School as an Intellectual Playground: Jon Cassie & Jim Hahn of Qualia are Cultivating Capable Adults
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Host Cory Greenberg is joined by two guys with 30+ years of experience in the education world, and together, they run a little school in the Los Angeles area that is truly progressive, truly cutting edge in its approach to learning. Jim Hahn and Jon Cassie dive into what makes the Qualia School an intellectual playground, as they call it. Their mission is to raise adults capable of critical thinking and problem-solving, fit for the needs of today’s modern job market, as well as to equip them to be fulfilled, self-reflective people. They argue that the pace of social, cultural, technological change we live with necessitates this focus on deeper learning and critical thinking so that, in Jon’s words, we aren’t stuck with adults totally incapable of charting their own course.
Brought to you by Tutor Corps and Pacific Preparatory.
About our guests:
Jim Hahn is an inveterate explorer of knowledge, ideas, contraptions, and cultures, Jim has taught everything from philosophy to chemistry to Rube Goldberg Machines during his 30+ year career in education. As the founder of Qualia: The School For Deeper Learning, Jim is bringing his renowned cutting-edge educational model to a new level with his democratic educational philosophy, unique teaching and mentoring approach, and innovative deep learning curriculum. Jim began his teaching career at Crossroads School, then joined New Roads as Academic Dean and Dean of Faculty, and later founded Areté Preparatory Academy to create a next-generation school for brilliant and independent young minds for over a decade. Jim has inspired many students to think deeply, care deeply and forge extraordinary paths. Jim is the proud parent of an Areté alumna, currently attending Pitzer College, and a current Qualia student; both children are living embodiments of the impactful results of Jim’s transformative and revolutionary educational methods.
Find him at:
Website: www.qualiaschool.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qualiaschool/
Dr. Jon Cassie has been in independent school education for 25 years serving in virtually every teaching and leadership capacity schools have to offer. His book on game-based learning, Level Up Your Classroom was published in 2016 and won a gold medal for best technical book from Association Media and Publishing in 2017. His chapter on social-emotional learning and roleplaying games, "Don't Split the Party," was published in "Teaching in the Game-Based Classroom," in 2021. He’s also written for the tabletop roleplaying sector for about 20 years. Two of his books, Loot and Folkways are about cultural aspects of roleplaying design and are available on DriveThruRPG. He hosts two podcasts about education: "Many Windows" and "Game Level Learn." He has also appeared on a number of podcasts speaking about the future of education, given the commencement address at Northland Pioneer College, and has presented at conferences and forums on learning and games in the US and abroad. I earned my doctorate from UCLA in 2010.
Find him at:
Podcast: Many Windows
Podcast: Game Level Learn
Email: joncassie@gmail.com
Website: www.qualiaschool.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qualiaschool/
Additional appearances:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTlA_wSCks8&t=2s
https://vimeo.com/281898146
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life, William Deresiewicz
Punished By Rewards: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes, Alfie Kohn
Out of Our Minds: The Power of Being Creative, Ken Robinson
