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 »

I used to believe learning was for the young. If we learned enough in school, we’d be prepared for careers and families. But as I have grown older — and hopefully wiser — I know that learning comes with each new day.

When we think of scholars like Socrates, Einstein, or Aristotle, we are reminded of great learners and their eternal quest for knowledge. But how do we develop that quest in children and teens – the drive that propels them to embrace the practice of learning throughout their lives?

Thanks to research in neuroscience and human development, scientists can now explain how learning happens from cradle to grave.  It turns out that lifelong learning is a natural part of being alive.

But some people are more open to learning throughout their lives than others. They seek out and respond to experiences in ways that challenge their minds, hearts, and bodies.  It is as though learning flows through them like blood through veins.

Becoming a seeker of lifelong learning is critical in today’s fast-changing world. Learning is not only a matter of absorbing information but a process of developing many other internal skills, like curiosity, perseverance, and the ability to tackle tough challenges. read more »

Can meditation positively change a young person’s life?

Absolutely it can!

Research in neuroscience and attention provides evidence that meditation strengthens the neural systems of the brain that are responsible for concentration and generating empathy. Becoming more mindful helps children and adolescents better regulate how life circumstances impact their mental health.

Last week, I posted an article at Psychology Today, Happiness or Harvard? — about high school valedictorian Carolyn Milander who discovered her own values about success through her meditation practice. If you haven’t read her compelling story of why she chose a community college over an Ivy-League school, don’t miss it!

All young people cope with stress in one form or another.

In schools, we teach reading, science, and math. Yet most communities miss one of the most important aspects of learning – how to care for and nurture the mind. read more »

Meet Steve Reifman, author of a new book that should be owned by every teacher and parent, particularly those who guide elementary and middle-school-age children.

Developing character in children is complex. So much so, we don’t often think of easy, everyday actions that make a difference in children’s lives. Steve’s book, Changing Kids’ Lives One Quote At A Time: 121 Inspirational Sayings To Build Character In Children provides a simple framework that helps kids talk about meaningful concepts.

What I most like about Reifman’s book is that it doesn’t teach kids what to think, it teaches them how to think! His approach helps adults become good facilitators — inviting kids into conversations where they discover gems of meaning for themselves. All of this is accomplished through the power of quotes!

Steve Reifman, a National Board Certified elementary school teacher, author, and speaker was kind enough to answer my questions about his book and his approach to teaching kids what he calls “habits of character” in our interview below. read more »

Where you one of the thousands of parents who just left your college freshman in an unfamiliar place? 

For college freshman and their families, September is usually a time of excitement and trepidation – an honored American rite of passage. But what has changed for you and your child? And how will your son or daughter continue to need your support?

It has been ten years since we traveled from Seattle to Washington D.C. to take our daughter to college. I clearly remember the buzz of freshman making their way through orientation, parents lining up at hardware stores to buy extra picture hangers, and the churning in my stomach as we said our goodbyes. What laid ahead for our daughter? Developmental growth and maturation facilitated by unpredictable life experiences and lots of parental love, guidance, and support! read more »

Before my daughter entered elementary school, I knew she learned differently from other kid’s. 

But I always imagined that no matter how she learned, her future teachers would create an environment where she would thrive and we would work as partners to support her learning.  My view of education was broad and I saw learning as a life-long process involving many levels of knowledge.

I expected a flexible system that would place my child at the center and where her teachers, school administrators, after-school program leaders, and family would work together to benefit her development.

Needless to say, the way I viewed education was not the way our system worked. After all, today’s school system was built on mechanistic ideas from the Industrial Revolution, designed to produce graduates like machines produce widgets. Like an assembly line, children enter at kindergarten and progress grade by grade until they graduate around the age of eighteen.  Its sole purpose is to produce “well-educated children” who go on to adulthood and the world of work.  When children move at a pace that is different from the machine, they are often labeled as having deficits. This creates a big problem for the system. Schools try to help these kids by suggesting drugs to help them focus or by tutoring them to stay on track. read more »

What kind of thinker is your child?  Does he believe everything on TV?  Does she always figure out how to get what she wants? 

Does he ask questions?  Does she go along with what her friends suggest?  You can help develop your child’s critical thinking skills by learning a few key guidelines!

Whether your child is just starting summer vacation or in the midst of the school year, parents can help keep minds active in fun ways. Critical thinking skills don’t fully develop until adolescence but the foundations for good thinking develop in younger children.

The nonprofit Foundation for Critical Thinking cultivates core intellectual virtues that lead to fair-minding thinking.  They have identified three ways K-6 children typically think. read more »