Views on school refusal depend on beliefs about children and human rights. By Peter Gray Ph.D. Freedom to Learn Every state and country where school is compulsory is faced with the problem commonly labeled school refusal. Everywhere, a significant number of kids strongly resist going to school and manage to skip a […]

Take a good look at it. It won’t look half as good in the morning. Brent Hofacker via Depositphotos Order pizza, and there’s a good chance it’s gone within hours. Something about that round wheel of dough, melted cheese, warm tomato sauce, and seemingly countless topping possibilities is simply irresistible. […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

When children write freely, they say they escape from everyday thinking. from shutterstock.com Ask a child why they write and you might receive a common response: the teacher told me to. Kids often lack confidence as writers and find it emotionally draining. The problem might be the classroom and its detachment from what writers […]

Nearly half of kids in a study were harmed by their peers. from shutterstock.com Many Australian students don’t know the difference between banter and bullying, with some saying they joke about wishing their friend would “drown” or “die in a car crash”. More than 800 Australian students aged 11-16 took […]