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At some point in children’s lives, they learn to view themselves as either smart, dumb, or anywhere in between. As teachers, we see this all the time, right? Undoubtedly, this influences students’ self-esteem, motivation, and any number of learning and social behaviors. As we strive to cultivate a learning environment where students are free to maximize their […]
In a recent art assignment, a middle school student depicted an overburdened child who was being berated for earning an A, rather than an A+, on a calculus exam. In the image, the mother scolds the student with the words, “Shame on you!” The above comes from a New York Times article covering the ethnic divide […]
Part 3 of 3. Finland. An education superpower. What…is…their… secret?! Well, in case you haven’t been following along the past couple of weeks, let me quickly catch you up. Finland. They’ve been rockstars in the world of education. Inquiring minds want to know exactly what can be attributed to their success. Cue misinformation. Take a look […]
Finland. If a picture speaks a thousand words, what can we infer from the following?: As discussed Last week, Finland has been a hot topic in education circles for quite some time, and certainly for good reason. But what can we learn? And more importantly, what can we apply? I don’t know about you, but as […]
A lot of a…sharks out there…try’na take a bite of somethin’ What’s hot Perhaps these lyrics from Cypress Hill’s Rock Superstar best capture the whimsical nature of the American education system… If you’re in this system, then you’ve most likely experienced some Finnish envy: The top-performing nation. Teachers are highly regarded. For every 45 minutes of instruction, there’s a […]
The American students “worked on it less than 30 seconds on average and then they basically looked at us and said, ‘We haven’t had this,’ ” he says. But the Japanese students worked for the entire hour on the impossible problem. “And finally we had to stop the session because the hour was up. And […]
As we work to instill a sense of mindful presence and gratitude in the students who fill our classrooms, may we especially seek gratitude for the presence of others who fill our lives this holiday season. And for those who celebrate Christmas today, may this sentiment be only deepened by the underlying theme of Christmas, the gift of an unrelenting pursuer […]
Over the last few years, thousands of schools around the world have jumped on board with the growth mindset. It seemed to become the low-hanging fruit for schools to easily grab. Going from school to school, posters about effort that focus on “trying harder” and books about the mindset for teachers and students are all […]
Can Grit Save American Education? In education, grit has become a buzzword that has permeated the American education system. But should we even be teaching it? What about the disadvantaged child who believes if he is just “grittier,” he can eventually overcome the socioeconomic obstacles in his path to success? What happens if the success he imagined never […]
Our schools are breaking. Not that I would personally attribute state budgets to solely breaking US schools, but it’s becoming more and more difficult to deny that we’re not facing a huge problem. Mr. Bill Gates, although not necessarily proposing a solution beyond gold standard accounting (*note – he also slips in the need for technology…), does […]
As I sit quietly in my living room with my feet crossed on the table, a cup of tea warm and steamy beside me, I’m finally able to exhale and reflect on how these days seem to pass so very quickly. Two years ago, I became a mother to the most beautiful little girl, and […]
“Being optimistic doesn’t mean you don’t get upset when bad things happen—it’s normal to get upset! But the optimist recognizes that most bad things are temporary and looks for opportunities to change circumstances for the better through new efforts or strategies.” The words above come from characterlab.org, a “nonprofit on a mission to develop, disseminate, […]