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creative thinking

This tag is associated with 6 posts

No Independent Thought or Discussion Allowed in AP Class!

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A friend’s daughter is taking Advanced Placement (AP) World History. During class she and another student got into an engaged discussion about a topic they were studying that both had passionate feelings about and which both were prepared to discuss respectfully and knowledgeably. One had made a statement with which the other had disagreed and … Continue reading »

Mark Bittman: “Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others”

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I so appreciated Mark Bittman’s March 15 opinion piece in the New York Times, “Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.” Our hypocrisy surrounding the treatment of animals is stunning, and Bittman’s essay makes the point powerfully as he recounts the ASPCA’s arrest of a teenage girl for killing her sister’s hamster (a felony) while … Continue reading »

Reflections on Competition in School

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An educational reformer whom I admire very much was kind enough to watch my TEDx talk, “The World Becomes What You Teach,” and provide feedback. While he enjoyed the talk, he had one quibble with it. I had suggested that instead of debate teams in schools (in which students are arbitrarily assigned one side or … Continue reading »

The World Becomes What We Teach

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I wanted to share an essay I wrote that was published on Common Dreams.org, a progressive news site. Here’s a short excerpt: “Rather than offer unconnected academic disciplines, imagine if each year of high school covered a single overarching issue, such as Sustenance, Energy, Production, or Protection. Teachers with expertise in different subjects could provide … Continue reading »

Thinking in School?

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In a recent Huffington Post essay, Eric Maisel presents an argument for adding thinking to school . His idea is simple. Carve out 45 minutes each day for students to ponder big (age-appropriate) questions, write down their thoughts, and present them if they wish. I like this idea, and I would take it further. Readers … Continue reading »

Education is Not Indoctrination

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There are some who argue that education is virtually always synonymous  with indoctrination, and those who hold this position certainly have  evidence to support it. The U.S. government removed native children from  their homes, put them in boarding schools, forbade them from speaking  their own languages, and indoctrinated them with very specific values  and beliefs. … Continue reading »

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