In early March, three members of Remake Learning departed Pittsburgh for Johannesburg, South Africa to participate in the Six Bricks Sondela, an international event hosted by Care for Education and home to Six Bricks.
Six Bricks, a basic set of six different colored DUPLO 2×4 stud bricks, is used as the basis of a plethora of activities designed to promote core learning skills. After an initial training with the inventor of Six Bricks, Brent Hutcheson, I was invited to keynote at the Six Bricks Sondela conference in March 2026.
I serve as the Director of Academic Outreach, Extension and Engagement with the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and founder of Baseplate, a playful learning initiative within CMU. Joining me were Emily Sanders, Deputy Superintendent at Hempfield Area School District and Matt Mikesell, Tech Ed Teacher in Mt. Lebanon School District. Not only serving as delegates, they were tapped to become trainer facilitators through Care for Education, some of the first in the United States to achieve that level of certification.
Both Sanders and Mikesell sit on the Board of Matt’s Maker Space, a non-profit committed to supporting kids to explore science, technology, engineering, arts & math (STEAM) through experiential and hands-on learning. This is not the first “first” for the duo. Sanders and Mikesell, alongside myself and Sara D’Urzo of IU1, were among the first in the US to become facilitator trainers in the Brick-By-Brick Program from Play Included, which focuses on social and emotional well being through collaborative LEGO play, another partner of CMU’s Baseplate.
On behalf of Remake Learning, I shared the Pittsburgh Principles: Lessons Learned from 15 Years Stewarding a Learning Ecosystem. Here are some reflections, framed by the principles, from the amazing journey, which have me wondering.
Never stop learning
After nearly a decade of being in my role at the ETC, I’m thrilled that there’s still so much to learn. The amazing work of the Care for Education team and the larger Six Bricks community is incredible. Everyone brought themselves and were open to learning.
And back again… What other amazing work is happening in our neighborhoods and how might we engage with other passionate educators?
Meet the neighbors
The impact from teams around the world is mind blowing. From playful learning champions across the continents, there were so many stories to be inspired by. It’s important we find time and space to listen.
And back again… What if we purposely took a different route to work or committed to trying something new?
Make it normal
When there are shared goals and understanding, a room full of adults and a lot of LEGO doesn’t seem that out of the ordinary. What’s extraordinary is the power of play.
And back again… What other playful learning happens and where does it happen?
Learning already happens everywhere
From breathing exercises with bricks to a round of golf w/ Grobby – a playful rabbit born in Ireland – playful learning has a place and can be embedded to spur on everyday learning moments.
And back again… Can we be intentional about knowing and naming play and its benefits when we see them?
Tell your story
From meeting new friends who have been inspired by Mister Rogers and And the ETC’s own Randy Pausch, there are such rich stories of connections.
And back again… How might our own voices support others’ voices and passions?
Don’t forget the grown ups
If you don’t think grown ups benefit from play, let’s have a chat.
And back again… Seriously, my email is jbalash@andrew.cmu.edu.
Make little bets
There are over 9,000,000 distinct ways six 2×4 LEGO Bricks can be combined. What if we tried something new more often?
And back again… I’m not sure how many decisions we make each day, but with intentionality we can change things for the better.
Open many doors
The innovation and energy at the conference was 2nd to none. Moments like these open doors which open minds and hearts.
And back again… So now it’s our turn! “Sondela”—a Zulu word meaning “come closer”—was more than just a conference; it was an invitation. I want to honor that and continue the momentum from an amazing journey in playful learning.
Join Baseplate during Remake Learning Days for and experience what playful learning can be. Baseplate is hosting a family friendly Brick-based extravaganza, ONE X ONE, on May the 4th. Yes, it will be Star Wars themed and yes, there will be lots of whooshing sounds. This family friendly event is free and open to the public from 12:00PM to 4:00PM. Please RSVP here.
