teton science school

Smiling teacher sits cross-legged on a blanket outdoors, engaging a diverse group of children in a circle on a sunny lawn.

SEL & Mindset

Can’t. Will. Did.: How One Teacher-Mountaineer Is Bringing Social-Emotional Learning Outdoors

Guest Author

Apr 6, 2026

Three middle school students reading books at a round table in a school library, viewed from above.

Future of Work

Integrating Place, Projects, and Profession to Build Purpose and Competency

Nate McClennen

Dec 16, 2024

Two women reviewing work together on a laptop, one mentoring the other in a collaborative learning session.

Competency-Based Education

Why High-Quality Learning Opportunities Must Be Personalized to Each Learner

Rebecca Midles

Nov 8, 2024

Modern school building with wood and metal exterior surrounded by sagebrush, ponderosa pines, and natural landscaping in high desert.

Place Based Education

Outdoor and Experiential Learning Across the Country

Tom Vander Ark

Jan 11, 2024

Students collaborating outdoors with notebooks among pine trees, engaged in hands-on learning in a natural setting.

Difference Making

The Content Every High School Student Should Learn (But Doesn’t)

Nate McClennen, Mason Pashia

Nov 20, 2023

New Pathways

Inviting Learners into Work That Matters

Tom Vander Ark

Apr 28, 2023

Subscribe to Our Podcast

This podcast highlights developing trends in K-12 education, postsecondary and lifelong learning. Each week, Getting Smart team members interview students, leading authors, experts and practitioners in research, tech, entrepreneurship and leadership to bring listeners innovative and actionable strategies in education leadership.

View Series

Find us on:

apple spotify stitcher

High school students talking to each other, which teaches critical thinking and empathy

Future of Learning

The Future of High School

Nate McClennen

Jan 21, 2022

Nate McClennen explores the patterns emerging in high school redesign efforts and the journey ahead.

Place Based Education

Town Hall Recap: Every Place is a Place

Getting Smart Staff

May 13, 2021

On this monthly town hall, we went long on place-based education and the ways in which it is a powerful tool for building community and inquiry. We also discussed the ways in which community-connected projects are an outstanding way to continue learning through the summer and beyond.

Schools Worth Visiting

Why and How to Open a Microschool

Getting Smart Staff

Dec 2, 2019

Distinctive pathways and competency-based learning are just two of the reasons why microschools are gaining popularity. A look at microschools in the U.S.

Place Based Education

Place-Based Education Anchors Learning in the Community

David Ross

Mar 11, 2019

David Ross explains how in Place-Based Education the nature of a place determines the culture of the classroom to an extraordinary degree.

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

Advocacy

Advisory

Topics

Recent Releases

teton science school

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Find us on: