#occupyedu: challenge schools to change. One of my fellow bloggers on Cooperative Catalyst, Chad Sansing, has started a group with a mission of giving EACH child a personally meaningful education and a community of learning that includes, involves and inspires
Necessity PLAY is the Mother of Invention
I stumbled across our Monsters, Inc DVD last night and one of the key themes replayed in my mind…the realization at the end of the movie that joy/laughter creates significantly more power than fear. I think we need to
think different – RIP Steve Jobs
article originally written for LessonPlanet by Jen Lilienstein For many kids, annual standardized testing is one of the highest periods of stress1 during the school year. In fact, according to the Kids Health1 website, the number one kid stressor is
Have U.S. Students Fallen Victim to Self-Fulfilling Prophecies?
This is a reprint of an article originally published on Cooperative Catalyst I was reminded of an interesting tidbit about the Finnish school system in one of the education news emails I receive the other day. This information has been
On intrinsically motivating students
In late February 2012, EdWeek’s Susan Sandler wrote about Personalization 3.0, or “a hybrid approach of humanity and technology…that uses technology to enhance teacher-student relationships, not replace them.” Sandler references Theodore R. Sizer’s work (late founder of the Coalition of Essential
Smart Reasons to Keep Kids Learning Over the Summer
article originally written by Jen Lilienstein for FamilyShare. For many kids, their mid-July mantra is “lazy”— not “learning.” While summer fun is on the daily agenda, some conceptual calisthenics also needs to make it onto the calendar during July and
Sometimes you read an article and feel blessed.
While both the parents and educators attached to Kidzmet feel strongly about giving kids the best education they possibly can, sometimes you read an article that makes you feel truly blessed to be in a position to advocate for BETTER education and
3 Easy Steps to Help Your Students Avoid Summer Slide
Article originally written by Jen Lilienstein and published on LessonPlanet. As we round the bend into summer, visions of holiday fun occupy the daydreams of pupils, parents, and teachers. While summer can be a great time for your students to
Project Based Learning, Personality Type, and the 16 Habits of Mind
This article was written by Jen Lilienstein and originally published on LessonPlanet As new brain research permeates educational insights, we are becoming increasingly aware that engagement and affectivity – long key components of many pedagogical constructs – are now being