103: Discovering Children’s Passions & Putting Them on Their Path

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kids need to feel that their passions and ideas matter. Unfortunately, our system is set up to mold kids into who we want them to be. Schools are guilty of this and even well-meaning parents are guilty of it. We have our own versions of success in our minds and trying to steer children on our path is setting them up for failure and for feeling unseen.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This week on the podcast, Luthern Williams is sharing how his school, New Roads School, is doing things differently. And he proves that small, private, and even budget-conscious (or budget-restricted) schools can offer a path for all learners and keep inclusivity and access at its core.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Luthern shares how New Roads has managed to offer 35 electives for middle school students and 65 electives for high schoolers and what this has done to boost the possibilities these students have. We also talk about how radical inclusion doesn’t just benefit the student, why children need to be invited to show up authentically, and why so many children are having mental health issues today.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This episode truly dissects a school and a leader who are living in their values. </span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">About Luthern Williams:</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Luthern Williams, a visionary educational leader, is the Head of School at New Roads School in Santa Monica, California. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an Ed.M. in School Leadership from Harvard University. Previously, Luthern was the Assistant Head of School for Program and Middle School Director at New Roads School. Luthern has over twenty-five years of experience as an administrator and English teacher in independent schools in New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles. He served as the Director of College Preparation and College Admissions at College Launch, an educational consulting company; the Director of Studi