The Educators' Lab
We believe in the power of teachers- as leaders, as changemakers, as problem-solvers. Our courses blend components of transformational leadership, agile methodology, and well-being to help you make a difference, in and out of the classroom. It's the PD you need right now.
THE IMPLEMENTATION LAB:
Turn INSPIRATION into ACTION
Personalize your professional development and implement your ideas to improve teaching and learning. Using a mix of creative problem-solving and personal care, you’ll practice the very skills we strive to pass on to students -including design thinking strategies and project management how-to- while nurturing yourself.
*Continuing Education Credit Available
Mini-Course, Big-Impact
Join us as we talk with One Tree Planted. Use this mini course to learn about their tools and resources to engage students in the topic of sustainability or get inspiration to design your own!
How might we promote civic- mindedness and constructive dialogue?
Civic mindedness is a skill that all teachers can help instill in their students. What are the basic building blocks we need to nurture to ensure young people are equipped to have constructive dialogues around the tough problems we need to solve?
How might we equip students to find their purpose and make a positive impact in the world?
Changemaking combines the skills of empathy, creative problem solving, collaborative leadership, and teamwork to equip young people with power to make positive change in the world. Imagine a future where solutions outrun problems because every youth knows how to find the possibility.
How might we encourage students to apply their knowledge through games?
Gamification is great for engagement, but game learning is the ultimate form of assessment. Students can apply knowledge and build skills through the creation of games. How might we use that power to encourage students to find meaning and relevance in what they learn and to do good?
Hi, I’m Michelle Blanchet.
Michelle is an educational consultant that infuses startup strategies into professional learning so that teachers are empowered to bring changemaking, social innovation, and SDGs into their work. After teaching social studies in both the U.S. and Switzerland, she co-founded the Educators’ Lab, which supports teacher-driven solutions to educational challenges. Michelle is the co-author of The Startup Teacher Playbook, and Preventing Polarization: 50 Strategies for Teaching Kids About Empathy, Politics, and Civic Responsibility. She has worked with organizations like Getting Smart, PBS Education and Ashoka, and occasionally blogs for Edutopia. A graduate of IE University in Madrid, she is part of the Global Shaper Community of the World Economic Forum and has presented at numerous events, including SXSWedu and TEDxLausanne. Her focus - agility in education, gamifying civics, and green career pathways.
Darcy Bakkegard
Darcy is a change consultant and co-founder of The Educators' Lab. After more than a decade in the classroom teaching English and theatre, Darcy now creates the type of PD she always wanted, driving change in education and empowering teachers as changemakers. Through her work, teachers reconnect with their purpose, rekindle their spark for teaching, and reignite the JOY of teaching and learning. She specializes in professional development design and implementation, interactive strategies for the classroom, meaningful tech integration, and building relationships with students. Darcy holds a Master’s of Secondary Education, is an ISTE Certified Educator, an experienced international presenter, and believer in the power of education. She lives in Fargo, ND with her husband Jeff, and toddler triplets, Kurt, Ben, and Cora.
