Hope, Agency, and Universal Design for Learning

What if hope isn't just a feeling – but a teachable skill that can transform learning? In this episode, we explore the powerful intersection of hope science and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with Brenda Green, a former math teacher turned educational leader from CAST.

Learn how the UDL framework creates the conditions for hope to flourish by honoring learner variability, removing barriers in design (not in students), and providing flexible options for engagement, representation, and expression.

Whether you're new to UDL or looking to deepen your practice, this conversation offers practical strategies you can start using tomorrow: from creating choice boards to designing goals that don't embed the means, to gathering student feedback that amplifies their voice. Most importantly, you'll understand how small, intentional shifts in lesson design can create meaningful change – building not just academic success, but the agency and belonging every student deserves.

Ready to redesign learning with hope at the center? Listen in!

Resources:

1. CHC Online
2. CHC’s Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services
3. CHC's Resource Library

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Santo Rico by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/