“A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary” – Thomas Curruthers Last week I was inspired by some recent discussions with educators and counselors about educational philosophy and dug into the blog archives with a post on “What is Experiential Education”. Today I am adding to this discussion by revisiting the idea of the [...]

If you are reading this post, chances are you believe it is important to find ways to actively engage learners in your classroom, boardroom, or group counseling setting.  However, when we have a lot of material to cover in our lesson plans or agendas some of us might find ourselves forgetting just how important regular [...]

Summer Reading List Books on the Brain and Learning: Jen Stanchfield, M.S. Summer is a great time to relax and rejuvenate. Many educators find that some time away from our students or clients is perfect for reflecting on our professional practice. It can be enjoyable to take some time to learn about new resources and [...]

Engaging Groups in Meaningful Dialogue and Reflection While Practicing Decision-making and Consensus Building. Jen Stanchfield My last few posts have explored the power of play to help learners build decision-making, and conflict resolution skills. I have emphasized that educators can intentionally “weave in” opportunities for groups to practice these skills throughout their day- to-day lessons. [...]

What is Experiential Education? How is it relevant to my work as an educator or counselor? The experiential approach to education and group work is based on the idea that change and growth take place when people are actively (physically, socially, intellectually, emotionally) involved in their learning rather than just being receivers of information. The [...]

In last Friday’s author’s lesson entry at Wood ‘N’ Barnes I posted: “Bringing Learning to Life Through Reflection”: Last week’s lesson ended with, “The lasting lesson for facilitators is to find ways to help participants and group leaders transfer these successes back to day-to-day participation in school work, or other life activities.” Reflection brings learning [...]