity isn't a workshop. It’s a practice. It’s boots on the ground. It’s building what didn’t exist for you, so others don’t have to start from scratch.

We’re honored to share this episode with you, and we hope it sparks something powerful — whether in your classroom, your boardroom, or your own creative life.

For more stories like this, subscribe to InnovateHer, explore our full podcast library, and join us in rewriting the story of who gets to lead, build, and belong in the future of learning.

At Thinkering Media, we believe the future of education isn’t defined by tools alone — it’s built by the people who have the courage to challenge how things have always been done. Our InnovateHer series exists to spotlight exactly that: Women of Color who are driving meaningful change in EdTech, education, and the lives of learners everywhere.

In this episode, host Yaritza Villalba sat down with Dr. Nadine Ebri, whose journey from a misunderstood student to an award-winning educator and founder of her own EdTech consulting firm reveals just how powerful it can be to rethink the basics — who gets to lead, how students get to learn, and what communities need to thrive.

A path defined by empathy and innovation

Dr. Ebri began her story by recalling her own early years as a student who never quite fit the mold. Sitting still, reading quietly — none of it connected for her. What did? Hands-on lessons, music class, any moment where creativity and movement were welcome. It’s no surprise that when she became a teacher, she was determined to create the kind of classroom she never had.

Yet it didn’t happen instantly. Like many new educators, her first instinct was to teach the way she had been taught. The results were disheartening. “My scores looked like a battlefield,” she said. Facing a crossroads, she chose to transform. That fall, she gathered her second graders in a circle and asked a question many had never heard from an adult: How do you want to learn?

What followed was a radical shift. Students wanted to sing, dance, act, even teach the lessons themselves. Dr. Ebri honored their voices — scripting lessons for students to lead, treating them with the same respect she expected for herself. Engagement soared. One lesson even led to a viral classroom video with millions of views and attention from celebrities. But the deeper impact was local and personal: students who had struggled were now the ones teaching, performing, and thriving.

Building Every Education: from proving brilliance to owning it

Years later, after rising into EdTech leadership roles and eventually managing global communities for Minecraft Education, Dr. Ebri faced another critical pivot. She realized she had been pouring her energy into building capacity for everyone else — school districts, large tech companies — while sidelining her own vision.

That realization drove her to launch Every Education, an EdTech consulting company focused on deeply personalized training, AI integration, and creative program design. The decision was anything but easy. She described the fear of leaving stable roles, the uncertainty of whether her business could sustain her. But when she finally committed fully to her own venture, the results were immediate and affirming.

“Every time I invested in my business, it thrived. Every time I tried to go back, doors closed. It was clear. I had to sink or swim — and sinking wasn’t an option.”

It’s a lesson many educators and EdTech professionals will recognize. Too often, brilliant, purpose-driven individuals spend decades building systems for others without ever investing in their own ideas. Dr. Ebri’s story is a reminder that taking that risk is not just about personal success; it’s about bringing much-needed innovation directly to the communities who need it most.

Personalized training and the power of asking why

One of the standout elements of Dr. Ebri’s approach is her insistence that no two trainings should look the same. While much of the education consulting world relies on one-size-fits-all decks and pre-baked blueprints, she begins every engagement by asking districts: What’s your purpose for this?

Is it about easing teacher workload? Increasing student engagement? Preparing young people for the workforce with AI? Each reason demands a different strategy. For Dr. Ebri, taking the time to tailor professional development isn’t a luxury; it’s the only way to ensure lasting impact. It’s also how you respect educators’ time and intelligence — creating sessions where they don’t wish they were somewhere else, but instead build practical tools they can immediately bring back to their classrooms.

This philosophy ties directly back to her earliest lessons with her second graders. Whether working with seven-year-olds or entire school systems, meaningful change starts by asking: What do you need, and how do you want to get there?

Innovating close to home: an app for kids with autism, and training families alongside students

While Dr. Ebri’s professional work spans states and countries, she is equally committed to making sure the people closest to her aren’t left behind. Her next big project — developing an app to support children with autism — started not in a boardroom but at home. Her daughter, who is autistic and deeply engaged with technology, will be the first tester. If it helps her thrive, Dr. Ebri plans to release it to support countless other families looking for tools they can’t currently find.

It’s the same reason she offers direct sessions not just for teachers and students, but also for families. In her words, “As kids get ahead, we can’t let their parents stay behind.” Building true community capacity means ensuring parents have the confidence and skills to navigate an increasingly tech-driven world, too.

A different kind of control, a different kind of legacy

In one of the episode’s most striking moments, Yaritza closed with a game: Control, Alt, Inspire. When asked what control she had to release to move forward, Dr. Ebri answered simply: she had to let go of the need to orchestrate every detail. Trusting the direction she was being called to follow made space for the impact she’s now having.

And when it came to advice for other Women of Color in EdTech or STEM, her words were clear and urgent:

“Invest in yourself. You’re building up your own legacy, not just someone else’s. That’s the best investment you’ll ever make.”

Why this matters for all of us

At Thinkering Media, we see Dr. Nadine Ebri’s story as emblematic of what happens when educators stop waiting for permission to innovate and start building what their communities truly need. Her journey from misunderstood student to visionary founder demonstrates why personal perspective matters — and why equity in EdTech is about so much more than who’s sitting at the table. It’s about who gets to design the table in the first place.

For more conversations like this, and to continue exploring how Women of Color are transforming education technology and beyond, stay connected with InnovateHer and the rest of our Thinkering Media storytelling. Together, we’re rethinking what education can be — for every learner, every family, and every community.

At Thinkering Media, we’re building a storytelling platform that doesn’t just report on education — it reimagines who gets to tell its stories. Our InnovateHer series is a clear expression of that mission: spotlighting Women of Color who are transforming education technology, driving authentic community engagement, and shaping the future of learning.

In this episode, host Yaritza Villalba sat down with Jornea Armant, a seasoned educator, EdTech innovator, and the creative force behind Skoolz Out Cocktails. Their conversation was more than an interview — it was a vibrant, candid exploration of love, resilience, and the power of staying true to your purpose.

Why this conversation matters

EdTech is advancing at breakneck speed. Yet too often, it leaves out the communities most impacted by systemic inequities — the same communities that stand to gain the most from inclusive, culturally responsive innovation.

InnovateHer exists to change that narrative. By centering the voices, stories, and lived experiences of Women of Color in EdTech, we aim to inspire, inform, and collectively push the field toward greater equity and humanity.

A career defined by purpose, not just titles

When asked to introduce herself, Jornea didn’t lead with her impressive résumé — which spans 23 years in education, from classrooms and coaching to leadership at Microsoft Flipgrid and now Google. Instead, she distilled her identity into three deceptively simple words: love, grow, inspire.

That through-line shaped the rest of the discussion, especially as she recounted a pivotal career moment. In 2015, while advancing through rounds of a prestigious leadership program, her principal bluntly told her: “These types of things are not for people like you.”

For many, that kind of overt dismissal could have been a career-limiting wound. For Jornea, it became fuel. It solidified her commitment to anti-racism, authentic student-centered learning, and using every platform she touches to amplify what truly matters.

The value of global connection and empathy

Jornea spoke at length about the joy — and necessity — of learning alongside educators from around the world. Whether through international conference collaborations or visits to classrooms in South Africa, she highlighted how these cross-cultural experiences deepen empathy and spark more inclusive solutions.

It’s a reminder that in a globally interconnected education landscape, our best ideas often come from listening first, then building together.

AI in the classroom: a tool with promise and responsibility

Much of the conversation explored AI, particularly its potential to serve underrepresented students. Jornea sees generative AI as a kind of “thought partner” — a tool that, when guided by human care and critical thinking, can accelerate personalized learning and help students see what’s possible for themselves.

She was equally clear about the risks: equity and data privacy must be front of mind. As she put it, “Anything can be used for good, but it can also be used for harm. We have to ask hard questions about how these tools are designed and who they’re truly serving.”

Skoolz Out Cocktails: humanizing educators beyond the classroom

Another standout moment came when Jornea shared the story behind Skoolz Out Cocktails — a playful yet powerful venture that merges her love of AI, her knack for educational best practices, and her appreciation for a well-crafted drink. More than a brand, it’s a celebration of educators as whole people, deserving of joy, community, and opportunities to grow outside of school walls.

Her long-term vision is to partner with sponsors — from conference hosts to tech companies and hospitality brands — to fund professional learning experiences for educators. Because as she noted, “Usually, there are only a handful of teachers who ever get to learn beyond their building. That changed my life. I want more educators to have that chance.”

A message that resonates far beyond EdTech

Jornea closed with advice that speaks not only to women in education or tech, but to anyone charting their path:

Be. Be the person you’re meant to be. Be who you want to see in the mirror every day. Be someone who challenges norms, lifts others up, and radiates positive energy. It will all work out.

What we’re taking forward

At Thinkering Media, we believe stories like this do more than inform. They expand what’s possible. They reveal the power of networks built on empathy and shared purpose. And they call us to examine the structures around us — to see who they exclude, and to imagine how we might rebuild them.

We’re grateful to Jornea Armant for her candor, her unwavering commitment to love and growth, and her insistence on living out her purpose in every space she enters. Her story is exactly why InnovateHer exists.

For more conversations like this, subscribe to our newsletter and explore our growing library of podcasts and articles. Together, we can keep learning, keep pushing, and keep centering the voices that move education — and all of us — forward.

Follow Yaritza’s journey behind the scenes navigating EdTech at

Pam is an award-winning, former media executive turned founder and CEO of Respectful Ways, a digital curriculum revolutionizing social-emotional learning (SEL).

Pam’s journey from newsrooms to classrooms is powered by a personal mission: to create cultures of respect, empathy, and emotional safety for every student.

What began as a mission inspired by her sister's work in character education evolved into a nationwide platform that supports students and educators in building cultures of empathy, respect, and emotional safety. With roots in broadcasting and a passion for social good, Pam has channeled her storytelling skills into curriculum development that’s as deeply human as it is research-based.

From Signage to Systemic SEL

Respectful Ways didn’t start as a curriculum. It began with signage—positive affirmations designed to shift the tone of school hallways. But when principals asked Pam for programming to match the messaging, a movement was born. Today, Respectful Ways offers a fully digital, hands-on curriculum that integrates music, interactive lessons, and trauma-informed practices for Pre-K through 12th grade.

Pam’s goal? Not just 20 minutes of “feel-good” learning—but a full-day cultural shift.

“If you can change the energy of a hallway, you’ve won.”

Respect as the First Step

Respect, for Pam, isn’t just a value—it’s the root system for everything that follows. It opens the door to compassion, curiosity, and connection. With phrases like “Believe in you will achieve” visible throughout classrooms, students are constantly reminded of their potential, and teachers are empowered with shared language that reinforces culture, not just content.

Trauma-Informed, Student-Centered

Working with the Attachment & Trauma Network, Pam’s team restructured every module to avoid triggering students with high ACE scores. Respectful Ways shifts the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “How can we support your regulation and resilience?”

Students are never put on the spot. Instead, they reflect through characters who age and grow with them, allowing safe distance while modeling meaningful social lessons.

“The pressure is off the student. Everyone is empowered.”

Designed for Educators, Not Just Students

Pam understands the workload teachers carry—and designed Respectful Ways to lighten it. Every lesson includes full plans and quick-bullet summaries for easy prep. Teachers are invited into the process, with their feedback driving real-time improvements to the curriculum.

“The teachers are telling us how to make it better—and we’re listening.”

Why It Matters

Social-emotional learning, when done right, boosts not just classroom morale—but academic performance. In a large study cited by Pam, schools with robust SEL programs saw an 11% increase in standardized test scores. When students feel safe, seen, and supported, they learn better. And when teachers feel trusted, their capacity expands.

From cape ceremonies to music-infused lessons, Respectful Ways brings joy back into the school day. This conversation with Pam McNall reminded us that SEL isn’t a supplement—it’s the soil from which great learning grows.

-Jim

💡 Learn more or request a demo at RespectfulWays.com

Imagine a learning experience so fun, so personalized, so effective… that learners stay up late just to keep going. That’s not just wishful thinking — it’s happening every day on Learning Upgrade, a global edtech platform founded by Vinod Lobo, who joined us on this week’s episode of Thinkering Minds.

Vinod’s mission is clear: make education binge-worthy — and bring it to the people who need it most.

In this episode, we explore how Learning Upgrade uses gamification, music, and storytelling to turn academic challenges into joyful journeys — and why accessibility, dignity, and real-world relevance are the keys to its global success.

What We Talked About

How a blend of music, tech, and education shaped Learning Upgrade’s origin story

Why winning the XPRIZE for adult literacy was the game-changer

How “binge learning” works — and why it matters for underserved communities

The surprising power of WhatsApp learning circles and micro-certificates

What’s next: health literacy, AI, and a bold plan to reach 100 million learners

Top 3 Q&A Takeaways

1. What makes gamified learning stick?

“It’s about time on task. If we can make learning as engaging as TikTok or Netflix, students will spend hours on it — and that’s where real growth happens.”

2. What does accessibility really mean?

“It’s not just tech. It’s about privacy. Dignity. Letting people learn on their own terms — especially in refugee camps, or when learning differences are involved.”

3. What role should teachers play in gamified education?

“Teachers are facilitators of breakthrough moments — we just give them the tools to make that possible.”

Embedded Insights

Gamified platforms work because they make hard work feel rewarding

Students — especially adults — thrive when given privacy, flexibility, and clear goals

Micro-certifications and shareable wins keep learners moving forward

True educational equity starts with asking: “Who’s being left out — and why?”

Socratic Thought Exercises

What if your lesson plan had a “next episode” feature — would students click play?

How does your school or program address dignity in learning?

If someone in your community had just 15 minutes a day to learn — what would you recommend?

Get Involved + Go Deeper

Want to pilot Learning Upgrade at your school or org? Visit learningupgrade.com and click “Pilot Request”

Questions? Partnerships? Say hello: Hello@thinkeringcollective.org

How do you create classrooms where every student feels seen, heard, and inspired to learn? You start by honoring who they are — and giving them the tools to tell their own stories.

This week on Thinkering Minds, we sit down with Yaritza Villalba, global educator, Microsoft Training Partner, and CEO of McKenzie's Adventures, a consulting firm helping educators build bold, inclusive, tech-powered learning environments across six continents.

Yaritza brings unmatched energy, real talk, and a deep understanding of how to make culturally responsive education real, sustainable, and exciting.

What We Talked About

• How culturally responsive teaching starts with knowing yourself as an educator

• Why real-world, project-based learning is essential for student engagement

• The power of choice boards, creativity, and classroom transformation

• How to use technology without fear — and why "push all the buttons" is Yaritza’s go-to advice

• Her dream to build a blended international school grounded in cultural exchange and family learning

Top 3 Q&A Takeaways

1. What makes culturally responsive teaching work?

“You remember what matters to you. If a student feels seen, they’ll engage. Period.”

2. How can educators embrace classroom tech?

“Push all the buttons. You’ll figure it out. Your students probably already have.”

3. How do you start connecting with students' identities?

“Understand who you are — and take yourself out of the equation. It’s not about how you learn.”

Embedded Insights

Culturally responsive education isn’t a strategy — it’s a mindset

Choice = empowerment: Let students express what they know in their own way

Community and family buy-in make or break sustainable education

Teachers don’t need more content — they need collaborative, personalized support

Socratic Thought Exercises

What does your classroom (or lesson plan) say about what — and who — you value?

If students could choose any format to show their learning, what would they pick?

Are we empowering students to innovate, or just asking them to memorize?

Dive In, Dream Bigger

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🌐 Learn more about McKenzie's Adventures: McKenziesAdventures.com
📣 Connect or collaborate: Hello@thinkeringcollective.org

What if the future of learning wasn’t just faster—but also more human?

In this episode of Thinkering Minds, Jim McGuire sits down with Jarred Geller, former pre-K teacher turned Head of Marketing at Synthesis, to explore what it means to personalize education in the age of AI. Jarred's journey, from building grassroots curriculum to scaling a cutting-edge Tutor powered by AI, offers a compelling roadmap for what’s possible when you pair intuitive learning design with real human connection.

From the Classroom to the Codebase

Jarred’s first encounter with education wasn’t through edtech—it was through empathy. He entered a pre-K classroom via Teach for America with no formal training in education, but a business background and a deep desire to connect with students. That outsider perspective helped him rebuild the learning experience from first principles. The goal? Get kids to fall in love with learning. Not by checking boxes, but by exposing them to a world of ideas—entrepreneurship, nature, community, and beyond.

Enter: Synthesis

After stints in curriculum design, Jarred joined Synthesis—an education company born from Elon Musk’s experimental Ad Astra school at SpaceX. There, he helped build Synthesis Teams—collaborative, game-based problem-solving platforms—and later moved into Synthesis Tutor, an AI-powered math platform that adapts to each student’s learning needs in real-time.

But what makes Synthesis special isn’t just the tech—it’s the tone.

AI That Listens First

Unlike gamified drill apps or digitized worksheets, Synthesis Tutor treats education as a conversation. It responds with care. “The tone is the heartbeat,” Jarred explains. The Tutor celebrates effort, respects misunderstandings, and scaffolds concepts until they click. That’s why it resonates so strongly with neurodivergent learners, students with ADHD or ASD, and anyone who has ever felt left behind in a traditional classroom.

The Tutor doesn’t just teach—it sees you.

Watch part 2:

The Two-Sigma Shift

Jarred references Bloom’s “Two Sigma Problem”—the idea that students with 1:1 tutoring perform two standard deviations better than those in traditional classrooms. That’s the promise behind Synthesis Tutor: not just better outcomes, but faster, more meaningful progress—with less stress, more grace, and real comprehension.

This isn’t about acceleration for acceleration’s sake. It’s about freeing learners to chase their curiosity and reclaim their time.

Human-Centric Learning at Scale

While the world debates the risks and noise around AI in schools, Synthesis is taking a principled approach. Human-crafted lessons. Guardrails on generative models. No personal data leaks. What emerges is a rare hybrid: a deeply personal, rigorously developed platform that amplifies, rather than replaces, what makes learning special.

In Jarred’s words, “The story we want to tell in five years? We changed education—not by speeding it up, but by humanizing it.”

- Jim

🎧 Based on our conversation with Eric Kussin of Same Here Global
🔗 Join the movement: linktr.ee/thinkeringmedia

What if the biggest misunderstanding about mental health is that it’s about other people?

For decades, we’ve operated under a flawed model: “One in five people struggle with mental illness.” The implication? The other four are fine. That’s how you get stigma. That’s how you get silence. That’s how you get systems that break under pressure — because they were never designed to support everyone.

In this week’s Thinkering Minds episode, Eric Kussin, founder of Same Here Global, challenges the core assumptions behind how we view, teach, and talk about mental health. And the shift he’s proposing is massive — but deeply human.

The Problem with the One-in-Five Model

When we divide people into “sick” and “well,” we:

Make it harder for people to speak up early

Ignore the reality that trauma is cumulative

Build school systems and workplaces that serve a select few — and alienate the rest

We don’t do this with physical health. We don't say, “One in five people have a cold” and stop there. We talk about fitness, nutrition, resilience, and preventive care. We build gyms. We promote walking. We invest in wellness.

Why not do the same for the mind?

Rethinking the System: From Labeling to Language

Eric offers a different vision — one rooted in continuums, not categories.

“Mental health isn’t binary. It’s a spectrum. And we all move along it every day.”

In his Same Here Schools initiative, students and educators use a shared language:

Thriving

Gliding

Surviving

Fluctuating

Struggling

Sinking

This language is powerful because it does what the DSM and diagnosis labels can’t:
It creates space for nuance, self-reflection, and honest conversation.

Why This Matters to Everyone — Especially Educators

Here’s the kicker: if you work in a school, your plate is probably full.

But Eric asks a deeper question:
Is your plate cracked?
Because if your plate can’t hold the weight — no matter how “light” the load is — it’s going to break.

Educators are expected to carry the emotional weight of 180 students… on top of their own. If we want sustainable learning environments, we have to prioritize teacher well-being, shared vulnerability, and consistent language for checking in — for students and staff.

Thought Experiments to Take With You

How would your team or class change if you checked in with a mental health continuum every morning?

Who in your life might be struggling — but has learned to hide it so well that no one notices?

What if we treated going to therapy like going to the gym — and celebrated the effort, not just the outcome?

Final Reflection

Eric’s episode reminds us that mental health isn’t a private matter for a few — it’s a public good. One we all share. One we all influence. And one we can all take part in improving.

This isn’t about awareness. It’s about evolution.

Want More?

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📣 Connect or collaborate: Hello@thinkeringcollective.org
🌐 Learn more: SameHereGlobal.org
🔗 All our work, podcasts, and platforms: Thinkering Linktree

How do you reshape the very foundation of education?
Start at mile one.

In this powerful conversation, we sat down with Garrett Wilhelm, a visionary educator, innovator, and CEO of Creative Gardens, to explore how early learning can be redesigned to serve the individual, nurture the whole child, and create communities that grow together.

Garrett’s story is personal — and bold. After struggling in traditional education systems that overlooked his neurodiversity and passion for learning, he committed himself to changing the model. The result? A dynamic network of early learning environments rooted in Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and a whole lot of real-world experience.

What We Talked About

From personalized learning to community-driven curriculum, Garrett walks us through how Creative Gardens integrates educational philosophies, prioritizes freedom in exploration, and partners with families to build emotionally and intellectually rich environments.

Top 3 Q&A Takeaways

1. What’s wrong with how we measure success in education?

“Grades mean nothing. The future lies in soft skills, critical thinking, and logic. Content can be pulled — connection must be taught.”

2. Why does experiential learning matter?

“When a child cuts a pizza into quarters at a restaurant visit, that’s math in action. It sticks because it matters.”

3. What’s the role of educators today?

“Show them. Don’t tell them. If you’re not modeling growth, empathy, and curiosity — what are you even doing?”

Embedded Insights

• Education should not be one-size-fits-all — it should be tailored, lived, and real.

• Teachers need freedom and tools, not rigid scripts.

• Families are not observers — they’re co-creators in a child’s learning.

• Burnout is not a teacher problem — it’s a system design flaw.

• The first mile of educational change starts with empathy, transparency, and innovation.

Socratic Thought Exercises

• What if we measured success by growth in curiosity, not grades?

• How would your school experience have been different if freedom was built into the model?

• What can your local school do today to bring community engagement into the classroom?

Listen, Learn, and Join the Movement

🌐 Learn more: ThinkeringCollective.org
🔗 All links: linktr.ee/thinkeringmedia

At just 19 years old, Mohammed Bari is already proving what’s possible when curiosity, mentorship, and mission collide. A Cornell University student studying computer science and passionate about fintech, real estate, and community-driven impact, Mohammed’s story is a living blueprint for what we call “thinking with purpose.”

In this episode of Thinkering Minds, we sat down with Mohammed to explore his transformative learning journey — a path sparked by Belouga, deepened by real-world experience, and shaped by personal passion.

What We Talked About

From traditional school memorization to hands-on social impact, Mohammed reflects on how interactive learning reshaped everything — including how he sees himself as a learner, leader, and changemaker.

He breaks down how setting four personal learning pillars — business, real estate, sustainability, and community — gave him direction and momentum. His culminating project raised awareness around tenant rights and housing challenges in Buffalo, NY, tying personal history to collective action.

Top 3 Q&A Takeaways

1. What changed your view of learning?

“At school, it was all about memorizing. With Belouga, I got to do things — connect with people, pitch ideas, apply what I learned. That made everything stick.”

2. What made your project feel personal?

“Growing up renting in NYC, we had tough landlord experiences. I wanted to help people dealing with the same issues — but in Buffalo, where I live now.”

3. What’s the biggest lesson you’d share with other students?

“Don’t doubt yourself. If something matters to you, people will feel that. You just have to keep showing up and speaking up.”

Embedded Wisdom

• Sustainable education must be interactive and accessible

• Community is not just a resource — it’s a multiplier

• Passion creates the most powerful learning pathways

• Mentorship isn’t a bonus — it’s a backbone

Socratic Thought Exercises

• What’s something you learned by doing that school never taught you?

• If you could define your own learning pillars, what would they be?

• What community issue could your lived experience help solve?

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🌐 Learn more: ThinkeringCollective.org