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Instead of Student Loans, Investing in Futures

David Bornstein

May 30, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Colombia

For millions of students who could succeed in college, the limiting factor is money. Is it possible to finance higher education the way we finance start-up companies? A company called Lumni uses “human capital contracts” to offer loans for students contingent upon 14 percent of the student's salary for 118 months after graduation. There are risks to this approach and not a lot of years or data available to be sure of its efficacy, but results are promising already—with a default rate under 3 percent.

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Publishers as Partners in Literacy

David Bornstein

May 19, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First Book Marketplace, which makes quality, new books affordable for children in low-income families, is providing not only improved access to engaging educational materials, but a sense of dignity and self worth that a hodgepodge of used, donated books cannot. Additionally, the books are often used by nonprofits to further create opportunities for family bonding and to stimulate children's development.

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A Book in Every Home, and Then Some

David Bornstein

May 16, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lack of reading material is not only a third-world problem – many poor families in the United States lack access to and funds for books. A program that helps get books to into the homes of low-income families can boost literacy, and help publishers, too.

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When Math Makes Sense (To Everyone)

David Bornstein

April 21, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Toronto, Ontario

Many people believe that math is only for a select few. By fostering commitment and providing explicit guidance, Jump, an math education curriculum, is showing people that anyone can do math if they understand it.

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A Better Way to Teach Math

David Bornstein

April 18, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Toronto, Ontario

Can we improve the methods we use to teach math in schools — so that everyone develops proficiency? A grade-school math program is changing how children learn based on the assumption that all children can achieve a high level of understanding.

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The Power of the Playground

David Bornstein

April 07, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Great minds from Plato to Piaget have recognized the importance of play in healthy child development, but with bullying becoming more prevalent on school playgrounds and increased pressure to maximize school hours to boost performance on standardized tests, schools are struggling to implement meaningful recess. Playworks and other similar non-profit groups provide coaching for adults on how to help structure children's playtime to be healthy, productive, and enjoyable, while allowing children to explore on their own and develop positive relationships.

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Hard Times for Recess

David Bornstein

April 04, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Despite strong evidence that school-based physical activity improves children’s cognitive skills, concentration, and behavior, schools under pressure to produce quantitative results and decrease bullying have drastically cut back on recess in recent years. An Oakland-based nonprofit organization called Playworks is working to make healthy play accessible for more children and show schools how productive recess can be to the whole academic world.

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A Fla. District Leads in Violence Prevention

Kristen A. Graham

April 01, 2011 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boynton Beach, Florida

Palm Beach County, Florida has many of the same social problems that Philadelphia has, including “gangs, drugs, and poverty.” However, their school system has managed to keep students safe by employing “safe-school case managers” who build relationships with students, and they offer a youth court that is a system run by students who peer-review cases of unrest. The initiatives in this county has prevented school violence from happening without metal detectors and just two police officers.

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Some Antiviolence Efforts Are Working

Kristen A. Graham, Susan Snyder, John Sullivan, Dylan Purcell

April 01, 2011 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Often social programs at schools fail because they are not implemented fully or over a long enough period. One school in Philadelphia attributes their success in decreasing violence to having a long-term principal, a stable teaching force, and formal training in anti-violence programs.

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Coming Together to Give Schools a Boost

David Bornstein

March 07, 2011 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cincinnati, Ohio

A 2006 report noted that Ohio and Kentucky were lagging behind other states in college attainment rates - community leaders were concerned about remaining competitive in a global economy. A group of leaders in the Cincinnati area are improving school systems by using data for progress, not punishment.

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