The Lead Learner

A Transformative Masterclass in Experiential Education

The Lead Learner is a two-day immersive masterclass where educators experience high-quality experiential learning, then learn how to design it themselves.

The classroom is an ecosystem, not a holding cell. Built upon the frameworks established in the definitive guide for educators, Transformative Education: Nurturing Minds with Insightful Teaching, by Terry Dubroy, this masterclass in Experiential Education is an elite intensive designed to bridge the gap between fresh pedagogical energy and seasoned instructional mastery. We move beyond just engagement to architected experiences.

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WHAT WILL EDUCATORS GAIN?

  • A clear, concise, repeatable design framework

  • Tools for implementation and reflection

  • The confidence to move from “trying activities” to intentional experience design

WHY THIS IS NOT TYPICAL PD:

  • Participants experience the methodology before learning it

  • Design work happens live, not as homework

  • Clear, transferable framework built for real classrooms, not idealized environments

Scenic mountain landscape with evergreen trees, grassy slopes, rocky outcrops, and distant snow-capped peaks under a cloudy sky.
View from inside a tent showing an outdoor scene with trees, rocks, and a small campfire.
Three overturned canoes, colored yellow, pink, and green, resting on the forest floor surrounded by trees.
Campfire in a forest clearing, surrounded by rocks and logs.

  • The Lead Learner is 2 consecutive full days, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (12 total hours)

  • The Lead Learner is delivered in-person, led by expert facilitators. This workshop is fully experiential with minimal lectures.

  • Thrive will come to you. We will set up a local or extra-local indoor strategy studio and outdoor space.

  • We typically run this workshop with 20-40 participants. Special considerations can be made for other group sizes for an adjusted price. Contact us for more details.

  • Don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We are always available and open to working together with you to co-create an unforgettable experience. 

A Look Inside the Guide

Participants will master the core pillars of Transformative Education, straight from the chapters of the book:

  • Authentic: Strip away the performer mask and lead from a place of professional honesty.

  • Dynamic: Design living lessons that adapt to the energy of the learners and the environment.

  • Nature: Master the transition to the outdoors, proving that nature is the ultimate co-teacher.

The Masterclass Curriculum

    • The Threshold: A radical departure from traditional Professional Development. Experience and learn how to create an arrival circle which establishes immediate professional authenticity and psychological safety.

    • The Opportunity: Harness Terry Dubroy’s "High Road" philosophy. Learn to out-design institutional barriers, like budget, space, and time, by converting them into your greatest creative constraints.

    • Perimeter Pedagogy: Head outdoors to master kinesthetic translation. Map complex curriculum concepts into physical activities that anchor student retention through movement.

    • Social Architecture: Master the design of a high-stakes environment where students feel safe to take risks, fail forward, and iterate.

    • Expedition Studio: Transition from theory to execution. Build a 60-minute experiential lesson that maintains academic standards while engaging your students.

    • The Action Map: Leave with more than ideas. Finalize a concrete blueprint to launch experiential learning in your school immediately.

Register for the Masterclass