Mike Matthews (he/him), President of Authentic Education, brings more than 25 years of experience to his work leading impactful, sustainable, and student-centered curricular change.

Mike’s work with schools and districts around the world includes leading workshops on the Understanding by Design framework, equipping school leaders with strategies for mission-aligned curriculum work, and leadership training including facilitating Portrait of a Graduate and strategic planning processes. He also led the team of subject matter expert writers who developed Washington, DC’s groundbreaking anti-racist and culturally inclusive K-12 Social Studies standards.

Mike’s career began as a Teach for America teacher in North Carolina. Honored as a National Board Certified Teacher in 2005, he spent nearly two decades in schools across the San Francisco Bay Area, teaching Science, Math, and technology in public, charter, and independent schools. From a crocheted coral reef to student inventions designed to be cutting edge in 2040, Mike has received national attention for developing innovative project-based curriculum.

In 2014, Mike moved out of the classroom to become the Director of Curriculum and Innovation at Burke’s in San Francisco, a role he described as working to “educate, encourage, and empower teachers to educate, encourage, and empower girls.” At Burke’s, Mike helped found The Makery innovation spaces. Mike was also named “a thought leader in teaching coding in K-8 schools” by TechEdge magazine and served as an expert source for The New York Times Wirecutter’s article on coding and STEM toys.

Mike has spoken at numerous conferences, including the National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference, where he gave a talk entitled “ If the Answer Is Googleable, Is the Question Worth Asking?” Mike also collaborated with Klutz Publishing on LEGO Chain Reactions, served as Chair of the National Science Teachers Association’s Urban Science Education Advisory Committee, served on the board of the Randall Museum of Science, Nature, and the Arts in San Francisco, and chaired the board of Oak Meadow Montessori School in Littleton, Massachusetts.

Mike earned his B.A. from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and his M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Massachusetts.

About Authentic Education

Authentic Education is the consultancy of the late Grant Wiggins, co-author of the Understanding by Design framework. For nearly three decades, Authentic Education has been a leader in education reform at the global level, providing practical, effective, and thoughtful professional development and consulting services specializing in designing and teaching for understanding, effective assessment, and thoughtful organizational change.