From bearded philosophers' musings on consciousness to neuroscientists' papers employing modern techniques to study neurons, I've always been interested in how we have come to understand the brain. With this interest came a curiosity in the strengths and weaknesses each discipline has to offer in terms of solving the ever-evolving puzzle that is the center of our nervous system. If I have learned anything from this curiosity, it is this: if we are going to figure out exactly how the brain works, it is going to take a group effort…
Research increasingly points to the importance of social and emotional learning to student success. Whether students feel connected to school and have a positive sense of themselves as learners strongly influences academic achievement and school completion. Strengthening students’ motivation to learn, it is becoming increasingly clear, is an important complement to the longstanding focus on standards, curriculum, and assessments in school reform….
It always starts the same, doesn’t it?
This year, I’m going to workout every day. I’m going to cook more and spend less money on takeout. I’m going to take the time to learn Spanish, lose 15 pounds, read a novel every week, call home on Sundays, train for a half marathon, stop checking work emails after 6pm. Whole 30! Dry January! Quit smoking!
Researchers out of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania suggest that “people are more likely to tackle their goals immediately following salient temporal landmarks,” which makes the start of the new year a perfect time to set new, fresh goals for themselves.
Each summer, educators from across the country join Character Lab and Relay GSE to learn about character research from world-class scientists, network with like-minded professionals, and strategize new and innovative ways to infuse character development into their work. Motivate Lab Director, Chris Hulleman, had the opportunity to share some research and best practices for increasing value in the classroom. Check it out here!
Last month, I finally gave up on a much loved, but completely worn-out pair of sneakers and started shopping online for a replacement. A week later, despite reading reviews for at least 15 different shoes and carefully studying a number of sizing charts, I was the proud owner of two poorly-fitting and incredibly uncomfortable pairs of shoes. I had done my research but, in the end, there simply wasn’t a substitute for getting to actually try on the shoes before buying them. But this is not a post about sneakers (obviously). This is a blog about social-psychological interventions.
When former campers look back on their camp experiences, they often reflect on a nostalgic feeling of youthful freedom and exploration. Camp is where many people learned to paddle a canoe, cook over a fire, or conquer their fear of heights. It’s where they got to explore the woods, learn about nature, and how awe inspiring it can be to camp out underneath the stars. But for children, camp has the potential to help children learn to view setbacks as opportunities for growth, and challenges as short-term issues that can be overcome with a little hard work and some ingenuity.
