We are continually battling various crises in American education - whether Math (continually), Reading comprehension, US History, financial literacy, the list goes on. 

The answer to all of this is better relational connection, better communication. This is encapsulated in what was long known as a 'controversial' educational approach coined as andragogy -- or simply teaching adults as opposed to kids. But people are people. While that might sound like a platitude, it's actually true and it's actually the key to all this. Whether 2 or 72, people need both to be recognized as autonomous beings but also need help.  

Here is a white paper I've written that lays out my thoughts more comprehensively. 

But further, there has recently been some refining of these ideas. As school systems have embraced the idea of social emotional learning and diversity efforts, the work of Dr. Claude Steele comes to mind. Dr. Steele has done amazing work articulating the nature of stereotype threat and how it tangles cognitive function, most notably in the book Whistling Vivaldi. More recently he's also described how addressing the achievement gap will fundamentally involve mastering the very difficult art of sense of inclusion in schools. Perhaps the hardest part is that this fundamentally involves articulating with and for students how they are a part of a system that they should feel optimistic about. 

School systems are making initial efforts but with mixed results. I'd like to offer a suggestion on how to make this more effective. This, a realistic yet optimistic presentation how a system we're all a part of -- US History -- needs a more systematic, realistic and optimistic presentation.  And for all students. 

There are certainly complicating factors in all this, but there's also clarity here. I'm looking to offer a helpful suggestion borne of 20+ years of experience. 

Click here for a video sharing more.