Life Based Learning ™
Delivering subject content through nine life themes
Changemakers
Life-Based Learning (LBL) is about educating our children. But changemakers are people from all walks of life — not just the world of education — who see a connection or congruence between LBL and their own work and life interests.
By the nature of their work with children, the changemakers featured on this page resonate with the LBL promotion of children of all ages developing their knowledge, knowhow and practice in making the most of life in all its three areas. Change makers are people working at the cutting edge of children’s learning.
Other changemakers, experts in their own area of work or interest, are engaged in activity with adults that adds value to LBL’s primary aim to repurpose children’s learning. Educationists can learn from these people.
You can either scroll down the page to browse all our Changemakers or click on one of the links below to jump to a specific group of Changemakers:
- Changemakers with a particular interest in new thinking and curriculum reform
- Changemakers with a particular interest in physical health
- Changemakers with a particular interest in mental health
- Changemakers with a particular interest in personalised/project/enquiry/perception learning
- Changemakers with a particular interest in neurodivergent children
- Changemakers with a particular interest in creative communication
- Changemakers with a particular interest in healthy relationships
- Changemakers with a particular interest in community
- Changemakers with a particular interest in nature, the environment and sustainable living
Are you a changemaker? Are you passionate about wanting to build a better future for our children? Why not contribute a ‘guest’ blogpost to our website, setting out your ideas on the changes that you would like to see? We would love to hear from you.
Changemakers with a particular interest in new thinking and curriculum reform
David Hollands [UK]
A community entrepreneurship approach, providing learning options to unlock human potential. Resonates with the LBL aim to facilitate learning relevant to life and living
David Howard [UK]
Brings an ethical perspective to education and engages in thinking about the future of education. Resonates with the LBL aim to facilitate learning relevant to life and living
Michael Mac
[UK]
Life-Based Learning, as a radical replacement of the subject-driven approach to learning, vitally provides children with the knowledge, knowhow and practices in all three areas of life to meet the challenges of uncertain times
Vikas Pota
[UK]
A global education entrepreneur participating in and leading initiatives advocating change and improvement to education
Phil Jarvis [Canada]
An exponent of radical change to current education provision, highlighting initiatives that transform what education could and should look like
TJ Juttla
[UK]
Looks to inspire change in education and challenges the status quo by putting educational change exponents on video record
Tania Lattanzio [Singapore]
Director of Innovative Global Education, supporting school reform by developing learning with a conceptual focus in both local and international settings
Pip Marples & Peter Cansell [UK]
Oxford School of Thought is a primary education think tank dedicated to generating and supporting new ideas and research in education
Angela Cousins [UK]
Provides alternative and online learning including home education and alternative provision
Changemakers with a particular interest in physical health
Ryan Hudson
[UK}
Director at Elite Kids Coaching Ltd. Transforming physical education in schools; currently supporting 12,000 children every week in schools
Nanna Spetz [Sweden]
An “experienced sport psychologist, therapist and special needs teacher with experience working with individuals, families and communities within international settings”
Zoë Gilbey
[UK]
Passionate about using personalised nutrition and functional medicine to help individuals with a broad range of health conditions reach their full health potential.
Lauren Weston
[UK]
As an AG Great British Triathlete / Director of Sport / NLP Coach & Practitioner, Lauren brings a sports and NLP perspective to children living healthily
Changemakers with a particular interest in mental health
Annapurna A [India]
Founder and CEO of Emotionalytics & Co. Included for her take on the need for emotional intelligence inclusion in education
Sally Field
[UK]
Project manager at 5asideCHESS, a social enterprise to help fight social isolation and loneliness
Julia Johnston [UK]
Director and co-founder and BEST, teaching young people, 3–17 years, about their mental health and emotional wellbeing through sports and games, art and drama
Dr Sarah Mundy [UK]
Sarah, a consultant clinical psychologist, offers insight into ‘attachment-focused parenting’, in story form, supporting young children’s emotional and behavioural wellbeing
Paul Bamlett
[UK]
Chief executive of two organisations, Speaking Trees (digitally based outdoor experiences) and Dramaquarium (using drama techniques)
Andrew Wright [UK]
Provides what he calls ‘Neuro-Ninja’ programmes to schools for children to better manage their emotions and mental health
Lisa Eardley
[UK]
Supports schools to help children live better lives. Promoting positive mental health for children and young people.
Changemakers with a particular interest in personalised/project/enquiry/perception learning
Loni Bergqvist [Denmark]
Promotes project-based learning where students work on developing solutions and creating products that address real-world problems, challenges or questions
Yvette Larson
[Sweden]
We believe that the starting point in education is to educate the heart, to be able to grow and develop as a human being together with others
Marcelo Staricoff [UK]
His book Joy of Not Knowing [JONK] provides a detailed exposition of an enquiry approach to learning for children under 12 years of age
Cigdem Kurt Zabaras [Australia]
Works with Big Picture Learning, an Australian personalised, passion-based online approach to learning
Mark Upton [China-based]
Introduced the Children’s University to China and is an influential exponent of ‘smart education for smart cities’
Lakshmi Prakash [India]
Promotes a child-centric interdisciplinary approach to ensure the application of classroom learning to real-life situations
Trevor Soponis PhD [USA]
Uses an interdisciplinary, project-based approach, involving collaboration to create learning experiences that are learner-centred
Beau Lotto [UK]
Professor of neuroscience and a world leader in promoting the use of the mind to perceive things differently to uncover the key human values that enable a more conscious life
Changemakers with a particular interest in support for neurodivergent children
André Skepple [UK]
Provides a digitally managed and integrated solution to support all parties involved in learning provision to children with additional needs
Feliciea Jibson [UK]
An expert in brain development research and innovative education improving learning for children with learning difficulties
Tigger Pritchard [UK]
Works with individuals, families, corporate organisations and educational settings, learning from and advocating for neurodivergent individuals
Changemakers with a particular interest in developing creative communication.
Risa Cohen [USA}
Learning through music. Risa teaches literacy through music and movement. At Sing into Reading, you can teach your child to read with music and love
Corrine Hope [UK]
Learning through music. Corrine is a go-to person for resources and advice on children’s musical development from 5 to 11 years of age. Co-founder of The Musical Me
Neena Arakal Mathew [India]
Provides creative learning support for children outside school hours through her Mind and Me innovative learning approach
Rebecca Hart [UK]
Learning through dance and movement. Provides innovative, fun and engaging dance education for schools and early years settings and in the community
Kim Harvey [UK]
Kim provides science enquiry learning in fun and engaging ways to children and works with teachers to do the same.
Changemakers with a particular interest in healthy relationships
Steve Carr [UK]
Offers unique insights from relationship psychology that help teachers approach classroom management with clarity and confidence
Holly Cottrell [UK]
Managing director at Impact Education North West, Holly’s key skill is engaging hard to work with and vulnerable children in learning
Mike Gilmour [Singapore-based]
Covers grades 1 to 6 using the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). Special focus is relationships. His book is The Power of Rapport
Rachel Bee
[UK]
Guides parents and children to co-create a deeper connection and co-exist in harmony. She guides teachers and children to thrive in school
Maryjane Ikeakaonwu
[Nigeria]
Maryjane encourages in herself and in her teaching of trainee teachers best innovative practice in children’s learning
paramita roy [Australia]
Online problem-based courses catering to individual learning styles to empower students to become technologically proficient and empathetic global citizens
Jo Stockdale
[UK]
Creates cooperation between adults and children through changing thinking using neuroscientific understanding of how the brain works.
Changemakers with a particular interest in community
Cherrelle Bird [UK]
Through her business Cherrelle has a deep knowledge of community involvement through brokering workshop provision to schools
Rosa Legeno-Bell [UK]
Supports schools in diversifying historical narratives and decolonising the curriculum
Changemakers with a particular interest in nature, the environment and sustainable living
Danny English [UK]
Founder of We Be Kids. Outdoor education specialist with a focus on nature connection and wellbeing. Home-schooler
Matt Harder
[UK]
Forest School Association director and founder of Bluebell Bushcraft. Matt is experienced in teaching all ages from preschool to 18+ and also adult training in bushcraft
Melanie Harwood [UK]
As co-founder and CEO of eduCCate Global, Melanie provides climate change teacher certification globally to place a climate change teacher in every classroom
Sandra Duncan [UK]
An international specialist in early childhood environments and nature-based classroom design
Bianca Pitt
UK
Co-Founder at SHE Changes Climate.
Talks about innovation, environment, climate action, climate change, and sustainability
Dave Strudwick
Hugary
Real School Budapest involves students in real-world activities to find their passions in buildgin a healthy future for the self, the community and the environment.
Sarah Savory Zimbabwe
Consults and educates to ensure values, livelihoods and our environment are always considered simultaneously so that we stop reductionist thinking and environmentally damaging decisions.