The following post was contributed by Diana Laufenberg, and originally posted on Living the Dream, in December 2013. Diana is one of the Keynote speakers at INSPIRE 2014: Engaging Today's Students. I said this phrase, standards not standardization, in a conversation with the ever thoughtful, Jose Vilson… and he has brought it up with me a few times … which makes me think that I need to write through my thoughts on this and will then be leading a conversation on this same topic … [Read more...]
Five Ways Traditional Education Has to Change
The following post is contributed by Will Richardson. Will Richardson is a speaker, educator, blogger and author of four books, most recently Why School? How Education Must Change When Learning and Information are Everywhere (September, 2012) published by TED books. Will Richardson will be the opening Keynote for the INSPIRE 2014: Engaging Today's Students conference in October 2014.1. From Answers to Questions - In a world where we have access to the sum of human knowledge (almost), 2.5 … [Read more...]
Will Richardson and Diana Laufenberg to Speak at Education Conference: Inspire 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TED Speakers Selected for Keynotes at the Second Annual NISCE Conference on Student-Centered Education -- INSPIRE 2014: Engaging Today's Student Winchester, MA, May 7, 2014—TED Speakers, Will Richardson and Diana Lefaunberg, will be the keynote speakers at INSPIRE 2014: Engaging Today's Student, NISCE's second annual conference on student-centered education.The two-day event hosted by the National Institute for Student-Centered Education (NISCE) is open to education … [Read more...]
The Impact of Nutrition on Learning and Behavior: A No Brainer
This post focuses on the impact of good nutrition on behavior and learning. After spending only an hour researching the topic I found hundreds of studies and articles focused on the positive connections between well-fed students and their abilities to focus, self regulate and succeed in school. Given the volumes of evidence, it is astounding to me that most students are still given foods that are high in simple carbohydrates and filled with chemicals.Well, maybe not astounding. It makes sense. … [Read more...]
Three Ways Educators Can Support Girls
Contributed by Dr. Rachel Kramer* Research shows that there is a strong link between a girls socio-emotional competence and their chance of success and performance in learning, and educators must equip themselves with methods that they can employ in the classroom to encourage and support this type of development in girls. The following are strategies that can be employed now by educators to support girls: 1. Build a sense of self-efficacy, encourage problem … [Read more...]
NISCE To Host Its Second Annual Conference on Student-Centered Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INSPIRE 2014: Engaging Today's Student WINCHESTER, MA, April 10, 2014—The National Institute for Student-Centered Education (NISCE) will host its second annual conference, INSPIRE 2014: Engaging Today's Student on October 22 and 23, 2014 in Norwood, MA at the Sheraton Four Points. The two-day conference of workshops, lectures and presentations is designed to bring together the latest thinking on the challenges and benefits of adopting student-centered learning … [Read more...]
Conference Topic Survey Results
What Would Inspire YouLast month we asked our readers and INSPIRE 2013 participants to provide us with feedback on what topics, learning activities, and/or specific presenters would be most engaging to YOU if rolled into the INSPIRE 2014 conference agenda. We appreciate all of you that took the time to complete the survey. Here is what we garnered from your responses. 1. Brain-based learning and student engagement/motivation are of high interest.When you were asked to rank a range of … [Read more...]
Being Careful About What We Say
I imagine we may have a few differences when it comes to what we believe is appropriate communication with our students. For me, the goal is to increase communication and deepen relationships with students rather than increase distance between us and strengthen our negative assumptions about them. Lastly, and most importantly, we want students to love coming to our classes, to feel relaxed and comfortable in our presence, to feel safe enough to ask spontaneous questions, to take risks and to … [Read more...]
Teaching to Different Learning Styles When it Feels too Hard
Two years ago I talked about using Learning Styles in the Classroom. Since then, I have worked with many teachers who agree that teaching to varied styles is critical but wonder how to do it well when they don't have many resources, administrators don't think it is important, they worry the class will get out of control, and they have so many students they can't meet all their different needs. These are legitimate concerns that, if left unanswered, might prevent some teachers from promoting this … [Read more...]
Promoting Behavioral Change in Students
When I work with teachers and other professionals, they often ask me, "What are the best things to do to deal with a particularly difficult student who just won't respond to limits?" I tell them there isn't a simple answer. They say they know, but they still ask. I wish there were a magic intervention for each difficult child, something that works in this moment. But in my experience there is no one sentence you can say, or consequence you can set, that will solve a chronic behavioral problem … [Read more...]