Preparing for a Pandemic Summer

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Given some knowledge and actionable tips, this spring and summer 

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need not be a time of learning loss but one of exploration, skill-building and

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an even stronger sense of self-efficacy and competence

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Jess Lahey believes there’s a lot of reasons for parents to be optimistic and for kids to be engaged and learning during this period of physical distancing due to COVID-19. The very deepest, most durable learning happens when kids are intrinsically motivated to learn, and the best way to help kids find intrinsic motivation to learn happens when they are able to exercise some choice over what they learn and how, when that learning is relevant to their current and future selves, when they feel competent (not just confident) and when the people around them support and love them for who they are. Jess will be sharing concrete, practical tips for engaging kids in their learning even when school is not in session, setting goals for learning that’s relevant to kids, and for building stronger interpersonal with family and friends even when face-to-face time is restricted so everyone can feel heard, supported, and loved for who they are. Given some knowledge and actionable tips, this spring and summer need not be a time of learning loss but one of exploration, skill-building and an even stronger sense of self-efficacy and competence. 

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About Jessica Lahey: Teacher, New York Times best-selling author and columnist Jessica Lahey is inspiring audiences with her rallying cry to allow children to experience failure as an integral part of becoming successful, resilient and self-reliant adults. Her breakthrough manifesto, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, has become essential reading for parents, educators and coaches and declared a “must-read” by magazines as varied as Working Mother, Fortune and Education Week. Her engaging presentations simplify complex cognitive neuroscience and pedagogy, making the case that children learn and develop best when they are given autonomy, allowed to feel competent and valued for the content of their character rather than the letters on their report card. She also provides actionable recommendations to help parents (and the educators that work with them) reframe children’s temporary setbacks as beneficial steps toward lasting, longer-term success.