#63 What If Middle School Didn’t Suck? Rethinking Adolescence with Chris Balme

In this episode of Make It Mindful, Seth Fleischauer welcomes Chris Balme, educator, author, and founder of Hakuba International School and Millennium School, to explore how middle school can be redesigned to better support adolescent development. They discuss how current structures often fail kids during this crucial time—and how identity, social belonging, and real-world engagement can drive meaningful transformation. The episode highlights the importance of brave spaces, authentic adult role models, and trusting students to lead.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why middle school “doesn’t have to suck”—and how to redesign it
• Three developmental drivers in early adolescence: identity, social belonging, and contribution
• The role of advisory in creating safe and brave spaces for meaning-making
• How weird (authentic) adults help model real growth for students
• The power of apprenticeships and real-world learning experiences
• Navigating cultural authenticity in American and Japanese school contexts
• How distance learning can level access to global ideas and connections

Guest Bio:
Chris Balme is an internationally recognized educator, school founder, and author of Finding the Magic in Middle School. He founded Millennium School in San Francisco and Hakuba International School in Japan, both designed around the developmental needs of adolescents. Chris is also the creator of Spark, a nonprofit that has facilitated over 17,000 apprenticeships for middle schoolers. His newsletter, Growing Wiser, shares ongoing insights on adolescent learning.

Host Bio:
Seth Fleischauer is the founder of Banyan Global Learning and an advocate for teaching digital and cultural competencies through a global lens.

Episode Links:

• Chris Balme’s book: Finding the Magic in Middle School – https://www.findingthemagicinmiddleschool.com
• Growing Wiser Newsletter – https://chrisbalme.substack.com
• Hakuba International School – https://www.hakuba-is.jp
• Millennium School – https://millenniumschool.org