To all who come to this happy place, welcome!

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Sarah Pandora Purple and Green

This site is home to multiple ways to educate through the magic of Disney parks and characters. You’ll find:

  • lesson plans to use at home or in the theme parks that are as easy-to-use and engaging as they are educational

  • tips for teaching and learning more effectively so you can confidently know you’re doing what’s best for your students

  • stories to spark curiosity, imagination and life-long learning

Who’s The PhD Princess?

I’m Sarah, a PhD student researching teaching and learning.

When I taught middle school, high school and college-aged students, I struggled to find engaging, high-quality resources and lesson plans.

Working for an edtech non-profit and a large edtech company, I kept noticing that the most popular apps and teaching techniques had little to no scientific evidence to support their tactics.

So, I launched this site to share carefully curated, research-backed educational materials and advice based on my own experiences as a teacher and social scientist with parents and teachers who faced similar challenges.

Why the Disney twist?

Originally from northern California, I grew up visiting Disneyland once a year with my family. After my first ever trip to Walt Disney World, I rediscovered my passion for all things magical and some much-needed joy during some tough times in graduate school.

I decided to combine my love of Disney with my expertise in education research because telling stories is just as good for learning as it is for entertainment!

If you have any feedback or questions, I’m all ears!