Teenage Takeover with Sam Levin
Today Sam Levin is the 29-year-old Oxford PhD CEO of a biotech company. Thirteen years ago he was a high school junior exasperated at his friends’ disengagement and unhappiness at school. So he did something about it! Now students, teachers, and parents are taking note of his bold vision.
We cover a lot of territory including:
3:11 The seeds of Sam’s discontent with school
4:28 Sam’s mom puts forth a challenge
5:11 A community garden reveals that teens can love learning and hard work
6:34 How teachers unfairly label students
8:46 Sam’s vision for a student-run school meets resistance
10:37 The teacher that shattered Sam’s illusions
12:04 The remarkable vision of the Independent Project
13:39 Parents’ fears about the Independent Project
14:15 The relationship between pedagogy and tracking/ability grouping
15:40 The foundational reasons we should stop tracking kids
16:58 The remarkable design of the Independent Project
19:07 Every student creates an “individual endeavor” around a passion
19:39 Getting into college
20:29 A “collective endeavor” to promote powerful collaboration
21:32 Practicing 21st century skills
22:50 The life-changing impact of the Independent Project
25:17 De-orientation to break bad school habits
26:30 Sam’s PhD. and the creation of Melonfrost
28:04 How the Independent Project planted the seeds for Sam’s CEO success
30:02 Sam’s advice to educators
31:30 Steve poses a thought experiment
Independent Project documentary (14 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RElUmGI5gLc
Sam and his mom’s book about the Independent Project: https://thenewpress.com/books/school-of-our-own
Sam’s biotech company- Melonfrost: https://www.melonfrost.com
If you liked this podcast, here are some other episodes you can check out:
A portrait of an exhausted, dispirited high school student: https://www.steventshapiro.com/experiencematters/a-letter-to-my-younger-self-with-emmy-huefner
A mini version of the Independent Project for middle school students: https://www.steventshapiro.com/experiencematters/suzannegoldsmithhirsch
Harvard thought-leader on 21st century learning Tony Wagner on why our kids need schools like the independent project: https://www.steventshapiro.com/experiencematters/tuned-in-to-the-future-with-tony-wagner
NYTimes bestselling author Daniel Pink on how autonomous learning transformed his brain: https://www.steventshapiro.com/experiencematters/the-epiphany-with-daniel-pink
About Experience Matters
Experience Matters with Steve Shapiro invites guests to reflect on the most profound learning experiences of their youth and to consider how we can reform American schools. Each episode provides clues about how parents and educators alike can engage young people in powerful, sometimes transformational experiential learning. Education can take many forms, but whatever form it takes- experience matters.