Self-Directed Learning Posts

In today's fast-evolving digital world, the greatest challenge — and opportunity — in education isn't technology itself, but how we use it to build passion, purpose, and agency in young learners.As Terri Novacek and Michael Hernandez d…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast two-part series featuring Dr. John J. Ratey, bestselling author of Spark and co-author of Go Wild, Terri Novacek explores a question that has never been more important for parents:What does it take for children…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "Standing by the Water: Owning What You See," Terri Novacek explores one of the most challenging—and empowering—skills a person can develop:Personal accountability.The timing of this conve…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "Heading for Open Waters, A Reflection on the Purpose of School," Terri Novacek explores a question that many parents began asking during and after the COVID years:What if our children need something di…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "Redefining Success," Terri Novacek sits down with Scott Schimmel, founder and CEO of YouSchool, to explore a question that many parents—and adults—quietly wrestle with throughout their lives:…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "Learning as a Fountain, Not a Drain," Terri Novacek sits down with internationally recognized education expert Dr. Yong Zhao to explore a timely question:What should education look like in a world…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "All Is Not Lost When There Is Play," Terri Novacek explores the work of Dr. Peter Gray, developmental psychologist, researcher, and author of Free to Learn. Dr. Gray has spent decades studying how c…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "The Hidden Element in Your Play History," Terri Novacek explores the science and significance of play through the work of Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play and author of P…

Most parents want the same thing.We want our children to become capable adults. We want them to solve problems, make good decisions, communicate effectively, and pursue meaningful goals. We want them to be confident enough to navigate challenges a…

In the Element Is Everything Podcast episode "Turning a Space Into a Place," Terri Novacek sits down with Mariaemma Pelullo-Willis, co-author of Discover Your Child's Learning Style and co-creator of the Power Traits Assessment, to explore a topic t…

Executive Function is like air traffic control for your brain. It is where working memory, thinking, and self-regulation work together to get you through the day – learning, making decisions, interacting with others, and dealing with life. R…