Teaching & Learning
Education propels change. Stay up to date on the latest educational developments near you and around the world from preschool to post-grad. Here, you'll find out why equitable quality education is essential for fostering healthy and resilient societies.
Sweden sets nationwide mobile phone ban in schools starting 2026
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Sweden will introduce a nationwide mobile phone ban in schools and after-school clubs beginning in autumn 2026. The measure, which requires students to hand in their devices until the end of the school day, is designed to improve focus and create safer Read More...
Breaking free: the Indian retreats helping women heal from divorce and rediscover hope
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a bus winding through Kerala’s misty hills, 15 women sing softly together, their voices rising above the tea plantations. For many, it’s the first time they’ve felt this light in years. They aren’t here for sightseeing. They’re here for Read More...
Palo Santo explained: history, meaning, and mindful ways to use it
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you’ve ever caught a sensual whiff of the warm, grounding scent of palo santo smoke, you know why people call it magical. In Spanish, the name means “holy wood,” and for centuries it has been treasured across South America for both healing and Read More...
UK-based bookshop Waterstones grows as young readers rediscover the joy of books
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Amid a challenging retail climate, one familiar sight on British high streets is not just surviving but thriving. Waterstones, the country’s largest bookshop chain, is finding renewed momentum as young adults reach for books as a wholesome alternative to Read More...
5 warm, creative ways to spark better conversations with your kids
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It’s a familiar scene in many homes: you greet your child after school and ask, “How was your day?” only to hear a flat “Fine.” You try again with, “What did you learn?” and get a shrug or a vague, “Nothing.” Teachers know this dance too. Read More...
This Jamaican student’s invention is reshaping hygiene in hospitals
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM What began as a student project has become a beacon of hope for healthcare hygiene. Rayvon Stewart, a Jamaican software engineer, was just 23 years old and studying at the University of Technology in Kingston when he invented a UV-powered door handle that Read More...
5 avoidable injuries that send people to the ER (and how to stay out of trouble)
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM ER visits aren’t always the result of dramatic car crashes or exotic animal bites. Sometimes it’s just you, your kitchen, and an innocent-looking avocado conspiring to ruin your Tuesday. According to ER doctors, a huge portion of emergency room injuries Read More...
Why spending time in nature boosts brain health, according to a neuroscientist
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you’ve ever stepped outside for a walk and returned feeling calmer, clearer, or more like yourself, you’re not imagining things. Nature has a real, measurable effect on your brain, and a growing field of research is revealing just how powerful that Read More...
How one Maine school is helping students heal in nature
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM At Morse High School in Bath, Maine, detention doesn’t always mean fluorescent lights and silent classrooms. Thanks to one school counselor's creative vision, it might mean lacing up your boots and heading into the forest. “We kind of take a side shoot Read More...
UK scans 100,000 people to uncover hidden signs of disease before symptoms strike
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Imagine being able to spot the earliest clues of heart disease, dementia, or cancer long before symptoms ever show up. That’s exactly what scientists around the world can now explore, thanks to the UK Biobank’s groundbreaking full-body imaging Read More...