Jacob Adams is an education leader committed to transforming schools into places of joy, belonging, and critical thinking for Black and Brown youth. He coined the term “disconnection crisis” to describe how traditional education separates young people from their purpose, community, and creativity. In 2017, he founded STEM to the Future, now Inner Spark Learning Lab, which has reached over 40,000 young people and generated insights shaping the broader education field.

Jacob began his career as a Teach For America corps member, teaching 1st and 2nd grade before serving as an instructional coach for three years. He holds a B.A. from Birmingham-Southern College and a master’s from Relay Graduate School of Education. He is also an alum of fellowships including the Simons Foundation’s inaugural Science Sandbox Fellowship, 4.0 Schools, LA Leads, and the Black Equity Collective Build Fellowship.

Takeaways:

• The disconnection crisis in education highlights how traditional schooling alienates students from their true potential and creativity.
• Inner Spark Learning Lab aims to transform educational environments into nurturing spaces that foster joy and a sense of belonging.
• By engaging students in participatory action research, they learn to address community needs and develop critical thinking skills.
• The importance of feedback loops is emphasized, ensuring that the voices of students and families shape the educational experience.
• Empowerment in education is achieved when students feel their contributions are valued and their identities are recognized.
• The initiative aims to create a network of schools that adapt to the needs of their communities, fostering relevant and engaging learning experiences.

Chapters:

• 00:21 – The Disconnection Crisis in Education
• 00:29 – The Birth of Inner Spark Learning Lab
• 10:52 – Transitioning Educational Paradigms
• 19:27 – Transforming Education: The Role of Dreamweavers
• 35:15 – Navigating the Map of Life: Teaching Self-Awareness and Skills
• 37:23 – The Importance of Feedback in Education

https://www.innersparklab.org/

instagram.com/innersparklab

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobadams706/

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Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

In this final episode of the Ger Graus Gets Gritty series, Professor Dr Ger Graus OBE and I wrap up our 10-episode journey through education from early years to higher education and beyond. We explore the difference between schooling and education, the role of universities in an AI-driven world, and whether lifelong learning could — or should — move beyond traditional institutions.

Learning doesn’t stop at 18, 45, or even 99. The future of education isn’t about replacing what we have, but expanding the menu — so that every curious learner, at every stage of life, can find their own path. And no matter how education evolves, the people around us remain at the very heart of it.

‘Everyone can only aspire to what they know exists’

Takeaways:

1. The importance of continuous education beyond traditional schooling cannot be overstated, as it is essential for personal development throughout one’s life.
2. Our discussions highlighted the critical distinction between education and schooling, emphasizing that true education can occur at any age and in various contexts.
3. The relationship between higher education institutions and students must be fundamentally redefined to prioritize student needs and outcomes over financial motivations.
4. Lifelong learning is not limited to formal education; it encompasses all forms of personal growth, driven by individual curiosity and life experiences.
5. The necessity for a nuanced understanding of educational pathways is paramount, as different individuals require different approaches to learning and development.
6. In our exploration of higher education, we must recognize the evolving needs of society and the role of institutions in adapting to these changes.

Chapters:

1. 00:04 – Introduction to Episode 10
2. 02:15 – Overview of Further Education and Lifelong Learning
3. 24:02 – The Complexity of Accountability in Education
4. 36:18 – The Role of Degrees in Professional Success
5. 39:37 – The Importance of Lifelong Learning

https://www.gergraus.com

Get the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

https://www.educationonfire.com

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https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

Joining Mark Taylor as part of this series with Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE is Rebecca Durose-Croft a Managing Director with over 20 years’ experience in educational publishing and the evolving world of edtech.

Rebecca has built a reputation for bringing together editorial expertise, strategic thinking and a deep understanding of how learners engage with content – leading teams to create high-quality publications and programmes that truly make a difference.

With a strong commitment to inclusion and accessibility, and a track record of working closely with educators, policymakers and partners across the sector, Rebecca is a thoughtful and influential voice in how education continues to adapt and innovate.

Takeaways:

1. We discusses the evolving nature of educational content and its impact on schooling.
2. Rebecca Durose-Croft emphasizes the importance of tailoring educational material to individual learners’ needs.
3. National curriculum reforms prompt a reevaluation of educational practices and content delivery methods.
4. The conversation highlights the necessity of incorporating real-world applications into learning experiences.
5. Technology plays a crucial role in modern education, but it must be integrated thoughtfully to enhance learning.
6. Collaboration between educators and content creators is essential for producing effective educational resources.

Chapters:

1. 00:15 – Introducing Rebecca Durose-Croft
2. 01:58 – Exploring New Educational Curriculums
3. 16:16 – The Importance of Context in Language Learning
4. 23:27 – The Role of Technology in Modern Education
5. 31:20 – The Evolution of Educational Technology
6. 45:06 – The Role of Educators in Curriculum Development
7. 51:49 – The Importance of Trusting Teachers in Education

https://www.besa.org.uk/

https://www.gergraus.com

Get the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

Today we bring together Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE and Cristian Fabbi, Director of the Fondazione Reggio Children, for a deeply human and intellectually rich conversation about the future of early years education.

Ger and Cristian share personal stories and the work of their friend and colleague Carla Rinaldi — one of the world’s most influential educational thinkers. They explore what it truly means to place children at the heart of learning. From the rubble of post-war Italy to classrooms in Soweto, Nairobi, and Napoli, the Reggio Emilia approach has quietly transformed how educators around the world understand childhood, creativity, community, and the very purpose of school.

This is a conversation full of warmth, courage, and genuine hope — a reminder that when we believe in children’s potential, extraordinary things happen.

Key Takeaways

1. Start at the very beginning — literally

The Reggio Emilia approach insists that quality education must begin from birth, not age 3, 5, or 7. Neuroscience has since confirmed what Carla Rinaldi and Loris Malaguzzi argued decades ago: the 0–3 years are the most critical window for brain development and should be treated as education, not just childcare.

2. Children have 100 languages

Every child is born with the capacity to express themselves through music, movement, clay, drawing, storytelling, and more. The role of early education is to keep all of these “languages” alive, rather than narrowing children down to reading, writing, and arithmetic alone.

3. The environment is the third teacher

Alongside the child and the educator, the physical environment plays a crucial pedagogical role. Spaces should be intentionally designed to provoke curiosity, creativity, and collaboration — a principle as relevant to theme parks and museums as it is to nurseries.

4. Document processes, not just products

One of Reggio Emilia’s most powerful innovations is pedagogical documentation — capturing the how of children’s learning through observation, photographs, and reflection. This shifts the focus from testing what children remember to understanding how they think, discover, and grow.

5. Children are citizens from birth

Carla Rinaldi’s conviction was clear: children are not future citizens — they are citizens now, with rights and responsibilities from the moment they are born.

6. Quality education is an antidote to social harm

The Fondazione Reggio Children works in communities facing criminality, poverty, and conflict — from Naples to Palermo to Soweto.

7. We must shift from “I” to “We”

A powerful reflection from Cristian: modern education has rightly championed individual development, but we’ve lost something vital at the community level. The next step is helping children develop their life projects together with others — rebuilding the communal bonds that hold society together.

8. Invest in foundations, not just outcomes

Ger offers a striking metaphor: we build houses by investing heavily in their foundations. Yet in education, the earliest years — the true foundation — receive the least funding and attention.

9. Research should be participatory and generous

The Fondazione’s PhD programme is deliberately multidisciplinary — bringing together architects, biologists, poets, and musicians — with the goal of generating processes other educators can actually use, not just papers that gather dust on library shelves.

10. The Reggio Emilia approach is a philosophy, not a formula

It cannot simply be copied. A school inspired by Reggio Emilia in Indonesia will look entirely different from one in Nairobi — and that’s by design. The approach adapts to local context, culture, and community, making it genuinely universal without being prescriptive.

Chapters:

1. 00:06 – Exploring New Themes in Education
2. 01:09 – Introduction to the Reggio Emilia Approach
3. 16:18 – The Legacy of Carla: A Reflection on Education and Humanity
4. 19:02 – Introduction to the Reggio Emilia Approach
5. 30:03 – The Importance of Community in Education
6. 34:58 – The Importance of Documentation in Education
7. 44:17 – Exploring the Role of Play in Education
8. 55:28 – Investing in Quality Education
9. 57:41 – Community Perspectives on Education and Citizenship

https://www.frchildren.org/en

https://www.reggiochildren.it/reggio-emilia-approach/

https://www.gergraus.com

Get the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

Today I’m delighted to chat with Matthew Kaufman from I Love Camp. He has spent more than three decades creating environments where children and staff thrive and he has done this as a camper, counselor, and now summer camp director.

People learn, grow, and connect best in community settings where problem-solving, creativity, and play come first.

Most workplaces, schools, and families stumble into community by accident, but camp builds it on purpose. It’s a practice that can be learned and applied anywhere.

Using these insights Matt has written a book called The Campfire Effect which explores the neuroscience behind what makes camp work. It examines five neurochemicals that drive human connection and shows how camp naturally creates the conditions for each one to flourish. Then it offers practical frameworks for applying these lessons to workplaces, classrooms, and homes.

This isn’t a book about summer camp. It’s a book about belonging, using camp as the lens.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Camp is school for relationships — The activities matter less than who you’re doing them with. The real curriculum is learning how to be a good friend, teammate, and citizen.
2. Stress + Support = Growth — Matt’s core framework. Remove all struggle and kids become fragile; struggle without support leads to bullying. The sweet spot is challenge within a safe, supported environment.
3. Camp levels the playing field — Unlike school, which has few “paths to dignity,” camp offers dozens of ways to shine — chess, drama, sportsmanship, leadership — helping the invisible or left-out child find their place.
4. The skills camp teaches are exactly what AI can’t replace — Problem solving, interpersonal communication, genuine relationship-building — camp has been teaching these for decades, and they’re now the most valuable skills in an AI world.
5. Oxytocin is the secret ingredient — The Campfire Effect (Matt’s book) explains the neuroscience: when kids feel emotionally and physically safe, oxytocin flows, trust builds, and real growth becomes possible. This isn’t magic — it’s science.

Chapters:

1. 00:00 – The Importance of Relationships at Camp
2. 04:16 – Understanding the Role of Camp in Child Development
3. 13:06 – The Importance of Camp in Personal Development
4. 20:29 – The Campfire Effect: Understanding the Transformative Power of Camp
5. 25:22 – Understanding Camp Experiences
6. 28:42 – The Impact of Technology on Youth Development
7. 34:25 – The Impact of Social Media on Youth

https://www.ilove.camp

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjkaufman

https://www.instagram.com/mattlovescamp

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

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#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

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http://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/