Who Do You Learn From?

Have you ever wondered why kids don’t receive credit for learning outside of school? It seems like the only time and place young learners are rewarded for improving their reading, writing, and problem-solving skills is while they are at a place called school.

But we know from experience that learning happens anytime and anywhere. So why don’t we reward that learning – formally that is – as much as the learning that occurs in a campus classroom?

Recently, Bobbi Macdonald, Senior Partner for Ecosystem Growth and Advancement at Education Reimagined, considered the question “Who Do You Learn From?”:

“Who do you learn from?”

“It’s such a simple question, but one that opens a door. Think back to who shaped you as a child, a teenager, or a young adult. Most of us would start with the obvious: our teachers. But if we keep going, the list grows: parents, grandparents, siblings, neighbors, coaches, bosses, friends, mentors, doctors, community leaders.”

“When I think back on my earliest teachers, I see the prairie behind my house on the south side of Chicago. There was always a baseball game going on, bike paths to explore, and kids watching out for one another. I couldn’t wander far without someone calling me back to the field. That prairie taught me about belonging, curiosity, and care.”

“High school brought its own teachers: my managers at the local ice cream shop and local movie theater. They taught me responsibility – how to close up at night, handle cash, deal with customers, and work as part of a team. They hired me, trained me, and trusted me. They helped me develop the work habits and confidence that carried me forward.”

“And of course, there was my family. I grew up in a large one, full of cousins, aunts, and uncles who each offered different lessons. I remember walking with my cousin Rachel Bojda, ten years older and the coolest person I knew. She once told me, ‘It’s good to talk about your feelings, even when they’re hurt.’ A simple truth that landed deeply.”

“Learning has never been confined to one person, one role, or one place. It happens in kitchens and ball fields, in corner stores and libraries, in music studios and job sites, and year – in classrooms, too. And yet, when we talk about ‘educators,’ we often mean only professional teachers. We overlook the wide circle of people who have always been part of how young people grow. What happens if we take that circle seriously? What happens when we expand our definition of who counts as an educator?”

“When we widen our view, a new possibility comes into focus. Young people can grow up surrounded not just by formal instruction, but by networks of care and inspiration. Every adult in their life, whether a teacher, a coach, or a neighbor, becomes part of an intentional system of support.”

“This matters because learning is about more than content. It is about being known, cared for, and trusted to try. It is about discovering your gifts and seeing them reflected back by others. That’s what makes inspiration possible. If we want every child to feel inspired to create, to solve problems, and to keep learning, then inspiration cannot be left to luck. It must be part of how we design education. And that means seeing educators everywhere.”

“When we embrace this expanded view, the role of the professional educator transforms.”

“Teachers are no longer asked to be everything for every child. Instead, they become part of a team. Their unique role is to anchor relationships, help learners make meaning of what they encounter, and connect them to the wider circle of people and opportunities that shape their growth.”

“In this way, educators shift from being the single source of knowledge to being guides and connectors. They help young people navigate across experiences – in school, at home, and in the community – so that learning becomes a coherent journey, not a fragmented set of encounters.”

“This is not lighter work. In some ways, it is more complex because it requires educators to know their students deeply, to see their strengths, and to help them chart paths that are both personal and connected. But it is also shared work. Teachers are not alone.”

…

“For young people, this expanded vision makes education feel very different.”

“Agency and choice. Instead of waiting for knowledge to be delivered, learners choose from many pathways and opportunities.”

“Socially embedded learning. They learn in relationship with peers, adults, and community members who know them and believe in them.”

“Competency-based progress. They grow by demonstrating what they can do in real settings, not just by passing tests.”

“Personalized journeys. Each learner follows a path shaped by their strengths, interests, and aspirations.”

“Open-walled opportunities. The community becomes the classroom, ands the classroom opens to the community.”

“These are not abstract ideals. They are the five elements of learner-centered education in practice. And they depend on us recognizing that educators are everywhere.”

“We are living in a moment of both urgency and possibility. Too many young people tell us they feel unseen and uninspired. Too many educators feel stretched thin, asked to do everything alone.”

“Expanding our view of who we see as an educator addresses both realities. It affirms what young people need most: to be known, cared for, and inspired by a circle of caring adults. And it provides professional educators with the support of a network, allowing them to focus on building deep relationships and guiding learning without carrying the full weight alone.”

“In this way, expanding the circle is more than a philosophical shift; it is a practical one. It changes how we organize time, relationships, and resources. It changes what we value and measure – not only content delivery, but the quality of relationships and the depth of inspiration.”

“So, let’s return to the question: Who do you learn from?”

“If your answer is like mine, the list is long. Teachers, yes. But also neighbors, friends, bosses, family, mentors, coaches, and community members. Each played a role. Each mattered.”

“If we take that truth seriously, we can begin to design education differently. We can move from seeing learning as the responsibility of schools alone to seeing it as the work of a whole community. We can create systems where every child grows up surrounded by people who know them, believe in them, and inspire them.”

“That is the promise of expanding our view of who counts as an educator. And it begins with a question we can all answer: Who do you learn from?”

When we launched our personalized learning lab school in the Houston Museum District some time ago now, it was immediately apparent that our learning coaches (we had two of them for 50 young learners) had immediate expertise from the curators and educators inside museums focused on health, the arts, natural history, and other disciplines. Our young learners received, on a daily basis, expert support from well-trained museum leaders, whereas students inside the traditional K-12 system saw these museum educators maybe once a year while participating in a field trip.

Although the pilot was in a museum district, there were other centers of learning available across the Houston landscape – performing arts, business and commerce, maritime, and energy to name a few. Sadly, these centers of expertise never partnered with personalized learning organizations, so the experiment ended in the Houston Museum District.

But what we learned from our three-year pilot is that Bobbi Macdonald is spot on. The world can be our classroom, if we figure out how to build learning plans for each young person that accesses expertise to help support that individualized learning – whether that support comes from school-based teachers or out of school leadership.

We return to Oklahoma tomorrow. Til then. SVB