Let’s Design More Joyful Learning Experiences

The Modern Learners Community is a place where educators collaborate to Create a more joyful learning experience for all.

We’ve been waiting for change to come… and thanks to the pandemic, now it’s here. But it’s not exactly what we had hoped for.

It’s time to get proactive and CREATE the kind of schools we want TO work in and learn in.

You’ve been in the education business to make a difference. You feel frustrated knowing that so many learners are slipping through the cracks.

Even though the pandemic shifted everything everything seemingly overnight and you’re ready to get back to normal, you’re also faced with the reality that “normal” wasn’t all that great to begin with. You believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a new, better “normal”.

While you wish there was a “magic bullet” solution, you know there are things that will take time to change.

You’re ready to work… all you need is some guidance and support.

The Modern Learners Community is like a training program, a support group, and a mastermind all rolled up in one.

We want to help you create an inclusive, joyful environment for your learners. One where every learner can finally reach their full potential… and feel seen every step of the way.

We don’t just give you the tools for change. We help you dig deep, ask the tough questions, and purposefully design the type of experience that makes learners and educators alike flourish.

As a Modern Learners Community member, you get more than just professional development courses. You’re also plugged into a network of people who can support you in your next big goal. You’ll never feel alone in this battle because you’ll be surrounded by people who can help you get on the right track again.

Modern Learners Community will help you stay up to date on everything going on in education, solve complex problems, grow in your professional identity, and create change much more quickly than you could by yourself.

Here’s How We Do It

A Network of 900+ Educational Leaders

Ultimately, any successful movement relies on people who are committed to making changes.

Being a member of the Modern Learners’ Community will put you in good company! There are over 900 educators in our global network who are having a lasting, positive, and inclusive impact on schools.

Our group of education professionals includes principals, assistant principals, teachers, instructional coaches, consultants, curriculum specialists, technologists, superintendents, assistant superintendents, school psychologists, technology coordinators, student services coordinators, program directors, directors of clinical services, learning coordinators, board members, parents, and more!

Many of our members have decades of experience in the school system, and we’re all about sharing and learning with each other.

Professional Development Courses

Educators Are Learners First.

We know that in order to create a good learning environment, we have to be learners as well.

Modern Learners puts a great deal of emphasis on staying current with what’s going on in the world, our industry, and the lives of our learners.

That’s why we’ve created a suite of professional development workshops and courses that will help you and your schools perform even better.

You’ll gain access to courses on inquiry leadership strategies, assessment design, instructional coaching, establishing community partnerships, online professional learning, and more!

Engaging Conversations

Have the important conversations that motivate and drive change.

Our community stands for the belief that real change happens only if we’re willing to speak up and have the conversations that matter.

Every week, in the Modern Learners Community online hub, you’ll find a wide range of engaging conversations to join – including themed topics (e.g. learner agency, assessment, literacy, digital safety, culture, learning design, etc), new podcast episodes and blog articles, research polls, the Friday Five (an ongoing series where we curate and share 5 thought-provoking posts) and more.

You can also take part in live virtual events where you can chat with your fellow education professionals in real-time about important news and events and the work you are doing in your school.

What our members are saying:

Picture of community member Bob Ceh, Principal, Seneca Valley (PA) High School

After several months of participating in Modern Learners Community, I have a completely different view of what schools can be. While I saw the need for change, this course helped to create a picture that is accessible and has many entry points, regardless of what your current role in education may be. It has created a path that I believe can be impactful. It was well worth the time and money.

Bob CehSeneca Valley (PA) High School

Picture of community member Karen Shiffman

“Listening, learning and dialoguing with educators about educational change has been an amazing experience. Modern Learners Community gave me an opportunity to connect with like minded professionals and to learn how to frame and push our institutions into a more forward thinking momentum of where education needs to be headed. This type of learning is exciting and exhilarating and has recharged my need to foster the same quality of conversation in my own school.

Karen ShiffmanGifted and Talented Coordinator, Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School, Beachwood, OH

Picture of community member Michael Maloy

“Modern Learners Community has transformed my thinking on how to take action in creating the schools that our students desperately need. More than a map, MLC is a set of navigation principles that help leaders deploy strategies, initiate conversations, and move forward on making our dreams of what school can and should be a reality. For anyone interested in the future of education, this community is the place to be!”

Michael MaloyHead of Upper School, The Chapin School, NYC

JOIN THE COMMUNITY TODAY!

Here’s what you get when you join the Modern Learners Community:

A suite of self-paced professional development courses, including: Navigating Inquiry Leadership, Collaborative Leadership Essentials, Coaching and Professional Partnerships, Reimagining Assessment, 10 Principles of Modern Learning, and Designing Online Professional Learning
24/7 access to a private online community website, so you can focus on what matters without the distraction of other platforms like Facebook groups
A network of 900+ education professionals from around the world dedicated to creating better learning and teaching experiences for all
Access to ongoing forums where we gather to have the conversations that matter, get answers to pressing questions, stay up-to-date on current events in education (and beyond), and share our expertise with each other
Invitations to live virtual events where you can network and communicate with your peers

You’re Ready to Join the Modern Learners Community If:

Your passion is creating a better education experience for learners and educators alike
You try your best to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the world of education (and beyond)
You’ve made (or at least recommended) changes in your local school system You want to see change happen on a grander scale
You’ve been involved in conversations about how to get it done
You have no idea what to do next, but you’re willing to put in the work to figure it out

The Modern Learners Path to Create More Joy

We want being part of the Modern Learners Community to help you to grow and find joy in your work.
Not just for a little while, but for the rest of your time in academia.

Once you’re a community member, this is what you’ll do:

Work through our collection of professional development courses
Engage in weekly discussions via our forums, articles, podcasts, the Friday 5, live events, and more
Start & lead conversations among the community by asking your questions and sharing your thinking
Build relationships with others in the community by sharing ideas, receiving/giving feedback, and offering support
Advocate for Modern Learning in your local school community (and beyond)
Interact with your students and staff to talk about what it means to be a modern learner

Modern Learners Community Members also go on to do things like:

Share their experiences in the community and at live events
Guest blog on the Modern Learners Community website
Become guests on the Modern Learners podcast
Serve as mentors to new Modern Learners Community members

Join the Modern Learners Community for just $47 a month!

Ready to go all-in? Get 2 months FREE with an annual membership for $470!

JOIN THE COMMUNITY TODAY!

Meet the Behind-the-Scenes Team

Missy Emler

Chief Learning Officer

Missy has served in a variety of roles throughout her career in education: special education teacher, principal, Statewide Systems Coach for Universal Design for Learning. As the owner of the Modern Learners Community, Missy has found great joy in coaching school leaders along their journey to create a strong culture of learning in their local communities.

Lyn Hilt

Community Manager

Lynn has 20 years of experience as an educational leader, having served as an elementary school principal, an instructional technology coach, and as a teacher at both the elementary and middle school levels. As community manager, she works hard to share relevant and inspiring content with you and to ensure that MLC is a place you consider your learning home.

Hazel Mason

Community Manager

Hazel has been a superintendent of education, a principal in four schools, and a guidance counselor. She is passionate about modern learning and hopes for a brave new education world. Hazel’s career in education has provided her with many experiences to share. She coaches through an inquiry model, and she’s ready to support school leaders on their learning journey.

FAQs

How will this community benefit me?

Trying to push for sustainable changes in schools can be isolating. Just being part of a community that challenges you and gives you space to grow can change all of that. We frequent the margins of the educational world and give members access to information and conversations that matter. You’ll also get support from other people who are like you – the ones who are in the trenches, trying to create lasting change in schools.

What makes the Modern Learners Community different from other professional organizations?

In the Modern Learners Community, we’re all about collaborative discussions and spirit-driven interactions. We’re all here for one single purpose: learning with and from each other.

You won’t find a space that’s focused on experts teaching you what to think and do. There are no gurus here. Instead, we want you to dig into your own expertise and share what you know as well. This is a safe space to ask the hard questions, brainstorm creative solutions, and try new things… all with the goal of gaining clarity, so you can create a culture of learning that is joyful.

We want you to connect, learn, and contribute in ways that create real, lasting change in your community. We curate and create content specifically to satisfy members’ curiosities in relevant and practical ways. This isn’t traditional professional development, and that’s a good thing. Connections happen daily, not annually at a conference or through routine email blasts.

We push your agenda — not ours.

Will this be worth the money?

By getting to this part of the page, you’ve proven to me that you want to make a difference. That’s why I think you’re going to make an effort to get the most out of being a part of our community. That’s what’s going to make the difference!

If you show up, do the work, and commit to doing your part in creating sustainable change in your local schools, then you will see results. It won’t happen instantly (very few real, lasting changes do), but it WILL happen.

We’re here to help you stay accountable to yourself and your goals and your local community.

Take the courses. Join in on conversations. Share what you’re working on. When you engage, you’ll see the change in yourself. And the more change you experience, the more clarity you will find, and the better equipped you’ll be to change your local school community.

How much time will this take?

This isn’t a course or program (though we definitely have a suite of courses for you to experience). It’s a community on a mission. A big mission.

We know that creating the type of change we want won’t happen overnight. We also believe that there’s always going to be room for growth.

However, we can achieve a lot when we take consistent action toward our next big goal. And that’s what this is all about.

When you join us, you’re joining a community that is constantly looking for ways to meet our learners where they are and create a joyful environment for everyone.

We think that’s worth however long it takes.

What topics are discussed?

At any given moment, you will find a wide variety of topics available for discussion. These conversations often emerge as a result of questions asked by community members as well as questions posed about current events in the world of education and beyond.

Some common topics center around the definition of learning, student agency, strategies for change, inclusive education, and trends/technologies that influence learning. However, some other thought-provoking topics have included: anti-racism, students who have overcome the odds, power relationships in schools, rhizomatic learning, online learning, and planning roadblocks.

How do I access the Modern Learners Community?

You can access the Modern Learners Community (hosted on Mighty Networks) from your computer. You can also download our app in Google Play or the Apple Store. To participate in the live calls, you will need to download Zoom (which is free!)

Do you have a satisfaction guarantee?

Because we want you to know you’re in the right place, we offer a 7-day free trial. Test drive it for a week. If you don’t think it’s the best fit for you, simply cancel within the 7 days. You won’t be charged.

Get Started!

It’s a movement, not a moment

Modern Learners Community is a diverse, global group of over 1000 teachers, principals, and educational leaders who want to commit to grow courageously as agents of change.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY TODAY!