Supporting Intuition with Relationships with Tanya Sheckley

SEEing to Lead

Tanya Sheckley is the Founder and President of UP Academy – a progressive elementary lab school in San Mateo, California. UP Academy is reinventing education by customizing learning for each student, integrating project-based learning throughout its curriculum, and supporting students with disabilities to attend school alongside able-bodied students in mixed-age classrooms. Tanya’s vision and mission show it’s possible to celebrate differences, change what’s broken in the American education system, and that all children can receive a rigorous, well rounded education.

Tanya’s success at building a micro-school where all students are celebrated for their differences and contributions as they learn together, learn from each other, solve problems, and collaborate on a variety of interdisciplinary, STEAM-based projects has made her a go-to speaker not only on the future of education, project-based learning, neurodevelopment, and inclusion but also on entrepreneurship, women in tech, and motherhood. Tanya also leads professional development programs for school administrators and educators who want to integrate inclusive, project-based learning into their classrooms.

Tanya also hosts the Rebel Educator® podcast where she interviews fellow education pioneers, school leaders and teachers, and students.

This episode is part of the 2024 “National Literacy Month with RIF” campaign, a partnership between the BE Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental.

Show Notes:

In this episode, Tanya Sheckley, the founder and president of UP Academy, discusses her innovative approach to education at her progressive elementary lab school in San Mateo, California. UP Academy customizes learning for each student, integrates project-based learning, and supports students with disabilities in mixed-age classrooms. Tanya explains her passion for building student and educator agency, fostering independence, and cultivating intuition. She highlights the importance of creating a school environment where educators have the freedom to innovate and students are encouraged to follow their interests and dreams. The discussion covers strategies for balancing structure with independence, the role of community and trust in education, and the evolving needs of the workforce. Tanya also talks about her work in professional development and her Rebel Educator podcast. The host and Tanya explore broader educational system challenges and the necessity of relationship-building, communication, and listening in leadership.

Book Marks:
00:00 Introduction to Tanya Sheckley and UP Academy
01:37 Tanya's Passion for Building Agency in Education
05:27 Challenges and Solutions in Public Education
10:06 Balancing Structure and Independence in Schools
13:15 The Role of Community and Communication in Education
17:40 What Should School Look Like?
25:30 Final Thoughts and Personal Insights
29:42 How to Connect with Tanya Sheckley

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Who am I?

I’ve been an educator in Massachusetts for 23 years. I’m finishing my 16th year as a building leader. I’m a teacher centered Principal and passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. I’m active on social media, vlog about continuous improvement on a weekly basis, and wrote a book also called SEEing to Lead as a way to help everyone improve education as a whole by promoting my “just cause”: improving the educational experience for as many people as possible by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character.

SEEing to Lead Extras!

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Jimmy Casas said, "If you are a leader who is looking to support, engage and empower your staff, then SEEing to Lead, by Dr. Chris Jones, is a book you will want to pick up and read. Dr. Jones reminds us that building capacity and helping others achieve personal success is the key to elevating your organization and leaving a lasting impact."

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