Rethinking Learning & Community with John Stewart (Part 2)

The Happy Pear Podcast

John Stewart is a world-renowned speaker, author, and educator with over 25 years of global impact. Former Head of Green School Bali—celebrated as the world’s greenest school—and author of Thriving at School, he now leads Living School Lismore, a pioneering community learning space he built in his own home.

This is our second episode recording with John, and it brings fresh energy, deeper reflection, and new stories. Together, Dave and Steve explore the evolution since our 2021 chat—what’s changed, what’s next, and how the Living School model is developing in real time.

In this heartfelt conversation, John offers candid updates on the Living School learning hub: how it's grown, the successes and challenges of community-based education, and how children and caregivers are thriving within its evolving design. He unpacks new practices that have emerged since our first episode—creative rituals, altered rhythms, and how families are weaving learning into daily life without walls or schedules.

John again questions traditional school structures—touching on schools as community cornerstones, safety vs. freedom, and why education must foster curiosity and connection over conformity. But now, he goes one step further—sharing honest reflections from a teacher’s point of view, how to nourish educators’ wellbeing, and how Living School is experimenting with new forms of leadership, rhythm, and environment.

This conversation lands at a moment when many of us are reimagining schooling post‑pandemic, questioning outdated systems, and yearning for education that benefits mind, heart, and community. John’s fresh insights, grounded in real‑world practice, offer practical inspiration for educators, changemakers, parents—or anyone curious about reshaping how we learn together.

Lots of love,

Dave and Steve x

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