Leading the Sustainable Learning Projects with Trevor Soponis

Today, Maria talks with Trevor Soponis, Founder and Chief Learning Officer at The Sustainable Learning Programs, an organization dedicated to transforming education for students, educators and the planet. His doctorate from New York University examined the impacts of innovative environmental education programs while proposing a unique system to better support the design and implementation of sustainable ecological learning in K-12 education.

This episode is for students, teachers, parents, and educators interested in transforming our schools to become places where students learn by working on projects that contribute to solving the biggest issues facing our planet. 

Trevor shares how he partners with teachers, schools, and districts to design innovative project-based learning experiences that allow students to make a meaningful impact on people, communities and society. We dive into two Sustainable Projects - Project Ocean Harvest and Project Student Voice -  and together, we unpack how through collaboration, connection and contribution, students learn, build skills, solve real-life problems, and create impactful work. 

We also talk about how project-based learning experiences enable teachers to become the coaches, facilitators and supporters that we want them to be so they can create the next generation of lifelong learners. We reflect on how parents, during their distance learning experience, are realizing how little we are expecting from their children at school and what boredom really looks like. 

Tune in to learn from an innovative leader who wants to change the fundamental learning experience for every learner in the world where each one of them has the authority and autonomy to direct their learning journey. 

Listen to this episode and explore:

Introducing Trevor Soponis and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:03)

Reflecting on formative classroom experiences; what he would have preferred to learn in high school (4:00)

Deciding to study English and becoming a teacher in an alternative high school in NYC (6:43)

Discussing the Small Schools Movement and reflecting on transformation in K12 (9:12)

Pursuing his Masters in Education and PhD in Learning and Teaching (11:45)

Exploring the impacts of ecological and environmental education programs during his PhD (15:10)

Deciding to found The Sustainable Learning Programs to put his research findings into practice (16:42)

Reflecting on his career experiences that led him to create The Sustainable Learning Programs (18:55)

The Ocean Harvest Project: re-designing the biology course curriculum and training students on their potential future work in Alaska (20:44)

The origin of the Ocean Harvest Project: co-designing a project for learning and impact on the community  (23:28)

Unpacking student’s learning experience and future plans for the Ocean Harvest Project (24:50)

Discussing how Trevor collaborates with teachers in co-designing the project-based learning experience that enables students to enjoy learning and prepare for their future jobs (29:05)

How Trevor creates international networks of schools where student can connect with other learners beyond the walls of their respective classrooms (30:14)

The Student Voice Project: how students create and share content based on their personal preferences (31:52)

The origin of the Student Voice Project: Trevor’s lifelong dream to connect students across time and space academically (34:44)

What students enjoy while contributing to the Student Voice Project (36:38)

How The Sustainable Learning Projects create models that lead to transformational change in K12 education (37:55)

The role that parents can play in their children’s learning, especially after their distance learning experience (39:27)

How The Sustainable Learning Projects are creating pathways to drive lifelong change in K12 education (45:17)

How teachers can start with a 3-week project-based learning unit using free resources (48:12)

What Trevor wants to leave his mark on within his lifetime; the ultimate goal he aspires to achieve for lifelong learners around the world (49:42)

Parents’ awakening during distance learning amid the pandemic (51:37)

Where to find more about Trevor Soponis:

LinkedIn

Twitter

 Mentioned in this episode:

The Sustainable Learning Projects

The Small Schools Movement 

Small Schools: The Edu-Reform Failure That Wasn't 

 Production team:

Host & Producer: Maria Xenidou

Introduction Voice: David Bourne

 Contact us:

impactlearningpodcast(at)gmail.com

 Music credits:

Like Lee performed by The Mini Vandals

Transition sounds: Swamp Walks performed by Jingle Punks