Kristen Thorson

Following the success of both the "Learning Differences MOOC-Ed" for educators and the "Students LEAD" course, The Friday Institute launched "Letting Students LEAD," a parent-directed companion resource to further support maximizing student learning.

Though the addition of social-emotional learning to the standard set of curricula offerings has marked benefits for developing the whole child, social-emotional skills cannot be learned in the vacuum of school alone. This post explores ways to bring social-emotional learning into the home.

By: Erin Gohl & Kristen Thorson. When disaster hits families face the reality that schools must close during such emergencies. Here are tips to help keep the learning going.

By reframing the potential of summer, from “ten weeks of academic wilderness between school years” to “the start of the next learning opportunity,” summer has the possibility to serve as a smooth, engaging, and uninterrupted continuation from one school year to the next.

As the spotlight has shifted to the role that families can play in education, many schools are scrambling to identify a starting point for how to invite families into student learning. Here are a few good considerations to keep in mind.

We live in a world with Smartphones and Smarthomes, and understanding how devices work allows us to approach technology as a partner to help us solve problems. Here's how we can start giving kids these skills sooner rather than later.

By: Kristen Thorson and Erin Gohl. By reimagining homework, teachers have the potential to design purposeful experiences that transcend the walls of a classroom and build a solid foundation for learning. Homework can even feel like an opportunity for students and families.