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.

Chicago public school IDs now double as library cards

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Getting a library card should be easy. For many children, it isn’t. The process can require documentation that not every family has: a fixed address, proof of residency, or a guardian’s signature. For students who are unhoused, in foster care, or Read More...

6 ways to get more comfortable with risk and reinvention

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM After two years of conversations with founders, executives, and leaders across industries, Liz Tran kept noticing the same thing: the most successful and fulfilled among them were not the ones who knew the most. They were the ones who had made peace with not Read More...

The sensory superpower that lets seals hunt in total darkness

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When a fish moves through water, it doesn’t simply pass through and vanish. It leaves a trail of disturbed water behind it, something like the contrail of a plane across a clear sky. That trail is invisible to human eyes and fades within seconds, but to a Read More...

Why Western scientists are turning to Indigenous knowledge

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Marco Hatch describes his own work with characteristic dry humor: "I'm a glorified clam counter." What he's actually doing is more complicated. As a marine ecologist at Western Washington University and an enrolled member of the Samish Indian Nation, Hatch is Read More...

Navigating digital dating and modern relationships

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Digital dating has changed the way we connect, creating a new vocabulary of phrases such as ghosting, orbiting, and breadcrumbing. While these activities may appear fairly innocent on the surface, they can have serious consequences for our mental health and Read More...

Naples lets blind visitors feel the Veiled Christ

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a Tuesday morning in the Sansevero Chapel Museum (Museo Cappella Sansevero) in Naples, a guide named Chiara Locovardi ran her gloved fingers across a marble surface that has baffled art historians for more than two centuries. She was describing what she Read More...

Yale will offer free tuition to families earning under $200,000 starting in 2026

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The prestigious Yale University is opening its doors even wider. Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, families earning less than $200,000 annually will no longer have to pay tuition to attend Yale. And for those earning under $100,000, the university Read More...

New cat color unlocked: ’salty liquorice' sheds light on feline genetics

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Our Best of 2025 Education stories reflect a growing global commitment to reimagining how we learn, teach, and grow. These five highlights explore new models, inspiring individuals, and bold ideas that bring equity and creativity into classrooms and beyond. In Read More...