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About Education Next Newsletter

Hello All,

Sometimes, I ask myself if we would have quit the traditional school had it been because of COVID; I remember how we were learning from home, doing experiments, and getting featured.

We were listening to podcasts and learning from global artists, and I had that realisation that learning was so much more than just being in school for 8 hours; we had access to the world from home, and Sometimes I wonder if I would have left traditional school if it weren't for COVID.

Content This Week:

1. Why are Learners bored in school?

2. How Early exposure to tech aided in Bill Gates Success?

3. Kids Need to Play

4. 88 Thought Leaders Feature

How important do you think is the learner's voice in their learning journey, 

Do you ask your kids/students if they enjoy what they learn 

Students spend at least one-quarter of their waking lives in school, making school a context that powerfully shapes youth development.

Adolescents form their personal and social identities during high school, develop meaningful relationships, and learn essential life skills to attain future goals and make important life choices.

A recent Global Youth Survey revealed what the future generation requires from their education:

The recent Global Youth Survey found that most students

-Want a curriculum that prepares them for the professional world (83%)

-58% expressed a desire for life skills, while 61% highlighted the need for better learning environments and

-56% for a personalized approach to teaching.

Should parents and students wait or find their path if schools still need to be updated?

Early Exposure to Computers: A Springboard for Success

Many young adults want to follow successful people, so understanding their journey is essential.

Today, we are looking at Bill Gates's journey and what inspired him to drop out of Harvard. 

Before he became a Harvard dropout, Bill Gates was already a prodigy in programming.

His fascination with computers blossomed in high school, where he and Paul Allen—later to be co-founders of Microsoft—cultivated their programming abilities.

While attending Harvard, Gates found a calling too loud to ignore, one that coursed through the circuitry of computers rather than the halls of academia.

Despite stepping away from one educational pathway, Gates' departure from college was not merely an escape from formal education but a pivot towards an extraordinary opportunity in a field he was profoundly passionate about.

With the help of early computing exposure, Gates and Allen wrote a vital programming language, BASIC, setting the cornerstone for their future empire. 

Many of us have fond memories of eagerly waiting for recess in school to play with our friends or going out in the evening to play.

However, with the availability of more and more technology in homes, today's children are increasingly opting for indoor activities and screen time, leading to a decline in outdoor play and social interaction. 

Outdoor play offers opportunities for children to engage in physical activity, develop gross and fine motor skills, and improve their coordination and balance.

Promoting outdoor play and physical activity can help children develop well-rounded skills and stay physically and mentally healthy.

Screens are everywhere but we can create a way to use it in healthy ways,

Here is a way to keep track of media usage with kids.

Create a media plan with your family to avoid excessive screen - https://www.healthychildren.org/english/fmp/pages/mediaplan.aspx

10 year old Adi discusses the benefits of video games.

• Being creative with gaming - Creating videos, blogs etc.

• Undertanding Addiction - How can we be mindful in playing games.

• Discussing benefits of Gaming - Autonomy, Inependence stc.

Read more here

The Washington Post's findings highlight homeschooling as a rapidly expanding educational choice, supporting the notion that homeschooling plays a pivotal role in reshaping the educational landscape

Recognizing the need for a profound shift in our educational approach, EducationNext and the MaNaBu Movement call upon 88 thought leaders to contribute their insights towards reforming education.

Our collective aspiration is to mould a future where personalized learning takes the lead, nurturing creativity, innovation, and tailored learning experiences for future generations. 

Join us on this transformative voyage toward a more vibrant educational landscape.

Today we feature, a seasoned homeschooling mom - Courtney Meyerhofer

We discuss:

• How Children are wired to learn

• Homeschool co-ops

• Freedom in Homeschooling

• Keeping the flame of learning

Hope you enjoyed reading the newsletter, see you soon!

Bye,

Priyanka