Stressed in high school? There's a way out!

'Tis the season for college applications, AP test preparation, and an increase in students' stress all around...What are schools and parents doing to accommodate these changes and ease learning conditions for students? It turns out that teachers and parents are trying to come up with solutions.

In a recent story - "What's New In High School? Stress Reduction 101" - published by NPR, National Public Radio looks at the myriad ways in which it is possible to transform a classroom from a metaphorical torture chamber into a - gasp - enjoyable learning space. Students become super heroes who tame the Calculus Monster, and parents discuss the options available to those who want their children to learn in a less soul-draining school environment.

This point brings us back to the reality that America’s students are facing on a daily basis: school is starting to be less and less about the student, and more and more about rankings, prestige, and the quantitative analysis of academic achievement. Individual learning patterns and creativity get shoved on the back burner as students struggle to get the top grade, accumulate perfect transcripts, and be accepted by the most “prestigious” college. The question is…what happens after they get there? Does any desire to learn still remain? Can we change the system to cater, instead, to students’ intrinsic learning needs that rely on creativity and a simple hunger for knowledge?

We will be talking about this and a lot more at the Tutorpedia Foundation's 2nd Annual Benefit on February 23, 2011 in San Francisco. Featured speakers include Vicki Abeles, director of the documentary Race to Nowhere, Dennis Littky, co-founder of the non-profit Big Picture Learning, and Farb Nivi, founder of Grockit. Come join the conversation about how best to serve the needs of students from underserved schools in the Bay Area!