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.
Keeping dignity at the center: how to support your loved one's sense of self through dementia
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Dementia is something that touches more and more families every year. Globally, someone develops dementia every three seconds. In the U.S. alone, more than 6 million people live with some form of the condition, and that number is expected to double by 2060. Read More...
Native American Heritage Month and how to be an ally this Thanksgiving
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Native American Heritage Month begins in November, a month when many Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. While this cultural month has excellent intentions, it is significantly more complicated for Native Americans. Thanksgiving is a difficult period for many Read More...
California reimagines high school: how one innovative campus is shaping the future of learning
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM At CART High near Fresno, there are no bells, no fights, and no hallways echoing with chaos. Instead, students carry laptops through bright, spacious corridors on their way to classes in biotechnology, forensics, and digital marketing. It looks and feels Read More...
Extinction rates are slowing—and conservation efforts may be paying off
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For years, headlines have warned that Earth is entering a sixth mass extinction. But new research suggests that this dire picture may be more nuanced, and even somewhat hopeful. A study by Kristen Saban and John Wiens of the University of Arizona's Read More...
Hands United: Where language meets love for Deaf immigrant families
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Language, Identity & Belonging Welcome to the second week of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. This week, we celebrate those bridging communication gaps and fighting for inclusion. Join us as we learn all about changemakers whose Read More...
How Swim Sista Swim Is Redefining Water Confidence for Black Women in the UK
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Language, Identity & Belonging Welcome to the second week of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. Each Friday, we highlight people who are quietly transforming what it means to feel seen and included. This week, we focus on voice, Read More...
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...