Episode 40: The Power of Joy in Learning with Dr. George Philhower

By loading this video, you agree to the privacy policy of Youtube.

Episode Summary:

Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent of Eastern Hancock Schools in Indiana, shares his journey as an educator and leader dedicated to creating school environments where students wake up excited to learn each day.

George reflects on his early struggles as a student, how they shaped his passion for education, and his path from special education teacher to superintendent. He discusses how his district prioritizes student engagement, personalized learning, and strong community connections to ensure all students feel valued and prepared for life beyond high school.

Key topics covered include:

  • 🎓 Meeting individually with every junior and senior to support career exploration and post-graduation planning
  • 🏫 Creating a learner-centered culture through four core promises: Joy, Connection, Growth, and Success
  • 🤝 Building strong community partnerships to provide real-world learning experiences
  • 🛠️ Developing career-connected pathways, including hands-on programs in healthcare and construction
  • 📊 Rethinking traditional measures of success to focus on student well-being, engagement, and long-term outcomes
  • 🎉 Hosting “Joy Jam,” a professional learning conference centered on creating joyful, engaging schools

Related Resources:

  • Blog: Building Community Partnerships: A Strategy for Sustaining Learner-Centered Education
    When we forge partnerships with our local community, we expand learning and assessment beyond the classroom. These connections tap into an organic network of resources that provide real-world contexts where students can develop and demonstrate lasting competencies.
  • Course: Promote Anytime, Anywhere Learning
    Explore ways to connect learners with the local and global community through learning experiences that happen both in and outside of the classroom. Create opportunities for real-world learning experiences with community members through mentorships, internships, and community-based projects
  • Strategy: Connect Learners to Mentors
    While your school might not yet have a formal internship or mentorship program, there are still many ways to ensure learners get connected with local community members and with work-based learning experiences. Discover some of these strategies using the link above.

How About Another?

No results found.

It’s Your Journey

Explore More Topics

Calibrating educators on assessment
Blog
The Power of Why: How Assessment Philosophies Drive Calibration for Meaningful Change
“This feels overwhelming.” “We are moving towards something tangible and realistic.” “This is amazing – we got this.” These reflections, shared by educators, capture the spectrum of emotions that surface when rethinking assessment and grading practices. One names the challenge of stepping into something new, another lifts up the promise of what’s possible, and…
Blog
Measuring Impact: How Surveys Promote Learner-Centered Change
Measuring what matters and listening to learners, educators and community members are cornerstones of our work at Learner-Centered Collaborative, and in any learner-centered ecosystem.  From feedback surveys in our workshops and sessions to more robust, research-backed survey processes with partners to measure specific outcomes, we have been leveraging surveys for years to help schools…