Why would a team in a profession already worn thin take 40 tweens and teens camping…the third week of classes? Because human-centered learning is worth the effort. Neuroscience tells us humans need to feel safe and then welcome to be ready to access their frontal lobes and get to learning. So the LEADPrep team spent… Read More »
Category: Social Emotional Learning
In-depth Conversation about Student-Led Learning
Sometimes, when students are following their own interests, they have difficulty transitioning from the “fun” parts of a project to the “work” parts of a project. For example, Julian’s mom Kester is an artist, so she loves to draw. But in order to be a professional artist, she has to learn how to do things… Read More »
Our Commitment to Community: Seeing 2020
Community, that feeling of love and belonging. Of having a home and being welcome. Community is a priority at LEADPrep. We know learning happens more easily when students feel safe, connected, and genuinely care about one another. Being small and having one teacher per five students allows us to get to know each other, build… Read More »
“Gifted” Students Thrive with Us!
In education, traditional gifted students are sometimes identified as “low maintenance.” The thinking is that they are “so smart” they don’t need much help. These students can get their work done and done well on their own, so teachers can concentrate on the students with larger academic needs. At LEADPrep, we know that each student… Read More »
Thoughts, and Facts, on Kindness
Kindness is one of those things that we are all taught to give, and we all hope to receive. But it isn’t something that we often spend time THINKING about. But maybe we should. The writer Emily Esfahani Smith says: “There are two ways to think about kindness. You can think about it as… Read More »
Exploring the Benefit Mindset
In our classrooms at LEADPrep it’s important for all students to feel like they are part of a community, and that they have choices about how they learn. Being part of a community and part of a collaboration makes learning more meaningful is at the heart of a concept called benefit mindset. Having a benefit… Read More »
Away for the Day
The image of people staring into the screen of a mobile device has become ubiquitous for our times. But how do mobile phones affect our children? You won’t be surprised to hear that researchers have started to delve into that question. And it probably won’t surprise you that a movement, Away for the Day, has resulted… Read More »
The Calm Cave
Everyone needs a space to be calm, to relax, to just breathe. At LEADPrep our students identified a need for a space to practice being calm. They put their heads together and identified a space that would work. “Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.” Dalai Lama Then a… Read More »
Holding Space at LEADPrep
What does “holding space” mean for us at LEADPrep? It means that as teachers or parents, or even as fellow students, we are willing to walk alongside someone. We don’t judge, or try to fix them. We open our hearts, offer support, and care about the outcomes. Holding space is about being present to… Read More »
How do Kids Get Social Skills?
As parents, we remind our children to say “please” and “thank you” and share with others. However, when our children become adolescents, we often find that we have less time with them. Who then is helping us with this critical social aspect of their development? We know social and emotional learning (SEL) is as vital as… Read More »
