Pockets of Freedom

Unlocking the Power of Intuitive Teaching and Learning

By: Sue Haynes, Phyl Brazee, Lisa Plourde

Narrated by: Matt Haynes

Like so many other American institutions, public education stands at a crossroad. It can either continue down a destructive path of conformity and standardization, or it can open up to the unique gifts that each student and teacher brings to the educative process.

Pockets of Freedom champions the latter and proposes that educators, guided by their hearts' powerful intuition, create "pockets of freedom" within their teaching/learning environments to support the shift toward student-centered learning.

In this book, three teachers, spanning a range from pre-school through the university level, share stories that illuminate the process of creating freedom spaces within their classrooms, supporting their goal of awakening self-guided learning in all their students. Despite teaching–for the most part within traditional public institutions–they succeeded. And now you can learn how by listening to their stories.

Authors and teachers Phyl Brazee, Lisa Plourde, and Sue Haynes invite listeners into their classrooms to discover how they: See the unique potential in each and every student through honoring their needs, interests, and passions; Observe and trust their intuition through involving their hearts as well as their heads in moment-to-moment decision-making; Evaluate their students through honoring their learning process and how they make meaning in their lives; Share power in authentic ways through promoting risk-taking, choice-making, and collaboration.

By creating pockets of freedom within whatever teaching and learning settings educators find themselves, they can exercise the powerful potential to transform education in service of authentic teaching and learning.

©2020 Sue Haynes, Phyl Brazee, and Lisa Plourde (P)2025 Sue Haynes

Timely and refreshing look at education

A well-narrated look at education in a time when the individuality of students can be overlooked or discounted. Pockets of Freedom is a refreshing and sometimes fun look at the importance of considering the whole student that often gets lost in the interest of teaching to the test. It is a worthy listen as an educator that may push you to consider ways to create these opportunities for your own students to access their education.

The narrator has a very smooth read.

The narrator has a very smooth read, and the personal connection to the material was a nice touch. The content was very niche but informative.

For Educators who want to make a difference

I give this a 5 for 'story' because every moment of teaching is filled with delightful real stories of interactions with students and the positive outcomes for the many children of different ages who needed to be reached. The techniques come from a place of both empathy and insight and there are genuinely joyful moments where children of varying grades/ages work through their struggles and find a love of learning.
I give this a 5 for 'performance' because Matt Haynes' voice is steady, sure, and engaging. It is delightful and for this topic it's perfect that he comes across as a more energetic Mister Rogers--I love the sound of his voice. At times I would feel like I'm listening to a story and forget that there is a lesson being taught to us as I became interested in the outcome of the child.
Overall, these true stories and teacher experiences from three maverick educators in a small New England island community has lessons for any educator wishing to make a difference in the lives of their children. The concept of 'pockets of freedom' breaks down the rigid and the rote to institutionalized learning, showing how to find the right way to re-engage a child who has strayed from the path and is struggling to learn so they can come back to a love of learning and move forward. There are humorous moments where children's blunt honesty can make the challenges more obvious.
I recommend this for any educator who wishes to be a force for change when faced with a child needing help.