The Daily Riff - BE SMARTER. ABOUT EDUCATION.

This two-minute video "hit home" on several levels.  One is the ironic and hypocritical
concern of our nation falling behind internationally in STEM (science, tech, engineering
 and math) education while at the same time budgets for science Lab in schools have to
motivation to learn?  Are we making science as boring and far removed from any purpose,
should we? 

Another take-away from this video is how we as a culture have been bombarded with
"fear for our children" where both parents and schools have inadvertently created a new
set of problems.   Adults have more often than not, on one hand, put more pressure on kindergartners to hit certain academic learning benchmarks (in lieu of lessons in play)
while simultaneously lessened adolescent opportunities for meaningful adult connections,  employment/volunteer activity,  real-world constructive yet caring feedback. Go figure. 

One book in full attack on this issue is "Escaping the Endless Adolescence" by Joseph Allen and Caludia Worrell Allen:

"There's been a gradual, insidious change occurring in the very nature of adolescence over the past several generations - a change that has been stripping this period of meaningful work and of exposure to adult challenges and rewards, and undermining our teens' development in the process.   . . . we've learned that teenage entitlement, apathy, surliness, and cynicism are far from inevitable.  Most important, we've learned that we can change teens' behaviors and attitudes dramatically for the better with relatively modest, well-targeted efforts to change their environments. . . ."

Probably the most widely-known book in this arena was written by "America's Worst Mom"*,  Lenore Skenazy, "Free-Range Kids:  How To Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry)."

The two-minute video below was "designed, developed and directed by Building Excellence in Science and Technology (BEST)", promoting "the game-changing idea of early participation of high school and college students doing real research".  Credits:

Actors for the video came from the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor, MI, the Homeschool HUB of Niles, MI, and Berrien RESA Math Science Center.
The concept and script was conceived by Professor Desmond H Murray, founder of BEST. He is a passionate advocate for early research participation as a sustainable solution for twenty-first century innovation, education and economy.

-    C.J. W.
"Have We Created A Generation Of Followers, Not Leaders?"  Fear of Failure  & Teaching

"Ten Lessons For My Daughters"  - Take Trips; Travel