MindShift Podcast

Vietnamese children’s book illustrator Minnie Phan talks to KQED's Ki Sung about using art to process events and heal wounds in the Vietnamese diaspora.

In this engaging discussion, Nancy Cushen White, an experienced educator and language therapist, sheds light on the pivotal role of handwriting in literacy development. She contrasts traditional handwriting methods with digital approaches, emphasizing how writing by hand boosts memory and language skills. The conversation also touches on the decline of cursive writing and its educational implications. Through anecdotes, Nancy illustrates effective teaching strategies, revealing the joy and importance of nurturing handwriting in today's screen-centric world.

Jenny Anderson, a longtime journalist specializing in learning, and Rebecca Winthrop, a Georgetown professor focused on universal education, delve into the complexities of teen disengagement. They explore the different modes of engagement, such as 'passenger' and 'resistor' modes, and emphasize the importance of autonomy in reigniting student motivation. The conversation highlights the disconnect between adult perceptions and teen experiences, offering strategies for parents and educators to empower teens for better academic and emotional outcomes.

Ruth Whippman, author of "Boy Mom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity" talks to KQED's Nimah Gobir about the biggest challenges facing boys today, and actionable steps parents and educators can take to make a difference for the boys in their lives.

KQED's Ki Sung talks to host of The Stacks podcast, Traci Thomas, about rereading books she loved as a child with her own children, what's on her reading list as they grow and what she's learned about reading from all of her author interviews.

Join a lively discussion on the declining reading stamina of college students, influenced by digital distractions and educational practices. Delve into how standardized testing impacts deep reading abilities and links to academic success. Discover the importance of immersive literature through the experiences of an English teacher advocating for diverse texts. Finally, explore how full-length reading fosters mental endurance and character development, connecting these reading habits to career readiness and engagement in today’s fast-paced world.

David Yeager, a behavioral science expert and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, delves into how adults can foster a supportive environment for adolescents. He highlights the importance of empathy in understanding the emotional needs of tweens and teens, emphasizing their quest for respect. The conversation shifts to the vital role of mentorship, advocating for a 'mentor mindset' that contrasts with traditional authority. Yeager shares practical strategies like transparency and questioning to engage young people, ultimately guiding them towards self-motivation.

Hanif Abduraqqib. Sarah Kay. Elizabeth Acevedo. Clint Smith. Do any of these names sound familiar? How about Amanda Gorman? All of these writers are part of America’s thriving contemporary poetry scene. But you won’t find them in many text books, because high school poetry units tend to focus on dead poets, like Robert Frost, Walt Whitman and Edgar Allen Poe. North Carolina teacher Melissa Smith is working to change that. For the last seven years, she’s been diversifying the canon in her classroom, and encouraging other teachers to do the same with the hashtag #teachlivingpoets. The shift has inspired teachers across the country to get creative with how they teach students things like tone, rhythm and structure in poetry. And it’s inspired students to connect with and see reflections of themselves in the poets they study.

History isn't just about names and dates; it's about real lives and stories. Schools in Virginia use primary sources, like personal diaries and photographs, to teach fourth graders about the Civil Rights Movement. Students engage with the past by discussing segregation and landmark cases. This method boosts critical thinking and makes history relatable. Educators also emphasize the importance of sensitivity when discussing racial issues, ensuring that students connect deeply with themes of activism and inequality.

From book bans to chronic absenteeism to phone distractions, it’s a hard time to be a teacher. But amidst all the challenges, there’s something surprising happening among math teachers. Some of them say they’re more excited to go to work than ever before. Why? Because of a new approach to teaching math called “thinking classrooms” that has students up out of their seats and engaged in problem-solving. In this episode, MindShift listeners will hear a thinking classroom in action and reflections from the teacher and her students. Listeners also will learn about this model from the researcher who developed it, Peter Liljedahl.