Faculty Advisory Board Interview: Shannon Schmidt

Faculty Advisory Board Interview: Shannon Schmidt

Shannon Schmidt Shannon Schmidt is the Director of the The Amabel Boyce ’70 Center for Learning and Thriving at Garrison Forest School (MD) and a Faculty Advisory Board member at R.E.A.L.® Discussion. We interviewed Shannon about her approach to leadership and how building discussion skills align with the goals of the Boyce Center. What follows…

Our School Partners: What We’ve Learned Works – and Doesn’t!

Our School Partners: What We’ve Learned Works – and Doesn’t!

Our School Partners:  What We’ve Learned Works – and Doesn’t!  When I jumped in to build R.E.A.L.® full-time in 2021, I never would have dreamed that by 2024 we would have worked with seventy school partners. When independent school leaders see the variety of schools in the R.E.A.L.® community, we often get a raised eyebrow…

R.E.A.L.® Teacher Feature: Eamon Thornton

R.E.A.L.® Teacher Feature: Eamon Thornton

Thank you to Eamon Thornton for sharing his R.E.A.L. life with us! Eamon is a high school English teacher at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN. Here are his thoughts on discussion, R.E.A.L.®, and learning. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.  Name: Eamon Thornton  Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia, but I was actually a boarding…

Balancing Autonomy and Alignment: Case Studies in Academic Leadership
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Balancing Autonomy and Alignment: Case Studies in Academic Leadership

Launching and leading an academic initiative in an independent school can feel like walking a tightrope: what is the balance between fostering alignment and preserving autonomy for faculty? At R.E.A.L.® Discussion, we have partnered with Academic Leaders to launch and lead discussion skills initiatives across 70 independent schools since 2021. Here are two case studies…

A New Category of Conversation: In Conversation About AI with Eric Hudson

A New Category of Conversation: In Conversation About AI with Eric Hudson

Eric Hudson is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education and on the role of technology in K-12 schools. What follows is a conversation between Eric and R.E.A.L.® founder Liza Garonzik. This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity. Liza: Welcome, Eric, to Destination: Discussion. We’re…

“Teacher Nerd Summer Camp Vibes”: A Conversation with Gwyneth Connell 
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“Teacher Nerd Summer Camp Vibes”: A Conversation with Gwyneth Connell 

Gwyneth Connell is the Director of the Grauer Institute and a Faculty Advisory Board member at R.E.A.L.® Discussion. We interviewed Gwyneth about her journey to becoming an academic leader and her vision for the recently announced collaboration between R.E.A.L.® and Grauer: an in-person PD opportunity this summer. What follows is a conversation between Gwyneth and…

Announcing That Sidra Smith is Joining R.E.A.L.® Discussion

Announcing That Sidra Smith is Joining R.E.A.L.® Discussion

R.E.A.L.® Discussion, a social enterprise on a mission to teach discussion skills to young people growing up in our tech-centric, polarized world, today announced that Dr. Sidra Smith will join the organization as Director of the Independent School Program. In this role, Dr. Smith will serve as the face of the organization in the K-12…

Building Self-Efficacy in Math through Discussion: A Conversation with Duncan Flaherty

Building Self-Efficacy in Math through Discussion: A Conversation with Duncan Flaherty

Duncan Flaherty is a fifth and sixth grade math teacher at Nashoba Brooks School in Concord, MA. This year he is conducting an action research project through a fellowship with the International Coalition of Girls Schools (ICGS) on how using R.E.A.L.® Discussion in math class can be a lever for improving girls’ feelings of self-efficacy….