Matt Karlsen
Making pickles
Opal School exists not only to influence its immediate community: It lives to provoke change far and wide. We know that our workshops catalyze change –…
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In This Tree Lives Hope
In the Magnolia Classroom community, the children have been focused on developing and learning to appreciate their connection to the natural world. They are practicing strategies…
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It’s not about the towers, either
I start this post with a shout out to Allie Pasquier, whose recent Bakers and Astronauts post catalyzed this one. Her post examined how the…
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Living in Questions
Visitors to Opal School are oftentimes struck by the quantity and quality of the questions they encounter here. At Opal School, we aim to live…
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Constructing new ideas through dialog and the arts
During a recent Opal School Mentorship Program gathering, a group was discussing the quality of conversation they hear in Opal School classrooms. They were intrigued by the…
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Reflections on Opal School Visitation Days 2016
Two weeks ago, teachers and administrators from more than thirty schools across North America gathered at Opal School for our annual Visitation Days, dedicated to…
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Creativity (on the edge of chaos)
This morning, Opal School students, families, teachers and friends gathered in the theater for the weekly gathering. Opal 3 shared poems they’ve written, each revealing…
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Where do you get your professional development?
Magnolia Room (Grades 1-2) whole class doodle. “It’s like an idea seed…” The question comes up, at some point, during almost every study tour.…
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Art & Nature
Sure, it’s been raining in Portland – but we’re still getting out, because it’s good for our health.
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Schooling for a better world
My heart is heavy looking back on a violent year. In the past year, we’ve watched so many individuals gunned down, white supremacy viscerally stamped…
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