Being a skeptic has been given a bad rap in modern society. Why? Because skepticism is often confused with cynicism.

Let’s explore the distinctions and why it’s important to teach children the art of becoming a skeptic.

A cynic distrusts most information they see or hear, particularly when it challenges their own belief system. Most often, cynics hold views that cannot be changed by contrary evidence. Thus, they often become intolerant of other people’s ideas. It’s not difficult to find cynics everywhere in our society, from the halls of Congress to our own family dinner tables.

Skepticism, on the other hand, is a key part of critical thinking – a goal of education. The term skeptic is derived from the Greek skeptikos, meaning “to inquire” or “look around.” A skeptic requires additional evidence before accepting someone’s claims as true. They are willing to challenge the status quo with open-minded, deep questioning.

In today’s complex world, skeptics and cynics are often hard to differentiate. While the ability to challenge human authority has led to important innovation and reform, it has also made it possible, for a price, to prove our “rightness.” Oftentimes, what appear to be legitimate studies are manipulated to support a particular idea or outcome that a company, individual, or government believes is the truth. read more »

Do you parent, teach, or mentor a child with special needs? Of course you do!

As you know, the term special needs is most often associated with disabilities. It usually refers to a child who needs special assistance or accommodations for medical, psychological, or learning deficits.

But have we allowed the term special needs to create a cloud of darkness over children? Don’t all children have special needs? And can’t those special needs be sources of light and wisdom?

I raised a child with special needs, a daughter who was diagnosed with learning disabilities and ADHD. Of course, we gave her additional support and taught her how to advocate for her differences. But what most struck me from a developmental perspective was how much my daughter’s special needs were just like all of her peers.

The truth is that all children have special needs as they journey through childhood and adolescence. They feel awkward and different at times, insecure, and challenged by situations beyond their controls. read more »

Did you dream of your children’s college success before they entered kindergarten? You are not alone!

While it’s natural to visualize success, how to prepare youth for college is multifaceted. Will success emerge from good grades, extra-curricular activities, and a resume of accomplishments? Will it come from being kind, believing in self, and developing positive relationships?

Of course, all of these things play a role in children’s college admittance. But recent research sheds light on another important aspect of how kids succeed beyond high school and how parents and teachers can nurture realistic expectations in children that pay big dividends when they get to college.

You’ve likely heard the term entitlement, defined by the American Psychiatric Association as “unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with expectations.” In today’s college environment, a new term has emerged called academic entitlement. It refers to a student’s expectation that they receive high grades, regardless of performance. read more »

For thousands of years, heroic stories have been used to inspire, motivate, and transfer cultural values to children. The stories have a common pattern.

They begin with a likeable hero who encounters a challenge or roadblock in life. And then, with the help of others, the hero emerges from the difficult situation transformed by his or her experiences.

Heroic stories are found everywhere in modern media.

Beautiful Snow White is protected from the wicked queen by the seven dwarfs. Her life is threatened when the queen, disguised as a peddler, finds Snow White and poisons her with an apple. Rescued by the Prince, she is transformed by true love.

In Avatar, Jake Sully is a paralyzed ex-Marine who has an opportunity to walk again through a proxy Na’vi body in the world of Pandora. But he encounters an unexpected challenge. He falls in love with a Na’vi woman, Neytin, and is forced to choose sides in an epic battle between the humans and the Na’vi people. With the help of many, Jake’s leadership prevails and the humans are defeated. Jake is permanently transformed in a Na’vi body where he lives the rest of his life with Neytin. read more »

When President Obama gave his annual “Back-to-School” address in 2011, he praised three extraordinary high school students for giving back to their communities. One was Jake Bernstein.

Jake is 17, [pictured at left] who volunteers with Autism Speaks and co-launched StLouisVolunteen.com with his sister Simone. He is also on the Youth Advisory Board of generationOn, a national effort to inspire, equip, and mobilize youth to change the world and themselves through service. The President urged students to become engaged in their communities, saying “America needs your passion, your ideas, and your energy….Nothing inspires me more than knowing that young people all across the country are already making their marks.”

What the President did not say should come as no surprise to educators. Teachers play a significant role in fostering the passion, ideas, and energy that motivates students to become engaged in their communities. This meaningful and important work happens every day in and outside of K-12 classrooms. read more »

When teens speak, do people listen?

Natalie, age 18, described her role model as a person with “a clear sense of what is important to her, putting forth the effort to improve and create things that will make a difference.” When Samira, also 18, feels “lazy, tired, or just plain annoyed,” she thinks of her role model and “is motivated to start working again.”

Natalie and Samira were part of my research study on how young people develop the skills, abilities, and motivation to become engaged citizens. They and 42 other college students recalled stories of their childhoods and adolescence and the kinds of people who inspired them.

Role models come into young people’s lives in a variety of ways. They are educators, civic leaders, mothers, fathers, clergy, peers, and ordinary people encountered in everyday life. This study showed than being a role model is not constrained to those with fancy titles or personal wealth.  In fact, students were quick to state that “a true role model is not the person with the best job title, the most responsibility, or the greatest fame to his or her name.” Anyone can inspire a child to achieve their potential in life. read more »

Everyone talks about great coaches — and for good reasons.

Coaches are key players in making sports experiences enjoyable and gratifying for youth.  Not only do coaches help kids have fun but they also play an important role in positive youth development.

Good coaches help individuals and teams win.  But that is only part of their jobs.  While they deservedly celebrate the winners, they also recognize the efforts of all children who work hard to be good in sports.  Coaches’ help kids cope with disappointment, learn from mistakes, and make adjustments to strategies.  These are all important aspects of developing initiative, an ability that children use in all aspects of life.

Researchers have studied the role of coaches in youth sports for many years.  They have learned that coaches who give positive reinforcement, provide effective feedback, and foster a caring climate provide the best developmental outcomes for children. read more »

Adults understand that making mistakes is part of life.  What’s important is how we learn from them. 

Yet, many children are growing up in a society that pressures them to be perfect – to get the highest SAT scores, to land prized scholarships, to get into the best universities.  Some parents complete or correct children’s homework to get them a better grade. So how does all this focus on testing and perfection affect kid’s learning?  And how can we help them learn from mistakes?

I recently came across an article in Scientific American, Getting it Wrong: Surprising Tips on How to Learn that supports a number of learning and developmental theories.  Historically, many educators have created conditions for learning that do not encourage errors.  And parents have followed suit.  For example, if we drill children over and over again with the same math problem, they will eventually remember the answer. And if they are lucky, they will remember the answer on a standardized test. read more »

Meet Mrs. Maria Rosa Reifler, a fifth grade teacher at Wilcox Elementary School in East Los Angeles who gives her students more than core curriculum. 

She teaches them about the value of living a life that matters.

I’m struck with how Mrs. Reifler models the concepts of positive youth development in the classroom, helping kids believe in themselves, understand the consequences of the choices they make, and appreciate the value of friendship.

Mrs. Reifler instills important ideas, including how money and achieving goals is secondary to the kind of human being you become. She helps kids develop a positive attitude, encouraging them to lift each other up rather than putting others down. read more »