Episode 40: Placed-based education and life cycles

With Todd Ormiston of North Country School and Camp Treetops

How do students benefit from place-based learning? In what ways does it foster ruggedness, resourcefulness, and resilience? Why is it helpful for adolescents to bear witness to life cycles of fellow living things? While many educators and learners in public education systems are constrained by standardized tests and fixed learning outcomes, those at the North Country School in Lake Placid, New York, USA, have the freedom to adjust their teaching and learning journeys as they evolve. Todd Ormiston discusses the inner working of the North Country School, including high-impact experiences like their farm-to-school program.

Guest:

Todd Ormiston’s 20+ year career in independent schools is marked by a commitment to exceptional programming. Having held a variety of roles from educator to head of school at numerous institutions including Vermont Academy, Stratton Mountain School, Gould Academy, Mount Snow Academy, and Sun Valley Community School, Todd is committed to an experiential learning approach, diversity and inclusion, the power of community in shaping the lives of children, and the essential benefits of outdoor education and recreation. Todd holds a B.A. from St. Lawrence University and an M.Ed. from the University of Vermont. He, his wife Elizabeth, and daughters Maddox and Chase are outdoor enthusiasts who love the Adirondacks.

*Episode edited by M. Angel Goñi Avila