Everyone has a learning story.
Some people tell stories about teachers who changed their students’ lives. Some describe how they discovered a powerful question, or opened the door to a new interest. Others speak of making art, taking a challenging hike, learning Morse, studying Macbeth, or practicing Kung Fu. But all of the stories on this site are about one central thing – learning – and what it feels like to discover one’s purpose, passion, and capacity for greatness.
In sharing their stories, our authors – who come from all over the world, and who range from students to social workers to the Secretary of Education – all responded to the same prompt: What was your most powerful personal experience in a learning community – regardless of whether that experience took place inside or outside of school?
We had two purposes in asking this question. First, it’s a chance to to reflect on what people already know to be true about powerful learning. Second, it’s an opportunity to use the insights of these stories to help all of us see more clearly what a powerful learning environment actually looks like – and what it requires.
Browse through the stories already here, and take a few minutes to think about what the stories reveal about how people learn. Reflect on how to use these insights to create learning environments where more of us have the chance to work and learn at our best.