The article "What Was It Like to Be a Kid in the Middle Ages?" from BBC's HistoryExtra explores what life was like for children during the Middle Ages. The article highlights how children's lives were shaped by age, gender, class, and religion. It also reveals surprising facts about literacy, mortality rates, and how children played, worked, and were disciplined.
A nonprofit has a creative approach to support kids going through a tough time: a faith-based pro-wrestling charity. The program is led by founder Gareth Thompson, who rose above his difficult childhood to devote his time and efforts to helping other struggling young boys.
In this pro-wrestling after-school program, students learn to use wrestling as a healthy outlet, while getting support from positive male role models. The sport may look aggressive, but at this level of wrestling, all of the moves are choreographed. That minimizes danger and puts the emphasis on routine, discipline, kindness, skill, and confidence. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also a whole lot of fun! Students can use their energy here and actually end up being more focused and calmer in class.
What if homework meant baking a cake, designing a board game, or building something creative instead of filling out worksheets? One elementary school has replaced traditional homework in subjects like math and reading with hands-on projects that students can choose themselves.
Supporters say the new approach makes learning feel more real and less stressful. Students report having more choice, more family time, and more fun. A cooking project, for example, can still involve math, reading, measuring, and following directions — all while making something you can actually eat.
But not everyone agrees. Some people wonder whether creative homework truly prepares students for the more demanding assignments they may face later in middle school, high school, and beyond. Others worry that without regular practice, students may miss chances to build discipline, organization, and study habits.
So what counts as real learning: finishing worksheets — or using skills in everyday life? This school’s homework experiment is raising big questions about how kids learn best.
The article "What Was It Like to Be a Kid in the Middle Ages?" from BBC's HistoryExtra explores what life was like for children during the Middle Ages. The article highlights how children's lives were shaped by age, gender, class, and religion. It also reveals surprising facts about literacy, mortality rates, and how children played, worked, and were disciplined.
A nonprofit has a creative approach to support kids going through a tough time: a faith-based pro-wrestling charity. The program is led by founder Gareth Thompson, who rose above his difficult childhood to devote his time and efforts to helping other struggling young boys.
In this pro-wrestling after-school program, students learn to use wrestling as a healthy outlet, while getting support from positive male role models. The sport may look aggressive, but at this level of wrestling, all of the moves are choreographed. That minimizes danger and puts the emphasis on routine, discipline, kindness, skill, and confidence. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also a whole lot of fun! Students can use their energy here and actually end up being more focused and calmer in class.
What if homework meant baking a cake, designing a board game, or building something creative instead of filling out worksheets? One elementary school has replaced traditional homework in subjects like math and reading with hands-on projects that students can choose themselves.
Supporters say the new approach makes learning feel more real and less stressful. Students report having more choice, more family time, and more fun. A cooking project, for example, can still involve math, reading, measuring, and following directions — all while making something you can actually eat.
But not everyone agrees. Some people wonder whether creative homework truly prepares students for the more demanding assignments they may face later in middle school, high school, and beyond. Others worry that without regular practice, students may miss chances to build discipline, organization, and study habits.
So what counts as real learning: finishing worksheets — or using skills in everyday life? This school’s homework experiment is raising big questions about how kids learn best.