As human beings, we are compelled to achieve quality when we are deeply invested in the work—when our hearts are fully engaged in the task at hand. For young people, classroom thinking and learning is no different.
In science classrooms across the country students are given experiments to perform; they are told what to observe and how to collect data. Even though learners may be having fun in their science classes, are they truly developing essential scientific thinking skills?
These days, it seems everyone is talking about grit, perseverance, 21st century skills, and noncognitive skills, but no one seems to be talking about courage. What does academic courage look like and what happens when students have the courage to overcome fear?
The world is not discipline specific, so how come school is? Ask a chemist what her daily work looks like and you’ll find economics, writing, health, politics, design, and math are all integral parts of the work her lab does.
