Our varied perspectives on gun control, safety, and equity will be thrown into stark contrast as we process the recent tragic events in Newtown. Our discourses, dialogues and debates will not be simple or easy, but they will be essential and necessary to not only heal from this tragedy, but to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. In a recent … Read More
Is This Piece Secular, Christmas, or Christian? — Holiday Music Rubric
‘Tis the season for holiday political-correctness, and for those of us working in public education, navigating the establishment clause of the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The pitfalls of this month are many, and vary depending on the understanding of our students, their parents, our administrators, and … Read More
What We Want To Interrupt
In an excerpt from an interview with a “young adolescent in jail for selling drugs,” author Thomas J. Cottle lays bare the nuanced complexity of educating youth who have a fragile, if any, grip on hope. Two moments pulled from his post illustrate, at a minimum, problems with the lesson our system implicitly teaches students: “Smart” is defined by traditional … Read More
Fixed vs. Growth Mindsets
Mindset, the seminal book by Carol Dweck, a Stanford University psychologist, unpacks the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. In a fixed mindset, the belief is that intelligence is fixed and static. You are smart, or you aren’t. This was the widely accepted theory of cognitive development until a series of experiments in the 50’s and 60’s by … Read More
Why Giving Matters More than Taking
Below is a guest post by Nia Robinson, a 15-year old student and change agent. She has started a campaign to raise money for All Kinds of Minds. Here is her motivation. For most people, the holidays have became a time of receiving gifts. To challenge this concept, I decided to do something I have wanted to do for a … Read More
Hating School, Loving Learning
As we debate the ins and outs of how to improve student “achievement,” let’s remember to pause and hear what students have to say. The sooner we give the growing movement of students advocating for their vision of transforming education a welcomed and honored place at the table, the sooner we will move closer to equity in our schools. Below are two powerful … Read More
Education Improvements by Nia Robinson
Check out this effort to change the education paradigm by 15-year old student, Nia Robinson, through raising money and awareness. In her call to action she uses the below Sir Ken Robinson speech that was turned into an RSA Animation. Watch, listen, learn, and then head over to her GoFundMe page and make a donation.
Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership
These “Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership” were published by Kent Keith in 1968 as a series designed for emerging student leaders. However, when it comes to efficacy, determination, grit, and tenacity — and really, just good old fashion putting vision into action — these are as true and relevant today as ever. 1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them … Read More
BRAIN POWER: From Neurons to Networks
Here is a cleverly constructed and informative video by Tiffany Shlain, author of Brainpower: From Neurons to Networks.
12 Brain Rules
Below are the 12 Brain Rules developed by John Medina. Each link will take you to his site and to more information about each of the rules. You can find the original list in his book “Brain Rules” and on his Brain Rules website. Enjoy. EXERCISE | Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power. SURVIVAL | Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too. WIRING … Read More
