The “Extrovert Ideal” and the Problem with Typical Classrooms

The “Extrovert Ideal” and the Problem with Typical Classrooms

ByMolly

As Susan Cain, the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, said in a now-famous TED Talk, “Our most important institutions – our schools and our workplaces – are designed mostly for extroverts and for extroverts’ need for lots of stimulation.” Indeed, in rejecting the lecture-based classes of…

3 Critical Listening Skills for Middle Schoolers

3 Critical Listening Skills for Middle Schoolers

ByMolly

Listening skills are critical for students of all ages. They matter for academics, friendship, and all relationships – and yet, most schools stop proactively teaching students how to listen after age eight! Even then: children are most often taught how to “listen-to-comply” rather than the art of true, deep listening.  At R.E.A.L.®, we know that…

Let’s Talk About It: Designing Discussions Where Extroverts Practice Listening and Introverts Practice Talking

Let’s Talk About It: Designing Discussions Where Extroverts Practice Listening and Introverts Practice Talking

ByMolly

For today’s students, discussion skills are critical. Yet, as teachers know too well: engaging introverts and extroverts in class discussion can be a challenge. Our research and methods show that it’s possible — and students see the impact immediately. In this whitepaper, we examine: Read on to learn more.

Let’s Talk About It: The Future of Discussion Skills in an AI World
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Let’s Talk About It: The Future of Discussion Skills in an AI World

ByMolly

We’re in the midst of a revolution. An AI revolution, characterized by increased interactions between humans and machines. In an AI-dominated world, do students still need to learn how to have in-person conversations with other humans? Our answer: a resounding yes. In this whitepaper, we examine: Read on to learn more.

Let’s Talk About It: Teaching Face-to-Face Communication Skills as Preventative Care for Teens’ Mental Health

Let’s Talk About It: Teaching Face-to-Face Communication Skills as Preventative Care for Teens’ Mental Health

ByMolly

Have you noticed that kids today aren’t talking to each other? We have. We see that today’s teens are connecting with each other, certainly — they spend hours interacting with one another from behind the comfort (and, at times, the agony) of their screens. Yet when kids are off-screen, together, they struggle to talk —…

Discussion Skills as Democracy Skills: One Educator’s Framework

Discussion Skills as Democracy Skills: One Educator’s Framework

ByMolly

Discussion skills are critical for learning and for life – and that fact has become even more glaringly obvious in our hyper-polarized world. At R.E.A.L. ®, we’re convinced that teaching today’s teens how to engage in thoughtful, respectful face-to-face conversations isn’t just good for their GPAs – it’s critical for our entire society. In our…

What We Wish Adults Knew About How Gen Z Communicates

What We Wish Adults Knew About How Gen Z Communicates

ByMolly

Gen Z. iGen. Zoomers.  Whatever they’re called, members of the generation currently ascending into adulthood are often characterized by their affinity for and reliance on technology. This makes sense: born sometime between the late 90s and early 2010s, members of Gen Z are the first to have grown up in a fully connected world.  That…