![\"\"](\"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/1000x/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kajschwermer.com%2Fuploads%2F2026%2Fimage-20260531-063414-1bc37f14.jpg\")
Attended my first international school event yesterday. It was an interesting experience. Over 4,000 people attended the event. Here’s a photo from the pre-setup of our table at the event.
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The first of Minerva’s four core competencies is critical thinking, which involves evaluating claims, analyzing inferences, weighing decisions and analyzing problems. Not a personality trait — a teachable skill. One that compounds with every subject, every year, if you build a curriculum around it.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/29/the-first-of-minervas-four.html","date_published":"2026-05-29T07:34:39+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-29 07:34","date_timestamp":1780040079,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"91077240","content_html":"Jensen Huang’s “task and purpose” framework: reduce or automate routine tasks like coding; humans focus on and provide purpose. The Minerva Baccalaureate’s four competencies — critical thinking, creative thinking, effective communication, and effective interactions — develop exactly those real-world,...
www.kajschwermer.com","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/28/jensen-huangs-task-and-purpose.html","date_published":"2026-05-28T13:27:23+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-28 13:27","date_timestamp":1779974843,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90990160","content_html":"“The purpose of a software engineer is to solve known problems and to find new problems to solve. Coding is one of the tasks. If your PURPOSE is to code, then maybe you will be replaced by AI. But most of our software engineers, their goal is to solve problems” -Jensen Huang, NVIDIA CEO. tinyurl.com/4zmjdzn5
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/27/the-purpose-of-a-software.html","date_published":"2026-05-27T05:43:19+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-27 05:43","date_timestamp":1779860599,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90919578","content_html":"How can we help students develop into leaders, innovators, and adaptive learners? Kosslyn and Nelson went with the following core skills: 1) critical thinking, 2) creative thinking, 3) effective communication, and 4) effective interactions. I’ll explore each of these skills over the next few posts.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/26/the-motto-of-dalton-school.html","date_published":"2026-05-26T05:24:31+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-26 05:24","date_timestamp":1779773071,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90854360","content_html":"In a fully active learning, radically flipped classroom, valuable and limited class time can shift from mere information transmission to helping students actually LEARN to USE the information in different ways, developing real skills in the process. What real skills? We will answer that tomorrow.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/25/in-a-fully-active-learning.html","date_published":"2026-05-25T01:33:47+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-25 01:33","date_timestamp":1779672827,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90809174","content_html":"How is such a high engagement level attained? In short, via a “radically flipped classroom”. In a typical flipped classroom model, homework is done in class and lectures are provided before class. In a radically flipped model, BOTH are done pre-class! So, what exactly is done IN CLASS? Next post…
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/24/how-is-such-a-high.html","date_published":"2026-05-24T06:40:44+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-24 06:40","date_timestamp":1779604844,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90757309","content_html":"What does fully active learning look like? We are all familiar with active learning. Fully active learning is radically different. The requirement is that 100 percent of students in a class are engaged at least 75 percent of the time. How is this achieved? We answer this in the next post tomorrow.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/23/what-does-fully-active-learning.html","date_published":"2026-05-22T21:09:25+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-22 21:09","date_timestamp":1779484165,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90667520","content_html":"Minerva students scored in the 99th percentile on critical thinking tests after just 8 months — outperforming seniors at other institutions. What were they doing differently? No lectures. Fully active learning. Every class, every day. Next post we answer the question: What is fully active learning?
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/22/minerva-students-scored-in-the.html","date_published":"2026-05-21T22:03:42+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-21 22:03","date_timestamp":1779401022,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90599030","content_html":"Differentiated Instruction in the Language Classroom: kajschwermer.com
","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/21/differentiated-instruction-in-the-language.html","date_published":"2026-05-20T23:45:47+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-20 23:45","date_timestamp":1779320747,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90527500","content_html":"A fundamental challenge in education: students learn content in one place and skills somewhere else, and rarely connect them. The more powerful approach integrates both from the outset — every concept taught as something to think with, not merely to know. This is the approach that Minerva went with.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/20/a-fundamental-problem-in-education.html","date_published":"2026-05-20T00:59:16+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-20 00:59","date_timestamp":1779238756,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90461375","content_html":"Kosslyn’s diagnosis: higher education is too expensive, too ineffective, too entrenched to change in any fundamental way. He wrote this in 2017. Helen Parkhurst said the same about schools a century ago when she formulated the Dalton Plan. Some problems are stubbornly old.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/19/kosslyns-diagnosis-higher-education-is.html","date_published":"2026-05-19T04:41:15+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-19 04:41","date_timestamp":1779165675,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"90394724","content_html":"Building something new: kajschwermer.com
","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/18/what-would-a-university-look.html","date_published":"2026-05-18T06:40:35+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-18 06:40","date_timestamp":1779086435,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"89617607","content_html":"![](\"https://micro.blog/books/9780262536196/cover.jpg\")
\nCurrently reading: Building the Intentional University Minerva and the Future of Higher Education by Stephen M. Kosslyn 📚
\n","summary":"","url":"https://www.kajschwermer.com/2026/05/05/currently-reading-building-the-intentional.html","date_published":"2026-05-05T05:42:24+00:00","author":{"name":"Kaj Schwermer","url":"https://kaj.micro.blog/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2026%2F18%2F60185.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"kaj"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-05 05:42","date_timestamp":1777959744,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}}]}