PathPod By Justin Magsino

Educator: Justin Magsino

School: The Indie School

Position: Teacher

What Innovative Projects Or Practices Have You Implemented In Your Classroom Or School, And What Inspired You To Develop Them?

PathPod - Student Focused Podcast (Search Up "CLCMedia Podcast" to find). I believe that the power of storytelling needs to be harnessed in school communities in order to not only connect, but to inspire and celebrate each of the individuals in a school. The crux of this work came from making young people believe that they are the main characters in their own story. In giving them an episode/s to candidly speak about themselves, their passions, their perspectives, their aspirations, their insights on the world and life... it empowered them to instil a sense of self confidence and belief in themselves. At this stage it has 156 episodes released since April 2023.

Student Driven Classroom Pedagogies: I've helped students develop the capacity to deliver, plan and assess content, building a sense of ownership and responsibility in their learning, engaging in roles which emulate the classroom teacher.

Can You Share Any Memorable Experiences Or Outcomes From Your Projects That Highlight Its Effectiveness In Preparing Students For Future Opportunities?

One of the hardest, yet common questions to be asked as an adult is: "Tell us about yourself". The PathPod gave students a platform to not only be able to practice developing this answer for themselves, but a wealth of perspectives/methods/insights on how to answer this question.

Most importantly, it was an opportunity for students to start valuing their own story/experience and developing the capacity to articulate their own identity, a skill I believe, most adults struggle with answering for themselves.

Tertiary education, full time employment, life after school requires you to self-direct, organise, understand how and why things happen. In adopting a Student Run Classroom and involving them in the process of planning, delivering, assessing Content, you give them the opportunity to develop these skills whilst in school, but also giving them an authentic connection and understanding to their learning. Students have designed some of the most unique lessons.

How Do You Believe Your Innovative Practices Have Impacted The Overall School Community And Its Approach To Education?

Absolute complete culture change. There is an aura of collective identity, unity and understanding between students and staff. Students are more passionately vocal, genuinely believing they have a voice to be heard, are longing for more profound and insightful conversations about their education, themselves and their aspirations.

The executive team would listen to these episodes, collect feedback/insights and find ways to integrate it within the DNA of our school. Students and teachers would build a greater sense of humanisation and compassion between each other, by understanding the stories of their lives, experiences and perspectives. The PathPod gave our school community a platform to authentically understand the lives of all the individuals and insights on what the school needed to develop in order to support the growth of our young people. It have parents/guardians genuine insight into what our students were thinking, doing and aspiring for.

How Do You Define Innovation In Education?

I believe true innovation in education lies within the fundamental purpose and most important stakeholder of schools... the students. We want students to feel connected, to flourish, to develop their own positive sense of self and understand their place in the world. The real innovation comes from the educators who are trying to find the most optimal ways in order to achieve these fundamental goals in education which aligns with the contexts of their time and place.

True innovation in education is asking "Do my students understand themselves, do they know who they are, do they value who they are?/How will I help them achieve this?"

In the real world, we are not graded, we are not labelled by our test scores. Individuals thrive in the world by being driven with purpose, self-awareness and appreciation of themselves. Finding ways to support students in developing this understanding of themselves, that's innovation.

Looking Ahead, Are There Any Upcoming Projects Or Innovations You Have In Mind To Further Enhance The Educational Experience For Your Students? I have recently moved to another role at a different school and plan to build another school-based podcast with the intention of giving new students an opportunity to build their confidence in speaking about themselves and what they want in life. I've moved to an organisation, which focuses on the holistic education of students who previously had difficulty in mainstream contexts. The overall goal is to develop that sense of purpose within their actions and choices through effective questioning, mentorship and an unseen/new experience of Podcasting in their lives.

Currently I am completing my Masters of Research in Creative Intelligence and Strategic Innovation at the University of Technology, Sydney in order to improve my insights and practice as an educator. I'll also be presenting at the ReimaginED Conference in November about harnessing the Power of Storytelling within a School and aiming to present at other Summits/Conferences in 2025.

In What Ways Do You Encourage Other Educators To Embrace Innovation In Their Teaching Practices? When you think about a school, you have your faculty, other colleagues and professional development throughout the year. There is only so much insight, learning you can gain by only exposing yourself within your context. What I've learned is that there is a plethora of knowledge and insight out there in both the educational world, but also through a transdisciplinary lens.

As collaboration is an effective pedagogy within our own classrooms, we as educators, should aim to collaborate with other schools, teachers, networks, professions, industries. Put yourself in positions to connect with others. Seek out conferences, unique professional development opportunities, networking events, further study. Make yourself a LinkedIn and connect. Teachers are industry professionals and should be valued that way, LinkedIn should be optimised to learn about what others are trying to do to innovate in their own spaces. Learn from others, but also allow others to learn from you.

What Advice Would You Give To Other Educators Looking To Incorporate More Creativity And Innovation Into Their Teaching Practice?

Teaching advice/insight is anecdotal in nature. Every Classroom has its own dynamic nuances and complexities. Every experience is unique and personalised. People will always tell you what they think, provide their own sense of wisdom, they may support your ideas, critique them, they will make assumptions, they will throw "at my school, in my class, in my experiences..." at you. As a professional, its important to have an open mind and hear everything coming your way, but you need to navigate what you choose to listen to.

My advice is: Students first. Ask yourself "Will this be beneficial for the student/s?" /Will this provide them with a positive learning experience?"

Whatever ideas you have, albeit a grandiose one or something simple... Back yourself. If its works, how can you do it better the next time. If it doesn't, what will you do differently. Innovate through fundamentals. Optimise experiences for students.

Justin Magsino participated in our Next Gen Awards 2024 program and was the winner of the Innovative Educator Of The Year category. To find out more about the Next Gen Awards and how your projects and initiatives can be showcased head to: www.nextgenoftheyear.com