My Blog About Me

So, I thought it would be a good idea for my first blog to tell you a little bit about myself. I am Sam Long, and I am an education consultant and founder of Ephesus Education Solutions.

I was fresh out of college and interviewing for teaching positions in various districts. At some point in the process, I was asked, “what does your ideal classroom look like?” My response, pretty much instantly, was a bus where students would travel the country seeking experiences in history and natural history first-hand. Things like reading and math could be taught on the bus or during interval stops on the road. Where better to learn about geology than the Grand Canyon or Mammoth Cave? Where better to learn about our nation’s founding and government than Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington? I felt it was a beautiful concept. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a conceptual question. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job. It was a concept that was yet to catch on.

All these years later I have become a proponent of self-directed learning. It began with the concept of project-based learning and evolved while I was working on my master’s thesis. Students are naturally more engaged and motivated when they are allowed to pursue their interests. Unfortunately, our current institution of schooling is quite the polar opposite. Self-directed learning allows for the student to learn what they want, when they want, and how they want. Without restrictions. Our schools tell them what to learn, when to learn, and how to learn. No questions asked. It is regimented and dictatorial. I would daresay that without the social aspects of schools students would not attend given the choice.

This is where unschooling comes in. If the pandemic taught us nothing else, it’s that we can teach online and that the end-all, be-all of standardized testing is immaterial. I believe that concept is at the core of the growing movement of online schooling and freelance teachers. And this industry is primed to grow exponentially in the coming years. Eventually, I envision networks of students and independent teachers working together to provide a true education for all. This philosophy is at the core of our mission at EES, and the reason I started this business. I say this, not to advertise, but to share what I believe is our common vision.

This blog will share bits of this philosophy, thoughts on the current state of affairs in education, and the sharing of resources and ideas. But perhaps most importantly promoting solutions for the future of education. I hope you all will continue on this journey with us.