I created this innovation to address a persistent “how gap” in education. Across schools, there is growing alignment around the need to move beyond industrial-era models—toward learning that is more learner-centered, collaborative, and authentic. Yet while the vision is clear, many educators have not been supported in how to make this shift in daily practice.
Most teachers were trained and developed within systems defined by isolation, fixed routines, and compliance-driven structures. Some of those skills transfer, but many do not, and new skills are required. Moving toward a new paradigm requires growth in areas such as adult collaboration (including conflict resolution), shared routines, learner agency, and designing meaningful, real-world experiences.
Without intentional support, educators often fall back on what they know. We’ve seen this repeatedly: new spaces are built, new ideas are introduced, but practice reverts because the bridge between old and new was never fully constructed.
Shifting Paradigms PD was designed to be that bridge. It creates structured, experiential opportunities for educators to build the mindsets, language, and practices needed to move forward with confidence. Rather than expecting transformation to happen on its own, this innovation supports educators in crossing into a new way of what school can be.
Shifting Paradigms PD is designed as a flexible, experiential professional learning process that can be adapted to different contexts and structures. At its core is a sequence of facilitated learning experiences that build educator capacity over time.
In practice, this often looks like a series of interactive workshops (usually in-person, though it can be modifed for virtual), where educators engage in hands-on activities, collaborative planning, and reflection. Sessions focus on building shared pedagogical language, strengthening collaboration, designing routines and rituals, and creating more authentic, learner-centered experiences.
The model is intentionally adaptable. It can be implemented with an entire school staff, within smaller teams (such as grade-level or subject-area groups), or as part of a multi-school cohort experience, such as a summer institute. In some cases, external facilitators guide the process; in others, school leaders use the guidebook to lead the work internally.
Each experience is grounded in doing—not just discussing. Educators leave sessions with tangible outputs, such as co-created routines, shared commitments, and unit ideas, which they can immediately apply and refine.
This flexibility allows schools to meet educators where they are while building momentum toward lasting, system-wide change.
Shifting Paradigms PD has grown steadily since its origin in 2023, when it was first designed for a single elementary school staff. Since then, it has expanded across diverse contexts, including a middle and high school in Ohio, several K–8 schools in Canada, an international school in Germany, and a 2025 summer institute that brought together educators from across the United States and as far as Papua New Guinea.
Each year, interest and implementation have increased. In the coming year, we are on track to double the number of summer institutes and expand engagements with more schools than ever before. Much of the growth so far has been organic—driven by word of mouth and the impact educators experience firsthand.
At the same time, the current scale reflects the limits of a small team rather than the potential of the innovation. The need for this work is global, and the moment in education is ripe for it. As schools seek to move to learner-centered models, the demand for a clear, supportive bridge is only growing.
With greater visibility and capacity, the ceiling for this innovation is significant.
Reach out to Nathan Strenge at nathan.strenge@fieldingintl.com and ask about the Shifting Paradigms PD. He will set up a 30-minute intro meeting to learn about you and your situation.
