By: Yery Montgomery

In an era where standardized testing dominates the educational landscape, Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor stands as a powerful reminder that learning is, at its core, a joyful, human experience. As a speaker, podcast host, consultant, educator, and CEO of Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning, she champions a simple yet transformative truth: “Play is serious business.”

Her mission is built on decades of experience across classrooms, museums, libraries, teacher trainings, and leadership development. But her philosophy began long before her professional career—rooted in her own childhood.

“I was a free-range child from another time,” she reflects, recalling days filled with nature walks, books, imaginary worlds, and dramatic play in a garage that doubled as a stage. Those early experiences laid the foundation for her life’s work. “That foundation of wonder, curiosity, connection, and play carried over into my work with children—and adults—in all kinds of settings.”

Today, her work is a vibrant affirmation that learning thrives when curiosity is nurtured, when creativity is celebrated, and when education honors the whole human—not just the test score.

The Power of Play in a Test-Driven World

Educators everywhere feel the pressure of standardized outcomes. Yet Dr. Diane argues that creativity and play are not only compatible with academic rigor—they enhance it.

“What I know in my bones—and the research bears this out—is that we learn better when we approach it through playful inquiry, engagement, and collaboration,” she explains. While standardized outcomes may always exist, she sees them as only part of the learning picture.

Her priority is bigger: nurturing human beings who can think critically, collaborate meaningfully, solve problems, and approach challenges with curiosity and resilience. These qualities, she believes, are best cultivated through play, exploration, and inquiry—not rigid adherence to a script.

Storytelling as a Doorway to STEM and STEAM

One of the hallmarks of Dr. Diane’s approach is her use of multicultural picture books to deepen engagement in STEM and STEAM education. For her, storytelling is not a “break” from science—it’s the gateway to deeper understanding.

“Multicultural and narrative nonfiction picture books allow children to see possibilities—in themselves and in others,” she says. These books open doors to new worlds while also reflecting students’ own identities back to them, creating both connection and curiosity.

When she pairs a picture book with a STEM challenge, the story becomes the spark that ignites learning:

• It builds shared experience.
• It nurtures empathy and imagination.
• It sets the stage for exploration, investigation, and play.
  

The benefits extend far beyond science and engineering. Integrating picture books into learning enhances vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and communication—while also making the classroom a more joyful, inclusive, and culturally responsive space.

“Teaching and learning should be FUN,” she emphasizes. Her approach ensures it is.

A Podcast That Expands What Education Can Be

With more than 150 podcast episodes and guests from across the worlds of education, science, literature, conservation, and the arts, Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning has grown into a thriving hub of inspiration.

Her background in communications, political science, and theatre comes full circle on the show. “With each episode, I learn something,” she shares. “Our stories are so important—sharing those stories, building those connections, activates our empathy… It brings out the best, most creative aspects of our humanity.”

She credits countless guests with shaping her thinking: Beth Skelton on multilingual learning; Amari Shields and Dr. Crystal Campbell on play-based inquiry; Dr. Annalies Corbin on innovation; Steve Spangler on engagement and hands-on science. Authors, illustrators, conservationists, activists, teachers, and librarians have all helped expand her vision—and that of her listeners.

Each conversation, she says, opens the world to new possibilities.

Where Curiosity and Joy Flourish

Across every educational setting she has worked in, Dr. Diane has noticed common traits in environments where curiosity and joy thrive. These ecosystems share:

• Opportunities to connect to nature, other people, and the world through play.
• Freedom to follow rabbit holes and deep dives.
• Flexibility to pause the agenda when curiosity takes over.
• Trust in teachers to improvise and respond to learners’ interests.
  

She believes real learning happens when educators are empowered—not micromanaged.

“Education is a journey, not a sprint,” she says. For schools to truly cultivate curiosity, they must allow teachers time to know their students deeply, honor creativity, and integrate real-world problem solving and collaboration.

Play is essential. So is empathy. And trust. These elements create the kind of learning atmosphere where students—and teachers—feel alive with possibility.

Leading With Play: A Blueprint for Transformative Schools

Through her leadership training and professional development work, Dr. Diane encourages educators and administrators to embrace a concept she calls “leading with play.”

Playful leadership, she explains, means letting go of the need to control every outcome. It means becoming a guide, a facilitator, an observer—someone who sets the stage for exploration rather than delivering the script.

“When you lead with play, you create opportunities for hands-on learning, for collaboration, for creativity,” she says. “You build a culture of trust and respect.”

Playful leaders:

• Observe, wonder, and scaffold.
• Design rich, exploratory environments.
• Encourage brainstorming and experimentation.
• Allow room for failure and revision.
• Honor the strengths and perspectives of every person on the team.
  

The result is a school culture where students, teachers, and teams feel valued—and learning becomes a shared journey, not a checklist.

A Champion for Wonder in Every Classroom

Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor’s work invites us to rethink what learning can be when we make room for joy. Through play, storytelling, curiosity, and human connection, she reminds us that the heart of education is wonder—and that every child, every teacher, and every leader deserves the chance to experience it.

Links:

Subscribe to the Adventures in Learning podcast: https://adventuresinlearningpodcast.buzzsprout.com

Follow Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning @drdianeadventures on Instagram, LinkedIn.

Subscribe to the Adventures in Learning webpage and blog: https://www.drdianeadventures.com/blog