In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams sits down with Rob McLeod, international educator, school leader, and host of the Reinventing Education podcast, to unpack his “Three Types of Schools” model: Expert, Coach, and Counselor. Rob explains how each school type shapes structures, roles, and decision-making—and why clarity about your dominant model can reduce friction, deepen relationships, and improve learning experiences.​​

The conversation connects these frameworks to student agency and democratic education, drawing on examples from the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), sociocratic practices highlighted in the School Circles documentary, and self-directed learning ideas inspired by Ivan Illich’s Deschooling Society. Rob and Riley explore how intentional school design can reduce teacher burnout, support collab ...