Sparking the Fire of Learning
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Nat Damon's conversation with Richard Reeves and Luthern Williams on this very pertinent topic.
Richard Reeves, author of Of Boys and Men, created this video which took off around the world in January, 2023. Take a moment to read some of the very honest comments from men as they open up about what his message means to them.
PODCASTS HOSTED BY REACH ACADEMY FOUNDER
Nat Damon, focusing on issues regarding the unique challenges that young men face.
Nat's conversation is with Mr. Mike Erwin, co-founder of The Positivity Project, a nationwide program designed to empower our youngest generation through hope and possibility. Drawing from his experience from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Erwin applies themes of collaboration, community, and teamwork into his organization. We conclude with a focus on the status of young men today.
What happens to boys as they become young men in today’s culture? How has the pandemic impacted the way boys perceive the world, and their place in it? How can we best guide our boys to become the young men they truly wish to be? Find the answers to these questions and many more in this timely conversation with Dr. Judy Chu, renowned lecturer on boys’ psychosocial behavior and author of the book, When Boys become Boys.
This episode dives deep into the elements of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) by understanding what CRT is…and is not. Esteemed writer and teacher-researcher Zaretta Hammond (Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain) defines the obstacles that prevent classroom belongingness for non-white students, and why there are reasons for hope even during these deeply divided times.
Regarding the nationwide move to remote teaching, UCLA professor Dr. Tyrone Howard stated, “The (teachers) best able to take lessons online already had strong relationships with their students and their families.” In this episode, Dr. Howard speaks about the positive effect of remote learning on relational trust and the negative effect on equity regarding the many LAUSD students without access.
WEBSITE LINKS THAT PROVIDE A VARIETY
of reading, educating and actionable resources for understanding and helping young men navigate the choices and challenges in their lives.
CANDLE
Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang is the Director of The Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education (CANDLE) at USC. Their open-source resources on neuroscience and teaching shape the central pedagogy at Reach Academy for Young Men.
THE PARTNERSHIP FOR
MALE YOUTH
Founded in 2013, we are a broad-based partnership of leaders and organizations from a range of disciplines that deal with issues that impact the health of adolescent and young adult (AYA) males. Our disciplines include medicine, psychology, education, and juvenile justice, among others. All of our work is informed through the involvement of young males themselves.
ISSUES FACING YOUNG MEN IN EDUCATION
“Men now comprise only 40.5% of college students and are failing in high school at much higher rates. There’s a crisis among American boys and men that is too often ignored and is definitely going unaddressed.”
— Andrew Yang, Business Entrepreneur and Author, “Forward” (2021)
