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
Education: A “Putting People First” Endeavor
What makes an educator an educator? Or, more importantly, where does “effective teaching” begin? Is it with standards, content, and resources? Or with relationships, connections, and shared experiences? Or perhaps some combination thereof? The New York times recently featured a short award winning documentary about Jeffery Wright, a physics teacher in Louisville, KY. The video is moving, not just because … 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
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.
