I originally published this post at the Cooperative Catalyst blog. “Play is the child’s work” is a line made famous by the early childhood educator, Maria Montessori. I interpret that to mean many things. But perhaps most importantly I believe it to mean that through play, children – and I would say youth and adults, …
If you’re hearing few howls and seeing little rending of garments over the impending death of institutional, high-quality journalism, it’s because the public at large has been trained to undervalue journalists and journalism. That was written about three years ago in a much-talked-about Atlantic article, “End Times,” which essentially predicted the end of the print edition …
I’ve heard the terms, and so have you: “21st century teaching” “21st century learning” “21st century workforce” “21st century skills” What hasn’t been labeled “21st century” these days? As so many have already pointed out, we’re more than one decade in. So the adjective, as a representation of forward-thinking, is rapidly losing its relevance. But …
When my mother talks about her childhood in Korea, she often recounts stories that seem, while not exactly typical by US standards, at least not really out of the ordinary. Falling off her bicycle while learning to ride, and my overprotective grandfather then forbidding her from ever riding again. Visiting a family-owned candy factory in …
This post originally appeared in a slightly modified form at NWP Connect. I’ve known New York City Writing Project teacher-consultant Paul Allison for almost as long as I’ve been part of the writing project. And in all those years, he has never ceased to amaze me as he pokes and prods and stretches – sometimes to …
Note: This post originally appeared March 17, 2011, at Cooperative Catalyst as part of the #blog4nwp effort. As William Zinsser famously said, “Writing is thinking on paper.” I would amend that to say, “Writing at its most authentic is thinking on paper … and through video … and via audio … and through gaming … …
I’m old. My knees tell me this. My back tells me this. The mirror tells me this. And I’ve found that getting old(er) makes me cynical makes me feel justified in those moments when I descend into cynicism. Particularly when it comes to education reform. After all, as a student I “learned to read” with …
I’m nearly done reading the book Better by Atul Gawande. It’s an insightful examination of the medical profession – he’s a surgeon – on the one hand, and a terrific treatise on how it’s possible to improve one’s work in general, on the other. Improvement not through innate brilliance, or more resources or even working …
As Chance the Gardner from Being There was often fond of saying, “I like to watch.” And watch I have as NWP colleagues from around the country have taken to tweeting their experiences. Most are currently in some stage of beginning or ending their summer institutes, an event that gathers local teachers together to share …
This is one of the most inspiring youth digital compositions I’ve ever encountered. By Oakland Leaf Youth Roots, shown tonight at the 10th Anniversary All Oakland Youth Talent Showcase. The youth call themselves artivists – using art for social change.