Welcome to thinkchat!
My name is Lu and I am passionate about changing the way we think about education and how to make it more learner-driven. Whether you’re a teacher beginning to release control, a school leader reimagining what a truly responsive learning culture can be, or a parent curious about how to nurture your child’s sense of agency, this space is for you.
thinkchat is a place where learning is seen as a shared journey that is collaborative, joyful, and deeply human. Together, we’ll explore new ways of thinking, connecting, and creating that puts the learner in the center of curriclum design.
My name is Lu and I am passionate about changing the way we think about education and how to make it more learner-driven. Whether you’re a teacher beginning to release control, a school leader reimagining what a truly responsive learning culture can be, or a parent curious about how to nurture your child’s sense of agency, this space is for you.
thinkchat is a place where learning is seen as a shared journey that is collaborative, joyful, and deeply human. Together, we’ll explore new ways of thinking, connecting, and creating that puts the learner in the center of curriclum design.
In this space, we’re not just rethinking what learning can be, we’re practicing what it should be. For too long, education has clung to an outdated model of drilling facts, memorizing content, and preparing learners for a future that no longer exists. While the world outside has transformed through AI, automation, and global connection, our classrooms often still reflect the priorities of the industrial age.
We’re stepping into a future that’s hard to predict. What’s ahead will be unlike anything we’ve experienced. That’s why we need to approach our classrooms with new eyes. Uncertainty can bring discomfort, but it also invites inspiration, curiosity, and innovation. This might mean letting go of old patterns and opening ourselves to new ways of thinking and doing.
In this space, we’re not just rethinking what learning can be, we’re practicing what it should be. For too long, education has clung to an outdated model of drilling facts, memorizing content, and preparing learners for a future that no longer exists. While the world outside has transformed through AI, automation, and global connection, our classrooms often still reflect the priorities of the industrial age.
We’re stepping into a future that’s hard to predict. What’s ahead will be unlike anything we’ve experienced. That’s why we need to approach our classrooms with new eyes. Uncertainty can bring discomfort, but it also invites inspiration, curiosity, and innovation. This might mean letting go of old patterns and opening ourselves to new ways of thinking and doing.
The Four Big Ideas
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This site is based on four big ideas: connection, authenticity, responsiveness, and exploration.
These big ideas shape how deeper learning begins to unfold. Through connection, we learn to work with others, to share ideas, and to solve problems together. Authenticity gives us the courage to let our inner strengths shine, allowing others to see and appreciate who we truly are. Responsiveness invites us to listen with care and design learning that meets each learner where they are. While exploration allows us to take everything we have gathered and use it to create something new and meaningful. When all of these elements come together, they support learners in becoming ready for an uncertain future; equipped with the skills, understanding, and confidence to face whatever challenges come their way. |
Now that you have a sense of the purpose behind each big idea, we can begin to look more closely at how they are organized. Each big idea is shaped by a three-part structure that grounds the conversation and keeps the focus clear. You will see this pattern repeated across each pillar and within the topics that sit beneath it.
Every topic has been placed with intention. It connects back to the larger idea and helps bring it to life in practical and thoughtful ways. This shared structure is what gives the learning rhythm and depth. It moves us beyond simply delivering facts and into a space where ideas take root and evolve.
If this type of thinking is new for you, know that you are not alone. Each page offers a clear explanation of how the three-part structure works and why it matters. Along the way, you will find blog posts, book recommendations, learning guides, podcast episodes, and videos to support your journey. The hope is that these resources help you grow more confident in bringing these ideas into your classroom or leading them with your team.
Every topic has been placed with intention. It connects back to the larger idea and helps bring it to life in practical and thoughtful ways. This shared structure is what gives the learning rhythm and depth. It moves us beyond simply delivering facts and into a space where ideas take root and evolve.
If this type of thinking is new for you, know that you are not alone. Each page offers a clear explanation of how the three-part structure works and why it matters. Along the way, you will find blog posts, book recommendations, learning guides, podcast episodes, and videos to support your journey. The hope is that these resources help you grow more confident in bringing these ideas into your classroom or leading them with your team.
The Four Hearts
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Now that you have explored the structure of each big idea and the topics that support them, let’s take a moment to look at how everything is organized for clarity and flow. We all need systems to help us stay grounded as we move through complex ideas. On this site, the guiding system is the rainbow.
Each big idea is paired with a colored heart that serves as a visual guide along your journey. These small cues are here to help you stay oriented and to remind you that everything here has been placed with intention.
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Together, these colors weave a vibrant and inclusive rainbow. Each color represents a big idea, and when woven together, they reflect the beautiful complexity of our learners and helps us to meet them where they are. Just like a rainbow, the strength comes from the diversity of its parts.
The Hope
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Welcome to thinkchat
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Sometimes we all need a gentle nudge towards a different way of doing things. It does not mean what we have done is wrong or incomplete. It simply opens the door to new possibilities. As an educator, I have learned that when I explore different ways of thinking and doing, I grow. We are all on this journey together, working to support young people in becoming more independent in both thought and action.
To walk alongside you in that journey, I created a short video as a reminder that you and development matters. When we take care of our own learning, we are better equipped to guide and support our learners. |
This video is a starting point. It invites you to reflect on a few simple, yet powerful questions:
The purpose of this space is simple; to invite you to think differently, so that you begin to do differently. The ideas you find here are just that...ideas. They are not rules or answers, but prompts to spark your own reflections and personal inquiries. What matters most is how you make meaning of them in your context.
The four big ideas on this site are organized with intention. Each one offers a unique lens into what it means to support whole learners. Your challenge is to begin with just one. Choose a big idea that speaks to your curiosity or aligns with something stirring inside you. Then, stay with it. Move through the full set of topics under that idea so you can see how it unfolds in different ways. The goal here is depth, not layering a little of everything. When we mix ideas too quickly, we risk creating confusion rather than clarity.
Now it is your turn to choose your starting point. Wherever you begin, I know you will find what you need. Just remember to take it slow. This is a learning journey, not a learning race. Give yourself permission to go one step at a time, because this is where the real growth lives.
This video is a starting point. It invites you to reflect on a few simple, yet powerful questions:
- Why are you feeling ready for change?
- What part of your practice is calling for growth but does not feel overwhelming to shift?
- How might you begin this change with the resources you already have?
- Who can you reach out to for support and encouragement?
- Where in your schedule can you carve out space to try something new?
The purpose of this space is simple; to invite you to think differently, so that you begin to do differently. The ideas you find here are just that...ideas. They are not rules or answers, but prompts to spark your own reflections and personal inquiries. What matters most is how you make meaning of them in your context.
The four big ideas on this site are organized with intention. Each one offers a unique lens into what it means to support whole learners. Your challenge is to begin with just one. Choose a big idea that speaks to your curiosity or aligns with something stirring inside you. Then, stay with it. Move through the full set of topics under that idea so you can see how it unfolds in different ways. The goal here is depth, not layering a little of everything. When we mix ideas too quickly, we risk creating confusion rather than clarity.
Now it is your turn to choose your starting point. Wherever you begin, I know you will find what you need. Just remember to take it slow. This is a learning journey, not a learning race. Give yourself permission to go one step at a time, because this is where the real growth lives.