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Developing and Leading 21st Century Innovators
COURSE OFFERINGS
Creativity
Flex & Build Your Creative Thinking Muscles!
Ages 11 – 14 and Ages 15 – 18
In this introductory course, learners engage in fun and stimulating brain exercises to help build creative thinking.
Participants join Dr. Cohen to learn to flex and stretch their creative thinking muscles. Together they explore some of the best ways students can expand their brain power to develop creative thinking skills that help them not only in academics but also in life in general. Learners first discuss a bit of "the science behind the learning," helping students understand the importance of keeping brains in tip-top shape. Then participants have a chance to try out brain-flexing activities and have fun while learning.
Multiple Intelligences
It's Not "How Smart Are You?"
-- It's "How Are You Smart?"
Ages 11-14 and Ages 15-18
Learners in this course explore about personal "gifts" and "gaps" and how they can use this information to affect their learning, their behavior, and their future.
Participants join Dr. Cohen to discover what they can learn about themselves through an exploration of Dr. Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence (MI) Theory. Learners complete a brief individual assessment prior to class, and during class time Dr. Cohen shares the meaning of those results and how learners can harness this information for school activities and other areas of life. Results are discussed (while maintaining participants' privacy) so that participants can explore the relevance of this information for themselves and for their work with others.
"Guerilla" Research:
Unique Research Classes
- Academic enrichment designed to build creative research skills
- Students develop real-world, lifelong research skills in unique ways
- Providing students 21st Century Skills to use for a lifetime - in school & beyond
Students entering Grades 5 - 8 and Grades 9 -12
Online classes focused on building real-world research skills
Conducting research and developing research projects are critical skills for College, Career, and Civic life, according to the National Council for the Social Studies College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
Students work at their own pace under the direction of an award-winning instructor.
Suitable for all learner levels and abilities.
Course #1: Learn and/or reinforce research skills
Learn to become a (better) researcher
Explore beyond the obvious to gain “guerilla research” skills
Identify sources and venues for unique research opportunities
Avoid fake or questionable sources
Course #2: Create and share a research project
Demonstrate critical thinking skills
Build communication skills
Learn and reinforce best practices in research
Develop and apply skills applicable to problem-based learning and research-based academic competitions such as National History Day and others
Writing for the Real World
In this course, learners who self-identify as writers have the opportunity to work with Dr. Cohen to deepen and enhance their existing skills.
Through readings and books selected by Dr. Cohen, as well as those chosen by participants, learners will deconstruct the art of essay writing, including an analysis of impact on audience and purpose of style. Other writing genres will be explored as well, and learners will write in response to what they read, and about issues that are important to them, with the intention that their work will be read by audiences both inside and outside of this group. This is a fun "deep dive" into writing and is designed to help those looking to explore ways to build and strengthen their existing writing skills.
