Lighting Fires in Young Minds

Lighting Fires in Young Minds



What does it take to get really good at something?

Dear friends and colleagues,

It seems that everyone's talking about motivation and mastery right now. Malcom Gladwell, Dan Pink, Sir Ken Robinson, and others are all building on the latest research about what drives people to practice for those 10,000 hours it takes to make an expert.

This week--right in time for summer reading--WKCD introduces a critical new element into that conversation.

In our new book FIRES IN THE MIND, just published by Jossey-Bass, Kathleen Cushman has brought together eye-opening insights from close to 200 teenagers who looked at their own lives and learning through the lens of "deliberate practice."

FIRES IN THE MIND--the book and its ongoing blog for teachers and parents--results from a WKCD initiative called the Practice Project, supported by MetLife Foundation. For two years, we drew in diverse students from all around the country to think through its central question, "What does it take to get really good at something?"

Do kids have to be born with talent to shine at math or chess or debate or cello? What draws them in, and keeps them going when things get harder? What's happening at school--or not happening--to light the fires in young people's minds?

Please, drop by http://www.FiresInTheMind.org to hear what students are saying about all this and much more. People are telling us that it's changing the way they look at everything from video games to homework. We hope you'll leave a comment on the blog to tell us what YOU think!

best wishes,

Barbara Cervone, Ed.D., President

LEARN MORE at FiresInTheMind.org




WKCD (www.whatkidscando.org) brings youth voices to bear on important issues in our schools and society. Check out our other sites, too: www.nextgenerationpress.org, www.firstinthefamily.org,www.inourvillage.org; and www.lifeinnewchina.org. Help us spread the word!








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