Fires in the Mind

Kathleen Cushman writes, speaks, and consults to a national audience of educators. A journalist and documentarian, she cofounded the nonprofit What Kids Can Do, which collaborates with diverse youth in the United States and abroad, bringing their voices to bear on the complex challenges that affect their lives and learning. She is also author of Fires in the Bathroom and coauthor, with Laura Rogers, of Fires in the Middle School Bathroom.

• Foreword by Dennis White ix1. What Does It Take to Get Good? 1Young people are developing mastery in ways we easily overlook2. Catching the Spark 11Kids tell what draws them in and gives them confidence in learning3. Keeping at It 31When do young people stick with something and make it their own?4. Asking the Experts 55Looking at how experts work, students make sense of their own process5. Exploring Deliberate Practice 71Young people look closer at what makes practice effective6. Practice and Performance 87Demonstrating mastery also helps students improve7. Bringing Practice into the Classroom 97Students imagine the classroom as a community of practice8. Is Homework Deliberate Practice? 117Whether, when, and how to give kids practice after class9. School Projects That Build Expert Habits 135Students talk about their most compelling curricula10. Making School a Community of Practice 153Kids suggest ways that schools can foster expert habitsAppendix A: The Practice Project: A Five-Day Curriculum Outline for Secondary Teachers or Advisers 159How to help students investigate the expert processAppendix B: Resources That Help Light Fires in the Mind 165Inspiration, tools, organizations, and other resourcesThe Student Contributors 173Acknowledgments 177About the Author 181About What Kids Can Do 182Index 183