Odile wearing Bonnie's hat (likely under duress)

lost a bet. works surprisingly well as a sun hat though

481.

1.What one event, big or small, are you going to tell your grandchildren about? >> I don’t expect to have grandchildren, and even if I did, I have no idea what I’ll find important enough by that time that I’d want to tell some children about it. 2.If you had to describe your 2019 in 3 words, what would they be? >> I’m going to make an executive decision and change all the “2014″s in this survey to “2019″, because I just realised this is a “your year in review” type of survey and I therefore assume the questions are less about the exact year and more about your experience of whatever year you’re taking it in.  However, I don’t really know how to describe any year in three words, so, pass. 3.What new things did you discover about yourself? >> I don’t think I discovered anything new -- rather, I came to appreciate things I’d otherwise devalued, like my rebelliousness, and made more of an effort to integrate elements of myself that were otherwise causing me dissonance. 4.What single achievement are you most proud of? >> Learning to thrive. 5.What was the best news you received? >> *shrug*

6.What was your favorite place that you visited in 2019? >> I’m just going to cheat and say New Orleans, because it was my third visit but it’s still my favourite. 7.Which of your personal qualities turned out to be the most helpful this year? >> Apathy, actually. Realising that there was no point in trying to care about things that I didn’t actually care about, and letting myself just chill, made it easier for me to recognise what things I do care about. My fucks are a finite resource and I’d rather save them for what matters. 8.Who was your number one go-to person that you could always rely on? >> Can Calah. 9.Which new skills did you learn? >> I don’t think I learned any. 10.What, or who, are you most thankful for? >> Inworld, always. Also, my household and the stability it provides, good food, good wine, the internet, my health and well-being, and my freedom. 11.If someone wrote a book about your life in 2019, what kind of genre would it be? A comedy, love story, drama, film noir or something else? >> I have no idea. It wouldn’t be a good story, though. It was a good year for me, but I doubt there’s enough conflict and development in it to make an interesting narrative out of it. 12.What was the most important lesson you learnt in 2019? >> I don’t know, maybe that trying to force myself to do things just because I think I should (because of something I read, or whatever) isn’t going to work. I just don’t operate that way. Trying to make myself operate that way was just piling on stress for literally no reason. 13.Which mental block(s) did you overcome? >> I don’t know if I overcame any. I think it’s going to take some time. 14.What 5 people did you most enjoy spending time with? >> Hm. 15.What was your biggest break-through moment career-wise? >> --- 16.How did your relationship to your family evolve? >> --- 17.What book or movie affected your life in a profound way? >> I’m not sure what I read or saw this year that affected me that profoundly. 18.What was your favorite compliment that you received this year? >> --- 19.What little things did you most enjoy during your day-to-day life? >> Playing video games, watching funny shows on Netflix/Hulu while eating, sitting in the sun, bothering Sophia the cat, being cozy in bed looking at things on tumblr, going to the wine shop in Wayland and getting to see the dog that’s there sometimes... 20.What cool things did you create this year? >> I didn’t do a lot of creating this year, and that’s one of the things I’m trying to step away from berating myself about. It’s entirely possible that creativity is in an "ebb” state for me -- I’m consuming things, stockpiling them, and all that absorption will come in handy when the “flow” state returns. Or not, but what I’m saying is, I won’t find out how this less-creative phase of my life will go unless I let it play out. Also, my life isn’t impoverished in the slightest -- I’m having a great time experiencing other people’s creations. 21.What was your most common mental state this year (e.g. excited, curious, stressed)? >> Curious and calm. 22.Was there anything you did for the very first time in your life this year? >> Participated in the planning of a wedding. 23.What was your favorite moment spent with your friends? >> --- 24.What major goal did you lay the foundations for? >> I don’t have any major goals. 25.Which worries turned out to be completely unnecessary? >> I don’t know, I don’t recall any real worries that resolved themselves. 26.What experience would you love to do all over again? >> I imagine most of the things I experienced this year will be experienced again at some point. 27.What was the best gift you received? >> --- 28.How did your overall outlook on life evolve? >> My overall outlook has always been a little clouded, but I think I’m better settling into my natural “all will be well, if not now, then eventually” sort of mentality. 29.What was the biggest problem you solved? >> I don’t know. 30.What was the funniest moment of your year, one that still makes it hard not to burst out laughing when you think about it? >> I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. 31.What purchase turned out to be the best decision ever? >> My bed! 32.What one thing would you do differently and why? >> I don’t know. I think I’ve dealt with things this year about as well as could be expected of me at this point in time (which is pretty well, if I say so myself). 33.What do you deserve a pat on the back for? >> I don’t know. 34.What activities made you lose track of time? >> I’m not sure. 35.What did you think about more than anything else? >> I couldn’t possibly keep track of that. 36.What topics did you most enjoy learning about? >> Modern food industry, death stuff (I don’t know what the proper aggregate term would be, lmao -- stuff like cemeteries, the funeral industry, green burial, etc), video game skills, fashion. 37.What new habits did you cultivate? >> I’m not sure. They’re probably integrated now, whatever they are, so I’ve forgotten about them being new once. 38.What advice would you give your early-2019 self if you could? >> Oof, I was heavily depressed at the beginning of the year, so I wouldn’t listen to advice anyway. But I guess I’d just try to remind myself that it won’t last forever. 39.Did any parts of your self or your life do a complete 180 this year? >> No. 40.What or who had the biggest positive impact on your life this year? >> Can Calah, I guess, as usual. 41.What do you want the overarching theme for your 2020 to be? >> I don’t know. More of the same, I guess. Onwards and upwards. 42.What do you want to see, discover, explore? >> I’d like to do more outdoors stuff, but I don’t know how I’m going to accomplish that. I guess I’ll continue to keep my eyes open for opportunities. 43.Who do you want to spend more time with in 2020? >> Hmm. 44.What skills do you want to learn, improve or master? >> I’m not sure. I’m also keeping my eyes open for opportunities to learn new and interesting things, so I suppose eventually I’ll have to run into something that interests me. 45.Which personal quality do you want to develop or strengthen? >> I’m not sure. This kind of thing is also hard for me to quantify in like, a sentence or two or whatever. 46.What do you want your everyday life to be like? >> My current everyday life is great. I wouldn’t mind adding some new things into it, but I’ll take those as they come. 47.Which habits do you want to change, cultivate or get rid of? >> *shrug* 48.What do you want to achieve career-wise? >> --- 49.How do you want to remember the year 2020 when you look back on it 10/20/50 years from now? >> I don’t know, that’s not really something I can control anyway. Hindsight has its own set of lenses. 50.What is your number one goal for 2020? >> I don’t have any goals. 

A Touch of Destiny -ch.3

Drake x OC

Words: 2011

Summary: Drake's been dreaming about a mystery girl, who turned out to be very real.

Some characters belong to Pixelberry and others are my own

  Drake woke, alone in his room at the Belaggio. The sun was just beginning to rise but it hadn’t yet. The sky was still fairly dark, but it was getting lighter by the minute. He threw on his clothes and went out into the suite. No one else was awake, and they probably wouldn’t be for a while. He decided he might as well go watch the sunrise. He thought about going out onto their terrace, but he wanted to get out. As he left the room he thought about his latest dream and sighed. He couldn’t understand it. Why was this happening to him? Why was it happening to her? She dreamed she kissed him. Were their dreams the same?

  He found himself at a little cafe about a block away, that had outdoor seating. As the server brought him his coffee, the sun started to crest the horizon. He looked around and then he saw her a few tables over. Her back was towards him, so she hadn’t seen him yet. He noticed she was also alone. He swallowed

She told me to find her again. This is no coincidence that we’re both here.

Feeling bold, he stood up and made his way over to her, bringing his coffee. Slowly, he slid into the chair next to her. She looked at him in surprise.

“Oh!”

He nodded to the sunrise. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yes” she whispered.

They sat in silence, watching the strip come to life around them. Finally, she spoke again “Couldn’t sleep?”

He turned towards her “I did, but…” he trailed off, not sure if he wanted to talk about their dreams.

She nodded in understanding. “Yeah. But.” She gave him a small smile. “I need to get back before the girls wake and wonder where I am. I don’t need them freaking out on me” she chuckled

“Let me walk you” Drake paid for both of them and they walked side by side back to the Belaggio. When they turned to go their separate ways, he heard her speak.

“So. The Eiffel Tower.”

Drake just looked at her, unsure of what she was talking about.

“We’re going tonight…I hear you guys are too.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then I’ll see you there, Drake.”

When he arrived back at the penthouse, he went back into his room and flopped down on the bed. He buried his face in his pillow and moaned. What was he going to do?

The day went by in a whirlwind of activity. Maxwell and Steve dragged Drake and Liam around everywhere. They were both so excited to see everything and apparently, they didn’t want to waste any time. But Drake barely noticed anywhere they went. He couldn’t name a single thing they had seen. All he could think about was that night.

Finally, after what felt like 8 years, it was time to meet the girls for dinner. Drake hadn’t brought a single so-called “nice” thing to wear. All his clothes were basically the same. A t-shirt with another shirt thrown on top, unbuttoned.

Oh well. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard anyway.

They all traipsed over to the tower and went into the restaurant. The girls were already there and when he saw Jessa it felt like someone punched him in the gut. Tonight, she had on a fiery red dress. She looked slightly uncomfortable, though, and Drake quickly realized why. The way the girls were sitting, she was in one of the outer chairs, so she would have to sit next to one of the guys. Drake stopped walking and Steve bumped into him. His friend looked over his shoulder and smirked. Then he pushed Drake just hard enough to send him stumbling into the open chair next to her. He made a mental note to kick Steve’s ass later. But in the meantime, he sat down.

Champagne was ordered for the table and Drake really wanted to start a conversation with her. He was so confident in his dreams, and it was killing him that he was anything but now that he had met her. So, he turned to say something to Liam instead, but found him completely engrossed in a conversation with another girl. This one looked a bit like Jessa, and Drake wondered if they were related.

“So, what do you do, Drake?”

He turned his attention back to Jessa, who was now eyeing him curiously.

“I’m in school.” He told her

She started chuckling. “That’s great, but what do you go for? What are you studying?”

Drake was mesmerized by her dusty green eyes.

“Or do you just crash the lecture halls and take notes?”

Drake grinned. “I’m studying to be a Veterinarian. My mom has a ranch in Texas, and I’d like to be closer to her. I could tend to her horses and other livestock. What about you?”

“I’m a writer.” She answered. “Probably nothing you’ve ever read.”

Drake raised an eyebrow “Why do you say that? What do you write?”

“She appeals more to the…. female population.” The girl next to Liam broke in. “Sorry. Couldn’t help but overhear.”

He noticed them exchange a Look.

“I’m Riley, Jessa’s half-sister.” The girl said. “We actually just found out about each other not that long ago. But I feel like I’ve known her forever.”

“Right back at ya, sis” Jessa responded

Ah. That explains the similarity

Between Liam and Riley joining in, the conversation stayed light. The evening turned to night and it seemed everyone had a pretty good buzz going. Drake was bordering drunk, but he didn’t care. He had a beautiful woman next to him and they were about to go catch an amazing view.

When everyone arrived on the lookout, they all started splitting off into groups to go check out different areas. Drake found himself wandering over to where Jessa stood.

“This is all so beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked him

Drake nodded “Possibly the most the beautiful thing I’ve seen.” Only he wasn’t looking down on Vegas. She saw him looking straight at her and a flush spread over her cheeks. Hearing a burst of laughter, they both looked over to see Liam, Maxwell, and Steve all hanging on to every word Riley was saying. Jessa laughed lightly

“She draws attention everywhere she goes, I swear. It would be really annoying if I didn’t like her so much.”

Drake chuckled. “I feel the same about my friend, Liam. Everyone falls all over him.”

“You’re not from here, are you?” She asked

He shook his head. “Cordonia, actually. It’s a small country. But my mom is American. I lived in Cordonia my whole life, but it never really felt like home. So, I decided to try New York. They have great academics, there’s always something to do. Not that I always want to be doing something” he added quickly. “I also like to just stay home and relax. And whiskey, I like whiskey.” He was rambling now.

Jessa laughed again. “This is crazy, isn’t it? I don’t understand what’s happening here. I mean, I feel like I know you. And I already knew you loved whiskey.”

“About that…” Drake started. “How did you know my name?”

She flushed again. “I don’t have a good answer for that. Not one that makes sense, anyway.”

Drake nodded in understanding.

“Look, Drake. You seem like a really nice guy, but I’m sort of seeing someone.”

“Sort of?” Drake pressed

“It’s…. complicated.” she said slowly.

They started hearing clapping and noticed everyone admiring a large fountain below them, that was lighting up the night in all colors imaginable.

Drake watched it in admiration. He now had no idea what else to say to this girl. She had a boyfriend and he didn’t want to come between them.

“This reminds me of fireworks.” She stated. She was looking at Drake from the corner of her eye.

Drake stared at her in surprise. “But it’s water. Pretty much the opposite of fireworks.”

She turned towards him. “I think fireworks would be just as beautiful from up here. Don’t you think?”

Drake tilted his head. “I believe so, yes. I may have seen them once.”

“Oh yeah? When?” She challenged

“Remember when I told you that I slept...but?”

She nodded. “I remember the ‘but’”

Drake shrugged “Perhaps I saw them in a dream…or maybe I felt them when you kissed me.”

“Oh, you just had to go there, didn’t you?” She laughed, punching his arm lightly.

He grinned “Hey, you asked.” He was looking down at Jessa and her eyes were sparkling. “You, know, Jessa. We are in Vegas…and what happens in Vegas…”

Drake had no idea what he was saying. He’d never been this bold in his life. But there was something about her, something about this place, something he felt whenever she was around. He didn’t want to lose that. Her smile was slowly fading, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her lips. Leaning forward, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. The world slowly faded around them and she was all he could feel. She may protest when he wasn’t kissing her, but when he was, nothing else mattered. It was just them.

Breaking apart, he rested his forehead on hers. “I don’t exactly know why but…I don’t want to say goodbye to you.”

“I’m going back to New York tomorrow.” She whispered. “I’m really sorry, but. We do need to say goodbye.”

Drake took a step back and nodded. He could practically feel the lightness he had been feeling turning into a heavy weight. Then he turned and walked away, unable to continue the conversation.

He went straight to the elevator to go back down and get back to his room. Just as the doors were closing, someone jetted in. It was Riley, Jessa’s half-sister.

“Drake, wait. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

Drake raised an eyebrow “It sounds like she does. She has a boyfriend. She doesn’t know what to do with me. So, I’m taking myself out. I don’t like games.”

“But it’s not a game! Look, she would kill me if she knew I was telling you this but…I have been listening to her talk about you for weeks. She’s just freaked out that those dreams actually mean something, that you actually exist. Just like I’m sure you are too, or at least, you were at first.”

“No, I still am.” Drake told her

“Her boyfriend, if you can even call him that, is a complete moron. He doesn’t know what a good thing he has going. He’s ashamed of her. But she won’t tell you that, and she doesn’t want anyone to see that, but we all do. And now here you are, in the flesh. And I don’t think you’d be ashamed of her at all.”

“What on earth could he be ashamed about?” Drake asked. That just didn’t make sense.

“Here’s her phone number. Give me yours and I’ll make sure she gets it. I can’t tell you anymore. Just trust me when I tell you that you would be good for her.”

“You don’t even know me” Drake stated

“I know what she’s told me, and I may have asked your friends about you, as well. You’re not a serial killer, right?”

Drake couldn’t stop himself from laughing at that.

“Then it’s settled. Take this paper right here…” She stuffed a piece of paper in Drake’s hand. “And write your phone number on this one.” She gave him a blank piece of paper and pen. He hesitated just a second before scrawling his phone number. And then for some unknown reason, he wrote down his address too.

She grinned at him. “I’ll be seeing you in New York. With Jessa. You’ll see.”

Drake stepped off the elevator and Riley stayed in. “I’m going back up. You sure you don’t want to come?”

Drake ran a hand through his hair, thinking, but then shook his head.

“Alright then. Goodnight Drake.”

   @blackwidow2721 @sleepwalkingelite @flowerpowell @agent-bossypants @annekebbphotography @carabeth @imaketerriblechoices @notoriouscs @debramcg1106 @nikkis1983 @furiousherringoperatortoad @zaffrenotes @missevabean @ooo-barff-ooo @wannabemc2 @littleeeepeach @innerpostmentality @sarwin85

How I’d Change School

Almost no one’s happy with school these days. Kindergarteners are sitting in front of devices for 4-5 hours a day. Teens are dreading daily online meetings and getting prescriptions for “Zoom fatigue.” Some of this is growing pains—kids, teachers, and parents are being asked to completely change the way they do school on a moment’s notice, and change like that doesn’t come easily. But that’s not the only reason.

There just aren’t many great options left. Parents don’t want their kids stuck on the computer all day, nor do they want them in class masked up and unable to touch or play with their peers. There are big problems in every direction.

Change is in the air. People are fed up with the new way of doing things and realizing they don’t like the old way all that much either. I don’t have kids in school anymore, but I do have a grandkid who will be in school soon. Besides, everyone who lives in a country has a stake in the school system of that country. The schools shape the people who become the adults who shape the nation. That affects everyone. Something needs to change.

If I could wave a wand, how would I change school?

Here’s what I’d like to see:

Later start times

8:30, 9 AM. This would give kids extra sleep. Everyone needs sleep, but kids need it more than anyone. It helps them consolidate memories and recently learned skills.1 Even the CDC has called for later start times2 for schools. as kids especially need a lot of sleep. Kids are staying up later and later than ever before. Particularly in studies using teen subjects, delaying school start times by 25-60 minutes can increase total sleep duration by 25-75 minutes per weeknight.3 That’s up to more than an hour of extra sleep a night, five days a week. That’s a huge ROI.

There’s more beneficial fallout that the studies don’t address. When you push the start time back, the mornings are less stressful for everyone. Instead of giving your kid a ziploc bag full of dry cereal, you’re scrambling eggs, slicing apples, and frying bacon. You’re not worried about being late, you’re taking your time. Hell, maybe there’s even time to walk to school.

Stay on track no matter where you are! Sign up for our Primal and Keto Guide to Eating Out

Better food

Just go full whole food Primal with a macronutrient-agnostic bent:

Full-fat dairy

Real meat and eggs and seafood

Fruit and vegetables

Starchy tubers

No seed oils or gluten or refined sugar

That may sound strict. You may think “kids would never go for that.” It may be overkill. And you couldn’t control what kids ate at home or brought for lunch, and not everyone would participate in the program. But just imagine: We’d finally see what could happen if you removed most of the processed seed oil-and-sugar-and gluten-laden junk from kids’ diets—on a national scale.

A nation of kids eating eggs and fruit and kefir and potatoes cooked in butter for breakfast, a burger patty and yam for lunch with a side of full-fat milk. You’ve seen what getting some good protein, fat, and clean carbs in your kids for breakfast and lunch can do. Imagine everyone else’s kids eating the same thing. That could change the world.

Walking to school

I used to run to school every single day. That’s actually how I got into cross country running at an early age: I realized I could beat the bus to school if I just ran. So I did. Those daily runs to and from school introduced little bouts of pure freedom and adventure into my life that made me who I am today. Until several years ago, kids weren’t even allowed to show up to school alone. They needed to be dropped off or accompanied by a parent or guardian. I’d go a step further. At my ideal grade school, the default would be arriving alone. If a parent wanted to drop their kid off, they’d need a permission slip and doctor’s note.

I’m kidding, of course. But kids these days need that freedom and adventure more than ever, however they can get it. There’s not as much to go around.

More and longer recess

Recess is shrinking. Most grade school kids are lucky to get a single 20 minute block of free outdoor play per day. Some schools don’t even give first graders any recess at all, and a disturbing number of them even hold recess hostage as a punishment for poor behavior or performance.4 This is a travesty, not only because recess (and PE) increase physical activity and step count, but because physical activity improves learning and reduces acting out. In one Texas grade school, implementing four 15-minute recesses a day reduced bullying and tattling, improved focus and eye-contact, and even stopped the neurotic pencil chewing teachers were noticing among their students. The kids are testing ahead of schedule despite less actual classroom time and test prep. Recess improves academic performance, and physical play improves subsequent learning capacity. Give a kid a 15 minute play break for every 45 minutes of book learning and he’ll learn more than the kid who studies an hour straight.

Recess needs to be longer. The absolute daily minimum is 45 minutes (spread across 1-3 sessions including lunch), though I’d like to see the entire day spent outside with movement interlaced with learning/lessons.

Hold classes outdoors

The benefits are immense and irrefutable:

Kids with ADHD can focus better after exposure to green spaces.

Kids who frequently spend time outdoors get sick less often and show better motor skills and physical coordination.5

Kids with exposure (even just visual) to nature have better self-discipline.6

For kids dealing with stress at home (who isn’t?), nature can act as a buffer.7

Kids with consistent daily sun exposure have more vitamin D, better circadian rhythms, and stronger immune systems.

The more outdoor time a kid gets, the lower his or her risk of myopia.

Add to those the general benefits of green space seen in all humans and the outdoor classroom setting looks more attractive.

Ideally, the entire school day takes place outdoors, but even a small daily nature excursion is better than nothing.

Walking classrooms

We’ve all heard of Socrates’ peripatetic school, where he’d lead his students on walks around Greece while lecturing and leading discussions. This is incredible. Who else loves going on hikes with friends not just for the nature, but for the incredible conversations you end up embroiled in? There’s something special about physical movement that stimulates mental movement. Physical flow promotes cognitive blood flow.

The kids could make stops to write and do some deeper work, but class discussions and lectures could easily happen on the move.

More deep work, one subject per day

This isn’t the only way, but I think many kids and teens would thrive on a “one subject a day” schedule that allowed them to really immerse themselves in a subject or project. Imagine reading an entire book from start to finish. Imagine working on an art project all day long. Imagine getting lost in history, going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, following whatever thread tugs on you.

Kids tend to obsess over things. Schools should take advantage of that.

Eliminate almost all rules at recess

Kids should be able to climb trees, roughhouse, leap fences, ride bikes, play tag, play dodgeball, play butts up, and all the other classic playground games that carry a modicum of danger. Kids shouldn’t be expelled for playing cops and robbers or making finger guns. Staff intervenes only if kids request it or injury is imminent. The whole point is to introduce kids to risk. Navigating relatively small risks (skinned knee, hurt feeling, short fall, wounded pride) builds mettle and prepares developing brains to deal with bigger risks. It makes them more anti-fragile. People talk about school as preparation for the meat grinder of “real life,” but most schools eliminate any real prep work because adults mediate every conflict, grievance, hogged sandbox, and stolen dinosaur toy.

Tons of climbable structures and trees

Kids (and adults) need to climb things. It’s fun, it builds strength, and introduces manageable risk and responsibility. You get stuck up in a tree, you get yourself unstuck. You can climb all the trees you want, but you’ll have to get yourself down.

I’m imagining networks of trees and structures all over the playground and campus to the point that a kid could get anywhere without touching the ground. There’s actually a great book about this: The Baron in the Trees, by Italo Calvino. It’s about a young Italian nobleman who runs away from home as a child to live in the trees surrounding his estate and stays there for the rest of his life, never touching the ground.

No busy homework

The evidence for homework is weak to nonexistent.8 Instead of giving five year olds an hour of paperwork to complete or 15 year olds four hours of work, give them open-ended suggestions.

“Read a book with your parents and tell the class about your favorite part of the story.”

“Find 7 leaves, each from a different tree, and bring them to class.”

“Start a business. Come up with a business plan, a product, and marketing materials.”

Enabling deep work and deep learning during the school day would make most “busy” homework pointless.

Bring back “tracks”

Only don’t limit these tracks to “academics.” It’s not that you split the kids up by “smart” or “dumb” or “advanced” and “behind.” You allow the kids to establish their own track based on interest and aptitude. You get more specific with the tracks.

Someone wants to just do math all day? Let them focus on that.

Someone shows promise as an artist? Let them draw and paint to their heart’s content.

Someone’s obsessed with video games? Let them learn to make their own.

Obviously, even a math-obsessed whiz kid should also read great literature, but I’m not sure the math whiz kid needs to be writing essays on “Brave New World.” Simply reading it is probably enough.

More doing and playing

Humans learn best by doing. Everyone accepts that we learn languages best by speaking it or being thrown into a foreign country, not by reading language lessons. But learning through doing works for everything. Learning the fundamentals matters, but only if you also practice them. I learned to write by reading and aping other writers. This even works in subjects like math. One American educator, Benezet, showed that children who delayed formal math instruction in favor of natural math instruction (doing) until 8th grade quickly caught up to and outperformed kids taught the traditional way.

You could very well teach simple arithmetic by playing card games like Blackjack or Addition War or Subtraction War.

You could teach (or reinforce) grammar by playing MadLibs. Or just giving kids cool things to read.

What else?

More trades

Don’t just bring back the old woodshop and metalshop. Introduce full-blown apprenticeship programs. Paid ones.

Plumbing

Masonry

Carpentry

Electrician

Agriculture

Automotive

And so on

Name a profession and you can probably figure out an apprenticeship program. Heck, this already exists in many states. Check out the listings for California apprenticeships for an idea of what’s possible. Many high schools can even set this up. I bet there are guidance counselors who currently do it, or have. But is it the norm? No. It should be.

Lots of kids would really benefit.

Teach basic competencies

There are basic physical skills everyone should learn.

Swimming

Self defense

First aid

Physical fitness (running, sprinting, climbing, strength standards)

And other “non-physical” core competencies:

Budgeting

Cooking

Cleaning

Laundry

Bill paying/taxes

Home economics, in other words.

Mixed ages

Segregation by age makes little evolutionary sense (until the public school system arose, children had historically hung out with other children of all ages). As a kid, whenever we weren’t in school I’d rove around my neighborhood in age-desegregated packs. It was all very fluid. We’d have the bigger kids leading the way, the smaller ones tagging along, and because everyone pretty much lived in the same place their whole lives, kids would graduate into different roles and new kids would always be coming up in the ranks. Without age mixing children miss out on many benefits:9

Younger kids can’t learn from older kids.

Older kids can’t learn how to teach younger kids.

Younger kids can only do age appropriate activities. With an older kid’s help, a younger child can accomplish much more. Two 4-year olds throwing a frisbee around is an exercise in futility. Include a 7-year old and it gets a whole lot more productive for everyone.

If any of this sounds good to you, what are you waiting for? No politician is going to make this happen. The Department of Education certainly won’t make these changes. You have to make it happen, either by finding a school that does this or creating your own curriculum at home. If you have the option, consider gathering together with a few other families to form a “pod” to realize your vision.

If that’s not feasible, get together with other like-minded families and petition your district for incremental change.

No one school or parent can enact all these changes. Some conflict. Some are downright impossible in certain environments. But even if you just implemented one or two of these ideas, you could have a positive impact.

What do you think, readers? Parents, kids, non-parents, teens, teachers: what does your ideal vision of early education look like?

What would you change? What you add or take away to the current set up?

Thanks for reading.

(function($) { $("#dfApI8O").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=dfads_ajax_load_ads&groups=674&limit=1&orderby=random&order=ASC&container_id=&container_html=none&container_class=&ad_html=div&ad_class=&callback_function=&return_javascript=0&_block_id=dfApI8O" ); })( jQuery );

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24329882

http://www.cdc.gov/features/school-start-times/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26545246

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23834604

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1012576913074#page-1

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494401902415

http://eab.sagepub.com/content/35/3/311.abstract

http://rer.sagepub.com/content/76/1/1.abstract

http://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/3-4-article-gray-age-mixed-play.pdf

The post How I’d Change School appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

How I’d Change School published first on https://venabeahan.tumblr.com

How I’d Change School

Almost no one’s happy with school these days. Kindergarteners are sitting in front of devices for 4-5 hours a day. Teens are dreading daily online meetings and getting prescriptions for “Zoom fatigue.” Some of this is growing pains—kids, teachers, and parents are being asked to completely change the way they do school on a moment’s notice, and change like that doesn’t come easily. But that’s not the only reason.

There just aren’t many great options left. Parents don’t want their kids stuck on the computer all day, nor do they want them in class masked up and unable to touch or play with their peers. There are big problems in every direction.

Change is in the air. People are fed up with the new way of doing things and realizing they don’t like the old way all that much either. I don’t have kids in school anymore, but I do have a grandkid who will be in school soon. Besides, everyone who lives in a country has a stake in the school system of that country. The schools shape the people who become the adults who shape the nation. That affects everyone. Something needs to change.

If I could wave a wand, how would I change school?

Here’s what I’d like to see:

Later start times

8:30, 9 AM. This would give kids extra sleep. Everyone needs sleep, but kids need it more than anyone. It helps them consolidate memories and recently learned skills.1 Even the CDC has called for later start times2 for schools. as kids especially need a lot of sleep. Kids are staying up later and later than ever before. Particularly in studies using teen subjects, delaying school start times by 25-60 minutes can increase total sleep duration by 25-75 minutes per weeknight.3 That’s up to more than an hour of extra sleep a night, five days a week. That’s a huge ROI.

There’s more beneficial fallout that the studies don’t address. When you push the start time back, the mornings are less stressful for everyone. Instead of giving your kid a ziploc bag full of dry cereal, you’re scrambling eggs, slicing apples, and frying bacon. You’re not worried about being late, you’re taking your time. Hell, maybe there’s even time to walk to school.

Stay on track no matter where you are! Sign up for our Primal and Keto Guide to Eating Out

Better food

Just go full whole food Primal with a macronutrient-agnostic bent:

Full-fat dairy

Real meat and eggs and seafood

Fruit and vegetables

Starchy tubers

No seed oils or gluten or refined sugar

That may sound strict. You may think “kids would never go for that.” It may be overkill. And you couldn’t control what kids ate at home or brought for lunch, and not everyone would participate in the program. But just imagine: We’d finally see what could happen if you removed most of the processed seed oil-and-sugar-and gluten-laden junk from kids’ diets—on a national scale.

A nation of kids eating eggs and fruit and kefir and potatoes cooked in butter for breakfast, a burger patty and yam for lunch with a side of full-fat milk. You’ve seen what getting some good protein, fat, and clean carbs in your kids for breakfast and lunch can do. Imagine everyone else’s kids eating the same thing. That could change the world.

Walking to school

I used to run to school every single day. That’s actually how I got into cross country running at an early age: I realized I could beat the bus to school if I just ran. So I did. Those daily runs to and from school introduced little bouts of pure freedom and adventure into my life that made me who I am today. Until several years ago, kids weren’t even allowed to show up to school alone. They needed to be dropped off or accompanied by a parent or guardian. I’d go a step further. At my ideal grade school, the default would be arriving alone. If a parent wanted to drop their kid off, they’d need a permission slip and doctor’s note.

I’m kidding, of course. But kids these days need that freedom and adventure more than ever, however they can get it. There’s not as much to go around.

More and longer recess

Recess is shrinking. Most grade school kids are lucky to get a single 20 minute block of free outdoor play per day. Some schools don’t even give first graders any recess at all, and a disturbing number of them even hold recess hostage as a punishment for poor behavior or performance.4 This is a travesty, not only because recess (and PE) increase physical activity and step count, but because physical activity improves learning and reduces acting out. In one Texas grade school, implementing four 15-minute recesses a day reduced bullying and tattling, improved focus and eye-contact, and even stopped the neurotic pencil chewing teachers were noticing among their students. The kids are testing ahead of schedule despite less actual classroom time and test prep. Recess improves academic performance, and physical play improves subsequent learning capacity. Give a kid a 15 minute play break for every 45 minutes of book learning and he’ll learn more than the kid who studies an hour straight.

Recess needs to be longer. The absolute daily minimum is 45 minutes (spread across 1-3 sessions including lunch), though I’d like to see the entire day spent outside with movement interlaced with learning/lessons.

Hold classes outdoors

The benefits are immense and irrefutable:

Kids with ADHD can focus better after exposure to green spaces.

Kids who frequently spend time outdoors get sick less often and show better motor skills and physical coordination.5

Kids with exposure (even just visual) to nature have better self-discipline.6

For kids dealing with stress at home (who isn’t?), nature can act as a buffer.7

Kids with consistent daily sun exposure have more vitamin D, better circadian rhythms, and stronger immune systems.

The more outdoor time a kid gets, the lower his or her risk of myopia.

Add to those the general benefits of green space seen in all humans and the outdoor classroom setting looks more attractive.

Ideally, the entire school day takes place outdoors, but even a small daily nature excursion is better than nothing.

Walking classrooms

We’ve all heard of Socrates’ peripatetic school, where he’d lead his students on walks around Greece while lecturing and leading discussions. This is incredible. Who else loves going on hikes with friends not just for the nature, but for the incredible conversations you end up embroiled in? There’s something special about physical movement that stimulates mental movement. Physical flow promotes cognitive blood flow.

The kids could make stops to write and do some deeper work, but class discussions and lectures could easily happen on the move.

More deep work, one subject per day

This isn’t the only way, but I think many kids and teens would thrive on a “one subject a day” schedule that allowed them to really immerse themselves in a subject or project. Imagine reading an entire book from start to finish. Imagine working on an art project all day long. Imagine getting lost in history, going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, following whatever thread tugs on you.

Kids tend to obsess over things. Schools should take advantage of that.

Eliminate almost all rules at recess

Kids should be able to climb trees, roughhouse, leap fences, ride bikes, play tag, play dodgeball, play butts up, and all the other classic playground games that carry a modicum of danger. Kids shouldn’t be expelled for playing cops and robbers or making finger guns. Staff intervenes only if kids request it or injury is imminent. The whole point is to introduce kids to risk. Navigating relatively small risks (skinned knee, hurt feeling, short fall, wounded pride) builds mettle and prepares developing brains to deal with bigger risks. It makes them more anti-fragile. People talk about school as preparation for the meat grinder of “real life,” but most schools eliminate any real prep work because adults mediate every conflict, grievance, hogged sandbox, and stolen dinosaur toy.

Tons of climbable structures and trees

Kids (and adults) need to climb things. It’s fun, it builds strength, and introduces manageable risk and responsibility. You get stuck up in a tree, you get yourself unstuck. You can climb all the trees you want, but you’ll have to get yourself down.

I’m imagining networks of trees and structures all over the playground and campus to the point that a kid could get anywhere without touching the ground. There’s actually a great book about this: The Baron in the Trees, by Italo Calvino. It’s about a young Italian nobleman who runs away from home as a child to live in the trees surrounding his estate and stays there for the rest of his life, never touching the ground.

No busy homework

The evidence for homework is weak to nonexistent.8 Instead of giving five year olds an hour of paperwork to complete or 15 year olds four hours of work, give them open-ended suggestions.

“Read a book with your parents and tell the class about your favorite part of the story.”

“Find 7 leaves, each from a different tree, and bring them to class.”

“Start a business. Come up with a business plan, a product, and marketing materials.”

Enabling deep work and deep learning during the school day would make most “busy” homework pointless.

Bring back “tracks”

Only don’t limit these tracks to “academics.” It’s not that you split the kids up by “smart” or “dumb” or “advanced” and “behind.” You allow the kids to establish their own track based on interest and aptitude. You get more specific with the tracks.

Someone wants to just do math all day? Let them focus on that.

Someone shows promise as an artist? Let them draw and paint to their heart’s content.

Someone’s obsessed with video games? Let them learn to make their own.

Obviously, even a math-obsessed whiz kid should also read great literature, but I’m not sure the math whiz kid needs to be writing essays on “Brave New World.” Simply reading it is probably enough.

More doing and playing

Humans learn best by doing. Everyone accepts that we learn languages best by speaking it or being thrown into a foreign country, not by reading language lessons. But learning through doing works for everything. Learning the fundamentals matters, but only if you also practice them. I learned to write by reading and aping other writers. This even works in subjects like math. One American educator, Benezet, showed that children who delayed formal math instruction in favor of natural math instruction (doing) until 8th grade quickly caught up to and outperformed kids taught the traditional way.

You could very well teach simple arithmetic by playing card games like Blackjack or Addition War or Subtraction War.

You could teach (or reinforce) grammar by playing MadLibs. Or just giving kids cool things to read.

What else?

More trades

Don’t just bring back the old woodshop and metalshop. Introduce full-blown apprenticeship programs. Paid ones.

Plumbing

Masonry

Carpentry

Electrician

Agriculture

Automotive

And so on

Name a profession and you can probably figure out an apprenticeship program. Heck, this already exists in many states. Check out the listings for California apprenticeships for an idea of what’s possible. Many high schools can even set this up. I bet there are guidance counselors who currently do it, or have. But is it the norm? No. It should be.

Lots of kids would really benefit.

Teach basic competencies

There are basic physical skills everyone should learn.

Swimming

Self defense

First aid

Physical fitness (running, sprinting, climbing, strength standards)

And other “non-physical” core competencies:

Budgeting

Cooking

Cleaning

Laundry

Bill paying/taxes

Home economics, in other words.

Mixed ages

Segregation by age makes little evolutionary sense (until the public school system arose, children had historically hung out with other children of all ages). As a kid, whenever we weren’t in school I’d rove around my neighborhood in age-desegregated packs. It was all very fluid. We’d have the bigger kids leading the way, the smaller ones tagging along, and because everyone pretty much lived in the same place their whole lives, kids would graduate into different roles and new kids would always be coming up in the ranks. Without age mixing children miss out on many benefits:9

Younger kids can’t learn from older kids.

Older kids can’t learn how to teach younger kids.

Younger kids can only do age appropriate activities. With an older kid’s help, a younger child can accomplish much more. Two 4-year olds throwing a frisbee around is an exercise in futility. Include a 7-year old and it gets a whole lot more productive for everyone.

If any of this sounds good to you, what are you waiting for? No politician is going to make this happen. The Department of Education certainly won’t make these changes. You have to make it happen, either by finding a school that does this or creating your own curriculum at home. If you have the option, consider gathering together with a few other families to form a “pod” to realize your vision.

If that’s not feasible, get together with other like-minded families and petition your district for incremental change.

No one school or parent can enact all these changes. Some conflict. Some are downright impossible in certain environments. But even if you just implemented one or two of these ideas, you could have a positive impact.

What do you think, readers? Parents, kids, non-parents, teens, teachers: what does your ideal vision of early education look like?

What would you change? What you add or take away to the current set up?

Thanks for reading.

(function($) { $("#dfI2YJ7").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=dfads_ajax_load_ads&groups=674&limit=1&orderby=random&order=ASC&container_id=&container_html=none&container_class=&ad_html=div&ad_class=&callback_function=&return_javascript=0&_block_id=dfI2YJ7" ); })( jQuery );

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24329882

http://www.cdc.gov/features/school-start-times/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26545246

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23834604

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1012576913074#page-1

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494401902415

http://eab.sagepub.com/content/35/3/311.abstract

http://rer.sagepub.com/content/76/1/1.abstract

http://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/3-4-article-gray-age-mixed-play.pdf

The post How I’d Change School appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

How I’d Change School published first on https://drugaddictionsrehab.tumblr.com/

How I’d Change School

Almost no one’s happy with school these days. Kindergarteners are sitting in front of devices for 4-5 hours a day. Teens are dreading daily online meetings and getting prescriptions for “Zoom fatigue.” Some of this is growing pains—kids, teachers, and parents are being asked to completely change the way they do school on a moment’s notice, and change like that doesn’t come easily. But that’s not the only reason.

There just aren’t many great options left. Parents don’t want their kids stuck on the computer all day, nor do they want them in class masked up and unable to touch or play with their peers. There are big problems in every direction.

Change is in the air. People are fed up with the new way of doing things and realizing they don’t like the old way all that much either. I don’t have kids in school anymore, but I do have a grandkid who will be in school soon. Besides, everyone who lives in a country has a stake in the school system of that country. The schools shape the people who become the adults who shape the nation. That affects everyone. Something needs to change.

If I could wave a wand, how would I change school?

Here’s what I’d like to see:

Later start times

8:30, 9 AM. This would give kids extra sleep. Everyone needs sleep, but kids need it more than anyone. It helps them consolidate memories and recently learned skills.1 Even the CDC has called for later start times2 for schools. as kids especially need a lot of sleep. Kids are staying up later and later than ever before. Particularly in studies using teen subjects, delaying school start times by 25-60 minutes can increase total sleep duration by 25-75 minutes per weeknight.3 That’s up to more than an hour of extra sleep a night, five days a week. That’s a huge ROI.

There’s more beneficial fallout that the studies don’t address. When you push the start time back, the mornings are less stressful for everyone. Instead of giving your kid a ziploc bag full of dry cereal, you’re scrambling eggs, slicing apples, and frying bacon. You’re not worried about being late, you’re taking your time. Hell, maybe there’s even time to walk to school.

Stay on track no matter where you are! Sign up for our Primal and Keto Guide to Eating Out

Better food

Just go full whole food Primal with a macronutrient-agnostic bent:

Full-fat dairy

Real meat and eggs and seafood

Fruit and vegetables

Starchy tubers

No seed oils or gluten or refined sugar

That may sound strict. You may think “kids would never go for that.” It may be overkill. And you couldn’t control what kids ate at home or brought for lunch, and not everyone would participate in the program. But just imagine: We’d finally see what could happen if you removed most of the processed seed oil-and-sugar-and gluten-laden junk from kids’ diets—on a national scale.

A nation of kids eating eggs and fruit and kefir and potatoes cooked in butter for breakfast, a burger patty and yam for lunch with a side of full-fat milk. You’ve seen what getting some good protein, fat, and clean carbs in your kids for breakfast and lunch can do. Imagine everyone else’s kids eating the same thing. That could change the world.

Walking to school

I used to run to school every single day. That’s actually how I got into cross country running at an early age: I realized I could beat the bus to school if I just ran. So I did. Those daily runs to and from school introduced little bouts of pure freedom and adventure into my life that made me who I am today. Until several years ago, kids weren’t even allowed to show up to school alone. They needed to be dropped off or accompanied by a parent or guardian. I’d go a step further. At my ideal grade school, the default would be arriving alone. If a parent wanted to drop their kid off, they’d need a permission slip and doctor’s note.

I’m kidding, of course. But kids these days need that freedom and adventure more than ever, however they can get it. There’s not as much to go around.

More and longer recess

Recess is shrinking. Most grade school kids are lucky to get a single 20 minute block of free outdoor play per day. Some schools don’t even give first graders any recess at all, and a disturbing number of them even hold recess hostage as a punishment for poor behavior or performance.4 This is a travesty, not only because recess (and PE) increase physical activity and step count, but because physical activity improves learning and reduces acting out. In one Texas grade school, implementing four 15-minute recesses a day reduced bullying and tattling, improved focus and eye-contact, and even stopped the neurotic pencil chewing teachers were noticing among their students. The kids are testing ahead of schedule despite less actual classroom time and test prep. Recess improves academic performance, and physical play improves subsequent learning capacity. Give a kid a 15 minute play break for every 45 minutes of book learning and he’ll learn more than the kid who studies an hour straight.

Recess needs to be longer. The absolute daily minimum is 45 minutes (spread across 1-3 sessions including lunch), though I’d like to see the entire day spent outside with movement interlaced with learning/lessons.

Hold classes outdoors

The benefits are immense and irrefutable:

Kids with ADHD can focus better after exposure to green spaces.

Kids who frequently spend time outdoors get sick less often and show better motor skills and physical coordination.5

Kids with exposure (even just visual) to nature have better self-discipline.6

For kids dealing with stress at home (who isn’t?), nature can act as a buffer.7

Kids with consistent daily sun exposure have more vitamin D, better circadian rhythms, and stronger immune systems.

The more outdoor time a kid gets, the lower his or her risk of myopia.

Add to those the general benefits of green space seen in all humans and the outdoor classroom setting looks more attractive.

Ideally, the entire school day takes place outdoors, but even a small daily nature excursion is better than nothing.

Walking classrooms

We’ve all heard of Socrates’ peripatetic school, where he’d lead his students on walks around Greece while lecturing and leading discussions. This is incredible. Who else loves going on hikes with friends not just for the nature, but for the incredible conversations you end up embroiled in? There’s something special about physical movement that stimulates mental movement. Physical flow promotes cognitive blood flow.

The kids could make stops to write and do some deeper work, but class discussions and lectures could easily happen on the move.

More deep work, one subject per day

This isn’t the only way, but I think many kids and teens would thrive on a “one subject a day” schedule that allowed them to really immerse themselves in a subject or project. Imagine reading an entire book from start to finish. Imagine working on an art project all day long. Imagine getting lost in history, going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, following whatever thread tugs on you.

Kids tend to obsess over things. Schools should take advantage of that.

Eliminate almost all rules at recess

Kids should be able to climb trees, roughhouse, leap fences, ride bikes, play tag, play dodgeball, play butts up, and all the other classic playground games that carry a modicum of danger. Kids shouldn’t be expelled for playing cops and robbers or making finger guns. Staff intervenes only if kids request it or injury is imminent. The whole point is to introduce kids to risk. Navigating relatively small risks (skinned knee, hurt feeling, short fall, wounded pride) builds mettle and prepares developing brains to deal with bigger risks. It makes them more anti-fragile. People talk about school as preparation for the meat grinder of “real life,” but most schools eliminate any real prep work because adults mediate every conflict, grievance, hogged sandbox, and stolen dinosaur toy.

Tons of climbable structures and trees

Kids (and adults) need to climb things. It’s fun, it builds strength, and introduces manageable risk and responsibility. You get stuck up in a tree, you get yourself unstuck. You can climb all the trees you want, but you’ll have to get yourself down.

I’m imagining networks of trees and structures all over the playground and campus to the point that a kid could get anywhere without touching the ground. There’s actually a great book about this: The Baron in the Trees, by Italo Calvino. It’s about a young Italian nobleman who runs away from home as a child to live in the trees surrounding his estate and stays there for the rest of his life, never touching the ground.

No busy homework

The evidence for homework is weak to nonexistent.8 Instead of giving five year olds an hour of paperwork to complete or 15 year olds four hours of work, give them open-ended suggestions.

“Read a book with your parents and tell the class about your favorite part of the story.”

“Find 7 leaves, each from a different tree, and bring them to class.”

“Start a business. Come up with a business plan, a product, and marketing materials.”

Enabling deep work and deep learning during the school day would make most “busy” homework pointless.

Bring back “tracks”

Only don’t limit these tracks to “academics.” It’s not that you split the kids up by “smart” or “dumb” or “advanced” and “behind.” You allow the kids to establish their own track based on interest and aptitude. You get more specific with the tracks.

Someone wants to just do math all day? Let them focus on that.

Someone shows promise as an artist? Let them draw and paint to their heart’s content.

Someone’s obsessed with video games? Let them learn to make their own.

Obviously, even a math-obsessed whiz kid should also read great literature, but I’m not sure the math whiz kid needs to be writing essays on “Brave New World.” Simply reading it is probably enough.

More doing and playing

Humans learn best by doing. Everyone accepts that we learn languages best by speaking it or being thrown into a foreign country, not by reading language lessons. But learning through doing works for everything. Learning the fundamentals matters, but only if you also practice them. I learned to write by reading and aping other writers. This even works in subjects like math. One American educator, Benezet, showed that children who delayed formal math instruction in favor of natural math instruction (doing) until 8th grade quickly caught up to and outperformed kids taught the traditional way.

You could very well teach simple arithmetic by playing card games like Blackjack or Addition War or Subtraction War.

You could teach (or reinforce) grammar by playing MadLibs. Or just giving kids cool things to read.

What else?

More trades

Don’t just bring back the old woodshop and metalshop. Introduce full-blown apprenticeship programs. Paid ones.

Plumbing

Masonry

Carpentry

Electrician

Agriculture

Automotive

And so on

Name a profession and you can probably figure out an apprenticeship program. Heck, this already exists in many states. Check out the listings for California apprenticeships for an idea of what’s possible. Many high schools can even set this up. I bet there are guidance counselors who currently do it, or have. But is it the norm? No. It should be.

Lots of kids would really benefit.

Teach basic competencies

There are basic physical skills everyone should learn.

Swimming

Self defense

First aid

Physical fitness (running, sprinting, climbing, strength standards)

And other “non-physical” core competencies:

Budgeting

Cooking

Cleaning

Laundry

Bill paying/taxes

Home economics, in other words.

Mixed ages

Segregation by age makes little evolutionary sense (until the public school system arose, children had historically hung out with other children of all ages). As a kid, whenever we weren’t in school I’d rove around my neighborhood in age-desegregated packs. It was all very fluid. We’d have the bigger kids leading the way, the smaller ones tagging along, and because everyone pretty much lived in the same place their whole lives, kids would graduate into different roles and new kids would always be coming up in the ranks. Without age mixing children miss out on many benefits:9

Younger kids can’t learn from older kids.

Older kids can’t learn how to teach younger kids.

Younger kids can only do age appropriate activities. With an older kid’s help, a younger child can accomplish much more. Two 4-year olds throwing a frisbee around is an exercise in futility. Include a 7-year old and it gets a whole lot more productive for everyone.

If any of this sounds good to you, what are you waiting for? No politician is going to make this happen. The Department of Education certainly won’t make these changes. You have to make it happen, either by finding a school that does this or creating your own curriculum at home. If you have the option, consider gathering together with a few other families to form a “pod” to realize your vision.

If that’s not feasible, get together with other like-minded families and petition your district for incremental change.

No one school or parent can enact all these changes. Some conflict. Some are downright impossible in certain environments. But even if you just implemented one or two of these ideas, you could have a positive impact.

What do you think, readers? Parents, kids, non-parents, teens, teachers: what does your ideal vision of early education look like?

What would you change? What you add or take away to the current set up?

Thanks for reading.

(function($) { $("#dfqepXS").load("https://www.marksdailyapple.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=dfads_ajax_load_ads&groups=674&limit=1&orderby=random&order=ASC&container_id=&container_html=none&container_class=&ad_html=div&ad_class=&callback_function=&return_javascript=0&_block_id=dfqepXS" ); })( jQuery );

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24329882

http://www.cdc.gov/features/school-start-times/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26545246

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23834604

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1012576913074#page-1

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494401902415

http://eab.sagepub.com/content/35/3/311.abstract

http://rer.sagepub.com/content/76/1/1.abstract

http://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/3-4-article-gray-age-mixed-play.pdf

The post How I’d Change School appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

How I’d Change School published first on https://venabeahan.tumblr.com