Critical thinking and problem solving, in all fields of study, often requires looking at an old problem in a new way. The ability to observe a phenomenon with fresh eyes is a key first step in divergent or “out-of-box” thinking, which is, in turn, essential for innovation. These skills are especially important in STEM fields,… Read More Make Them Scientists - Redirecting the Science Instruction Paradigm
A three-year-old talks to grandma on Skype. A seven-year-old reads a fairy-tale with Dad on a Kindle. A child with spatial-awareness issues plays Tetris. Is this okay? Good, even? Would something else be . . . better? After 15 to 20 years of scientific research on media use (in its ever changing forms), we have… Read More A Case for Deferring Electronic Media in the Classroom
“ I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” - Albert Einstein Curiosity killed the cat. Eve was curious about the forbidden fruit. Pandora was curious about what was in that box. Parables and proverbs of the past often warn against the dangers of seeking. Today, this notion is outdated. We claim to… Read More The Powerful Force of Curiosity
We all want our children to be happy, and while this is traditionally thought of as an at-home concern, we send our kids to school hoping that they will have an emotionally enriching and balanced day. Carol Gerber Allred, President/Founder of the Positive Action Program, geared toward fostering more positive classrooms, believes that families and… Read More Happiness in the Classroom
We have dreams and hopes for our children that often extend beyond mimicry of our own lives. We hope they will do more, be more, and we define these “mores” in myriad ways. Yet the collective consciousness of “better” for a new generation persists, whether it is a desire for a better standard of living,… Read More Be Worthy of Imitation: Why Modeling Matters at Home and in Class