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1. I’m interested in how intelligence/ability is assessed through written language and how fluency in written language is integral to accurate assessment in mainstream uk education

2. I am interested in punishment in relation to learning differences. It is one of the only disabilities that an individual will receive punishment. I'm interested in how education systems can be oppressive.

3. Finally, in relation to empathy, I am interested in lived experience as a way of learning how to empathise with particular issues. In the same way as blue eyes, brown eyes experiment (Jane Elliott) showed racism in the form of lived experience to encourage empathy. I'm curious if this is possible to explore with learning differences and encouraging empathy towards people that have learning differences. (I am aware there are lots of studies on going in this particular area)

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1.I feel panic and anger towards China's exam-oriented education system. While it efficiently screens talents, it hinders individual development. Self-exploration and creativity education are sorely lacking. On the contrary, Iceland's education system emphasizes practical and participatory learning, with exams not being the sole evaluative criteria, fostering a conducive environment for children to grow and collaborate. I want to explore how to awaken children's creativity, self-confidence, and self-exploration awareness through interactive workshops and similar approaches.

2I believe that many Asian students are afraid of making mistakes. Even high-achieving students find it difficult to ask "silly questions" openly, and I attribute this fear to the punitive nature of the education system. If a student scores below the class average, they may face harsh criticism from teachers and be labelled as "stupid" or "lazy," a phenomenon normalized in our society. Furthermore, the traditional Eastern cultural dynamic between teachers and students has never been one of equality. There's a proverb that says, "One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father," implying that even a teacher who has taught for just one day should be respected as a father figure for a lifetime. I believe that mutual respect is paramount, but achieving equality in the teacher-student relationship in China poses a significant challenge. Nonviolent communication provides a potential solution. I want to explore how to promote nonviolent communication effectively to make people realize the importance of treating each other with equality and respect.

3.I believe empathy education can start by enhancing students' awareness. In China, most students in a school are Han Chinese, with only a small minority belonging to ethnic minorities, resulting in minimal cultural differences. Additionally, the Chinese education system tends to discourage the development of individuality, favoring uniformity as an ideal. In schools, teachers often enforce mainstream moral values, which, rather than fostering empathy, might hinder its development. I think genuine expression of individual viewpoints and feelings, acknowledging personal differences, is crucial for mutual understanding. I am interested in researching how countries in Europe and America approach this issue, seeking valuable lessons and insights for reflection.

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My interest in justice/education is in knowing that people who do not have some form of education are the ones most likely to end up in the Justice system. So when education is available to all in the country -it is not working for some and those are the people I feel need the help. It must stress teachers as well as students when a strict curriculum is imposed, however I understand the need for measurement.

I’m interested in equipping people with the confidence to follow their path, make hard decisions, learn discipline- not in aid of other people's goals but their own. Empowering. There was a book I listened to by a psychiatrist and in an example of how he approached his damaged youths he found something they really wanted to do/be good at and helped them do it- the example in the book was ping pong, and becoming good at ping pong, practising, seeing progress and achieving over the space of a few years the ability to do something they never thought was possible. This is a stepping stone I believe to bigger things.

Through my work with Outside In, I have spent time with artists who face barriers to the art world as we know it, art is how they cope/ articulate many of their lives experiences of disability/mental health etc. one autistic non verbal and very angry boy (Raki) through art became calm, found a purpose, was better to communicate and he even hugged me, something previously that would have been impossible. Art can break down barriers for people who have not seen their worth otherwise. My own story included.

I’m interested in finding the universal, something core/fundamental to human experience that can be a tool for people anywhere, wherever they are in the world.

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Empathetic communication, within the context of the educational milieu, entails the integration of empathy into the pedagogical framework to foster a sense of belonging and self-assurance in children from an early developmental stage. This involves optimizing educational methodologies to accommodate the diverse learning styles and objectives of each individual. Recognizing the distinct and varied needs of each child, devoid of any discriminatory practices, is imperative. Furthermore, it necessitates the endorsement of a comprehensive array of activities aligned with a child's interests, coupled with the provision of requisite opportunities and resources at the institutional level. It is incumbent upon educational institutions to disseminate awareness among parents regarding the imperative role of empathy in a child's educational trajectory, with the ultimate aim of nurturing confident individuals free from insecurities.

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Based on my research, I found that East Asian countries lack creativity in education, ignoring the diversity and differences among people, and that under standardized curricula, people are planned to be standard products on an assembly line. This is especially reflected in art education, where creativity is most needed. I believe that society is in need of lifelong learners who can be self-directed, rather than a large number of loyal and easily managed nationals under the Prussian education system. In today's society, with the rapid advancement of technology, a high level of creativity and logical thinking is more important than obeying instructions and mastering basic skills.

https://medium.com/writ340-summer2020/art-education-in-china-assembly-line-for-artisans-876872f4c079

I watched a documentary about Finnish education. They have "phenomenal teaching", which is based on real-life topics and incorporates knowledge from various subjects so that children can apply what they have learned in their lives. Secondly, they have good childcare benefits, and the government gives a lot of benefits to schools and families. Thirdly, there is tolerance, acceptance and respect for children, and respect for individualized differences. Finnish education celebrates freedom, there is no great competition and everyone focuses on pure love and learning. In art classes, for example, children are not comparing who can draw well, but enjoying the process of doing it. Schools also deliberately downplay competition, and every child has a fair chance of getting an education.

I want to try to build a whole new education system that incorporates government policy, school planning, parents as well as students. The final output may be an arts education workshop to try to implement part of this system, starting with the aspect of the arts that requires the most creativity and in which we are good at.

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Research: Alternative approach to education UK

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Research: Alternative approach to education UK

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Each project is unique and is designed to help address specific challenges identified in the school's development plan. In addition, it aims to nurture the creativity of learners, raise attainment aligned to Welsh Government's priorities and support whole school change to prepare for Curriculum for Wales 2022.

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Each project is unique and is designed to help address specific challenges identified in the school's development plan. In addition, it aims to nurture the creativity of learners, raise attainment aligned to Welsh Government's priorities and support whole school change to prepare for Curriculum for Wales 2022.

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Current education systems lack creativity, empathy, and individual development, hindering students' growth. There is a need to reimagine education to foster self-expression, confidence, and inclusivity for all learners.

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Research: How it feels to be other/ empathy tool 

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Research: How it feels to be other/ empathy tool 

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this is what reading is like if you have dyslexia - cnn

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This is what reading is like if you have dyslexia - CNN

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With a Web code, Victor Widell is making it easier for others to understand how reading with dyslexia might feel.

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A little more than a week ago, I wrote a review of an art show by the artist and TikTok sensation Devon Rodriguez, best known for live drawing subway riders. He is, by some measures, the most famous artist in the world, with many millions of social media followers. He did not like the review.

It went up on a Friday. On Saturday morning, I woke up to a tidal wave of anger from Rodriguez on Instagram, tagging me across scores of posts. Hundreds of his followers went on the attack, swarming my Instagram: "loser," "hater," "pathetic," "jealous," "your a dick," and on and on and on. There were many creative variations on "kill yourself." Others said they were going to get me fired, or said things like, "we are going to start a cancellation campaign against you." A large number thought that defending Rodriguez meant calling me bald, ugly, fat, or whatever they thought could get under my skin. Most didn't seem to have actually read my article. A contingent went after my wife. "Some women will do anything for money," one commented. That one was funny, actually.

After a few days Rodriguez ceased tagging me, and the wave of hate cooled down. "@benstoppable love will always outshine being a hater, I hope I taught you that today," Rodriguez posted.

Meanwhile, I also received an urgent email from UTA Artist Space: "Devon (who we represent) nor UTA was given a chance to respond to this very negative and one-sided article." I wrote back that I had never heard of an artist demanding to comment on a review in advance, but that if Rodriguez or UTA wanted to write a reply, we would publish it.

It's not the first time that an artist has been mad at me-only the first time that an artist with this particular type of fame has gone out of his way to unleash his fans in this way. It's also not anywhere near the worst or most important thing going on in the world, obviously. Nevertheless, I do think it raises some larger issues worth thinking about.

A Shifting Attention Economy

In his torrent of posts, Rodriguez takes big issue with my opener: "Devon Rodriguez is almost certainly the most famous artist in the world, at least on one level," I wrote. "Almost no one I know has ever heard of him. Except if you say: 'he's the painter who draws people on the subway, from TikTok.' Then sometimes they will light up with recognition."

His response: "no one he knows has ever heard of me... as if the people that HE knows are more important than everybody else in this world that follows me.. Sorry that I'm not a part of your pretentious circle @benstoppable."

But the spirit of the article is clearly, if you read it, the exact opposite of what Rodriguez seems to think it is: I'm arguing that traditional art circles should take the phenomenon seriously, and think through what is really going on with this kind of art career. Rodriguez has a lot of cultural clout-but the fact is that most people who go to museums and galleries or who regularly read about art haven't heard of him.

This is a very weird feature of the cultural present. Instead of art that gains traction over time via traditional channels and then breaks out to a wider audience, there are now regularly art phenomena that get explosively popular with an immense audience, leaving art institutions and everyone else to sort out what a particular cultural trend means after it has already happened.

Rodriguez is acting as if he is being unfairly scrutinized when he is one of the most influential artists out there, someone who works with A-list celebrities, who the New York Times says has made as much as $30,000 a day working with mega-brands like Cheetos, who has numerous press agents working to stage-manage his image, who is the ambassador for what contemporary art is to the largest possible audience-he even teaches a Masterclass on realistic portrait painting!

"Dude has PRs putting him in the room with the president and he's acting like you are gatekeeping him," someone wrote me. (I should mention that I've received a lot of support too.)

In fact, the only way I can understand Rodriguez's incredibly thin-skinned reaction to my article is that he has managed to rise to this status of apex visibility without any kind of critical writing about him at all. It's all just been feel-good profiles, so that the first critical word feels like a huge crisis. That's a relatively new kind of situation for an artist to be in, and worth analyzing.

Art Criticism and Parasocial Relationships

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" was a phrase that commenters repeated a lot. Rodriguez's art content makes people happy, so why be "negative?" Quite a few people posted variations on, "what is even the point of art critics?" So let me say what purpose an article like the one I wrote might serve.

First: With regard to the paintings themselves, simply repeating press-release hype isn't healthy for anyone. It happens all the time that artists get stuck doing whatever first brought them success, and dealers or marketers encourage them to just do the same thing because it's the easiest thing to sell, thereby undermining what could be a more enduring career.

As I repeat in the article, Rodriguez seems a gifted painter, in a photo-inspired realist style. At the same time, when it comes to the show I reviewed, " Underground," the subject matter is well-trodden territory. We have 100-plus years of painters doing subway scenes, from Reginald Marsh to Jordan Casteel, so the question of what is different or exceptional about these particular versions of the theme is accented. Maybe this doesn't matter to his audience, but it probably does matter to people who are interested in painting.

Still, my question was not even this. It was whether the paintings on their own were enough to explain his extraordinary popularity. And the answer to that question is clearly no.

That brings me to the second point, which is where the case of Devon Rodriguez is specifically interesting. Basically, I'm arguing that we should think of his social media posts as part of his practice, to be reviewed in and of themselves. These are, after all, not just how he got famous; in some sense they are what he is really famous for. And they are in many cases clearly staged. (There is a long and robust online debate by artists about how real his subway clips are.)

Take his post from October 4, where Rodriguez draws a dancer on the London Underground, who turns out to be Sabrina Bahsoon, a.k.a. " Tube Girl." "I love your moves-are you a professional dancer?" Rodriguez asks at the climax of the clip as he hands the drawing to Bahsoon, who has three quarters of a million TikTok followers and signed with The Hive modeling agency this year. "Definitely not!" she replies, feigning surprise.

What do his fans think is going on here? That Rodriguez happened to be in London, and happened to come upon another famous TikToker, and that she continued to dance in front of him for 30 minutes as he sat drawing her, with multiple cameras filming the two of them and his drawing pad, as he created a hyper-detailed portrait of Bahsoon that looks like it is sourced from a close-up photo? The comments are full of people marveling: "How did you do that? She wasn't standing still. Absolutely incredible." Or: "HOW DO YOU DRAW THEM WHEN THEY ARE MOVING A LOT?" Or: "Your work is amazing. I keep wondering how you keep the pencil steady on a moving train." Great questions!

Is it "mean" to point out how fake this is? If there's no criticism of it, here's what I think will happen: All the marketing companies and PR people looking to piggyback on Rodriguez's popularity will stuff his feed with more and more cringe celebrity content and half-baked promo ideas until his social-media presence is bled dry of whatever charm it has.

And meanwhile, a lot of fans coming across art through his channel will get a totally confused idea of how contemporary art-celebrity works. Which brings me to the last and most important answer to the question of why I think it's worth writing about Rodriguez seriously: Because he is a role model for a ton of young artists, and they deserve an actual assessment of what is going on.

"While Devon is instantly recognizable as a TikTok sensation, his story about his rise as a fine artist-from his childhood in the South Bronx to his Subway paintings and achieving Masterclass-worthy expertise-is something we are incredibly excited to share with the art world and beyond," his agent, Arthur Lewis, wrote in the press release for "Underground." Artists' personal stories have long been part of how art is marketed, from Vincent van Gogh to Frida Kahlo, but in those cases, the artists' paintings attracted interest first, and the biography became part of its legend as its fame grew. Today, personal biography and narrative are more important than ever in the gallery-most art comes equipped with some kind of story. But social media gives an added twist: Hordes of people can feel as if they have a relationship with a painter like Devon Rodriguez without ever having had any direct experience of his painting at all.

"What if he was your son??" someone posted at me angrily. This comment is emblematic. It's not the kind of thing one normally says about an artist getting a critical review (unless the criticism is extremely over the top and disproportionate to the status of the artist in question). Generally, the point of presenting an art show in public is to see if it can hold the attention of people who don't directly know you.

But it seems to me that the majority of Rodriguez's fans are most engaged by his appealing social-media persona, not his actual artworks. If this is the case, then it's logical to think that it changes how criticism is perceived. His followers feel like I am attacking a person they like, not judging artworks or analyzing a media phenomenon. I think that explains the character of the reaction, which has a level of raw personal anger completely out of joint with what I wrote in my article.

Recently there's been a lot of writing on the increasing currency of " parasocial relationships " in media, that is, the imaginary, one-sided friendships people develop with celebrities and influencers in their heads. It seems to me that Devon Rodriguez's title as the "most popular painter in the world" shows what a powerful cultural force a "parasocial aesthetic" can be-it's probably more powerful (or at least more accessible) than interest in paint on canvas.

All the same, Devon Rodriguez's art agents and PR handlers might gently tell him that, if one of the things you are selling is likability and good vibes, cheering on this kind of vicious reaction every time you get a review you don't like is probably not a sustainable career path.

Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.

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The World's Most Popular Painter Sent His Followers After Me Because He Didn't Like a Review of His Work. Here's What I Learned | Artnet News

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Ben Davis on the fallout from his critical review of Devon Rodriguez's "Underground," and what it says about "parasocial aesthetics."

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How to Promote Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in the Classroom

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Promoting equality and diversity in education is essential for both teachers and students. Find a range of activities for you to use in the classroom here.

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Primary Research Yuanxin: A Reflection based on a discussion about justice and empathy between my friend and me

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Primary Research Yuanxin: A Reflection based on a discussion about justice and empathy between my friend and me

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My journalist friend, who also serves as a game organizer for primary school students, found herself in a bit of a pickle. Picture this: during a quiz game, the responsiveness of buzzers in one team lagged notably behind. Subsequent to the game's conclusion, a student from the team that faced defeat voiced discontent, proclaiming, 'This is unjust!' Given the circumstances, how would one navigate such a situation? With the game concluded, resetting due to the outburst of a singular child is untenable. However, the veracity of the slower response time of the buzzers in this team cannot be dismissed. If the pursuit of fairness is considered a virtue, it necessitates a broader perspective, underpinned by compassion. It entails not solely fixating on 'minor, easily contestable injustices' but also acknowledging the existence of 'larger injustices' (such as the commendable efforts invested by the game organizer, who tolerates variances in buzzer responsiveness). Nevertheless, my journalist associate, adopting a tactful approach, underscored that our world requires individuals who, like the indignant child, draw attention to 'minor injustices.' Their queries stimulate improvement in buzzer manufacturing processes, fostering advancements in technological and institutional sophistication. She counselled the child to recognize their triumphs in numerous other competitions, extending beyond the scope of this particular event. Regrettably, the child remained steadfast in their protest, vehemently declaring, 'I attended with the objective of emerging victorious!' This scenario evokes recollections of my childhood experiences partaking in games with companions, such as the red scarf relay. The incorporation of scarves of varied materials and conditions introduced intricacies in knotting and untying, yet the overall sentiment was one of merriment. It is worth noting that in self-organized games of this nature, imperfections in fairness are typically accommodated without dispute. However, when games are orchestrated and overseen by authoritative figures, the sense of injustice tends to be more pronounced.

Yuanxin

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Research:  Empathy exhibition/tool/ walk in my shoes

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Research:  Empathy exhibition/tool/ walk in my shoes

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In contrast to racial homogenization, based on humanism, focuses on homophilic education and individual diversity.

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It was the end of term at Kirkkojarvi Comprehensive School in Espoo, a sprawling suburb west of Helsinki, when Kari Louhivuori, a veteran teacher and the school's principal, decided to try something extreme-by Finnish standards. One of his sixth-grade students, a Kosovo-Albanian boy, had drifted far off the learning grid, resisting his teacher's best efforts. The school's team of special educators-including a social worker, a nurse and a psychologist-convinced Louhivuori that laziness was not to blame. So he decided to hold the boy back a year, a measure so rare in Finland it's practically obsolete.

Finland has vastly improved in reading, math and science literacy over the past decade in large part because its teachers are trusted to do whatever it takes to turn young lives around. This 13-year-old, Besart Kabashi, received something akin to royal tutoring.

"I took Besart on that year as my private student," Louhivuori told me in his office, which boasted a Beatles "Yellow Submarine" poster on the wall and an electric guitar in the closet. When Besart was not studying science, geography and math, he was parked next to Louhivuori's desk at the front of his class of 9- and 10-year- olds, cracking open books from a tall stack, slowly reading one, then another, then devouring them by the dozens. By the end of the year, the son of Kosovo war refugees had conquered his adopted country's vowel-rich language and arrived at the realization that he could, in fact, learn.

Years later, a 20-year-old Besart showed up at Kirkkojarvi's Christmas party with a bottle of Cognac and a big grin. "You helped me," he told his former teacher. Besart had opened his own car repair firm and a cleaning company. "No big fuss," Louhivuori told me. "This is what we do every day, prepare kids for life."

This tale of a single rescued child hints at some of the reasons for the tiny Nordic nation's staggering record of education success, a phenomenon that has inspired, baffled and even irked many of America's parents and educators. Finnish schooling became an unlikely hot topic after the 2010 documentary film Waiting for "Superman" contrasted it with America's troubled public schools.

"Whatever it takes" is an attitude that drives not just Kirkkojarvi's 30 teachers, but most of Finland's 62,000 educators in 3,500 schools from Lapland to Turku-professionals selected from the top 10 percent of the nation's graduates to earn a required master's degree in education. Many schools are small enough so that teachers know every student. If one method fails, teachers consult with colleagues to try something else. They seem to relish the challenges. Nearly 30 percent of Finland's children receive some kind of special help during their first nine years of school. The school where Louhivuori teaches served 240 first through ninth graders last year; and in contrast with Finland's reputation for ethnic homogeneity, more than half of its 150 elementary-level students are immigrants-from Somalia, Iraq, Russia, Bangladesh, Estonia and Ethiopia, among other nations. "Children from wealthy families with lots of education can be taught by stupid teachers," Louhivuori said, smiling. "We try to catch the weak students. It's deep in our thinking."

The transformation of the Finns' education system began some 40 years ago as the key propellent of the country's economic recovery plan. Educators had little idea it was so successful until 2000, when the first results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a standardized test given to 15-year-olds in more than 40 global venues, revealed Finnish youth to be the best young readers in the world. Three years later, they led in math. By 2006, Finland was first out of 57 countries (and a few cities) in science. In the 2009 PISA scores released last year, the nation came in second in science, third in reading and sixth in math among nearly half a million students worldwide. "I'm still surprised," said Arjariita Heikkinen, principal of a Helsinki comprehensive school. "I didn't realize we were that good."

In the United States, which has muddled along in the middle for the past decade, government officials have attempted to introduce marketplace competition into public schools. In recent years, a group of Wall Street financiers and philanthropists such as Bill Gates have put money behind private-sector ideas, such as vouchers, data-driven curriculum and charter schools, which have doubled in number in the past decade. President Obama, too, has apparently bet on competition. His Race to the Top initiative invites states to compete for federal dollars using tests and other methods to measure teachers, a philosophy that would not fly in Finland. "I think, in fact, teachers would tear off their shirts," said Timo Heikkinen, a Helsinki principal with 24 years of teaching experience. "If you only measure the statistics, you miss the human aspect."

There are no mandated standardized tests in Finland, apart from one exam at the end of students' senior year in high school. There are no rankings, no comparisons or competition between students, schools or regions. Finland's schools are publicly funded. The people in the government agencies running them, from national officials to local authorities, are educators, not business people, military leaders or career politicians. Every school has the same national goals and draws from the same pool of university-trained educators. The result is that a Finnish child has a good shot at getting the same quality education no matter whether he or she lives in a rural village or a university town. The differences between weakest and strongest students are the smallest in the world, according to the most recent survey by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). "Equality is the most important word in Finnish education. All political parties on the right and left agree on this," said Olli Luukkainen, president of Finland's powerful teachers union.

Ninety-three percent of Finns graduate from academic or vocational high schools, 17.5 percentage points higher than the United States, and 66 percent go on to higher education, the highest rate in the European Union. Yet Finland spends about 30 percent less per student than the United States.

Still, there is a distinct absence of chest-thumping among the famously reticent Finns. They are eager to celebrate their recent world hockey championship, but PISA scores, not so much. "We prepare children to learn how to learn, not how to take a test," said Pasi Sahlberg, a former math and physics teacher who is now in Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture. "We are not much interested in PISA. It's not what we are about."

Maija Rintola stood before her chattering class of twenty-three 7- and 8-year-olds one late April day in Kirkkojarven Koulu. A tangle of multicolored threads topped her copper hair like a painted wig. The 20-year teacher was trying out her look for Vappu, the day teachers and children come to school in riotous costumes to celebrate May Day. The morning sun poured through the slate and lemon linen shades onto containers of Easter grass growing on the wooden sills. Rintola smiled and held up her open hand at a slant-her time-tested "silent giraffe," which signaled the kids to be quiet. Little hats, coats, shoes stowed in their cubbies, the children wiggled next to their desks in their stocking feet, waiting for a turn to tell their tale from the playground. They had just returned from their regular 15 minutes of playtime outdoors between lessons. "Play is important at this age," Rintola would later say. "We value play."

With their wiggles unwound, the students took from their desks little bags of buttons, beans and laminated cards numbered 1 through 20. A teacher's aide passed around yellow strips representing units of ten. At a smart board at the front of the room, Rintola ushered the class through the principles of base ten. One girl wore cat ears on her head, for no apparent reason. Another kept a stuffed mouse on her desk to remind her of home. Rintola roamed the room helping each child grasp the concepts. Those who finished early played an advanced "nut puzzle" game. After 40 minutes it was time for a hot lunch in the cathedral-like cafeteria.

Teachers in Finland spend fewer hours at school each day and spend less time in classrooms than American teachers. Teachers use the extra time to build curriculums and assess their students. Children spend far more time playing outside, even in the depths of winter. Homework is minimal. Compulsory schooling does not begin until age 7. "We have no hurry," said Louhivuori. "Children learn better when they are ready. Why stress them out?"

It's almost unheard of for a child to show up hungry or homeless. Finland provides three years of maternity leave and subsidized day care to parents, and preschool for all 5-year-olds, where the emphasis is on play and socializing. In addition, the state subsidizes parents, paying them around 150 euros per month for every child until he or she turns 17. Ninety-seven percent of 6-year-olds attend public preschool, where children begin some academics. Schools provide food, medical care, counseling and taxi service if needed. Student health care is free.

Even so, Rintola said her children arrived last August miles apart in reading and language levels. By April, nearly every child in the class was reading, and most were writing. Boys had been coaxed into literature with books like Kapteeni Kalsarin ("Captain Underpants"). The school's special education teacher teamed up with Rintola to teach five children with a variety of behavioral and learning problems. The national goal for the past five years has been to mainstream all children. The only time Rintola's children are pulled out is for Finnish as a Second Language classes, taught by a teacher with 30 years' experience and graduate school training.

There are exceptions, though, however rare. One first-grade girl was not in Rintola's class. The wispy 7-year-old had recently arrived from Thailand speaking not a word of Finnish. She was studying math down the hall in a special "preparing class" taught by an expert in multicultural learning. It is designed to help children keep up with their subjects while they conquer the language. Kirkkojarvi's teachers have learned to deal with their unusually large number of immigrant students. The city of Espoo helps them out with an extra 82,000 euros a year in "positive discrimination" funds to pay for things like special resource teachers, counselors and six special needs classes.

Rintola will teach the same children next year and possibly the next five years, depending on the needs of the school. "It's a good system. I can make strong connections with the children," said Rintola, who was handpicked by Louhivuori 20 years ago. "I understand who they are." Besides Finnish, math and science, the first graders take music, art, sports, religion and textile handcrafts. English begins in third grade, Swedish in fourth. By fifth grade the children have added biology, geography, history, physics and chemistry.

Not until sixth grade will kids have the option to sit for a district-wide exam, and then only if the classroom teacher agrees to participate. Most do, out of curiosity. Results are not publicized. Finnish educators have a hard time understanding the United States' fascination with standardized tests. "Americans like all these bars and graphs and colored charts," Louhivuori teased, as he rummaged through his closet looking for past years' results. "Looks like we did better than average two years ago," he said after he found the reports. "It's nonsense. We know much more about the children than these tests can tell us."

I had come to Kirkkojarvi to see how the Finnish approach works with students who are not stereotypically blond, blue-eyed and Lutheran. But I wondered if Kirkkojarvi's success against the odds might be a fluke. Some of the more vocal conservative reformers in America have grown weary of the "We-Love-Finland crowd" or so-called Finnish Envy. They argue that the United States has little to learn from a country of only 5.4 million people-4 percent of them foreign born. Yet the Finns seem to be onto something. Neighboring Norway, a country of similar size, embraces education policies similar to those in the United States. It employs standardized exams and teachers without master's degrees. And like America, Norway's PISA scores have been stalled in the middle ranges for the better part of a decade.

To get a second sampling, I headed east from Espoo to Helsinki and a rough neighborhood called Siilitie, Finnish for "Hedgehog Road" and known for having the oldest low-income housing project in Finland. The 50-year-old boxy school building sat in a wooded area, around the corner from a subway stop flanked by gas stations and convenience stores. Half of its 200 first- through ninth-grade students have learning disabilities. All but the most severely impaired are mixed with the general education children, in keeping with Finnish policies.

A class of first graders scampered among nearby pine and birch trees, each holding a stack of the teacher's homemade laminated "outdoor math" cards. "Find a stick as big as your foot," one read. "Gather 50 rocks and acorns and lay them out in groups of ten," read another. Working in teams, the 7- and 8-year-olds raced to see how quickly they could carry out their tasks. Aleksi Gustafsson, whose master's degree is from Helsinki University, developed the exercise after attending one of the many workshops available free to teachers. "I did research on how useful this is for kids," he said. "It's fun for the children to work outside. They really learn with it."

Gustafsson's sister, Nana Germeroth, teaches a class of mostly learning-impaired children; Gustafsson's students have no learning or behavioral issues. The two combined most of their classes this year to mix their ideas and abilities along with the children's varying levels. "We know each other really well," said Germeroth, who is ten years older. "I know what Aleksi is thinking."

The school receives 47,000 euros a year in positive discrimination money to hire aides and special education teachers, who are paid slightly higher salaries than classroom teachers because of their required sixth year of university training and the demands of their jobs. There is one teacher (or assistant) in Siilitie for every seven students.

In another classroom, two special education teachers had come up with a different kind of team teaching. Last year, Kaisa Summa, a teacher with five years' experience, was having trouble keeping a gaggle of first-grade boys under control. She had looked longingly into Paivi Kangasvieri's quiet second-grade room next door, wondering what secrets the 25-year-veteran colleague could share. Each had students of wide-ranging abilities and special needs. Summa asked Kangasvieri if they might combine gymnastics classes in hopes good behavior might be contagious. It worked. This year, the two decided to merge for 16 hours a week. "We complement each other," said Kangasvieri, who describes herself as a calm and firm "father" to Summa's warm mothering. "It is cooperative teaching at its best," she says.

Every so often, principal Arjariita Heikkinen told me, the Helsinki district tries to close the school because the surrounding area has fewer and fewer children, only to have people in the community rise up to save it. After all, nearly 100 percent of the school's ninth graders go on to high schools. Even many of the most severely disabled will find a place in Finland's expanded system of vocational high schools, which are attended by 43 percent of Finnish high-school students, who prepare to work in restaurants, hospitals, construction sites and offices. "We help situate them in the right high school," said then deputy principal Anne Roselius. "We are interested in what will become of them in life."

Finland's schools were not always a wonder. Until the late 1960s, Finns were still emerging from the cocoon of Soviet influence. Most children left public school after six years. (The rest went to private schools, academic grammar schools or folk schools, which tended to be less rigorous.) Only the privileged or lucky got a quality education.

The landscape changed when Finland began trying to remold its bloody, fractured past into a unified future. For hundreds of years, these fiercely independent people had been wedged between two rival powers-the Swedish monarchy to the west and the Russian czar to the east. Neither Scandinavian nor Baltic, Finns were proud of their Nordic roots and a unique language only they could love (or pronounce). In 1809, Finland was ceded to Russia by the Swedes, who had ruled its people some 600 years. The czar created the Grand Duchy of Finland, a quasi-state with constitutional ties to the empire. He moved the capital from Turku, near Stockholm, to Helsinki, closer to St. Petersburg. After the czar fell to the Bolsheviks in 1917, Finland declared its independence, pitching the country into civil war. Three more wars between 1939 and 1945-two with the Soviets, one with Germany-left the country scarred by bitter divisions and a punishing debt owed to the Russians. "Still we managed to keep our freedom," said Pasi Sahlberg, a director general in the Ministry of Education and Culture.

In 1963, the Finnish Parliament made the bold decision to choose public education as its best shot at economic recovery. "I call this the Big Dream of Finnish education," said Sahlberg, whose upcoming book, Finnish Lessons, is scheduled for release in October. "It was simply the idea that every child would have a very good public school. If we want to be competitive, we need to educate everybody. It all came out of a need to survive."

Practically speaking-and Finns are nothing if not practical-the decision meant that goal would not be allowed to dissipate into rhetoric. Lawmakers landed on a deceptively simple plan that formed the foundation for everything to come. Public schools would be organized into one system of comprehensive schools, or peruskoulu, for ages 7 through 16. Teachers from all over the nation contributed to a national curriculum that provided guidelines, not prescriptions. Besides Finnish and Swedish (the country's second official language), children would learn a third language (English is a favorite) usually beginning at age 9. Resources were distributed equally. As the comprehensive schools improved, so did the upper secondary schools (grades 10 through 12). The second critical decision came in 1979, when reformers required that every teacher earn a fifth-year master's degree in theory and practice at one of eight state universities-at state expense. From then on, teachers were effectively granted equal status with doctors and lawyers. Applicants began flooding teaching programs, not because the salaries were so high but because autonomy and respect made the job attractive. In 2010, some 6,600 applicants vied for 660 primary school training slots, according to Sahlberg. By the mid-1980s, a final set of initiatives shook the classrooms free from the last vestiges of top-down regulation. Control over policies shifted to town councils. The national curriculum was distilled into broad guidelines. National math goals for grades one through nine, for example, were reduced to a neat ten pages. Sifting and sorting children into so-called ability groupings was eliminated. All children-clever or less so-were to be taught in the same classrooms, with lots of special teacher help available to make sure no child really would be left behind. The inspectorate closed its doors in the early '90s, turning accountability and inspection over to teachers and principals. "We have our own motivation to succeed because we love the work," said Louhivuori. "Our incentives come from inside."

To be sure, it was only in the past decade that Finland's international science scores rose. In fact, the country's earliest efforts could be called somewhat Stalinistic. The first national curriculum, developed in the early '70s, weighed in at 700 stultifying pages. Timo Heikkinen, who began teaching in Finland's public schools in 1980 and is now principal of Kallahti Comprehensive School in eastern Helsinki, remembers when most of his high-school teachers sat at their desks dictating to the open notebooks of compliant children.

And there are still challenges. Finland's crippling financial collapse in the early '90s brought fresh economic challenges to this "confident and assertive Eurostate," as David Kirby calls it in A Concise History of Finland. At the same time, immigrants poured into the country, clustering in low-income housing projects and placing added strain on schools. A recent report by the Academy of Finland warned that some schools in the country's large cities were becoming more skewed by race and class as affluent, white Finns choose schools with fewer poor, immigrant populations.

A few years ago, Kallahti principal Timo Heikkinen began noticing that, increasingly, affluent Finnish parents, perhaps worried about the rising number of Somali children at Kallahti, began sending their children to one of two other schools nearby. In response, Heikkinen and his teachers designed new environmental science courses that take advantage of the school's proximity to the forest. And a new biology lab with 3-D technology allows older students to observe blood flowing inside the human body.

It has yet to catch on, Heikkinen admits. Then he added: "But we are always looking for ways to improve."

In other words, whatever it takes.

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The country's achievements in education have other nations, especially the United States, doing their homework

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A Mile in My Shoes is a shoe shop where visitors are invited to walk a mile in someone else's shoes - literally. Housed in a giant shoebox, this roaming exhibit holds a diverse collection of shoes and audio stories that explore our shared humanity. From a Syrian refugee to a sex worker, a war veteran to a neurosurgeon, visitors are invited to walk a mile in the shoes of a stranger while listening to their story. The stories cover different aspects of life, from loss and grief to hope and love and take the visitor on an empathetic as well as a physical journey.

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A Mile in My Shoes is a shoe shop where visitors are invited to walk a mile in someone else's shoes - literally.

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Workshop/ Activity- Diversity to change the education system - teacher exchange- Presentation - Format- book

Inspirations- Living in someone else's shoes

Target audience - Law policy makers

Why?- Connect with work force understanding boundaries for a cleaner system

How- People's Stories- art centric

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Devon Rodgriguez from bronx to drawing the president

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Devon Rodgriguez from bronx to drawing the president

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His story is very inspiring.

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Catch artist Devon Rodriguez’s first solo exhibit ‘Underground’ in NYC

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Research: sharing stories /generating empathy

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Research: sharing stories /generating empathy

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Books that address issues in society

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Research:  Alternative learning/ John Dewey Philosopher

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Research:  Alternative learning/ John Dewey Philosopher

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"All in all, it's a versatile theory that emphasizes the value of student-centered, experiential learning by focusing on the learner taking an active part in their own education. The concept is an exemplary representation of individualized learning that combines the practical application of knowledge and experimentation, which makes it ideal for students of all ages."

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How To Learn By Doing, According To John Dewey

As an extremely influential philosopher, John Dewey (1859-1952) developed a theory of education that emphasized the importance of experiential learning or, in simpler terms, "learning by doing." He was a prominent advocate of actively engaging students in learning situations, instead of passively offering them learning material and expecting them to absorb it. His theory is known as John Dewey's theory of education, and it has been used as a tool for educational and social reform within classrooms for decades. Let's discuss the theory's framework and how it can act as a blueprint to ensure effective instructional practices in your in-person classroom regardless of grade level.

The Theory Of Education

John Dewey believed that education should be a process of active engagement between instructors and learners. He contradicted the traditional classroom method of passively transmitting information from teacher to student. Within the context of this theory, education should be a two-way street, where students can actively pursue learning opportunities and gather hands-on experience through experiential activities that allow them to explore and discover new ideas.

Dewey believed that individuals grow and learn as they interact with the world. Through encounters with their surroundings, individuals discover new ideas, concepts, and practices that allow them to form their own understandings, which they gradually reinforce through their learning and social experiences. For Dewey, all real-world experiences can be educational. In fact, the theorist encouraged learners to actually inspect and examine their findings, instead of settling for explanations from third parties. That's not to say that social interaction isn't a vital component of John Dewey's theory; Dewey believed that all findings exported from an experiential learning process should later be reinforced by the learner's social circle in order to enhance their learning and retention outcomes.

John Dewey's Principles And Ideas About Education

John Dewey's theory essentially comprises a set of instructional concepts and principles that highlight a learner's active role in their own learning. The baseline of his work is grounded in pragmatism, the tangible consequences of the inner workings of a concept or a practice. Hence, Dewey's theory encompasses the following principles:

Experiential learning
Learning is an active process that requires hands-on experience, rather than rote memorization of facts.

Social learning and social interaction
People learn when they interact and engage with each other because learning is a social process.

Collaborative learning
An individual's learning outcomes are optimized when they choose to collaborate on a peer-to-peer level and generate shared understandings of shared experiences.

Critical reflection
Education should be grounded on individuals critically processing all receiving information, instead of settling for third-party explanations or speculations.

Curriculum integration
While traditional subjects should be part of the teaching syllabus, educators should also focus on integrating subject matters that reflect their learners' interests.

World experience
Dewey believed that all aspects of real life can provide educational experiences; students should constantly interact with the world to develop new ideas, new understandings, and new habits.

Questioning
Learners should question the information and stimuli they receive from their surrounding environment to better understand the issue at hand.

Emotional responses
The learning process relies heavily on emotional responses; educators should strive to integrate topics that stimulate their students' emotions.

How To Effectively Utilize John Dewey's Theory In A Classroom

While John Dewey's theory encourages individuals to go out, explore the world, and learn from it, that doesn't mean the theory can't be applied to teacher-structured environments. The key is for educators to build non-classroom-bound curricula that provide freedom for exploration and opportunities for learners to process and question the information acquired. As learners interact with the world and gather knowledge, they should receive assistance in organizing and classifying information into concepts to make the learning process less overwhelming. Depending on grade level, prior knowledge, and each student's individual attributes, instructors should form curricula that reflect their classroom's interests, knowledge gaps, and capabilities.

Instructors should encourage their students to take an active role in their learning by offering them opportunities to explore and experiment with new concepts, processes, and practices. A great way to implement John Dewey's theory is through project-based, collaborative, and experiential learning; students can form groups and work on interdisciplinary projects that require fieldwork and the application of theoretical concepts in a real-world context. You can easily apply this in your classroom by organizing thematic field trips led by Subject Matter Experts who can demonstrate interesting aspects of different concepts and practices. Through experience, collaboration, and self-reflection, learners can explore how to apply knowledge and skills to solve problems, think critically, and discover the world, one project at a time.

Conclusion

We learn through our actions and experiences; John Dewey's theory has had a lasting impact on education because it was founded on that approach. His theory highlights the importance of actively engaging students, providing them with opportunities to gather hands-on experience while encouraging them to ask questions and think intelligently and critically. In this framework, learners should attempt to intellectualize their understanding of the world and process it within an environment conducive to critical reflection. This way, educators are able to educate efficiently, and learners are able to learn effectively.

All in all, it's a versatile theory that emphasizes the value of student-centered, experiential learning by focusing on the learner taking an active part in their own education. The concept is an exemplary representation of individualized learning that combines the practical application of knowledge and experimentation, which makes it ideal for students of all ages. And there's more where that came from; our Instructional Design Models And Theories list contains a variety of interesting concepts like John Dewey's theory.

References

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John Dewey's Theory: Reforming Education Through Experiential Learning

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John Dewey's theory is an ode to experiential learning and has been praised for its educational and social impact. Let's analyze it.

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Problem: Failure to see arts as education

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Problem: Failure to see arts as education

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BENGALURU: Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology, Bengaluru, is facing a unique challenge. The number of students from the South seeking admission seems to be abysmally low.
Of 1,300 students, 70-80% are from North and West India. "Students in the South are still oblivious to opportunities in the sector when compared to the rest of the country. I want people in South to realize that there's something beyond engineering and medicine as well,"
Geetha Narayanan, founder-director of the institute, told TOI ahead of the slew of events that the institute has lined up from Monday.

"Earlier, girls used to join the institute only to get a degree. But we have crossed that challenge. We have made tremendous improvements on our movement with women," Geetha added.

While the fight for autonomy within the art space continues, Geetha said it has been a long struggle for the institute as well.
"Art not being considered as one among the mainstream subjects has also led to art, culture and education in the creative space not being taken seriously."
The institute will host Cumulus-Srishti 2017, the annual conclave of international association of art, design and media institutions across the world. It will focus on how new doctoral approaches can be identified in the art and cultural sphere. There will be speakers like Sonam Wangchuk, engineer and innovator who is creating an alternative learning space in the Himalayas; Ezio Manzini, thinker in design for sustainability who founded DESIS, an international network on design for social innovation and sustainability; Shabnam Virmani, filmmaker, singer and artist and Neelam Chhiber, co-founder and managing trustee at Industree Crafts Foundation.

Sustainability factor
"What we do have is a fiercely independent streak. The weak side of this, however, is when colleges are ranked, we do not fit into any criteria. They look for land for the institute, but we believe in re-purposing the old building because sustainability is what we believe in. It causes a conflict there," Geetha added.
But the feeling of autonomy trickles down to the students of Srishti as well. "Parents often ask me about lack of a placement cell in the institute. I always tell them that we may not have a dedicated cell but your son or daughter will leave the institutewiththe autonomy to practise and pursue what they want," she said.

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srishti institute of art design and technology

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'Most students in South India fail to see opportunities in art education' | Bengaluru News - Times of India

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Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology, Bengaluru, is facing a unique challenge. The number of students from the South seeking admission seems

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Problem: I'm Indian and studying arts. Please, God, forgive me

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Problem: I'm Indian and studying arts. Please, God, forgive me

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I'm Indian and studying the arts. Please, God, forgive me

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As a 17-year-old Indian student being asked to decide on a major while choosing which university I would attend, I was told there was no need to fret. I would eventually find my interests, and everyone would support me. I did find my passion in journalism and dramatic writing, but instead of support, I found panic from my family's side.

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Problem: Government decides science over arts

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Problem: Government decides science over arts

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CHENNAI: The number of arts and humanities students in Tamil Nadu far exceeds science students and this is not a desirable trend, said Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi.
He was addressing an audience after inaugurating the Radha Swamy Centre of Excellence in Mandaveli under the umbrella of the Mylapore based National Boys and Girls Educational Society. He also unveiled the portrait of Radha Swamy in the premises.
This centre will offer experiential learning facility to its students on one floor; another floor is devoted to performing arts for 100 people; apart from facilties for indoor games.

The centre also intends to impart special education courses for students to help them prepare for NEET, JEE, GMAT.
Stating that every discipline or subject was good, the governor added, "Unfortunately still the bulk of university students are from arts and humanities disciplines. A University Grants Commission report reveals that we have 70 percent of students pursuing arts and humanities at All India Level." He said that in this competitive world when science and technology is shaping the contours of the future so fast, it will be hard for these graduates to find opportunities. "This should change," he said.

He wondered if this was because the children do not get access to the right kind of teaching environment where they could gain an inclination towards science. "The quality of teachers is important, and they should also get upgraded regularly," he explained.
Stating that India has been producing world class engineers, doctors, and other outstanding professionals, but not those with Indian consciousness. "We should inculcate a sense of nationalism in our children," he added.

The governor went on to explain that the National Education Policy 2020, is not just another policy. He said that the ones rolled out in the 1960s and 1980s were reformative in nature and attempts were made to reform the education system inherited from the colonial period.
"But those were not transformational. Education is the most important thing to build the new India. Our citizens have to be equipped with physical fitness, intellectual knowledge and at the same time be proud of their country," he added.
Srinivasan K Swamy, managing director, R K Swamy BBDO Pvt Ltd and president of the National Boys and Girls Educational Society explained that his mother Radha Swamy would have approved the concept behind the centre.

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More students must take up science, and not arts, humanities: Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi | Chennai News - Times of India

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The number of arts and humanities students in Tamil Nadu far exceeds science students and this is not a desirable trend, said Tamil Nadu Governor R N

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Research: Alternative solutions/Programmes in North- East India

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Research: Alternative solutions/Programmes in North- East India

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A training programme for "Teachers on Importance of Peace and Non-violent Communication between Teachers and Students" was organized by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi in association with Jamuna Devi Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Umrangso on August 16-17, 2019. About 70 teachers and principals took part in this training programme from different schools of Umrangso. Including resource persons, volunteers and organizers more than 75 people were persent during the workshop.
Shri Kanti Deb Nath, Principal J.D Hagjer College, Umrangso was the key speaker of the programme. He said, the essence of professional education includes transmitting not only knowledge, but also values and attitudes from one generation to the next. He suggested that there are many ways to peace - such as 'Observe', 'Mediate', 'Forgive', 'Listen', 'Surrender'.
Ms. Biva Johari, Principal of Dimaraji School, Umrangso also spoke on the occasion. On Second day Mr. Malay Krishna Das from Kapili High School spoke on teaching aspects and conflict between teachers and students. He said Respect of teachers and Compassion for students both are equally important in teaching practices.
Mr. Hoichungling Khelma from Khelma Federation another speaker of the day talked about the Gandhi's nonviolence and his life.
Representative from GSDS, Mr. Gulshan Gupta has also presented his presentation on the subject both the days. First day the presentation was based on Gandhian theory of nonviolent communication. In which he shared famous Gandhian activist and follower of Gandhi's philosophy Late Sh. Natwar Thakkar's idea of Nonviolent Communication Literacy, where he talked about the ability and capacity to communicate not only with ourselves but with the society.

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GANDHI SMRITI AND DARSHAN SAMITI | Government of India

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Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Functional spectrum of the Samiti ranges

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Two Teachers Get 3 Years In Jail For Beating 5-yr-old | Ahmedabad News - Times of India

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A local court has sentenced two teachers to three years in jail for beating a five-year-old student for seeking permission to drink water and go to th

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Silent Books. Wonder, Silence and Other Metamorphosis in Wordless Picture Books

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In the field of children's literature, wordless picture books, or silent books, are visual narrations offering readers the chance to experiment new ways of reading images and using words.

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https://leggoperte.wordpress.com/2015/06/11/la-piscina/

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Research: How to guidline for creating a book

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Research: How to guidline for creating a book

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How to illustrate a children's book?

1. Find inspiration for your story
2. Create the story brief
3. Define your illustration style
4. Find a book writer
5. Find a children’s book illustrator
6. Get feedback from children
7. Get sketches for the book cover
8. Lay out the final artwork and text

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Your hundred notes and readings of me do not constitute one millionth of me, but a glimpse of you. --Sanmao

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Market research: Empathy week UK, service available for schools 

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Market research: Empathy week UK, service available for schools 

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30 minute lessons during empathy week improved empathy

Amna Hamza, a doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, who led the study, said: “The results show the immense potential of empathy education not only for empathy development, but to make schools even more supportive and inclusive. Initiatives like this could have an amazing impact on the overall wellbeing of children.”

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Find out more about the programme this year

All resource and support materials are available to registered schools. Please contact your lead teacher.

I﻿n this training session, teachers will:

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Understand w﻿hat empathy actually is and how to speak about it with students.

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U﻿nderstand the supporting skills framework behind Empathy Week and how to develop those skills over time.

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Leave feeling confident in using the materials, films and projects that Empathy Week provides.

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Understand the depth of resources and impact that you can have with the programme.

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This is training for teachers of registered schools. Please note: if you would like the Empathy Week team to come and run half-day or full-day CPD training that incorporates how to bring empathy and emotional development into every aspect of your school then please get in touch with us.

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Information webinars

Two important webinar to for those thinking about registering or those wanting to gain further ideas in how to run an amazing Empathy Week with their school.

Haven't registered yet? Watch an introductory webinar

Headteacher shares how she has successfully used Empathy Week for 2 years

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Teachers can find support and tutorials for taking part in Empathy Week 2023.

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Research: Alternative education examples. Teaching Empath is Mandatory in Denmark

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Research: Alternative education examples. Teaching Empath is Mandatory in Denmark

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Denmark is consistently voted one of the happiest places in the world, according to the UN's World Happiness Report

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Denmark is consistently voted one of the happiest places in the world, according to the UN's World Happiness Report. It does many things right as a nation, and one of the most visible is the way it educates its child population.

"The Danish Way of Parenting," a book by Danish psychotherapist and educator Iben Sandahl and American author and psychologist Jessica Alexander, describes the way that children in Denmark are taught about empathy, both inside and outside of school, suggesting this might have something to do with the overall wellbeing of the country's population. "Children in the Danish school system participate in a mandatory national program called Step by Step as early as preschool. The children are shown pictures of kids who are each exhibiting a different emotion: sadness, fear, anger, frustration, happiness, and so on," Alexander said in an excerpt of the book published in The Atlantic.

Since 1993 Denmark mandated empathy classes as part of their school curriculum.

Starting in Kindergarten, Danish kids learn to share and solve their problems with classmates.

Denmark ranked in the top 3 happiest countries in the world 7 yrs running. https://t.co/FgcV1GJDyy
- Heart Based Institute (@HeartBased) February 26, 2020

She described students examining and talking about these picture cards, describing what they are seeing and what the children in the pictures are sensing. The activity teaches them to conceptualize their own and others' feelings, engendering empathy, problem-solving, self-control and how to read facial expressions, among other things. "An essential part of the program is that the facilitators and children aren't judgmental of the emotions they see; instead, they simply recognize and respect those sentiments," wrote Alexander. She also cited another popular program called CAT-kit which is aimed at improving emotional awareness and empathy.

CAT-kit reportedly focuses on how to articulate experiences, thoughts, feelings and senses, again using picture cards, this time of faces and pictures of the body. "Another tool is called My Circle: Children draw their friends, family members, professionals, and strangers in different parts of the circle as part of an exercise on learning to better understand others," explained Alexander. "Denmark's Mary Foundation has contributed to empathy training in schools, too. It's an anti-bullying program, which has been implemented across the country, that encourages 3- to 8-year-olds to talk about bullying and teasing and learn to become more caring toward each other. It has yielded positive results, and more than 98 percent of teachers say they would recommend it to other institutions."

Schools in Denmark also adopt less obvious empathy training methods by subtly and gradually mixing children of different strengths and weaknesses together. Students who do well in academics are taught alongside those who aren't as academically strong, while shy children are paired with more gregarious ones. By doing so, the schools aim to show students that everyone has positive qualities and thereby motivate them to support each other in their efforts to reach the next level.

"Studies show that this system of interactive teaching involves a steep learning curve. Students who teach others work harder to understand the material, recall it more precisely, and use it more effectively. But they also have to try to understand the perspective of other students so they can help them where they are having trouble," wrote Alexander. "The ability to explain a complicated subject matter to another student is not an easy task, but it is an invaluable life skill. Research demonstrates that this type of collaboration and empathy also delivers a deep level of satisfaction and happiness to kids; interestingly, people's brains actually register more satisfaction from cooperating than from winning alone."

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Denmark's students have mandatory empathy classes as part of the school curriculum

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Children in Denmark are taught about empathy from a young age, both inside and outside of school.

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Research: How to tell effective storiesThe science of story telling William Storr - I read the book but this Blinklist gives overview of it

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Research: How to tell effective storiesThe science of story telling William Storr - I read the book but this Blinklist gives overview of it

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Read 675 reviews from the world’s largest community for readers. Stories mould who we are, from our character to our cultural identity. They drive us to ac…

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Market research: Empathy books (for kids)

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Market research: Empathy books (for kids)

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13 Books That Model Empathy and Compassion for Young Readers

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Empathy is not an easy thing to teach, but books like these can help spark conversations with kids about what it means to be empathetic and compassionate.

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If it’s true that there are different ways of seeing, childhood definitely is the crucial time in which we lay the foundations of our grammar and attitude to discover the visual world. John Berger in his Ways of Seeing wrote that “seeing comes before words”

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Script

Setting: Classroom

Character: gender neutral - shapes to separate

Toy story

Scene 1 INT. CLASSROOM - A TOY BOX WITH SQUARE PEGS

The scene is set inside a classroom with square pegs. We see a bunch of students ie; shapes in square formats. All the square shapes start fitting into the square pegs, preparing for class. We notice a shy circle shape enter the classroom and look towards the one empty remaining peg. The teacher; also a grumpy square shape walks in and commands the class in order. The other shapes settle into their spot.

Teacher

“ Settle in. quick quick”

Zoom in

We see the circle shape nervously and look at the square-shaped peg. They settle their school bag down and try to get into it but they can not.

The teacher quickly walks closer to the circle shape and tries to push them in.

Scene 2 EXT. Graduation ceremony. We see all shapes transformed into a standardised shape going through a Graduation door. We see all the other students go through the door as though on a perfect conveyor belt. We see our protagonist the circle, now extremely misshapen tries to fit through the door but isn’t able to.

Resolution: (Let’s work this out on Monday)

Notes

pushes them in successfully on the third try but the circle is squished into the space and when they come out, it is a bit misshapen and damaged- losing its circle-ness.

Graduation is depicted as a door with a standard shape which every shape fits through. ( Graduation Door! )

Shapes that turn to

Circle sees the reflection of itself in sunlight once being pushed out of the graduation door- it’s important to see yourself.

The teacher looks perfect at first glance but the teacher was also pushed out of many doors and on closer inspection there was a lot of modification.

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can standardisation be demostrated using the language of childrens games?

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can standardisation be demostrated using the language of childrens games?

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Research: social and emotionally competent teachers are better at teaching social and emotional wellness to children

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Research: social and emotionally competent teachers are better at teaching social and emotional wellness to children

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Research:  How to reach audience How To Influence policy

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Research:  How to reach audience How To Influence policy

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By Overseas Development Institute
ODI is an independent, global think tank that harnesses the power of evidence and ideas through research and partnership to confront challenges, develop solutions and create change. Here ODI outlines key elements in effective police change.
Around the world, we are facing enormous challenges. Poverty, conflict, migration, disease and natural disasters are just some of the reasons why many people don't have access to quality basic services and opportunities.

Public policies that seek to address these challenges will only work if the choices made by decision-makers, technical or political, are informed by the best available evidence.

This is why research is essential. It can produce good evidence to inform local, national and international policy that, in turn, has the potential to transform lives for the better.

But influencing policy is neither easy nor automatic - you need to want to do it. To be successful, you need to be open to different ways of working.

Here are 10 things you need to know if you want to use research to influence policy.

1. Know what you want to influence

Being clear about the policy issue, theme or process you want to change is the first step to effective policy influencing. Are you looking to influence legislation, or a change in government policy? You might want to encourage greater investment in a certain programme or approach, or a change in practice. You might want to influence perceptions or attitudes, or the language people use around an issue.

2. Know who you want to influence

Who has the power to enact a change in a policy process or change the debate on an issue? Is it a senior government official, a parliamentarian, a government minister or a head of state? You need to be clear about who you want to influence. It's also useful to identify who can indirectly influence your target audience - an adviser, a respected commentator, a media outlet, a well-known academic? Know the routes to the people and organisations you need to influence and build relationships with them. And remember that you might not always be the best messenger. An audience mapping tool can be useful here.

3. Know when to influence

Your research needs to reach your target audience at a moment when they can take action. For example, this could be in the leadup to an election, during a budget cycle, as part of a government consultation, ahead of an international decision-making summit, or at a key meeting. Unexpected opportunities will also emerge. So having the flexibility to react and adapt your plans as you go is important. If you can quickly spot policy opportunities as they arise, you may be able to have greater impact. Think 'strategic opportunism'.

4. Build relationships and networks

You can't change policy by yourself, no matter how ground-breaking your research is. You should find and work with other people and organisations who share your policy influencing objective - your allies and collaborators. Working together, building trust and developing a joint plan will increase your impact.

5. Policy development is not a linear process

It is tempting to think that policy processes are linear: you identify a problem, gather evidence and implement a policy. But they aren't. Policy-making is complex, dynamic and involves a lot of different people and moving parts. Nonetheless, policy formulation does have its own formal and informal rhythms. If you understand these, you'll know where your evidence will be most useful and have greatest impact.

6. Policy-making is inherently political

Policy-making is often a very political process. Alongside research, policy-makers' own values, experience and expertise play an important role in influencing how they make decisions. For example, in the lead-up to a general election it's not uncommon to see the same research being used by competing political parties to argue different points. You should factor this into your plans and develop a political strategy.

7. Plan your engagement

You need to think carefully about how to communicate your research. Policy-makers are busy so won't always have time to read a long report. A short, sharp executive summary or policy brief can be a powerful tool. Focus on clear messages and avoid overly technical language. Infographics can also help to make your data accessible. Consider other outreach activities too, such as press releases, public events, bilateral meetings, presentations or side events at summits and conferences.

8. Focus on ideas and be propositional

Policy-makers don't need to be told the problem; they need constructive ideas, so be propositional. Based on your research, tell them what should happen, who could take action, when and how. It's also important to frame your recommendations within the realms of what is possible, both technically and politically. Be ambitious, but realistic.

9. It takes time, stick at it

Influencing policy takes time and commitment. Make a plan, break it down, and be realistic about what you can do. Often it can be a slow process with no obvious impact in the short term. But stick with it, recognise that policy influencing is usually a marathon not a sprint, and be sure to set milestones and capture the small successes as you go. Continue to engage with your target audience and always keep up-to-date on the decision-making process.

10. Monitor, learn and adjust along the way

External factors will affect your plans along the way so it's important to remain flexible and adapt to new contexts and opportunities. You should also seek feedback from allies, partners, and even your target audience. Ask them what they need and when, as well as what format they prefer and adjust your plans accordingly. If you find an approach is not working, you should stop, assess and try something new. Continuously review, and capture your learning as you go so you can apply it to future influencing plans. And, be willing to share your learning with key partners.
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10 things to know about how to influence policy with research

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10 tips about how to influence policy with research from the Overseas Development Institute. e.g. what, who, when to influence, politics, networks, etc.

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Research:  What Education Psychologists do

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Research:  What Education Psychologists do

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Day in the Life of an Educational Psychologist w/ Dr Sarah Chestnutt

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Research: Teacher who tried Empathy based teaching

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Research: Teacher who tried Empathy based teaching

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Research: Overcoming obstacles through art

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Research: Overcoming obstacles through art

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With his smart orange glasses and big smile, Manuel looks comfortable and confident in our classroom. In fact, he is more comfortable and confident than when he first came to Dorie's Promise. One of the keys to his success is overcoming obstacles through art.

Decoding Manuel's Shyness

A combination of factors resulted in Manuel being very shy when he first joined us. He was quiet, withdrawn, and unsure of what to expect in our home. Of course, all those things are expected for a small child going through so many changes. For Manuel, there was a little more to his shyness.

Beyond the emotional and psychological stress of his situation, Manuel was also struggling to keep up with other children his age. He had some educational struggles which also affected his confidence. Once we understood that his shyness was more uneasiness than personality, our staff began helping him identify and work through these specific issues.

Manuel shared with us recently that it was very hard for him to adapt when he first to our home. At just 6 years old, all the changes and struggles were too much. For him, the love he received from our Special Mothers made all the difference and helped him learn how to adapt and become part of our family.

Manuel found his place in our family and with that, his smiley, carefree personality also emerged.

Overcoming Obstacles through Art

After finding his place in our home and becoming comfortable with us, Manuel was then ready to receive help for his educational challenges. Miss Heidy describes him as an enthusiastic, cooperative, and creative child who loves to learn.

After many years of hard work, we're excited to see the progress he's making in school. Manuel loves to learn. Right now, we're specifically working on improving his writing skills through extra tutoring and his practice journal.

Manuel loves art class and learning about the different forms of art. Miss Heidy encourages him to explore art, especially drawing and painting as a way of strengthening his motor skills. Imagine using a hobby you love to also help you overcome a struggle. Every stroke he takes with a colored pencil or paintbrush helps him improve his handwriting.

Manuel is doing great. Seeing him smile during school is the best gift we could receive from Manuel. We're thankful for Miss Heidy's unique ways of encouraging him while also teaching.
If you'd like to learn more about Manuel, become a monthly sponsor today and start receiving regular updates.

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Overcoming Obstacles through Art - Forever Changed International

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With his smart orange glasses and big smile, Manuel looks comfortable and confident in our classroom. In fact, he is more comfortable and confident than when he first came to... Read More "

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Research: Storytelling On Writing Stephen King, Even though didactic its really enjoyable- a good exaple of how learning doesn have to be boring. 

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Research: Storytelling On Writing Stephen King, Even though didactic its really enjoyable- a good exaple of how learning doesn have to be boring. 

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Why this topic is interesting/important to us as undividuals

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Why this topic is interesting/important to us as undividuals

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Problem: Ofstead is not empathetic to teachers- pressure on teachers = pressure on students

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Problem: Ofstead is not empathetic to teachers- pressure on teachers = pressure on students

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The body overseeing school inspections must listen to the criticism it has received following the suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry, its new chief says.

A coroner ruled a critical Ofsted report contributed to her death.

Sir Martyn Oliver said Ofsted had to ensure high standards but admitted it could also be "far more empathetic".

Inspectors will receive training around mental health at the start of this new term, meaning no routine inspections will happen until later in January.

Since the inquest into Mrs Perry's death, head teachers' unions have demanded a pause to inspections.

In December, a coroner concluded that an Ofsted inspection of Caversham Primary School, in Reading, had contributed to the suicide of Mrs Perry, 53, as she waited for the publication of a report downgrading her school from outstanding to the bottom category, inadequate.

The coroner said the inspection had "lacked fairness, respect and sensitivity" and was at times "rude and intimidating".

Speaking to BBC News in his first interview in the job, Sir Martyn - who took over the job as chief inspector on 1 January - said Ofsted had "a difficult job to do".

He said: "Ultimately we have to be about high standards and say to parents 'these are the standards that are being provided'. But I think we can do that in a way that is far more empathetic."

He said Mrs Perry's death was a "terrible tragedy and a real shock".

Until the inquest concluded, Ofsted had dismissed concerns about the inspection and refused to accept that Mrs Perry's death had raised wider issues about the mental health impact of the system on heads.

Unions representing head teachers were outraged, describing it as "tone deaf".

Asked about the response, Sir Martyn told the BBC: "I don't think it went far enough, and I'm quite clear on that. There's clearly been a lot of criticism and we must accept that criticism in order to have a fresh start and move on."

One of his first priorities will be to oversee an internal review so Ofsted can meet a legal duty to respond to the coroner.

Senior coroner Heidi Connor used her legal powers to issue a Prevent Future Deaths (PFD) report to Ofsted, Reading Borough Council and the Department for Education.

Such a report aims to stop similar situations arising again.

Anyone getting one has 56 days to say what they plan to do to mitigate the chances of deaths happening.

At the beginning of next week Sir Martyn will lead the initial training on mental health awareness, with external expertise from a not for profit organisation Mental Health First Aid.

Ofsted said MHFA would be involved in a rolling programme of training for inspectors.

Sir Martyn Oliver told the BBC: "We will be taking time in before we begin our inspections in the New Year" to make sure the right level of training is in place.

Although the training programme will be ongoing, urgent inspections will continue where concerns are raised about children's wellbeing, while Ofsted has confirmed routine ones will resume within a few weeks.

It has also said there will be a consultation, which Ofsted is calling a Big Listen, to seek the views of parents and teachers.

Sir Martyn said it was all part of engaging with the concerns raised by the coroner.

"I am determined that we shall learn those lessons and we shall review our practices, we shall work with others and we shall respond fully to the coroner's inquest," he said.

The two unions representing head teachers have called for wider reform, but welcomed today's announcements as a sign that Ofsted is listening.

Both unions and Mrs Perry's family also want to see an end to the use of one or two-word judgements on schools, a decision only ministers could make.

Professor Julia Waters, Mrs Perry's sister, has also been campaigning for change. She said she was reassured that Sir Martyn recognised significant change was needed.

She called for "urgent root and branch reform" to prevent further deaths. She said "a few tweaks to the current system and some extra training go nowhere near far enough".

Professor Waters, and separately headteacher unions, will be meeting Sir Martyn in his first week in the job.

The government has made it clear it has no plans to change the one or two-word judgements.

However, Labour has already said it would move to a report card system, listing strengths and areas for improvement.

There are also wider challenges about the inspection of schools, many of which are still dealing with the impact of the pandemic.

Sir Martyn said some schools were struggling to deal with a high rate of pupils missing lessons and more difficult behaviour by pupils.

As chief inspector, he said he would look at the evidence and speak up about where services outside schools were causing difficulties for parents.

He comes with a tough reputation, having been a head and more recently in charge of a large group of academy schools in some of England's most disadvantaged communities.

The academies have had a higher than average rate of suspensions for pupils, a policy he has defended as helping turn round schools and make them popular with parents.

It's a toughness he may need, as he takes over an organisation facing, what Sir Martyn himself describes as "an existential moment".

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Ruth Perry death: Ofsted needs more empathy, says new boss

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Sir Martyn Oliver says Ofsted must listen to criticism after the suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry.

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Research:  Nuggets animation, a model of a silent animation- powerful and impactful

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Research:  Nuggets animation, a model of a silent animation- powerful and impactful

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Research: stories that have generated empathy

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Research: stories that have generated empathy

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Problem statement?  Chinese teaching style in UK!

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Problem statement?  Chinese teaching style in UK!

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n a unique experiment ..." They always says that, have you noticed? In this one - Are Our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School(BBC2) - a comprehensive school in Hampshire is turning Chinese. Well, 50 year 9 pupils at Bohunt School in Liphook are getting Chinese teachers and Chinese teaching methods for a month.

Things starts promisingly enough. The Chinese-style tracksuits may not be what these kids would have chosen to wear, but they can at least have a good giggle about them. Morning exercises on the football pitch, to prepare for the day ahead, are a proper success, though - even if not everyone follows Miss Yang's moves exactly, due to poor senses of rhythm or good senses of humour, or both. Is that an Usain-Bolt lightning celebration going on at the back?

In the classroom, it goes less well. Miss Yang's science lessons and Mr Zou's maths lessons are essentially lectures. They stand at the front writing the theory on the board, while the students (are supposed to) take notes and learn. This may be OK in China, where education is based on authority and respect is a given. But less so in a British comprehensive, where autonomy and questioning are encouraged.

Classes quickly descend into chaos, respect goes out of the window. "They've got this discipline that probably works in China because everyone does what the teachers say, but it doesn't work here because no one really cares," says Rosie. "Everyone just finds it hilarious."

She's right, it is hilarious. Comedy based on cultural difference and misunderstanding. The programme-makers are certainly enjoying it, and play the music from The Great Escape and The Dam Busters as head teacher Mr Strowger walks around checking on progress. What, has China actually invaded Hampshire and the plucky Brits are taking them on?

PE is a compulsory run in which the students are timed, tested and ranked against each other. Photograph: BBC

PE is a compulsory run in which the students are timed, tested and ranked against each other by Miss Wang. Bad news for Joe, who is still going long after everyone else has finished. Joe's classmates congratulate him on finishing. That's nice; would it have happened in China? And local PE teacher Miss Hogg is comforting and encouraging after his public humiliation. "If you're not excelling in PE, I guarantee you will be excelling in another area," she tells him. She's right. Joe turns out to be amazing at cracking Mr Zou's Chinese ring puzzle, and ends up showing his classmates how to do it. Different people, different strengths.

The local staff - the ones featured here, anyway - all seem ace. Lovely students, too, even - especially - the naughty ones (I'm a sucker for a naughty kid, me) such as Sophie and Luca. There's a self-awareness and an intelligence about their naughtiness. "I can quite easily lose focus," says Luca. "And then getting distracted starts me distracting other people."

In fact, Bohunt seems to be a brilliant school, enlightened (which is reflected in getting involved in this whole experiment in the first place), friendly, successful. Ofsted agrees. I don't think they need help from anywhere.

Not that Miss Yang and Mr Zou are bad teachers. Their methods clearly work in China where school children are up to three years ahead in maths. But it's not just about the classroom - it's about the entire cultural context. A wise chef, given potatoes and a deep-fat fryer, will not try to make dim sum, as Confucius said, maybe ...

It would be interesting to try it the other way round - attempt chips in a bamboo steamer. Meaning go over there with trendy British teachers who invite the Chinese students to arrange themselves into groups and decide, among themselves, to do whatever the hell they like. Confusing, I'd imagine.

It will also be interesting at the end of this three-part series when this lot and parallel year 9s who haven't been involved in the experiment are tested and compared. Maybe there will be something to learn from China after all.

And the morning exercises are clearly a brilliant idea that could be spread beyond the school gates. I will be suggesting it to the editor-in-chief here as a way not just to improve staff fitness and health, but also to boost morale and a sense of unity. There will be a flag and Chinese marching music. All are welcome. In fact, it's compulsory. A 7am start.

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Are Our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School review - a comic clash of cultural differences

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n a unique experiment ..." They always says that, have you noticed? In this one - Are Our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School (BBC2) - a comprehensive school in Hampshire is turning Chinese. Well, 50 year 9 pupils at Bohunt School in Liphook are getting Chinese teachers and Chinese teaching methods for a month.

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Research: learned helplessness- get things wrong- stop trying

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Research: learned helplessness- get things wrong- stop trying

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Teaching children in a way that encourages them to empathise with others measurably improves their creativity, and could potentially lead to several other beneficial learning outcomes, new research suggests.

The findings are from a year-long University of Cambridge study with Design and Technology (D&T) year 9 pupils (ages 13 to 14) at two inner London schools. Pupils at one school spent the year following curriculum-prescribed lessons, while the other group's D&T lessons used a set of engineering design thinking tools which aim to foster students' ability to think creatively and to engender empathy, while solving real-world problems.

Both sets of pupils were assessed for creativity at both the start and end of the school year using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking: a well-established psychometric test.

The results showed a statistically significant increase in creativity among pupils at the intervention school, where the thinking tools were used. At the start of the year, the creativity scores of pupils in the control school, which followed the standard curriculum, were 11% higher than those at the intervention school. By the end, however, the situation had completely changed: creativity scores among the intervention group were 78% higher than the control group.

This evidence suggests that empathy is a missing link in the creative process, and vital if we want education to encourage the designers and engineers of tomorrow.
Bill Nicholl

The researchers also examined specific categories within the Torrance Test that are indicative of emotional or cognitive empathy: such as 'emotional expressiveness' and 'open-mindedness'. Pupils from the intervention school again scored much higher in these categories, indicating that a marked improvement in empathy was driving the overall creativity scores.

The study's authors suggest that encouraging empathy not only improves creativity, but can deepen pupils' general engagement with learning. Notably, they found evidence that boys and girls in the intervention school responded to the D&T course in ways that defied traditional gender stereotypes. Boys showed a marked improvement in emotional expression, scoring 64% higher in that category at the end of the year than at the start, while girls improved more in terms of cognitive empathy, showing 62% more perspective-taking.

The research is part of a long-term collaboration between the Faculty of Education and the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge called ' Designing Our Tomorrow ' (DOT), led by Bill Nicholl and Ian Hosking. It challenges pupils to solve real-world problems by thinking about the perspectives and feelings of others.

The particular challenge used in the study asked pupils at the intervention school to design an asthma-treatment 'pack' for children aged six and under. Pupils were given various creative and empathetic 'tools' in order to do so: for example, they were shown data about the number of childhood asthma fatalities in the UK, and a video which depicts a young child having an attack. They also explored the problem and tested their design ideas by role-playing various stakeholders, for example, patients, family-members, and medical staff.

Nicholl, Senior Lecturer in Design and Technology Education, who trains teachers studying on the University's D&T PGCE course, said: "Teaching for empathy has been problematic despite being part of the D&T National Curriculum for over two decades. This evidence suggests that it is a missing link in the creative process, and vital if we want education to encourage the designers and engineers of tomorrow."

Dr Helen Demetriou, an affiliated lecturer in psychology and education at the Faculty of Education with a particular interest in empathy, and the other researcher involved in the study, said: "We clearly awakened something in these pupils by encouraging them to think about the thoughts and feelings of others. The research shows not only that it is possible to teach empathy, but that by doing so we support the development of children's creativity, and their wider learning."

The gender differences charted in the study indicate that the intervention enabled students to overcome some of the barriers to learning that assumed gender roles often create. For example, boys often feel discouraged from expressing emotion at school, yet this was one of the main areas where they made significant creative gains according to the tests.

Good grades matter, but for society to thrive, creative, communicative and empathic individuals matter too
Dr Helen Demetriou

In addition to the Torrance Tests, the researchers conducted in-depth interviews with pupils at both the intervention school and a third (girls-only) school who also undertook the asthma challenge. This feedback again suggested that pupils had empathised deeply with the challenges faced by young asthma-sufferers, and that this had influenced their creative decisions in the classroom.

Many, for example, used phrases such as 'stepping into their shoes' or 'seeing things from another point of view' when discussing patients and their families. One boy told the researchers: "I think by the end of the project I could feel for the people with asthma... if I was a child taking inhalers, I would be scared too."

Another responded: "Let's say you had a sister or brother in that position. I would like to do something like this so we can help them."

Overall, the authors suggest that these findings point to a need to nurture 'emotionally intelligent learners' not only in D&T classes, but across subjects, particularly in the context of emerging, wider scientific evidence that our capacity for empathy declines as we get older.

"This is something that we must think about as curricula in general become increasingly exam-based," Demetriou said. "Good grades matter, but for society to thrive, creative, communicative and empathic individuals matter too."

Nicholl added: "When I taught Design and Technology, I didn't see children as potential engineers who would one day contribute to the economy; they were people who needed to be ready to go into the world at 18. Teaching children to empathise is about building a society where we appreciate each other's perspectives. Surely that is something we want education to do."

The study is published in the journal, Improving Schools.

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Teaching pupils empathy measurably improves their creative abilities, study finds

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Teaching children in a way that encourages them to empathise with others measurably improves their creativity, and could potentially lead to several other beneficial learning outcomes, new research suggests.

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Teaching advert Every lesson shapes a life 

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Teaching advert Every lesson shapes a life 

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Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall Official Music Video (Lyrics In Description)