Rob Heller: Teaching Teens Life Skills, Social Skills and Resilience in a Phone-Based World

Rob Heller is a successful entrepreneur, youth development innovator, and founder of the Boost Program, a comprehensive personal development curriculum designed to equip teens and young adults with the essential life, social, and mental health skills that traditional education overlooks. After selling his insurance firm for eight figures to a publicly held company, Rob witnessed firsthand the critical skill gaps plaguing today's youth in the corporate workplace. This observation, combined with his desire to give his own children the tools they needed to thrive, inspired him to create a solution that didn't exist.Drawing from a century of personal development wisdom—distilling the teachings of Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, and other thought leaders into accessible, actionable lessons—Rob developed Boost as the "missing course" for today's youth. Takeaways:The BOOST program to teach life skills that traditional schools often ignore.We deliver the curriculum in groups so students practice conversations, role play, and real interactions.Phone use has damaged most social and character skills and reduces face to face time.We teach resilience, mindset, and practical habits so young people learn to handle failure and grow.High engagement when lessons were made relevant to students and connected to their daily lives.We created the Boost Soft Skills Alliance to help educators share methods and scale the program globally.Simple steps like reducing phone time, videotaping practice, and creating schedules for focused social skill practice.Chapters:00:04 - Introducing Rob Heller — Founder of the BOOST Program02:04 - From Concerned Father to Founder — How BOOST Began12:28 - Launching the Boost Soft Skills Alliance23:10 - Implementing the Program in Schools30:45 - FIRE: Feedback, Inspiration, Resilience and Empowermenthttps://boostprogram.com/https://www.skool.com/boostsoftskillalliance🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeEnglish Program for Kids – Night Zookeeper FUN: There are thousands of engaging language arts activities for Grades 1 to 6 that your child can play independently.COMPREHENSIVE: The program covers a full language arts curriculum of reading, writing, spelling, grammar & punctuation, that rewards children as they progress.TRACKABLE: A parent dashboard helps you track your child's progress and enables you to set your own assignments. PERSONALIZED: Children get written feedback from our team of tutors on their pieces of writing- so you don't need to be the bad guy!TRUSTED: An award winning program, used by thousands of homeschool families. Rated 4.7 on Trustpilot.http://educationonfire.com/nightzookeeper

James Walker is the co-founder of Young Film Academy (YFA), one of the UK's leading filmmaking organisations for young people. For over 20 years, James and the YFA team have helped thousands of teenagers develop storytelling, communication, leadership, teamwork, creative confidence and practical filmmaking experience through hands-on outreach projects, workshops and their flagship residential summer programme.YFA's philosophy is simple: the best way to learn is by making films. James has a wealth of knowledge and passion to share about helping young people discover their creative potential, pathways into the creative industries and how filmmaking can build the most essential skills for the modern world.Key takeawaysStorytelling is the way in. Film is just another medium for telling stories, and that skill matters in every career.Passion starts early. We expect athletes and musicians to start young, so take young people’s creative interests just as seriously.Ownership beats instruction. No student is handed a script. They write their own and care far more about the result.Real humans, real spaces. Doing a hard creative task in person builds the “four Cs and an R”: confidence, communication, collaboration, creativity and resilience.Learn from the edit. Students cut their own films, so they see their own mistakes and learn from them.Resilience isn’t a poster word. Every film goes through excitement, a dark patch, then “we actually did it”. Getting through it is what resilience means.Chapters:00:25 - Learning by Making: The Young Film Academy's Philosophy01:26 - Origins of the Young Film Academy10:54 - How to Get Involved with Young Film Academy18:37 - Summer School: Structure, Roles, and Hands-On Learning25:35 - A Student's Journey: From Ballet to Film (Project Paradiso)27:30 - The Young Film Academy Podcast — Opening Eyes to Film Careers34:21 - FIRE — Feedback, Inspiration, Resilience & Empowerment40:45 - Conclusion — Impact, Learning, and How to Find Young Film Academyhttps://www.youngfilmacademy.co.uk/https://www.youngfilmacademy.co.uk/podcast/@youngfilmacademy🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeEnglish Program for Kids – Night ZookeeperAward-winning reading & writing program for ages 6-12Improves vocabulary, spelling, grammar & morePersonalised feedback on your child’s workhttp://educationonfire.com/nightzookeeper

Real estate investor Jonathan Greene grew up learning about money not through lectures, but through exposure — walking rental properties with his dad, watching cash change hands, and having open conversations about deals from the age of 10. In this episode, Jonathan and Mark explore why today's frictionless, cashless world makes financial understanding harder for kids, and share practical ways parents can bring money into everyday conversation — from allowances and borrowing to the empowering value of letting kids make (and learn from) their own financial mistakes.Jonathan is the founder of Streamline and host of the Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing podcast, he challenges hype-driven strategies in favour of discipline, integrity, and long-term thinking.Key TakeawaysExposure beats lectures. Jonathan learned about money by tagging along with his real-estate-investor father — collecting rent, seeing cash change hands — rather than through formal money talks.Make money tangible again. Digital payments have made spending "frictionless" for kids; cash, bank books, or visible transactions help them grasp value and consequence.Allowance can teach real financial concepts. Splitting weekly allowance into spend/save/invest portions introduces investing and compound growth early — and fronting money with a bit of "interest" teaches how borrowing really works.Mistakes are part of financial education. Letting kids make (and lose money on) small purchasing decisions builds resilience, judgement, and — crucially — empowerment.Everyday moments are teaching moments. Car repairs, laundry costs, grocery runs, even real estate spotted on a drive — ordinary life is full of low-stakes chances to talk about money.Chapters:00:02 - Interview with Jonathan Green: Start Money Conversations Early — A Different Approach00:52 - Welcome to Education on Fire16:05 - Real Estate as a Vehicle for Teaching Kids About Money23:22 - Everyday Money Lessons: Laundry, University and Car Costs28:49 - Valuing Time: A Laundry Lesson35:02 - Raising Financially Empowered Childrenhttps://www.trustgreene.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-greene-re/🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeEnglish Program for Kids - Night ZookeeperAward-winning reading & writing program for ages 6-12Improves vocabulary, spelling, grammar & morePersonalised feedback on your child's workhttp://educationonfire.com/nightzookeeper

Jamie Moseley-Sarsfield is the Deputy Head Academic at Fairfield Prep School, part of the Loughborough Schools Foundation. He focuses on enhancing pupil experience and academic engagement, recently leading initiatives such as adapting IAPS pupil voice surveys for younger years and implementing STEAM-based enterprise education.Key TakeawaysHigh engagement changes what a survey means — a 90%+ response rate across 31 schools and 4,500+ children gave Fairfield genuine confidence in the results, not just a token gesture.Reading came out lower than expected nationally — prompting Fairfield to design their own follow-up survey, tailored by age, to understand why.Children who saw fewer adults reading at home still valued and enjoyed reading just as much, challenging an assumption the school expected to confirm.AI and screen-time debate is polarising schools — Fairfield's approach is deliberately cautious: gather evidence, avoid rash decisions, keep tradition and innovation both on the table.STEAM grew from a single enrichment week into a whole-school strategy — including a standalone DTE (Design, Technology & Engineering) subject and a staff-led STEAM committee.Parent-led Engineering Days work because they're personal, not prescriptive — asking parents "how did your passion begin?" builds far deeper buy-in than a generic "come and help" request.Careers work shifted from academic to practical — pupil feedback drove a redesigned careers fair connecting children with real workplace journeys, not just university pathways.Chapters:00:02 - Interview: Jamie Mosley Sarsfield — Deputy Head Academic, Fairfield Prep00:35 - Podcast Welcome & Show Overview07:09 - Unexpectedly Low Reading Scores in the Survey13:25 - Building a Reading Culture: Library, Librarian and Survey-led Initiatives23:50 - Broadening the Curriculum: Integrating STEAM and the Arts30:39 - Engaging Parents and Community in STEAM and Careers37:12 - Introducing FIRE: Feedback, Inspiration, Resilience & Empowerment42:27 - Getting Involved: How to Find Out More About Fairfield Prephttps://lborofairfield.org🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeEnglish Program for Kids - Night ZookeeperAward-winning reading & writing program for ages 6-12Improves vocabulary, spelling, grammar & morePersonalised feedback on your child's workhttp://educationonfire.com/nightzookeeper

Dr. Annalies Corbin is the Founder and CEO of the PAST Foundation, an organization dedicated to connecting scientific research with education. Over the past 25 years, she has grown PAST into a nationally recognized leader in transforming teaching and learning, impacting millions of students and thousands of educators across the U.S. She also launched the Learning Unboxed podcast to explore innovative approaches to education and the future of workforce development.Key Takeaways The 5 Kevlar Threads: student agency, cultural relevancy, mastery, transdisciplinary learning, and problem-based learning STEM "affinity" research: kids light up around math and science when learning feels tangible — mastery-based learning, real problem-solving, and social-emotional connection are the three levers that spark that engagement.Silos have their place — a focused mini-lesson works beautifully when it's triggered by an immediate, meaningful need within a bigger project, giving students exactly what they need, right when they need it.Graduation is just the beginning — the real opportunity is helping students discover who they're becoming, not just getting them across the finish line.Relationships are what last — ask any adult about a profound learning moment and they'll light up describing a person who believed in them, not a lesson plan. That's the impact educators get to have every day."It takes a village" is coming back into focus — as more people recognize how much parents, grandparents, mentors and coaches contribute to a child's growth, there's real momentum to give that learning the credit it deserves.Chapters:00:02 - Introducing Dr. Annalies Corbin — Founder & CEO of the PAST Foundation01:53 - About the Foundation: Origins & Mission19:13 - Translating Research into Support: In‑Person, Online and Mobile Lab Services27:04 - Rethinking Schooling: From Buildings to Community Learning36:30 - Memorable Learning: People and Experiences Over Curriculumhttps://www.pastfoundation.orghttps://www.facebook.com/annalies.corbin/https://www.instagram.com/annaliescorbin/https://www.linkedin.com/in/annalies-corbin-4016121🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeFrom idea to live show – hands-on sessions to help you launch, grow, and streamline your brand.https://creativeamplifiers.live/https://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/

Tony Gustin is the founder of The Gateway Science Project, Inc. and the educator behind Tony’s Creepy Crawly Zoo, also known by the trade name The Bug Whisperer. Since 1995, he has used insects, spiders, and other invertebrates to spark curiosity in students and show that science begins with observation, questioning, and wonder.His live programs reached more than 1.5 million students and introduced children to entomology as a gateway into broader scientific thinking. Tony also created the award-winning video Who Wants to be an Entomologist? and wrote My Science Diary, a student activity book focused on observation and critical thinking.After the pandemic ended live programming, Tony developed a specialized 8K macro 360-degree camera system to bring students inside real habitats through virtual reality. That work became Tony’s Creepy Crawly Zoo 2.0, an immersive VR science experience that continues his mission to Excite! Educate! Inspire! and turn curiosity into scientific literacy.Takeaways:Tony Gustin has utilized insects and invertebrates to ignite curiosity in students since 1995.His live programs have introduced over 1.5 million students to entomology and scientific inquiry.The pandemic catalyzed the development of an innovative virtual reality experience for educational purposes.Tony's Creepy Crawly Zoo 2.0 offers immersive experiences that aim to foster scientific literacy.He emphasizes that scientific curiosity can lead children down diverse educational paths beyond entomology.The transition from live shows to virtual reality exemplifies adaptability in education amidst unforeseen challenges.Chapters:00:03 - Introduction to Tony Gustin and His Work01:43 - The Evolution of Tony's Creepy Crawly Zoo15:12 - The Birth of an Idea: Inspiring Future Entomologists28:52 - The Journey of Discovery: Overcoming Challenges in Pursuit of Passion35:11 - Inspiration and Empowerment in Virtual Realityhttps://creepycrawlyzoo.com/https://www.meta.com/experiences/tonys-creepy-crawly-zoo-20/26476390235366322/https://www.facebook.com/creepycrawlyzoohttps://www.tiktok.com/@thebugwhispererhttps://www.instagram.com/creepycrawlyzoo20🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeFrom idea to live show – hands-on sessions to help you launch, grow, and streamline your brand.https://creativeamplifiers.live/https://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/

Joshua Davidson is the creator and co‑founder of Night Zookeeper, an award-winning online learning program that helps children aged 6–12 fall in love with reading, writing, and creativity through games and storytelling.He’s also the author of the Night Zookeeper Adventure book series, which follows Night Zookeeper Will into the magical Night Zoo filled with fantastical creatures dreamed up by children. Josh is passionate about giving kids the confidence to see themselves as writers and creators, and he speaks regularly about the power of play, stories, and co‑created worlds in education.Takeaways:The Night Zookeeper program fosters creativity in children through engaging storytelling and character creation, allowing them to express their imagination freely.Joshua Davidson emphasizes the importance of play in education, arguing that children should be empowered to see themselves as creators rather than mere consumers.The integration of technology in the Night Zookeeper platform enhances learning experiences by making writing and creativity enjoyable and interactive for children.Through collaboration and feedback, the Night Zookeeper community facilitates a supportive environment where children can share their ideas and learn from one another.The approach of using project-based learning in the Night Zookeeper curriculum allows children to connect their creativity with educational outcomes, enhancing their overall engagement.By providing a platform where children's ideas shape the content, Night Zookeeper instills a sense of ownership and pride in their work, ultimately fostering a lifelong love of learning.Chapters:00:02 - Introducing Night Zookeeper and Its Impact on Children's Creativity05:44 - The Journey of Night Zookeeper: From Concept to Reality11:52 - The Importance of Engagement in Learning19:40 - The Importance of Creativity in Education24:15 - The Impact of Arts Education on Learning34:10 - Transitioning to Language Arts Curriculum37:37 - The Importance of Community in EducationGet a 7 day FREE trial and 50% of a subscription with my affiliate code:http://educationonfire.com/nightzookeeperhttps://www.instagram.com/nightzookeeper/https://www.facebook.com/NightZookeeperhttps://www.tiktok.com/@nightzookeeperofficialhttps://uk.pinterest.com/nightzookeeper/🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeFrom idea to live show – hands-on sessions to help you launch, grow, and streamline your brand.https://creativeamplifiers.live/https://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/

Boundless Outdoors is a Worcestershire-based outdoor learning provider with centres in Malvern and Bell Heath, supporting schools, groups and young people through residentials, activity days, DofE, STEM programmes and tailored outdoor learning experiences.A key part of Boundless Outdoors' work is helping schools create inclusive, confidence-building experiences for all pupils, including those with SEND or additional needs. The team works closely with each school to understand its pupils, adapt activities as needed, and shape packages around the group's needs, abilities, and learning outcomes.With woodland settings, accessible facilities, experienced staff and a nurturing approach, Boundless Outdoors helps pupils build confidence, teamwork, communication, resilience and self-esteem in a safe, supportive environment. Safety is always a first priority, with an AALS licence and quality marks including Adventuremark, LOtC and AHOEC Gold.Takeaways:Outdoor education promotes essential life skills such as teamwork, communication, and resilience.Boundless Outdoors customizes educational experiences to meet the specific needs and abilities of students.The importance of allowing children to engage in risk assessment through outdoor activities cannot be overstated.Children today often lack the freedom to explore and engage with nature, resulting in a need for structured outdoor education.The concept of 'challenge by choice' empowers children to set their own personal success markers in outdoor activities.COVID-19 has highlighted the necessity of outdoor education as children become increasingly disconnected from nature.Chapters:00:19 - Creating Inclusive Outdoor Learning Experiences00:36 - The Importance of Outdoor Education13:11 - The Importance of Individual Achievement in Outdoor Education20:42 - The Importance of Outdoor Education Funding23:24 - Understanding the Importance of Outdoor Trips in Education33:27 - Understanding the Nature Deficit Disorder37:53 - Empowerment Through Outdoor Educationhttps://boundlessoutdoors.co.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/company/boundless-outdoors-malvern-bell-heath/https://www.instagram.com/boundlessoutdoorsuk/https://www.tiktok.com/@boundlessoutdoorsuk🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeFrom idea to live show – hands-on sessions to help you launch, grow, and streamline your brand.https://creativeamplifiers.live/https://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/

Boris Walbaum is the founder and president of Forward College, an innovative higher education institution built for the AI era. Students study across Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin over three years, earning a University of London degree while never setting foot in London — all in a university with no lecture halls. Boris is also an AI and future skills expert, a former government advisor, and author of Excellent Isn't What You Think? A Book on Education and Parenting in the Age of AI.Boris explains why AI is a fundamentally different disruption than Covid — because it's an "imitation technology" designed to replicate what we do — and why that forces us to ask not just how we teach, but why we learn at all. We talk about the loss of curiosity in classrooms, the reproductive nature of education systems, nonviolent communication and feedback, and how the deepest driver of learning has always been human connection.Takeaways:Forward College offers a degree designed for the AI era, incorporating studies across three major European cities: Lisbon, Paris, and Berlin.The educational model emphasizes real-world skills and critical thinking, moving away from traditional industrial-era paradigms of learning.AI is viewed as a disruptive force in education, necessitating a reevaluation of what and how we teach to prepare future generations.The college promotes a relational pedagogy, focusing on small group learning and personal development rather than traditional lecture hall formats.Boris Walbaum, as the founder, advocates for education that fosters adaptability and emotional intelligence to meet future challenges.The emphasis on human connection in learning is viewed as essential for fostering curiosity, creativity, and engagement among students.Chapters:00:02 - Introducing Forward College and Its Unique Approach04:43 - The Impact of AI on Education11:15 - The Need for Educational Reform in the Age of AI17:41 - The Future of Education and Job Market Dynamics23:35 - Navigating Educational Experiences: From Regattas to Ocean Racing29:24 - The Importance of Personal Development in Education35:42 - The Role of AI in Education41:37 - The Importance of Environment in Learning46:04 - The Art of Feedback in Educationhttps://forward-college.eu/our-vision/Excellence Isn’t What You Think: Education and Parenting in the Age of AIhttps://www.facebook.com/ForwardCollegeOfficial🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeFrom idea to live show – hands-on sessions to help you launch, grow, and streamline your brand.https://creativeamplifiers.live/https://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/

Today I'm chatting with Amanda Lee Falkenberg, an internationally acclaimed Australian composer, pianist and creator of The Moons Symphony — a groundbreaking orchestral work recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop, with choral forces recorded separately at Abbey Road Studios.Amanda's work bridges science, music and storytelling, developed in close collaboration with NASA planetary scientists and astronomers. She's also the founder of Lunar (Learning under New Artistic Regimes), an immersive educational platform blending planetary science, music and art to spark curiosity in learners of all ages.In this conversation we trace the whole journey: from stumbling across an article on the "ten weirdest moons," through a cold email to a NASA scientist that led to a presentation at JPL, to the pandemic-era twist that finally brought the LSO, Marin Alsop and Abbey Road into alignment. We talk about why she built Lunar as a course rather than a one-off concert, what she's learned from planetary scientists about resilience and the long game, and how a childhood love of John Williams became the unlikely throughline for a project rooted entirely in science fact.Key TakeawaysA cold email can change everything. Amanda's project only reached NASA because she sent an unsolicited message into what she calls "the black hole email" — with no expectation of a reply.Passion projects don't need permission to start. She began researching and composing years before she had a scientist, an orchestra, or a plan for education — the vision came first.Interdisciplinary learning resonates because real life isn't siloed. Music, science and storytelling aren't separate subjects to her — they're one experience, and that's exactly why Lunar works across age groups from teenagers to retirees.Resilience is the throughline of both music and science careers. Amanda draws a direct parallel between the decades-long timelines of NASA missions and the "10,000 hours" of a musician's path — both require staying in it for the long game.Setbacks can create the conditions for a breakthrough. Covid cancelled her original recording dates — and then, months later, cleared Marin Alsop's schedule enough to make the recording finally happen.You don't need a background in either subject to benefit. Lunar is designed so that participants need no prior knowledge of music or science — just curiosity.Chapters:00:02 - Exploring the Moon Symphony with Amanda Lee Falkenberg01:54 - The Journey of the Moon Symphony12:48 - Interdisciplinary Education: Bridging Science and Art15:15 - The Journey of the Lunar Program24:21 - The Journey to Collaborate with NASA29:21 - The Impact of COVID on the Project34:31 - The Journey of Passion Projects39:55 - The Long Game: Resilience in Music and Sciencehttps://www.moons-symphony.com/https://www.moons-symphony.com/gateway-to-lunar▶️ YouTube 👉 @moonssymphonywww.facebook.com/moonssymphony/📸 Instagram @amandafilmmusicwww.linkedin.com/in/moons-symphony🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsors –National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/napeFrom idea to live show – hands-on sessions to help you launch, grow, and streamline your brand.https://creativeamplifiers.live/https://creativeamplifiers.substack.com/