Schools across the country are re-opening their doors this month to begin a new school year. This is a time that should be full of promise. But due to the current climate in this country, it is also one of fear and divisiveness.
Lots of people are talking about the importance of ensuring that students have social and emotional skills needed to be college and career ready. Too often, however, the focus is on what it takes to teach young people these skills.
Imagine this scenario. A smiling five-year-old is brought into a bare room with a table. On the table is a plate with a single marshmallow. The researcher who brought them in says she will back in 15 minutes, and gives them a choice: they can eat the one marshmallow while she’s gone or wait until she returns and have two.
I don’t want to go to any more celebrations in which young people are given “beat the odds” awards to acknowledge the individual commitment they have made to overcome obstacles.
On April 26, 2017, The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) and the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) hosted the third annual Samuel Halperin Lecture and Youth Public Service Award in Washington, D.C.
The keynote was the Forum's Karen Pittman. The lecture and youth award serve as an ongoing tribute to Samuel Halperin, who dedicated his life and career to improving youth education, workforce, and policy outcomes
North Carolina Chambers of Commerce leaders, county commissioners, early learning program providers, private foundations, community organizations, local school board members, Smart Start local partnerships and business leaders recently spent a day together discussing how to make greater local investments in young children.
As the nation focuses on the new presidential administration, a small but potentially transformative trend is emerging in choices down the ballot: Voters were asked to support the children in their community with new tax revenue and they overwhelmingly agreed.
Youth development professionals come from many backgrounds and work in a variety of settings. Due to this diversity, it’s essential to ensure there’s a basic understanding of positive youth development among those working in the field.
In a @Click2Science blog post, “Planting the Seed that makes ‘STEM’ Grow,” Karen Pittman discusses the importance of PYD in STEM and resources to improve PYD skills.
"There's nothing so practical as a good theory." Kurt Lewin (known as one of the modern pioneers of social, organizational, and applied psychology in the U.S.) is right, but his advice takes us only so far.