New Ways, New Forms, New Measures, New Runways
Every once in a while, a book lands in your hands that is just right. Learning to Leave: How Real-World Learning Transforms Education by Elliot Washor and Scott Boldt is exactly that—a clear, practical map for what we already know in our bones: young people thrive when learning is rooted in interests, relationships, and practice—in the real world, with real mentors, doing real work. Learning to Leave takes Big Picture Learning’s “One Student at a Time in Community” approach and pulls it outside of schools to places like – well – hangars.
At Habitat for Aviation, this framework shows up in everything from WOMEN BUILD PLANES to our welding classes and industry apprenticeships. Learning to Leave calls out New Ways, New Forms, and New Measures:
New Ways: Start with a learner’s spark; build trust; practice alongside skilled adults.
New Forms: Internships, shadow days, and projects that bring the outside in–and send the learners out.
New Measures: Portfolios, credentials, and public exhibitions that show what a learner can do, not just what they can recall.
This timely book is a nudge to keep going—and go bolder—crediting authentic work, expanding mentor networks, and using tools like the International Big Picture Learning Credential to recognize growth that conventional forms of assessment, especially tests, can’t see.
Learning to Leave highlights our friends and partners—Harbor Freight Fellows, B-Unbound, and community partners who open doors. The throughline is simple and powerful: make learning consequential. Ask, “Is this your work?” When the answer is “yes”, skills build, confidence rises, and purpose takes flight. That’s what we aim for in our hangar—and the future we’re building with our team.
