The other day I was asked by my supervisor whether I thought my students were enjoying shop class as much as they used to. I had to admit that fewer students had been signing up for shop at recess than in previous years. She was surprised. She knew during tours of our school the shop is always a big draw. It’s true. I see the potential students on the tour. They get to the shop and their eyes widen and a look of great excitement comes over most of them. Their parents/guardians too get … [Read more...]
Neuroscience and Learning
At the Learning & the Brain Conference, November 15-17 in Boston, teaching professionals from around the world gathered to hear renowned educators and neuroscientists explore new developments linking the two fields. One such workshop, Common Core and Neuroscience, presented ways that educators are able to meet the pedagogical shifts demanded by the Common Core by understanding the newest research from neuroscience. Jay McTighe and Judy Willis, MD, M.Ed., combined forces, noting that … [Read more...]
NISCE Ventures to Brooklyn
On October 23, NISCE co-hosted their first out-of-state professional conversation in Brooklyn, New York at the Miccio Center (NYCHA) in Red Hook with Find & Seek and WE Endeavor. We provided valuable context to the meeting with our model of "Why Context Matters– A Professional Conversation on Student-Centered Education.”The discussion was facilitated by Anna Allanbrook, the principal of Brooklyn New School, and included voices from Red Hook Playgroup, Bumblebees R Us, the Alex House … [Read more...]
Achievement Gap or Opportunity Gap?
On Wednesday, October 30th, at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA, Dr. Carroll Blake, the Executive Director for the Achievement Gap for Boston Public Schools, will facilitate a discussion following the screening of American Promise. The documentary provides a rare look into the lives of two middle-class black families as they navigate the ups and downs of parenting and educating their sons. The film aims to empower boys of color, their parents and educators and to help close access and … [Read more...]
NISCE To Host Sundance Award-Winning Film “American Promise”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Documentary Provides an Intimate and Personal Look at Race, Class and Opportunity. Arlington, MA, October 8, 2013 - The National Institute for Student-Centered Education (NISCE) and Schools for Children, Inc. (SFC) in honor or Black Male Achievement Month will host a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary "American Promise." Theatrical openings in New York and Los Angeles are October 18 and October 25, and NISCE and SFC will host the first public screening in … [Read more...]
Mindfulness in the Classroom: A Growing Trend
MINDFULNESS A recent article in the March 15, 2013 Huffington Post says "some schools have started incorporating mindfulness programs into their curriculums, teaching kids as young as five years old how to use body scans, mindful breathing and attention to their thoughts and emotions to become more focused." NEARI is one of those schools.More and more teachers are introducing contemplative or mindfulness-based practices into their classrooms. By using these approaches every day, they are … [Read more...]
Interview with Monty Neill, Ed.D., Executive Director, FairTest
On Wednesday, September 18th at the Regent Theater in Arlington, MA, Monty Neill, the Executive Director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest) will be facilitating a discussion following the screening of August to June. The movie calls into question the emphasis on test-based accountability and its influence on the way in which today's curriculum is being narrowed, impacting children’s joy of learning, sense of belonging, creative expression and self confidence.In a … [Read more...]
NISCE To Host Documentary Film Series on Education
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFilm Series To Explore K-12 Education Models And Their Impact On Learning Arlington, MA, August 14, 2013—The National Institute for Student-Centered Education (NISCE) along with Schools for Children, Inc. (SFC) will host a Film Series on Education throughout the 2013-2014 Academic Year. The films have been chosen to provoke discussion and generate thinking about current models of K-12 education. NISCE’s goal is to engage the broader community in discussion on the current … [Read more...]
Supporting Learner Differences
DIFFERENCES Every child's brain is wired and then rewired differently depending upon the child's experiences. What a child does in his/her life physically alters what his or her brain looks like.These statements or similar ones are heard and read everywhere today--on the radio, T.V. talk shows, the Internet, popular literature, national educational and science conferences, teacher workshops, and in the news media. Most of us would probably say we have both heard them and agree with what they … [Read more...]
What Lies Ahead in Education is Up to Us
The Future of Education Steps away from the Massachusetts State House, Strategies for Children, a non-profit advocacy and policy organization seeking to have a positive impact on young children and families, held a conversation reminiscent of NISCE Professional Conversations. The panel discussion was titled Education Reform at 20: What Lies Ahead and was supported by the Boston Bar Association. Panelists acknowledged the impact of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993, noting that it … [Read more...]
