Educating children in adversity
Willem Frankenhuis
Willem researches the influence of growing up in adverse conditions on children’s learning. He sees that stressors like safety concerns and food insecurity can shift children’s focus away from education. However, these environments also foster unique skills, such as problem-solving and social awareness, as children navigate daily challenges. Willem says that educators can enhance learning by making content relevant to students’ real-life experiences. Cooperative learning environments, where students work towards shared goals, can also improve outcomes for children from less stable backgrounds.
Listen to Willem
“One of the things we see in research is that making the information concrete and relevant to the lived experience of these children can sometimes enhance their performance.”
Willem Frankenhuis
Willem Frankenhuis
Willem Frankenhuis (PhD) is an evolutionary and developmental psychologist who studies how individuals growing up in challenging environments develop improved social-cognitive abilities for problem-solving. He is the Director of the Research Network on Communicating Strength-based Approaches to Child Development and Learning in Adverse Conditions at the University of Amsterdam.
