The Shape of Education to Come

In this highly informative discussion, David and I define mindfulness and neoliberalism and then have a thorough discussion of neoliberal practices in schools, how to implement mindfulness, how mindfulness can be a trojan horse (for good or ill), McMindfulness, mindfulness as a tool for liberation, the failures of a post-Frierian education system, cultural appropriation, the challenges of assessment and more. David supplied a treasure trove of resources. They include: Mindfulness and social change network based in the UK: https://mindfulnessandsocialchange.org/ A collection of social mindfulness voices: https://mindfulnessandsocialchange.org/2019/04/02/a-new-social-mindfulness-resource/ A Canadian website run by Deborah Orr: http://www.contemplativeeducation.ca/ Beth Berrila's website on mindfulness and critical pedagogy: http://www.contemplativepracticesforantioppressionpedagogy.com/ And David's own podcast on mindfulness: www.mindfulcranks.com

It is a fact that I was trying to find someone who teaches phys. ed to come on the podcast for a long time. Between not knowing a lot of gym people and gym people being busy...it took awhile. But here we are! This week, I speak with Colin Donato about his remote phys ed teaching, what it means to be ‘good’ at gym and how to work with students who don’t like to participate, assessing success when everyone is running around and more!

This is an episode about policing. It's an episode about race. It's an episode about education. It's an episode about identity. Listen carefully.

I talk with titan of education theory Alfie Kohn about rewards and punishments, resistance to being changed, change in high schools, what we mean by "choice," the roots of the problem of rewards, John Hattie's meta-analysis of education research, "effective" research and "effective" practice, the peril of test scores going up, being a parent and more!

I reach Rebecca from her home (which is not a school but is a place of learning) to talk about her switch from working in the public school system to home schooling. There's lots of talk about what this entails, similarities and differences between home and public schooling, but also the differences between child and learner and teacher and parent.