Pamela Cantor M.D. Authors Reply to Carol D. Lee Article in Phi Delta Kappan

Turnaround for Children Founder and Senior Science Advisor Pamela Cantor M.D. authored a reply to the article, “Possible futures: A curriculum that promotes civic ends and meets developmental needs,” by Carol D. Lee in Phi Delta Kappan.

Lee’s article delves into the importance of a public education curriculum guided by the science of learning and development that embraces complex content and prepares all young people for meaningful civic engagement. Lee outlines what a possible future looks like when learning contexts are designed around this purpose.

Cantor’s response, “Experiences and biochemical processes that spark learning and growth,” expands on Lee’s points and further examines the roles of experiences, contexts and relationships that ignite learning and reveal the potential of all young people. By designing experiences that build on students’ existing knowledge, educators can tap into the malleability of the brain to unlock the potential, growth, and confidence necessary for civic engagement.

Beth Rubin, Antero Garcia, and Nicole Mirra also authored replies to Lee’s article. The articles are part of a series published in partnership with Na’ilah Suad Nasir, President of the Spencer Foundation, that describe “possible futures” for education in the coming years. The first article, which describes the thinking behind the series, is available here.

Read the article and responses here.