Search Results for: education

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in history. Not only that, but this crisis is exacerbating pre-existing education disparities for many of the most vulnerable students. How are higher education institutions carrying on with teaching during this socio-economic, cultural and health crisis, and what do we know about the future of […]

Bestselling author Paul Tough sat down with Michel Martin on PBS to discuss how inequality and its widespread effects have come to define higher education. His most recent book, The Years That Matter Most explores this phenomenon in heartbreaking detail. Today's American students a jaw-dropping $1.5 trillion in student loans—making the average per student nearly […]

To education speaker Paul Tough, America's schools are in dire trouble unless our low-income students catch up to their more privileged classmates. Tough’s latest effort, drawing insight from his upcoming book Helping Children Succeed (May 24), is an article for The Atlantic called “How Kids Learn Resilience.” In it, he stresses that a set of noncognitive […]

This week, in “The Tech Elite’s Quest to Reinvent School in Its Own Image,” WIRED writes an in-depth profile of the colorful, optimistic, and tech-friendly world of Khan Lab School. That’s Salman Khan’s “educational R&D lab in Mountain View” that “eschews most of the traditional trappings of US education.” After founding the transformative Khan Academy […]

What makes an incredible teacher—the kind that sticks out as an actor of change or an awakening in each of us? Those telling education speaker Elizabeth Green, bestselling author of Building a Better Teacher: How Teaching Works (and How to Teach it to Everyone), that it’s the result of magic or innate ability will be […]

As a “black kid growing up in a bad neighbourhood” in Pittsburgh in the 1960s, Bill Strickland understood all about the hopelessness of the ghetto. Running away from an angry cop or hitching a ride from a friend in a stolen car could wreck your life in an instant and forever. But Strickland’s life was […]

Is it possible to totally rethink our current education model? “My argument is yes,” education speaker Salman Khan says in an interview. “And not only can we, and is it kind of a good idea, it's actually happening.” From its humble beginnings as a means to tutor his family members, to the now thousands of […]

How can teachers wipe that bored and confused look off students' faces this coming school year? Salman Khan, an education speaker recently profiled on The National, has a big idea that's radicalizing education. His massively popular YouTube tutorials and successful Khan Academy approach education and teaching in a whole new way. Rather than explaining things […]

Paul Tough delivered an educational—and quite funny!—keynote speech yesterday at the K-12 Summer Initiative conference in Toronto. Drawing from the material in his highly talked about book, How Children Succeed, Tough had the full house of educators busily taking notes on the hidden power of character. Drawing together research that isn't often connected, the education […]

Bill Gates has always been an advocate of Salman Khan's tech-savvy approach to learning. Recently, the Microsoft co-founder gave a talk about the future of education—and why The Khan Academy will be more relevant in the classroom than ever before. That's because Gates sees the traditional big-lecture format falling by the wayside. Thanks to remote […]

For too long, schools have focused on what education speaker Paul Tough calls “the cognitive hypothesis.” In his recent appearance on TVO (hosted by Lavin speaker Allan Gregg) Tough dismissed the belief that cognitive intelligence is the sole determinant of academic success. In How Children Succeed, he compiled a breadth of research proving that character […]

Education speaker Salman Khan, founder of the Khan Academy, recently traveled to his alma mater to deliver a keynote. A graduate of MIT back in 1998, Khan felt right at home on the stage. In the talk, Khan discussed his journey with the Khan Academy and what it meant for the future of learning. He received […]

In his breakthrough book, The One World School House, education speaker Salman Khan encouraged teachers around the world to “flip the classroom.” And recently, several instructors in both Wyoming and Idaho have incorporated his Khan Academy lecture videos into the curriculum. Injecting his accessible online videos into the traditional class material allows students to learn […]

If education is a crucial factor in ensuring the youth of today are empowered to create meaningful change in the future, how do we make their schooling relevant to them? That's what popular education speaker and Khan Academy founder Salman Khan discussed at the 2013 Global Philanthropy Forum Conference. Referred to as “a game changer […]

“Instead of holding fixed how long you have to learn something, when you learn it, and the variable component being how well you learn it—we should do it the other way around,” education speaker Salman Khan says in a recent college keynote at University of California Berkeley. “The variable component should be when you get […]

As education speaker Salman Khan tells Charlie Rose, we don't only have a skills gap in the workforce, but a “signaling gap” as well. On the one hand, there are people who do not have the credentials needed to be employable (the skills gap). On the other hand, there are people who do have the […]

While there's something to be said for tradition, education speaker Salman Khan tells Fast Company that the reasons why our education system still follows a classroom-based lecture format simply don't hold up anymore. The founder of The Khan Academy was recently featured in the magazine in a conversation with Katie Salen, founder of the Institute […]

“The conventional wisdom that's governed our thinking about child development and education for the past couple of decades has been misguided,” education speaker Paul Tough explains in his keynote about educational knowledge. “We've been emphasizing the wrong skills and abilities in our kids and we've been using the wrong strategies to develop those skills and […]

Why is it that some children do so well in school while others do not? In education speaker Paul Tough's book, How Children Succeed, he provides groundbreaking research to answer that very question. And, as The Economist notes, the book is “provocative, ambitious, and elegantly written.” The article mentions that previous efforts to close the […]

Do you think your IQ is malleable? That is, do you think that the level of intelligence you're born with is what you're stuck with for life? Or can it be improved? As education speaker Paul Tough told an audience during a recent keynote, it is very difficult to change your IQ after around age […]

Education speaker Salman Khan has received a lot of press—and an equal amount of praise—for the revolutionary model of learning he employs with his video-based online school The Khan Academy. In a new interview in Psychology Today, Khan explains that his goal is to help students take control of their learning. Instead of learning a […]

As 2012 draws to a close, The Wall Street Journal asked some prominent figures to share their favorite books from the past year. How Children Succeed by education speaker Paul Tough was listed as recommended reading by Mr. Arne Duncan—a recommendation that carries some extra weight given Duncan's role as the Secretary of Education. Duncan […]

“I'm a big believer in more organic change,” education speaker Salman Khan said in a keynote speech at Cal Poly Pomona this past week. Despite being a leader in the education sector thanks to his work with The Khan Academy and his book The One World Schoolhouse, Khan says he doesn't want to be seen as […]

“The numbers get really crazy when you look at the impact per dollar,” education speaker Salman Khan says of the work he's doing with the Khan Academy. “If you put any reasonable value on it, say $10 a year—and keep in mind we serve most students better than tutoring—and you are looking at, what, a […]

In his keynote speech at the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Conference, education speaker Paul Tough posed a provocative theory: “what if by protecting our kids, we are doing them more harm than good?” The author of How Children Succeed argues that the development of character traits such as grit and self-control are more important […]

In his latest New York Times Op-Ed, Nicholas Kristoff calls education speaker Paul Tough's How Children Succeed “an important new book,” adding: “Long may this book dwell on the best-seller lists!” Tough's book brings together “decades of fascinating research” on the long-standing “nature vs nurture” debate and its effect on childhood development, Kristoff explains in […]

Children are our future—and thanks to the work of education speaker Paul Tough, and his unique perspective on how to help more children succeed, that future is beginning to look a little brighter. Tough recently appeared on NPR's This American Life to discuss the theories presented in his bestselling book How Children Succeed. Test results […]

“The [Khan] Academy owned a PC, $20 worth of screen-capture software, and an $80 pen tablet,” Salman Khan writes in his new book The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined. “The faculty, engineering team, support staff and administration consisted of exactly one person: me. The budget consisted of my savings.”  Salman Khan and his virtual school, […]

A recent Time magazine article on education speaker Salman Khan reveals his plan to “flip” the traditional classroom model, and to empower teachers to give personalized attention to individual students. Khan, who founded the popular Khan Academy, is relying on the support of the Internet, as well as the cooperation of educators everywhere. “In the […]

Who gets into college, who doesn’t, and why does it matter? Based on six years of reporting, education speaker Paul Tough’s hotly-anticipated new book explores how social mobility affects higher education—and what this means for America’s future generations.   In The Years That Matter Most, Tough shares true stories of students trying to find their […]

Common wisdom would suggest that offering advice to those who are struggling is helpful to them. But findings from the University of Pennsylvania suggest the opposite is true. In fact, it is the actually person dispensing the advice who is benefiting most. Lauren Eskreis-Winkler reveals the surprising insights from her new study. Wharton post-doctoral researcher […]

Even though the Ivy League has opened their doors to a more diverse student body, less privileged students still struggle. Drawing from his own experiences, as well as dozens of interviews with undergraduates at one of America’s most prestigious colleges, Anthony Jack’s The Privileged Poor (out now) reveals what happens to students who don’t have […]

Education speaker Paul Tough’s new book Helping Children Succeed is now available in its entirety online—gorgeously rendered with helpful graphics, charts, and embedded videos. If you’ve read Tough’s NYT bestseller How Children Succeed, Helping makes the perfect companion: a much-needed (and practical) exploration of how to overcome childhood adversity, both within the classroom and beyond. […]

Last week, education speaker Paul Tough wrote a piece for The Atlantic called “How Kids Learn Resilience,” in which he champions the development of noncognitive skills—grit, optimism, self-control, among others—in children. The foundation for these skills is laid in our first few years of life, he argues; and for children raised in safe, nurturing environments, these […]

One of the most talked-about new books in education is Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, and it’s available for purchase today. The book is the culmination of years of research on the titular concept—an elusive blend of purpose and persistence that Duckworth believes may be paramount in determining high-level achievement. Since […]

What really drives success? Is it our families, our cultures, our upbringings? Our socio-economic status? Raw IQ, EQ, our genetics, even genius? According to renowned psychologist and education speaker Angela Duckworth, real achievement often comes down to “grit”: a special mixture of enthusiasm and determination that, as a concept, is redefining more than just education. In […]

Last week, psychology professor and education speaker Angela Duckworth wrote an op-ed in The New York Times addressing a problematic trend in education accountability systems—and one she worries that she may have contributed to, however inadvertently. Educators are now seeing the value in teaching emotional and social skills in school—a shift that acknowledges Duckworth’s groundbreaking research into the […]

Math is having a moment. Recently, two Lavin speakers—Jordan Ellenberg and Elizabeth Green—topped the The New York Times' most-emailed articles list (No's 1 and 2, respectively) with stories on mathematics. They addressed why math matters, why most Americans are allergic to math, and how to teach it effectively, especially to students. In his Op-Ed, Ellenberg, […]

In this week's New York Times Magazine cover story, education speaker Paul Tough takes a look at the graduation gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students at American universities. Who Gets to Graduate? focuses on an experiment at the University of Texas at Austin that is trying to find an answer to the question: “How, precisely, […]

Well, that didn't take long. Education speaker Paul Tough, best known for his bestselling book How Children Succeed, has landed a major film deal with The Weinstein Company. The rights to his recent New York Times Magazine story, “A Speck in the Sea,” about the rescue of fisherman John Aldridge, were snapped up by the production […]

For thirty years, education speaker Bill Strickland has used his innovative arts and training centers to transform the lives of thousands of impoverished adults and teenagers. In a major Financial Times profile, which serves as a sweeping retrospective of his work, Strickland discusses his education centers and why he believes we can't rely solely on […]

Salman Khan, an education speaker and founder of The Khan Academy, has helped millions of people around the world to sharpen their knowledge thanks to his online tutorials. While he's known today as the guy “flipping the classroom” and “revolutionizing education,” Khan actually started his career in finance. That's why his recent partnership with Bank […]

Derek Thompson, a senior editor at The Atlantic, is an expert on the Millenial generation: the under-35 set that is taking longer than ever to finish school, get out of debt, and start their careers. In his articles and keynotes, Thompson explores the motivation behind—and complexities of—Millenial behavior. And, as a nice dovetail, he champions […]

As education speaker Salman Khan has proven, YouTube can be used for much more than watching “cats playing piano.” It can, in fact, be a valuable tool for learning mathematics and other complex concepts. His online video-based learning platform, The Khan Academy, has become a popular aid for teaching students of all ages and abilities […]

Education speaker Salman Khan has helped millions of people brush up on their learning with his revolutionary online school The Khan Academy. While he is perhaps best known for his YouTube videos that teach users science and math, he actually got his start in finance. A former hedge fund analyst, Khan told CBS News (embedded […]

“Amid the rain, and the fog, and the rain, and the rain, Seattle was home to the beginning of my journey traversing the fields of technology, art and design,” education speaker John Maeda writes in a new editorial in The Seattle Times. He jokes that he was a Seattle native before it became cool to […]

“In its prescriptions Sticks and Stones shines,” the New York Times writes about Lavin speaker Emily Bazelon's new book. “That is why this authoritative and important book should not only be read by educators and parents alike, but should also be taught in law schools and journalism schools.” Bazelon argues that stamping out bullying involves more […]

Bill Strickland's contributions to education and his community are about to be recognized in a big way. U.S. Senator Bob Casey is holding a symposium in Strickland's honor on Feb. 25. The Senator will give a speech and discuss the tremendous work that Strickland has done for those not just in Pittsburgh, but to the […]

Sometimes children are exposed to such seemingly insurmountable obstacles that they can lose faith in their potential to succeed. As education speaker Paul Tough explains in a recent keynote, being told that you can succeed has a tremendous impact on your actual ability to do so. While having a strong support system doesn't improve the […]

Bill Strickland recently appeared on a local NPR affiliate station to discuss the opening of a new program that uses the arts to teach at-risk students, and why it is so important to incorporate arts education in these programs. Located in the Charlotte area, Studio 345 uses innovate new techniques to help decrease student drop-out […]

How gritty are you? According to education speaker Paul Tough, the “grittier” you are, the more likely you are to succeed in life. He doesn't mean gritty in a John Wayne from the wild west kind of way, though he does admit that that reference certainly has a “deep historical resonance.” Rather, he is referring […]

The world can be a very stressful place, especially for a child. As education speaker Paul Tough explains, children who have strong connections with their parents at a young age learn to deal with stress better than those who don't. “When children are able to form a close, attached, nurturing, bond with a parent or […]

“I think what we have in our culture,” education speaker Paul Tough says in a new keynote, “is an adversity gap.” Some children face too much adversity in their life, while other children don't face as many challenges—if any at all. What he says in the speech is that neither option is beneficial to the […]

Reza Aslan's Religion and Politics in the Middle East class is “exciting and, admittedly, a bit exhilarating,” says a student at New York's Drew University.  As he writes in a glowing review in the school's newspaper, the experience of being taught by the bestselling author fulfilled much more than just a degree requirement. One of the […]

Who is “the coolest person in America today,” according to Walter Isaacson? Why it's education speaker Salman Khan, of course. One of TIME's Most Influential People, Isaacson is the author of the record-breaking biography of Steve Jobs, the CEO of the Aspen Institute, the former CEO of CNN and the former Managing Editor of TIME. […]

“Let’s give credit where credit is due,” Diane Ravitch writes in a blog post about Paul Tough's How Children Succeed. “Tough is smart. He knows what is going on.” The ideas that Tough presents in his book about character development, stress and education have sparked a national conversation about the way we teach our children. […]

When Eric Schmidt is praising your accomplishments, you're doing something right. Education speaker Salman Khan recently sat down with the Executive Chairman of Google to discuss his newly-released book, The One World Schoolhouse, and the growth of the Khan Academy. “It may very well be that Salman Khan becomes the most important educator in the entire […]

Lavin's newest education speaker, Paul Tough, believes that test scores aren't the only benchmarks for success—and that social and psychological issues can hinder a child's learning experience. In his instant new bestseller, How Children Succeed, which New York Times columnist David Brooks descibes as “essential”, Tough proposes that dealing with trauma from a young age […]

Last month, we were in the audience in Toronto’s TIFF Lightbox building as Salman Khan spoke about his world-famous Khan Academy—a nonprofit that provides free, high-quality education to “anyone, anywhere” through online videos. The Khan Academy is the perfect example of the positive power of media in education: more technology actually means more interaction in […]

Jeremy Gutsche, Lavin speaker and founder of Trendhunter.com, didn’t achieve success all on his own. It was his well rounded background, including an MBA from Queen’s University, that gave him the foundation he needed to become one of the world’s foremost expert on consumer trends. That — and a little help from his friends. In […]