Anyone who works with adolescents, knows middle school can be a challenging time. But what if we could build a program or school, and project based experiences grounded in best practice that not only made it less challenging, but fun and empowering as well? This was the question that guided visionaries Andrew Ravin and Denise Daniels in creating Workshop Middle School, an innovative middle school for "creative, curious, and big-hearted students in 6th-8th grade." Imagine no more bells. Textbooks. Or shuffling to 6 classes a day. Just small cohorts of learners and a trusted mentor to guide them.  In this short interview, learn from them how to: Discover students' interests and passions. Develop positive relationships. Create authentic assessments. Become a mentor, guide and trusted advisor. Move from 'lone innovator' in the corner classroom of a large school to small school founder.  Learn more about Workshop Middle School.