What if the biggest barrier to student capability is our own fear of letting go?
Sometimes we claim students “can’t” do things—but the truth is we stop them from doing things. When we step back from compulsory, coercive control and trust young people with real responsibility, they rise to meet it in ways that surprise us.
In this inspiring conversation with Bruce Robbins- a secondary educator for 41 years who spent his career bringing critical pedagogy and Harkness discussions into schools that had never seen anything like it- we explore what it takes to hold the line on progressive principles.
Bruce shares hard-won wisdom about surviving, and thriving, as a paradigm breaker in traditional schools. This conversation isn’t about compromising ideals for a paycheck—it’s about finding your people, continuing to learn, and being brave enough to go against the grain.
I was lucky to co-teach with Bruce in the immediate wake of the pandemic, and he was the one who introduced me to the Harkness method which fundamentally transformed my pedagogy. You can read about my own personal journey with Harkness discussions here:
For a field which is ripe with teacher attrition, Bruce’s sage advice is required listening for all progressive educators who are wondering how to carry on when their principles are not reflected by our traditional system.
All these insights on courage, capability, and refusing to fall in line, in this episode of Breaking the Paradigm.
Thanks Bruce for a great conversation!
This is yet another conversation that mainstream education won’t have.
The question is: What are you going to do about it?
Most educators listen to paradigm-breaking ideas and return to the same broken systems tomorrow.
But you’re different - you’re here because you refuse to accept “that’s just how education works.”
Ready to move from consuming revolutionary content to building revolutionary alternatives?
Start Free: Join the Paradigm Breakers Community - Connect with educators worldwide who are questioning unspoken norms and implementing authentic alternatives. Share your breakthrough moments, get support for your experiments, and contribute to frameworks we’re building together.
Go Deeper: Provocations Magazine Subscription - Quarterly investigations into topics mainstream education won’t touch. The conversations you just heard barely scratch the surface of what we explore.
Transform Everything: Premium Provocations (Launching Soon) - Join the waitlist for group coaching calls, 50% off all courses, and direct access to building the frameworks that will reshape education.
Here’s the reality: The educational revolution won’t be built by people who just listen to podcasts about change. It’s being built by educators who question everything, implement alternatives, and prove that transformation is possible.
The traditional education system had its chance.
Now it’s our turn.
