Using Validation to Help Regulate Emotions

Kim CarterLearning about Learning, Learning Specialists, Nonverbal thinking, Social Emotional Learning, Whole Child

This post by Sara Caitlyn Deal was originally posted on Southeast Psych’s blog.  Have you ever said something mean when you were angry that you later regretted? Or sent an email when you were really upset that later you wished was never sent? We have all done these things but communicating when overwhelmed with emotion does not usually work well. … Read More

Memory, Social Cognition, and Predicting the Future

Kim CarterBrain Facts, Learning, Learning about Learning, Memory, Social Cognition, Social Emotional Learning, Whole Child

A recent article in Harvard Magazine reports on the research of psychology professor, Daniel Schater, who is delving into  memory, social cognition and how the mind imagines the future. From the article: During the past decade, Schacter says, a revolution has occurred in the field of memory science: researchers have shown that memory is responsible for much more than the … Read More

Storytelling’s Impact on Empathy (and the Architecture of the Brain)

Kim CarterBrain Facts, Classroom Culture, Learning, Social Emotional Learning

Paul Zak, who TED Talks describes as, “a pioneer in the field of neuroeconomics,” shares his thoughts and insights on the power of storytelling to affect change in the architecture of the brain in the below video — a collaboration between him, filmmaker Kirby Ferguson, and animator Henrique Barone for the Future of Storytelling conference. He opens with a powerful … Read More

Paradox of Students’ “Deficits” As Society’s Strengths

Kim CarterAffinities, Classroom Culture, Differentiated Learning, Learning Challenges, Research, Social Cognition, Social Emotional Learning, Student Strengths, Student Weaknesses, Whole Child

The Economist article, “In praise of misfits,” lays out the business-related benefits of what the author  calls “creatives,” “anti-social geeks,” “oddball quants,” and “rule-breaking entrepreneurs.” While the entire article is well worth the read, we have pulled out a few quotes to help frame the idea that we should work tirelessly to help our school system to support these “misfits.” … Read More

Transforming Batch and Queue

Kim CarterClassroom Culture, Learning, School Culture, Social Emotional Learning, Whole Child

Kim Carter, the Executive Director of our parent organization, Q.E.D. Foundation, was recently interviewed by the the good folks over at KQED’s Mindshift blog for a piece on competency-based learning. As a leading expert in the field, she had a number of insights into both the benefits of competency-based learning and critiques of the traditional “batch and queue” model.  Among … Read More

Brief Review of L. Todd Rose’s “Square Peg”

Kim CarterAttention, Brain Facts, Learning, Learning about Learning, Learning Challenges, Social Emotional Learning, Student Strengths, Teachers, Whole Child

“Behavior isn’t something someone ‘has.’ Rather, it emerges from the interaction of a person’s biology, past experiences, and immediate context.” L. Todd Rose, from his book, Square Peg For students with learning differences schools can be (and often are) incredibly trying places. Imagine being a kid who wants to do well — motivated, eager to please, and enjoys interacting with … Read More

Words that Ignite Learning

Kim CarterClassroom Culture, Learning, Learning about Learning, Social Emotional Learning, Strategies for teachers, Teacher Effectiveness

Below is a guest post by Kevin Washburn, Ed.D., author of “Architecture of Learning” and Executive Director of Clerestory Learning. His most recent recording at a Learning and Brain Conference can be found here.  It seems like a ridiculous question: Can a teacher’s words influence student learning?  Of course, we’d respond, how well a teacher explains new ideas naturally influences … Read More

Social Emotional Learning Core Competencies

Kim CarterClassroom Culture, Differentiated Instruction, Differentiated Learning, Learning, Learning about Learning, Social Cognition, Social Emotional Learning, Whole Child

Seeing the forest despite the trees. Our nation’s educational focus continues to zero in on “achievement” as defined by test scores in specific academic areas and the resulting gaps therein. This hyper focus exacerbates our nearly systematic blind eye related to learning for living and cultivating life long learners. As a result, policies that increase the stakes of standardized assessments … Read More

Your Brain in Love (TEDtalk)

Kim CarterBrain Facts, Social Cognition, Social Emotional Learning

Your Brain — Valentine’s Edition. Here is Helen Fisher’s TED Talk from TED 2008. Helen’s bio on the TED website reads, Anthropologist Helen Fisher studies gender differences and the evolution of human emotions. She’s best known as an expert on romantic love, and her beautifully penned books — including Anatomy of Love and Why We Love — lay bare the … Read More