Personalization is not the same as individualization. Teacher-driven individualization requires creating as many activities in the classroom as there are learners, while personalization requires partnering with learners to make learning meaningful and relevant to each individual child. This reframing of personalization creates a path to sustainability, reminding us that teachers’ workloads matter: if teachers are depleting their energy reserves, then they won’t have the energy to actually implement instruction.

Empowering our students isn’t easy and doesn’t happen overnight. It requires the teacher to clarify their beliefs that students are capable of much more than they’ve traditionally been expected to do. It requires “front-loading” expectations and providing students with permission to make mistakes and take risks in the classroom.

This episode features Mariana Morales Lobo, who taught high school in Madrid and Barcelona for 15 years and now works as a consultant in education, training teachers and helping school leaders implement innovation.

Many teachers are implementing genius hour, defined as time given during the school day where students can learn about their interests and pursue projects they are passionate about. It's an inherently student-centered and messy undertaking to be sure, but many teachers testify to its power to unleash student passion, creativity, and concern for the community.

Business still relies on carrots and sticks to motivate workers. As Daniel Pink, author of the book Drive, points out, this approach actually produces the worst outcomes when it comes to complex, 21st century tasks. Can this fundamental insight help us to revolutionize professional development?