Eureka!

Dear Educators,

The moments of success are some of the more euphoric of human existence. We see it in our students when they have engaged in the productive struggle and finally get it. The joy is palpable!

Humans love to solve problems and overcome challenges.

We have been doing that individually and as a group in the face of COVID-19 this whole year, managing our lives and jobs while also working to defeat the disease. As we get closer to a vaccine, we are all excited for that “Eureka” moment when we finally have a solution.

It’s not just the U.S. that is hunting for the cure; the whole world is engaged. This K-12-friendly article discusses what that global mission entails, who the players are, and the nature of the challenges. This article will help your students understand the complexities associated with creating a vaccine that might help us return to normal—or at least, a new normal.

Challenging students to puzzle out solutions is hard to do as an empathetic educator. We don’t want to see our students struggle at all! It’s an important step in the learning process, however, and has physical implications on the brain. What happens when we puzzle things out? Learn more in this fascinating Edutopia article.