Persuasion and Operant Conditioning: The Influence of B. F. Skinner in Big Tech and Ed-tech

I would argue, in total seriousness, that one of the places that Skinnerism thrives today is in computing technologies, particularly in “social” technologies. This, despite the field’s insistence that its development is a result, in part, of the cognitive turn that supposedly displaced behaviorismUltimately behaviorism provides a simplistic lens that can’t see beyond itself.Why isContinue reading “Persuasion and Operant Conditioning: The Influence of B. F. Skinner in Big Tech and Ed-tech”

CHAMPS and the Compliance Classroom

I wrote this in 2016 after witnessing a CHAMPS classroom. My stomach dropped when I saw CHAMPS at our elementary school. “Eyes front, knees front, closed mouth” leapt off the wall and rose from memory. I was in school in the 1970s and 80s. Some teachers were really into table readiness and proper student posture,Continue reading “CHAMPS and the Compliance Classroom”

Neurodiversity in the Classroom

Neurodiversity is an equity imperative and is critical in shifting the culture of teaching and learning.

We offer several series and courses on neurodiversity in the classroom. This is what our community of neurodivergent and disabled people wants to say to educators. This is 100s of hours of free and open professional development, deeply and broadly sourced. Learn how to better treat and teach our loved people.

Books Every Progressive Educator Should Read

Our friends Nick and Chris of Human Restoration Project list some of their favorite books for progressive educators. I think a cornerstone of progressive educationProgressive EducationA movement based on connectivism & communities of practice -the networks we create for meaningful relationships, collaboration, & learning.A pulsating web of autonomous engagement.Growing and Expanding Progressive Education w/… MoreContinue reading “Books Every Progressive Educator Should Read”

Fundamental Texts of Progressive Pedagogy

Our friends at Human Restoration Project suggest that their communityWhat I have always been hoping to accomplish is the creation of community.Community is magic. Community is power. Community is resistance.Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century https://www.amazon.com/Disability-Visibility-First-Person-Stories-Twenty-First-ebook/dp/B082ZQBL98/ https://www.amazon.com/Disability-Visibility-Adapted-Young-Adults-ebook/dp/B08VFT4R9T/… More read these four “fundamental texts of progressive pedagogy” to understand their philosophy. These are greatContinue reading “Fundamental Texts of Progressive Pedagogy”

Key Principles When Supporting Autistic People

The community at Spectrum Gaming released “Key Principles when supporting autistic people” at Barriers to Education. We believe in REAL coproduction, so have worked with our community to create ‘Our Key Principles When Supporting AutisticAutistic ways of being are human neurological variants that can not be understood without the social model of disability.If you are wondering whether youContinue reading “Key Principles When Supporting Autistic People”

Six Things Educators Must Know About Neurodivergent People

Here are six things we think every educator must know about neurodivergent people. By understanding these, we make “all means all” more meaningful.

Spiky Profiles
Monotropism
Double Empathy Problem
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Exposure Anxiety
Situational Mutism

Wendell & Wild: An Indictment of the School-to-Prison Pipeline with a Banging Black Punk Soundtrack

“Wendell & Wild” has a Black punkEverything that was normally supposed to be hidden was brought to the front.Punk subculture – Wikipedia The First Rule of Punk: Be Yourself Our Second Rule of Punk: Reframe The… More soundtrack, a Black girl protagonist with a transgender friend, a critique of the school-to-prison pipeline, and Key &Continue reading “Wendell & Wild: An Indictment of the School-to-Prison Pipeline with a Banging Black Punk Soundtrack”

100 Seconds to Midnight: The Need for a Human-Centered Education

Our friends at Human Restoration Project released a very important documentary called “100 Seconds to Midnight: The Need for a Human-Centered Education“. In January 2020 – in what now seems like a prophetic forecast for the distressing year to come – the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists announced to the world that it was “100 SecondsContinue reading “100 Seconds to Midnight: The Need for a Human-Centered Education”

R-word and Genius: Situationally Mute Hyperlexic Autistic

When I was a kid, school didn’t know I could read because I wouldn’t read aloud. Situational mutism I am situationally mute. For anyone that isn’t aware of what that is, it simply means that in certain situations, places or around certain people I don’t want to and… More and exposure anxietyExposure anxiety (EA) is aContinue reading “R-word and Genius: Situationally Mute Hyperlexic Autistic”