Middle School. Even saying this phrase can immediately bring up memories of awkwardness for many people. But it's also a formative time of life that gives us space to develop our relational skills and shape who we are. As we learn in our conversation with Chris Balme, there are new possibilities when we shift our perspective to view this as an opportunity to build into young people. This can radically change our perspective about this time and equip us as adults to be better guides for this foundational moment of life.*******Click HERE to learn how to support Chris's Kickstarter campaign.*******Chris Balme is an education leader, writing, and school founder, passionate about helping young people discover more of their human potential. As Co-Founder and Head of School at Millennium School, a lab school in San Francisco, Chris helped pioneer new learning methods for middle schoolers, based in developmental science. Chris then founded Argonaut, an online program to bring social-emotional learning to more students. He received the Ashoka Fellowship as a leading change-maker in education, and regularly speaks, trains, and writes for parents and teachers around the world. His book, Finding the Magic in Middle School is about how we can use developmental science to understand and enjoy the middle school years much more, whether we're parents, teachers, or in the broader education world, and will be released in September 2022.chrisbalme.commillenniumschool.orgargonaut.school*******The Third Place Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners into the hard conversations that we have a tendency to avoid.We “go there” on things such as…How anger is beautifulHow to find presence amidst chaosHow to have difficult conversationsHow to be an allyHow to live with griefThe Third Place is a safe place where curiosity is encouraged, differences are welcomed, and empathy is embraced through healthy dialogue.We've forgotten how to talk to each other… Life has become polarized and dualistic - you’re either with me or against me. To embrace the complex human experience is to see the world through other’s eyes. The Third Place podcast helps with the disconnect. This looks like less conflict and tension and more like a peaceful existence with others. The Third Place podcast restores the art of dialogue.For additional resources and if you're interested in supporting the work of The Third Place Podcast, check out our Patreon page.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-third-place/donations