The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • Contact Us
    • Edupedia
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
    • Request a Product Review
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • The Edvocate Podcast
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Montana

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Missouri

  • How to Increase Community Engagement in Your Classroom

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Mississippi

  • Rex Academy Adds Cybersecurity Course to Turnkey Computer Science Curricula

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Minnesota

  • How to Set High Expectations for Your Learners

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Michigan

  • How to Implement Discovery Learning in Your Classroom

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Massachusetts

Uncategorized
Home›Uncategorized›The Little Engine That Could, Bob the Builder, and the Secret to Motivation

The Little Engine That Could, Bob the Builder, and the Secret to Motivation

By Matthew Lynch
December 31, 2015
Spread the love

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding a P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

By David Palank

“A [person] who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life.” – Victor Frank

Then indeed the little train was very, very sad, and the dolls and toys were ready to cry. But the little clown called out,

“Here is another engine coming, a little blue engine a little one, but perhaps she will help us.”

The little engine came chug, chugging merrily along. When she saw the toy clown’s flag she stopped.

“What’s the matter, my friends?” she asked kindly.

“Oh Little Blue Engine,” cried all the dolls and toys. “Will you pull us over the mountain, our engine has broken down and all the good boys and girls on the other side will have no toys to play with and no wholesome food to eat, unless you help us. Please, please, help us, Little Blue Engine.”

“I’m not very big,” said the Little Blue Engine …The very little engine looked up and saw the tears in the doll’s eyes. And she thought of all the good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain who would have no wholesome food unless she helped.

Then she said, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” And she hitched herself to the train.[i]

The Little Engine That Could was one of my favorite stories from my childhood, but it is really how we should teach children to think in difficult situations?  This children’s story has two main components that I wish to highlight.

First, the “why” that motivated the Little Engine. Secondly, how he motivated himself to complete the task. One of these is backed by research and one is not. In fact, as much as I love the book, I encourage my sons to enjoy another motivated animated character, Bob the Builder. First, let’s examine the “why” behind the engine’s decision to help.

Learning For Others

In education, some tasks are just not that interesting. Very few years of teaching can pass by without a teacher hearing from a particular student “Why are we learning this? I will never have to use this in real life?” or “When will I ever have to know the capital of Denmark?” This is commonplace for students for many reasons. The teacher’s response is often akin to “because I said so!”

There is a much more productive and effective way to respond to this line of questioning by students. Instead of the teacher explaining why it is important what if the students came up with the answer themselves? Additionally, just like the Little Engine That Could, what if the reasons that they produced were prompted to be pro-social and in service to other people?

Getting students to generate pro-social or self-transcendent purposes to these questions has been shown to actually increase GPA and engagement of the students. In a 2014 study, researchers found that linking their course material and their work they were doing in class to a purpose other than themselves got great results.

“Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a pro-social, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks. This proposal was supported in 4 studies with over 2,000 adolescents and young adults.” [ii]

This one time psychological intervention resulted in improved GPAs in math and science.  Researchers, including heavyweights Angela Duckworth, David Yeager, and Gregory Walton who have made their lives’ work learning the best way to motivate at-risk students, first established a link between purpose for learning and persistence.  They then used a brief, one-time intervention and results showed causality that  “self-transcendent purpose for learning could improve high school science and math grade point average (GPA) over several months.”

A third study showed that this intervention also increased deep learning behavior on tedious test review materials and sustained self-regulation over the course of an increasingly boring task.  Finally, as the authors note, “More self-oriented motives for learning—such as the desire to have an interesting or enjoyable career—did not, on their own, consistently produce these benefits.”[ii]

Students are motivated more by a larger purpose than for their own self-promotion.  Tapping into this could be a potential boon for educators.

Are Self -Affirmations Really the Answer?

Self-affirmations are a very effective technique for increasing motivation in people. “Self-affirmation is a process of thinking or writing about one’s core values. This psychological technique has been effective in augmenting interventions across multiple domains.”[iv] Core values are important, but what is the best way to self affirm and motivate for any task?  Teachers should have students tell themselves “I will study tonight!” Or should they?

Think like Bob the Builder

Bob the Builder, for those unfamiliar, is an animated TV show for children. Bob’s catchphrase is “Can we fix it?” to which the other characters respond with “Yes we can!”  As it turns out, Bob’s catchphrase is the secret to motivation.

Ibrahim Senay and Dolores Albarracin of the University of Illinois, and Kenji Noguchi of the University of Southern Mississippi experimented with two groups of people. Their task was to solve as many intellectually stimulating puzzles as possible.

The first half were asked to use affirmative self-talk (I will solve the puzzles) and the second half to use interrogative self-talk. (Will you solve the puzzles? ). [v]

The Bob the Builder group (Interrogative self talk) solved 50% more puzzles than the “I will” group!

They further tested the theory that interrogative self-talk was better with a third group. “We told participants that we were interested in people’s handwriting practices. With this pretense, participants were given a sheet of paper to write down 20 times one of the following word pairs: Will I, I will, I, or Will. Then they were asked to work on a series of 10 anagrams in the same way participants in Experiment One did.”[vi]

Once again, the interrogative group did the best. Why did this work?

“The popular idea is that self-affirmations enhance people’s ability to meet their goals,” Professor Albarracin said. “It seems, however, that when it comes to performing a specific behavior, asking questions is a more promising way of achieving your objectives.”

Telling yourself to do something is a short inner dialogue. However, when you ask yourself, this creates an inner dialogue that is much deeper. It allows your brain to come up with answers, reasons, and other related thoughts that will in turn help you to come up with your own motivation.

The pendulum swings both ways on this type of thinking. In the example above, telling yourself (or telling students) that they will study tonight is an absolute. There is no wiggle room. They must and will do what you say. This subconsciously initiates a fight or flight response. In terms of self- control, using empowered language (Can you study tonight?) is much more effective than absolute language.

____

David Palank is Principal at San Miguel School in Washington, DC.  San Miguel School uniquely serves low-income youth in the DC area with a preference for those living in poverty and who would not otherwise have access to a high quality private education.  At San Miguel, 100 percent of  2014 and 2013 graduating classes were accepted into private/college-prep high schools and 97 percent of  alumni are pursuing or have received a high school diploma.  Of current students. 95 percent qualify for free and reduced lunch.

Article sources:

[i] Piper, W. (2012, September 10). Watty Piper’s 1930 “The Little Engine That Could” – Print Magazine. Retrieved March 8, 2015, from http://www.printmag.com/obsessions/watty-pipers-1930-the-little-engine-that-could/

[ii]Yeager, D., Henderson, M., Paunesku, D., Walton, G., D’Mello, S., Spitzer, B., & Duckworth, A. (2014). Boring but important: A self-transcendent purpose for learning fosters academic self-regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 104(7), 559-580.

[iv] University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (2010, June 1). Will we succeed? The science of self-motivation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100528092021.htm

[v] University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (2010, June 1). Will we succeed? The science of self-motivation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100528092021.htm

[vi] Heil, A. (2014, January 1). I can vs. can I? Why interrogative self-talk will make you more successful. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://psychborn.com/interrogative-self-talk

(vii] Falk, E., O’Donnell, M., Cascio, C., Tinney, F., Kang, Y., Lieberman, M., … Strecher, V. (2015). Self-affirmation alters the brain ’ s response to health messages and subsequent behavior change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/01/29/1500247112.abstract-Http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/01/29/1500247112.abstract.

 


Spread the love
TagsEdpolicyedreformmotivationput kids firstschool reformteachers
Previous Article

New Teacher Tip: Handling Teacher Fatigue

Next Article

Past, Present and Future: How Has Higher ...

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • Ask An ExpertMatthew LynchTeachers

    3 Ways to Improve U.S. Students Standing Worldwide

    January 25, 2015
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationlistMatthew Lynch

    7 Educational Technology Concepts Every Teacher Should Know About

    November 20, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Ask An ExpertMatthew LynchTeachers

    School Security: Just Smoke and Mirrors?

    November 2, 2015
    By Matthew Lynch
  • pass or fail
    Retention & Social Promotion SeriesTrending Topics

    Pass or Fail: Teacher Preparedness and Multi-Age Classroom Development

    May 23, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Policy & Reform

    Our Kids Deserve Better: The Push For Bipartisan Education Reform

    December 1, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • pass or fail
    Retention & Social Promotion SeriesTrending Topics

    Pass or Fail: Beyond Basic Teacher Requirements

    December 28, 2017
    By Matthew Lynch

Leave a reply Cancel reply

  • Artificial Intelligence

    The Difference Between AI, Machine Learning And Digital Assistants

  • Artificial Intelligence

    What will AI Mean for Higher Education?

  • Artificial Intelligence

    Schools Are Using AI to Track What Students Write On Their Computers

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Montana

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 24, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Missouri

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 23, 2021
  • How to Increase Community Engagement in Your Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 22, 2021
  • How to Become an Education Administrator in Mississippi

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 22, 2021
  • Rex Academy Adds Cybersecurity Course to Turnkey Computer Science Curricula

    By Chris Piehler
    January 21, 2021
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • The Dark Side of Educational Technology

    By Matthew Lynch
    October 15, 2016
  • Transformational vs. Contemporary Leadership Styles

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 28, 2016
  • Christopher Bowman
    on
    January 21, 2021

    18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    I had both of ...
  • Campuses Have Used IoT Projects to Promote Convenience, Security, and Comfort for Students - The Tech ...
    on
    January 15, 2021

    What Universities Have the Highest Rates of Sexual Assaults Per Capita

    […] security remains a ...
  • Europeans Reveal What 72 Things Weirded Them Out While Visiting America In This Viral Thread
    on
    January 12, 2021

    18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    […] www.theedadvocate.org ...
  • Implementing Digital Literacy in the Classroom – MarkerSpace America
    on
    January 11, 2021

    8 Essential Digital Literacy Skills That Students Need

    […] of resources, tools, ...
  • Teaching Your Child to Read – Pedagogue
    on
    January 11, 2021

    Reading Tips for Reluctant Students

    […] do they do ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    How Can We Improve Teacher Training in the World’s Poorest Countries?

    Spread the loveAccess to education is a basic human right and a subject of importance in every part of the world. The desire and dedication to go to school are ...
  • International Education

    How COVID-19 is Creating a Global Education Crisis

    Spread the loveWhile the novel coronavirus has brought the entire world to a standstill, it’s the education sector that will suffer the most consequences. Almost all across the globe, the ...
  • International Education

    Which Countries Provide Free Education At A University Level?

    Spread the loveAlmost two dozen countries provide free or nearly-free university-level education to their citizens. Some even allow students from other countries to participate in their free education programs; some ...
  • International Education

    Teachers’ Pay Must Be at the Heart of Global Education Reform

    Spread the loveWhile most in the education field believe they are underpaid for the work they do, there are many people who argue that teachers’ pay is fair. Some of ...
  • International Education

    Innovative Approaches to Global Education Challenges

    Spread the loveGlobal education is an ideology that deals with the enhancement of individual perception of the whole world. It is an approach that helps us to become global citizens. ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodParenting

    40 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Child’s Preschool

    Spread the loveIn six months or so, we plan to move my 4-year old son Matthias to a new preschool. We are looking for a location that is close to ...
  • Child DevelopmentEarly ChildhoodModern ParentingParenting

    Should You Choose a Play-Based or Academic Based Preschool For Your Children?

    Spread the loveAs parents await their child’s first school years, it is unclear what they should expect when they finally send their three- to five-year-old children to a preschool. Many ...
  • Early ChildhoodEquity

    The Foundational Principles of Anti-Racist Early Childhood Education

    Spread the loveFor children to have an anti-racist early childhood education, many steps must be taken by parents and educators. Some of these steps occur before children even set foot ...
  • Early Childhood

    Growing And Guiding Early Childhood Education Leadership

    Spread the loveEducational leadership is vital in any school whether it is elementary, middle, or high school. Depending on the school’s age range it is important for the leadership (which ...
  • Early Childhood

    Reducing The Role Of Implicit Bias In Early Childhood Education Settings

    Spread the loveImplicit bias is defined as the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. While bias is inescapable, that does not mean ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Working With Twice-Exceptional Students

    Spread the loveTwice-exceptional is a term used to explain kids who have exceptional talents in some educational areas and challenges in others. In some instances, a twice-exceptional learner could theoretically ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Implementing Curriculum Compacting in Your Classroom

    Spread the loveAll educators agree that differentiating instruction for students is very important. Yet, many districts cannot put this policy into practice. An almost unlimited amount of remedial curricular content ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What Does Academic Enrichment Involve?

    Spread the loveAcademic enrichment activities in the class can take numerous forms and do not always involve prescribed lessons from the curriculum. Enrichment encourages learners to take a more expansive ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    What is Academic Enrichment?

    Spread the loveSome learners struggle to keep up in class. Other learners have the opposite challenge. For some learners, their learning moves through content too slowly, causing a lack of ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    The Edvocate’s Guide to Cluster Grouping

    Spread the loveCluster grouping is a method educators utilize to meet gifted kids’ educational needs. If cluster grouping isn’t practiced at a certain grade level or a certain school, contemplate ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of American’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
advocatefored@gmail.com

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2021 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.