'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' with Nathan Strenge and Kevin Stoller

Sometimes the best insights about learning don’t come from research studies or professional development - they come from the stories we see in pop culture.

In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a high schooler skips class for one unforgettable adventure across Chicago. But beneath the comedy, Ferris is doing something educators talk about every day: he’s owning his learning.

His day is filled with exploration, curiosity, and authentic experiences — the kind that research shows actually drive deeper engagement and motivation. He chooses his goals, designs his own path, and orchestrates moments that are memorable and meaningful.

So what does Ferris Bueller have to do with education today? His story reminds us that when students are given agency, when they feel trusted to take risks and explore, learning becomes more than memorizing content - it becomes an experience that sticks.

On this episode of the Better Learning Podcast, we take a closer look at what Ferris Bueller can teach us about student voice, ownership, and the environments we create for students to live, explore, and discover who they are.

 

Takeaways:

• When students have ownership over their learning, they’re more motivated, curious, and invested in outcomes. Just like Ferris designing his own day, students thrive when they can set goals and make choices.
• Real-world experiences, exploration, and hands-on challenges can teach skills that traditional lessons alone can’t. Schools that provide flexible, authentic opportunities create lasting learning.
• While Ferris’ day was spontaneous, there’s a lesson for educators: students flourish when they have a mix of guidance and autonomy, scaffolding their growth without limiting exploration.

 

About Nathan Strenge:

Nathan Strenge is a Senior Learning Designer at Fielding International and the co-founder of Exploration High School in Minneapolis, a public school for public good. He also serves as co-president of the board at What School Could Be and is a Community Lead at HundrED.

In all his work, he helps advance learner-centered education that prioritizes authentic experiences, deep learning, holistic safety, and trusted relationships. With over a decade as a teacher and now years of global design and leadership work, Nathan brings both heart and strategy to reimagining schools as places where joy, curiosity, and connection are at the center of every learner’s experience.

 

Learn More About Nathan Strenge:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-strenge-3232b326/

Twitter: https://x.com/nathanstrenge

 

Learn More About Fielding International:

Website: https://fieldingintl.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fielding-international/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fieldingintl/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fieldingintl/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ5Wzn_wGRNs99rDD8EH3lg?

 

 

 

Connect with host, Kevin Stoller:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/

 

Learn More About Kay-Twelve:

Website: https://kay-twelve.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kay-twelve-com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kay_twelve/

 

 

Episode 247 of the Better Learning Podcast

Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com.