Summer YouTube Challenge: Lifelong Learners

Encore students have been out of school since Friday the 13th in March. While some of Encore's students have been taking advantage of work ahead and summer school, a lot of our students have not put their brainpower to academic work for almost six months. Now, I am not saying that our students have not taken time to learn new things. Watching Instagram and Facebook feeds suggest that a lot of soft skills learning have been happening since March and that is GREAT. This helps people learn how to try new things and expand our horizons.

Today, in preparation for the return to school on September 14, I have a very quick challenge for every student (parents and siblings too). Each day between now and September 14 when we get back to school, I challenge our students to go onto YouTube to find, not funny kitten videos, but academic videos that they can watch to get their brain back into school. It can take you 15 minutes or less, but you know you are already watching YouTube, so why not take a few minutes to get into the habit of being a lifelong learner? There are millions of great short videos that teach very academic subjects. Why not take time to watch a fun video every day that is in correlation to the subjects that you will learn when school starts?

Some great YouTube channels prove that academic videos can be fun. My favorites include:

Museums (like Smithsonian), zoos, and a lot government offices also have YouTube channels and even YouTube creators that give great content to watch and expand the brain. A few years ago, I was able to watch a panel of YouTube educators at VidCon and they are serious about putting the information into the universe for you to consume and get into the habit of lifelong learning.

Here's the challenge: Spend 10 - 15 minutes every day to find and watch an educational YouTube video. Have fun learning and find passion in something academic that you are interested in. 10 - 15 minutes every day can improve your critical thinking skills.

https://www.encorehighschool.com/blog #creativefutures #thisisencore #encorehigschool #peteythepirate #future #CTEarts #artschool #indpendentstudy #covidstudy #highschool #juniorhighschool #homeschool #artsprograms #dancercareers #musiccareers #actingcareers #artcareers #circuscareers #neverendingsnowday #abc7 #innovativeeducation Denise Griffin, CEO is the author of this blog for Encore Education Corporation. Part of Encore Education Corporation is Encore High School, a free public performing arts regional high school in Southern California grades 7 - 12. Encore's program is currently taking applications for the fall 2020 enrollment. Encore offers full time, hybrid time, and independent study programs. Encore offers transporation from the Inland Empire and the high desert. www.encorehighschool.com. Where arts and academics grow together. WASC Accredited. Copyright 2020.