Here’s my theory about why some early childhood programs help and others hurt. by Peter Gray Ph.D. Freedom to Learn Head Start was founded in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty and it has been going strong ever since. This past year the program enrolled about 1 […]
Dissections are a staple of high school science classes. But they may not benefit everyone. (Credit: PJ Garrett/Shutterstock) Each time Karina Frey picked up a scalpel to begin a dissection in her high school science classes, she felt sad. “I’m an animal lover,” she says, “so knowing animals were killed […]
Research conducted at Swansea University and the University of Milan has shown that students who use digital technology excessively are less motivated to engage with their studies, and are more anxious about tests. Internet Use Reduces Study Skills in University Students Research conducted at Swansea University and the University of […]
Fewer people are reading novels for pleasure than in the past. from shutterstock.com Public anxiety about the capacity of digital-age children and young adults to read anything longer than a screen grab has come to feel like moral panic. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest we must take […]
Summer is a great time to catch up on some reading. from shutterstock.com An Australian summer can be a holiday by the beach, recovering from exams, or anticipating the next stage of schooling. The summer break can also offer a wonderful opportunity to catch up on some reading. Award-winning author […]
Here are comments from exasperated kindergarten teachers throughout the country. From Peter Gray Ph.D. Freedom to Learn Last month I posted an article describing the stand that kindergarten teachers in Brookline, Massachusetts, took in protesting the policies imposed upon them from above—the excessive testing, dreary drill, and lack of opportunity for playful, creative, […]
Fairness makes play possible, and children learn fairness in play. From Peter Gray Ph.D. Freedom to Learn I am a long-time admirer of Marc Bekoff and his research on play among canids (wolves, coyotes, dogs and the like). I was happy, therefore, to see his recent Psychology Today blog post entitled When […]
Over the next few weeks, many preschoolers will meet their foundation teachers, spend some time in a classroom and hopefully make some new friends. from shutterstock.com The transition from preschool to school is a big deal for many children and parents. Over the next few weeks, many preschoolers will take part in […]
How can teachers bring common sense and compassion to education policy? The research is clear. Academic training in kindergarten has no long-term benefit. In fact, it has long-term harm. It does not reduce the education gap between rich and poor, which is the usual reason offered for such training. It slightly increases […]
A traditional maths problem involving pizza will be very far removed from real life. from shutterstock.com In real life, ordering pizza for a group of people involves having a conversation about what people like, how much they can eat, how much they want to spend and whether pineapple really belongs […]