How do we deal with race, pandemic, international conflict, and other contemporary issues?

As we deal with contemporary issues such as race, global pandemic, international conflicts, displacement of people, and climate change, the need for redefining civility becomes all the more apparent and urgent. Civility must always be considered in the context of the moment. It is always a moving aspiration as it is influenced by present […]
A Journey Toward a Culture of Civility

By Art Costa and Robert Garmston Professors Emeriti, California State University, Sacramento How might we grow and protect a culture in which its members can take risks, learn from each other and continue to appreciate each other’s differences? Key is mutual respect, in which members reveal their convictions, successes, vulnerably, doubts, worries as much […]
Does Your Feedback Help or Hinder Learning? An Inquiry into Effective Feedback

“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” -Bill Gates talking to business leaders Initial thoughts There are two basic forms of feedback. Numerical or letter grades rank a student’s relative standing among classmates. The student feels good with a high grade or poorly with a low grade, but it […]
Success with Habits of Mind: Three Important Lessons

By James Anderson What have I learnt over the past 20 years working with Habits of Mind? In the early days, as I worked with hundreds of schools around Australia, it became clear that although schools could easily see the potential of the Habits of Mind, not all of them could translate and […]