Here is a great talk by Eduardo Briceno, described on the TEDxManhattanBeach website as “The CEO of Mindset Works, an organization he co-founded with Carol Dweck, Ph.D., Lisa Blackwell, Ph.D., and others to equip people with the core beliefs and learning strategies needed for success.” Below is his talk from that event, which is both inspiring and informative. Transforming students’ … Read More
Social Emotional Learning Core Competencies
Seeing the forest despite the trees. Our nation’s educational focus continues to zero in on “achievement” as defined by test scores in specific academic areas and the resulting gaps therein. This hyper focus exacerbates our nearly systematic blind eye related to learning for living and cultivating life long learners. As a result, policies that increase the stakes of standardized assessments … Read More
10 Steps to Equity in Education
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which works to “promote the policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world,” published a Policy Briefing titled, “Ten Steps to Equity in Education.” The briefing (which you can read in its entirety here) lays out some of the basic policies necessary for achieving equity in … Read More
The Antimatter Science Rap
The below video by educator/rapper Mike Wilson (aka Coma Niddy) is a perfect “storm” of things we love at QED. Content delivered in creative and engaging ways. MC2 Mastery of knowledge being demonstrated through music. MC2 Positive role model for males, students of color, and fans of hip hop. Oh, and science. Like this one? Check out more of Coma … Read More
Schoolhouse vs Jailhouse Infographic
The schoolhouse to jailhouse pipeline continues to plague our society. The causes for the criminalization of our youth are many, complex, and solvable. Whether we are transforming norms in our schools or implementing larger social justice policies, we must engage students in ways that build their strengths, confidence, and overall well-being. A good place to start is by dialoguing about … Read More
The Changing Face of the Teaching Force (Infographic)
Pop quiz: Q: What is the current mode for years of experience in the teaching profession in the US? A: One. In other words, ask all teachers how many years they have been teaching and “one” is answered more often than any other number. The reasons we have come to this are complex (see the below infographic from the work … Read More
Chris Emdin on Hip-hop, Obama Effect & Urban Science Education
Below is a short video of Chris Emdin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University. In it he lays out some of the intersections of urban education, hip hop and the potential impact of President Obama on the black youth of today. These are important considerations to wrestle with as we look … Read More
Before I die I want to . . .
Creating discussions and constructive conversations that lead to transformational learning necessitates we generate experiences that reframe our perspective on our world. Sometimes this can happen in surprising and spontaneous ways that build community. Candy Chang created just such an event in her neighborhood in New Orleans when she painted an abandoned house with chalkboard paint and then stenciled “Before I … Read More
Gaming and Learning . . . Go Hand in Hand?
Emerging research is continuing to unpack some of the pros and cons of “gaming” on students, learning and behavior. For example, a recent study by Iowa State University professors, Dr. Craig Anderson and Dr. Douglas Gentile, found that prosocial games (defined as ones “in which characters help others in nonviolent ways”) can “increase helpful and decrease hurtful behavior.” While another … Read More
Doodling In Math Class — Creative Thinking, Mathem-art-ically Speaking
A fantastic video by Vi Hart, in which she masterfully dissects the difference between teaching math and teaching thinking, all the while erasing the imaginary line between math and art. We would do well to embrace her creative and imaginative approach to thinking about and enjoying math. Visit her blog or her YouTube channel for more great videos. Thanks … Read More
