Between 2006 and 2009, over 275,000 high school students participated in the High School Survey of Student Engagement, which is implemented annually in the United States. The survey focuses on three areas: why students go to school, level of boredom, and the risk of dropping out. The findings were consistent during this period. Nearly 7 out of 10 students go to school because … [Lee más...] about Overcoming boredom, spurring creativity, and challenging assumptions in education
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Targeting Top Teachers to Foster Future Rocket Scientists
Judging from the news it may seem that politicians in the United States dedicate themselves exclusively to political infighting. But one area where there is an opportunity to avoid political gridlock is education. This fall offers a last opportunity for the current Congress to rewrite the country’s major education legislation, known as No Child left Behind. One of the most … [Lee más...] about Targeting Top Teachers to Foster Future Rocket Scientists
El Alto 11: A marathon for better learning
I have been writing about what sports can do for academics and, in particular, the extra academic premium from endurance sports. This post describes one such athletic event that took place in a difficult educational and physical environment: Bolivia’s El Alto 11K, a running race sponsored by BancoSol, on 11 September 2011. Behind the El Alto 11K is the idea that athletics – and … [Lee más...] about El Alto 11: A marathon for better learning
Strong Bodies, Stronger Minds II
In my last blog, I focused on some recent findings that show how much girls can benefit from school-based team sports, not only while in school but much beyond. New research confirms this, but goes even further. It inquires into whether physical exercise in general boosts academics or if there is an extra “academic premium” on any given type of activity. … [Lee más...] about Strong Bodies, Stronger Minds II
Structural solutions
written by: Jorge Mahecha. It's true: There is an epidemic of “enseñas,” or alternative teacher training programs, in Latin America, as Marcelo Cabrol correctly noted in an earlier blog. Enseña por Colombia (ExC), launched early 2011 after a year and a half of initial development, is a young organization going full steam ahead, its first group of teachers set to deploy in … [Lee más...] about Structural solutions