Category Archives: Uncategorized

This is the second part of the New Scientist article “The seven ages of you” by David Robson. It makes some pertinent points on the myths about this age group. We may think that the wayward teen is a modern invention, but the stereotype can be traced at least to the ancient Greeks. The youth,Continue reading “ADOLESCENCE; Risks and rewards”

This excerpt from New Scientist article (3-7-21) – “The seven ages of you” is worth sharing because it provides a scientific basis for alternative pedagogies. It is a great shame we can’t remember our first few years. In terms of the sheer number of changes to the body and brain, early childhood sees the greatestContinue reading “Childhood – original thinking”

A study examining Japanese schools’ hands-off approach when children fight showed it could create opportunities for autonomy and encourage ownership of solutions, suggesting a new strategy in handling kids squabbles in other countries. Called mimamoru, the pedagogical strategy is a portmanteau of the Japanese words mi, meaning watch, and mamoru, meaning guard or protect. It is generally understoodContinue reading “Japan’s hands-off formula in disciplining schoolchildren works. Is it worth a try elsewhere?”

This article gives an indication of results of “no excuses education”. Charter schools are 30 years old as of 2021, and the contentious debate about their merits and place in American society continues. To better understand what happens at charter schools—and as a sociologist who focuses on education—I spent a year and a half at a particular type of urban charter schoolContinue reading “What I saw in my year and a half at a ‘no-excuses’ charter school”

At a West Coast-based after-school making/tinkering program, educators gathered participating kindergarten-5th grade students together at the beginning of each session, gave them instructions for the day’s work, and then let them work independently or in small groups to complete science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) activities. Assistant Professor Natalie R. Davis and colleagues fromContinue reading “Learning from below: A micro-ethnographic account of children’s self-determination”

Whether parents prefer a conformance-oriented or independence-oriented supplemental education program for their children depends on political ideology, according to a study of more than 8,500 American parents by a research team from Rice University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. “Conservative parents have a higher need for structure, which drives their preference for conformance-oriented programs,” said studyContinue reading “How parental politics affect their choice of educational schemes”

This is a translation of an article by Guy Lebas http://www.icem-pedagogie-freinet.org Should discipline be considered as a prerequisite for work? Doesn’t discipline in itself induce work? This is what Célestin Freinet speaks about in his writings. Celestin Freinet thinks that class is in opposition to that of the traditional school, so it is not surprisingContinue reading “Celestin Freinet: work as a source of discipline”

For decades educators have been advised to match their teaching to the supposed ‘learning styles’ of students. There are more than 70 different classification systems, but the most well-known (VARK) sees individuals being categorized as visual, auditory, read-write or kinesthetic learners. However, a new paper by Professor Phil Newton, of Swansea University Medical School, highlightsContinue reading “Ineffective ‘learning styles’ theory persists in education”

Secondary school students in Bagamoyo, Tanzania International development projects that target the education of the world’s very poorest children and marginalised girls also significantly improve other young people’s attainment, according to new research that suggests such initiatives should become a priority for international aid.The newly-reported study, by academics at the University of Cambridge, is oneContinue reading “Spill-over effects show prioritising education of very poorest improves attainment of all”

Flexible learning environments include different furniture options, including soft chairs, and no ‘front’ to the classroom. The COVID pandemic has meant many students learnt from home for a lot of the year. But with schools returning to normal across Australia, how will students readjust from learning at the kitchen table (or couch, or bedroom) toContinue reading “Group tables, ottomans and gym balls: Kids told us why flexible furniture helps them learn”