What makes for good poetry makes for good education.

Consider the following similarities:

1. Excellent poetry motivates the reader to want to know more.

2. The poet engages his or her reader by doing less.

3. Poems leave large margins of space.

4. Poetry confuses the reader at first, encouraging him or her to pursue a deeper understanding.

5. I have to work to understand the true meaning of a poem.

6. Only the poet’s essential message makes it to paper—no extraneous details!

7. When I finally arrive at an understanding of the poem, my understanding is personal, meaningful, and has the power to change how I see things.

Tags: adolescent health, creativity, divergent questions, engaging youth, prevention programs

1. Teacher provides answers.

2. Teacher asks convergent questions and students furnish predictable answers.

3. Teacher asks divergent questions.

4. Teacher invites students to contribute ideas and opinions.

5. Teacher becomes curious about student ideas and opinions.

6. Students become curious and ask earnest questions.

7. Fueled by a sense of wonder, students and teacher collaborate for meaningful answers.

Tags: adolescent health, communicating with youth, connecting with youth, divergent questions, educational reform, prevention program, prevention programs

RSA added animation to one of Ken Robinson’s talks. I would suggest watching it several times. There’s a lot here in this 11:40 clip. His proposals comprise a call back to an educational paradigm that is consistent with how we actually learn.

Tags: connecting with youth, divergent learning, divergent questions, educational reform, prevention programs