By Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Ph.D., Senior Scholar Saying relationships are important for a young person to learn and grow is like saying water is important for a swimming pool. A decade ago, one youth worker wrote something like (paraphrased slightly): “I’m still not sure whom the relational youth work fanatics think they are arguing against.” […]
By Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Ph.D., Senior Scholar Kurt Lewin (1890 – 1947)—a pioneer in social psychology, “action research,” and organizational development—is widely quoted as saying a two things (among many others): “There is nothing so practical as a good theory.” “If you want truly to understand something, try to change it.” 1 The intentional dialectical […]
By Ashley Boat, Research Scientist, Search Institute After months of distance learning, many Minnesota students are transitioning back to in-person learning this month. These students are returning to the classroom with the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic resting heavily on their minds and well-being. The list of stressors is long: the loss of loved ones, […]
By Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Ph.D, Senior Scholar, Search Institute I spent most of my childhood near Arusha, Tanzania, the launching point to visit many of the world’s great wildlife sanctuaries (many now threatened). In a matter of a few hours, we could visit half a dozen world-renowned parks such as Ngorongoro Crater, Amboseli National Park, […]
By Peter C. Scales, Ph.D. and Benjamin J. Houltberg, Ph.D., Search Institute We wrote a brief white paper recently about a new Search Institute initiative being planned about youth development through sports, specifically, about developmental relationships and sporting honor, and why youth sports needs more coaching around those themes. We wrote that white paper before […]
By Kent Pekel, Ed.D., President and CEO, Search Institute Joe Biden didn’t speak about education very often during the presidential campaign of 2020 but, paradoxically, some of his best moments occurred when cameras captured him interacting with young people. Those moments included Mr. Biden’s exchanges with 13 year-old Brayden Harrington about overcoming stuttering, and the […]
By Kent Pekel, Ed.D. Nearly a decade ago, an important meta-analysis showed that implementing high-quality social and emotional learning (SEL) programs in schools can lead to significant increases in students’ academic and behavioral outcomes (Durlak et al, 2011). Partly as a result of that study and others like it, thousands of schools and out-of-school time […]
By Kent Pekel, Ed.D., President and CEO, Search Institute Since George Floyd’s murder in May, a wide array of organizations – from Fortune 500 corporations to large and small non-profits – have issued statements that expressed outrage at his senseless death and solidarity with people who have protested that injustice. Many of those statements committed […]
By Clare Eisenberg, Research Associate at Search Institute As one of the few places where multiple generations from different families gather together (Azzopardi, 2018), faith communities are unique settings for relationship building. Plenty of scholars have suggested that these relationships instill stronger faith in young people, ensure continued engagement in the congregation, or provide supports […]
By Kent Pekel, President & CEO, Search Institute Last Wednesday, May 27, I sent out a statement that articulated Search Institute’s opposition to the murder of George Floyd in our home community of Minneapolis. We received many positive responses, but a number of people shared concerns that make me wish the statement were written differently. […]
