| Save the Date! - AERO Conference |
 We are just finalizing a contract with LIU/Post to again have the 2014 AERO conference there, from June 26-29. Save the dates! We are having a big discussion right now on the AEROlistserve about who to have as keynoters this year and what form the conference should take to maximize real action toward the Education Revolution. If you are an AERO member and want to be on the AEROlistserve reply to this newsletter and we'll subscribe you. You can always become an AERO member and join the discussion.
|
| Why you shouldn't buy our books today... |
Don't buy our books today!
Wait for our once-a-year Black Friday sale starting midnight Thursday night! Of course, if you need something right away at our already discounted prices, go for it! But if you wait until Friday you'll get an even bigger discount. Everything in the store will be greatly slashed, but not literally!
Also, I can't say it out loud so I'll put it in parentheses (Every Black Friday order over will receive a free copy of the full 2-hour Sir Ken Robinson keynote at the AERO conference. This is not available anywhere else and this full video will never be on the Internet).
So don't buy any of our books today unless you absolutely have to!
Watch a sneak peak of the 2-hour talk you'll receive with your Black Friday order here:
 | | Sir Ken Robinson: Building a Culture of Innovation |
|
 |
|
New Membership Option for Schools and Organizations
|
We are excited to announce a brand new enhanced membership option for schools, groups, and organizations. In addition to the typical school and organization member benefits, such as having your school listed on our website, we are offering a featured banner ad on our site for one full year! This banner will appear in the state, province, or country section of your school on our member schools and organizations list and will help draw attention to those looking for alternatives in your area. This list receives thousands of hits each month and is our most popular page on the website.
We've decided to offer this enhanced membership for $200 which will include one full year's membership (worth $75). However, for this week only, we will be offering the enhanced membership and one full year's membership (extended for one year if you're already a member) for only $100! If you do the math, you'll realize that we're essentially offering a banner ad on the member schools list for only $25 beyond what you would already pay for membership!
|
|
What modern cognitive science says about how we learn best
Motivation is defined in Webster's as "a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way." It's what makes us do something, whether it's eating dinner, looking both ways before we cross the street, reading a novel, or looking something up on the Internet.
There are different types of motivation, which researchers generally group into intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is about free choice, pleasure, a sense of satisfaction, and the desire to fill a physical, intellectual or emotional need. If we eat our dinner because we enjoy the taste of the food, the company, and our surroundings, and feel good afterwards, we're intrinsically motivated. We might research a topic on the Internet out of curiosity or for the fun of learning something new - that's intrinsic motivation too.
If, on the other hand, we undertake that research in order to get a good mark on a term paper, we are extrinsically motivated. Likewise, when a parent tells a child that she'll get ice cream if she finishes her peas, the parent is using extrinsic motivation to create the behavior he desires in his daughter. (And we could safely assume that the little girl isn't intrinsically motivated to eat her peas!) Extrinsic motivation involves doing something in order to earn external rewards such as praise, money, or grades, or to avoid punishments.
|
|
Letter from an AERO Member School Parent
|
We were very gratified to receive the following handwritten letter from a parent of an AERO Member School, written to Jerry Mintz, and delivered by the school's director on a visit to our office:
*****
Half a year ago I, mother of 3, children aged 9-15 years, did a Google search for 'alternative schools, alternative schooling.'
A video of you came up where you read the poem you wrote in high school (hyperlink to first Tedx). I cried. I had found someone who understands and can help!
I went to your website next and got clarity about my family's needs by your article, "The 10 signs you need to find a different kind of education for your child." Then I used the site to search for alternative schools near me. I found a school which serves children up to nine years old currently and is still in start-up mode. It is the only democratic free school model in our area. This area needs more
I thank you for all your work in finding alternative schools, connecting alternative schools to each other, and using the website to make them accessible for those looking for one. Thank you!!
*****
Often we don't get this kind of great feedback except from members and it is useful and encouraging to us. We'd love to hear from you if you have received some help from us, even if it was just from using the website. You can just reply to this newsletter. |
Do you have a news or resource item you think Education Revolution newsletter readers would find useful? Send it to [email protected].
|
Thank you for your ongoing support. With your help, we will make learner-centered alternatives available to everyone!
Sincerely,
Jerry Mintz
Executive Director
Alternative Education Resource Organization
|
|
|
|
