Learning and education

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Black and white photo of a thoughtful child in a classroom sitting with hand on chin, other children nearby.

idea

Why good teachers allow a child’s mind to wander and wonder

The experience of wonder is essential to the task of education – it opens up the world. That’s why teachers should foster it

by Anders Schinkel

Photo of school assembly with pupils in uniform, many faces blurred. One student is in focus in the centre of the image.

Mindfulness and meditation

idea

It’s time to hear what adolescents think of mindfulness in schools

Mindfulness for adolescents backfires when it imposes moral ideals, stirs up trauma, or fails to treat young people as agents

by Elena Hailwood, William Wannyn & Suparna Choudhury

Vintage poster by Roger Broders depicting Antibes beach with swimmers, umbrellas, and two women in the foreground.

Learning and education

guide

How to learn a language (and stick at it)

Forget about fluency and how languages are taught at school: as an adult learner you can take a whole new approach

by John Gallagher

Open book with sketches of a handgun on the left page and a peach with geometric lines on the right page, on a dark surface.

Poetry

film

An English teacher asks his class: ‘What’s the opposite of a gun?’

Directed by Anna Samo and Lisa LaBracio

A girl is shown reading from a device in her hand, her face illuminated by the screen’s light

Technology and media

idea

What does switching from paper to screens mean for how we read?

It’s well established that we absorb less well when reading on screen. But why? And can we do something to improve it?

by Lili Yu, Sixin Liao, Jan-Louis Kruger & Erik D Reichle

Several children and a teacher interact happily at a table in a classroom, with one boy laughing and a girl in blue looking on.

Learning and education

idea

This is how to nurture curiosity in children (and yourself)

The curiosity that comes naturally to babies and young children can soon wilt – but there are ways to help it grow

by Shayla Love

Person in a yellow onesie, resting head on desk, wearing headphones, and using a laptop in a cluttered room with a window.

Learning and education

guide

How to study effectively

Forget cramming, ditch the highlighter, and stop passively rereading. The psychology of learning offers better tactics

by Paul Penn

Music

film

Repairing instruments for children is its own art in this Oscar-nominated short

Directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers

Photo of a person wearing a hat with German flag colours stands before Immanuel Kant’s memorial inscribed with dates 1724-1804.

Learning and education

idea

What public philosophy is, and why we need it more than ever

Public philosophy aims to improve critical thinking so that we gain a better understanding of the world and of ourselves

by Lucia Ziglioli

Illustration of the solar system with planets in order of distance from the Sun on a dark background.

Learning and education

idea

The ‘secret strategy’ that could boost your ability to learn

It may sound illogical, but growing evidence shows the benefits of testing yourself before you start learning new material

by Ajdina Halilovic

Black-and-white photo of people sitting at a bar; a man lights a pipe while others converse, drinks and food are on the counter.

Thinking and intelligence

guide

How to think like a detective

The best detectives seem to have almost supernatural insight, but their cognitive toolkit is one that anybody can use

by Ivar Fahsing

Various ancient Greek and Roman statue fragments, including busts and limbs, playfully arranged in a circular pattern against a light background.

Anxiety

film

Self-honesty is crucial, life is weird – a tale of wisdom gained via panic attacks

Directed by Samira Mian