“A Ganar has helped me find my way, and others need help too.” – Jamali Farrell, Most Improved, A Ganar 2016-2017 Jamali Farrell, is a 16-year-old boy who was skeptical about entering A Ganar, an after-school program for at-risk youth. But his skepticism soon changed as he realized it was changing him: He had started to learn the importance of discipline, punctuality, paying … [Lee más...] about A Ganar: a life-changing experience for Barbadian youth
youth at risk
Wired to survive, not to learn
What is the cost of violence? Start with the human toll. In Brazil, around 60,000 people are murdered each year, a figure that reaches 29/100,000 inhabitants and is the highest for any country not at war. Ten percent of all homicides in the world happen in Brazil. Add this to the economic costs. Brazil lost almost 4% of its GDP – about US$124 billion - to violence in 2014. This … [Lee más...] about Wired to survive, not to learn
What if we talk about the YES-YES?
Let’s imagine for a moment the life of Carlos, a 17-year old student attending high school in Latin America. Right after school, Carlos goes straight to the auto repair shop close to his house, where he works part-time. In a few words, Carlos is a "YES-YES", a young person who goes to school and goes to work. Although the high proportion of NEETs in Latin America is indeed … [Lee más...] about What if we talk about the YES-YES?
Live off the land, learn about life
The smiles and curious faces of young people of the Agricultural College Foundation at Colonia Pirai (FCP) in Santa Cruz, greeted me warmly. They are students who are part of a project that is improving the lives of the residents of a region almost forgotten: the green and quality land of eastern Bolivia. … [Lee más...] about Live off the land, learn about life
Study music to improve test scores
High stakes tests have had a tremendous impact in curriculum and pedagogy. Often, when greater emphasis is placed on national exams, which are used as a gauge of school quality, teachers are tempted to teach to the test. Also, schools tend to decrease time dedicated to courses such as art, music and foreign languages, which are not included in these tests. More time is … [Lee más...] about Study music to improve test scores
