Michigan Republicans: Let's Privatize Public School Teaching
Mother Jones
Sept. 1, 2011
Old news but a reminder that it's out there.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Soccer Moms and other sport parents
What Makes a Nightmare Sports Parent—and What Makes a Great One
The Post Game
Feb. 15, 2012
"College athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great, that amplified their joy during and after a ballgame.
The Post Game
Feb. 15, 2012
"College athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great, that amplified their joy during and after a ballgame.
Their overwhelming response: "I love to watch you play.""
Monday, August 5, 2013
Changing nutrition and marketing is difficult, Obama finds
Michelle Obama's nutrition campaign comes with political pitfalls
LA Times
July 20, 2013
"But when food and media companies — including many that supported her anti-obesity campaign — mounted a fierce lobbying battle against the [new] guidelines in 2011, the first lady went silent. It wasn't until earlier this year, after the guidelines had been blocked, that Obama resumed her call for more responsible food marketing."
"In 2009, Congress approved a Harkin-sponsored measure to set up an interagency working group to write voluntary nutrition standards for products advertised to children."
You know....in Scandinavia no advertising is allowed to be targeted to children aged 7 or under. I would have to think that would help, here. Not that it's even imaginable in our corporation-happy culture here....
LA Times
July 20, 2013
"But when food and media companies — including many that supported her anti-obesity campaign — mounted a fierce lobbying battle against the [new] guidelines in 2011, the first lady went silent. It wasn't until earlier this year, after the guidelines had been blocked, that Obama resumed her call for more responsible food marketing."
"In 2009, Congress approved a Harkin-sponsored measure to set up an interagency working group to write voluntary nutrition standards for products advertised to children."
You know....in Scandinavia no advertising is allowed to be targeted to children aged 7 or under. I would have to think that would help, here. Not that it's even imaginable in our corporation-happy culture here....
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Bee theory going back to pesticide problems
Scientists discover what's killing bees, and it's worse than you thought.
Quartz
July 24, 2013
Is this a reputable source? The author's Twitter tag is @greenwombat?
"But in a first-of-its-kind study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists at the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture have identified a witch’s brew of pesticides and fungicides contaminating pollen that bees collect to feed their hives...
"When researchers collected pollen from hives on the east coast pollinating cranberry, watermelon and other crops and fed it to healthy bees, those bees showed a significant decline in their ability to resist infection by a parasite calledNosema ceranae. The parasite has been implicated in Colony Collapse Disorder though scientists took pains to point out that their findings do not directly link the pesticides to CCD. The pollen was contaminated on average with nine different pesticides and fungicides though scientists discovered 21 agricultural chemicals in one sample. Scientists identified eight ag chemicals associated with increased risk of infection by the parasite."
Quartz
July 24, 2013
Is this a reputable source? The author's Twitter tag is @greenwombat?
"But in a first-of-its-kind study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists at the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture have identified a witch’s brew of pesticides and fungicides contaminating pollen that bees collect to feed their hives...
"When researchers collected pollen from hives on the east coast pollinating cranberry, watermelon and other crops and fed it to healthy bees, those bees showed a significant decline in their ability to resist infection by a parasite calledNosema ceranae. The parasite has been implicated in Colony Collapse Disorder though scientists took pains to point out that their findings do not directly link the pesticides to CCD. The pollen was contaminated on average with nine different pesticides and fungicides though scientists discovered 21 agricultural chemicals in one sample. Scientists identified eight ag chemicals associated with increased risk of infection by the parasite."
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Random stories for around your gourmet water cooler
The Decline and Fall of the Book Cover
The New Yorker
July 16, 2013
Lovely story for you visual folks, and studiers of social trends.
Toys for tight schedules
Wall Street Journal
July 23, 2013
"Toymakers are increasingly creating playthings aimed at busy kids who only have bite-size bits of time to play—a trend some in the industry are calling "snack toys."
"School-age children are increasingly playing in short bursts of time between organized activities—whether on the sidelines of a sibling's soccer game or at home, between piano lessons and homework. And while many parents default to their smartphone or another electronic device as a quick diversion, toy companies are working hard to maintain their market by refreshing traditional games and playthings to be shorter-playing, more portable and faster to clean up."
$20 for a bottle of water? Your water sommelier will bring the menu right away.
Los Angeles Times
July 18, 2013
"Martin Reise is the water sommelier -- yes, there is such a thing -- for the Patina Group of Retaurants. He's launching a water menu Monday at Ray's and Stark, the restaurant at LACMA, where he is also the general manager. Some of the bottles will be priced as high as $20. "
How Chinese ingenuity destroyed salad bars at Pizza Hut
Kotaku
July 19, 2013
Creative salad sculptures give "all you care to eat" a run for the money. Why not just charge by the pound?
Friday, August 2, 2013
LAUSD and iPads
Oh, this whole thing just fries me. They have $434 MILLION for these useless things that have to be maintained, updated and wrestled with, but no money for a PE teacher at every school? Or an art teacher? Children learn with their hands on, building things, moving their bodies. That's how they build the neural pathways for future growth. Not by sitting on their butts drawing their pointer fingers over something they have to watch.
This is all about putting corporations before kids. Jesus. This whole thing makes me want to homeschool.
LA will give all 640,000 students a $678 iPad by the end of 2014
Electronista
July 26, 2013
"The bulk of the total cost is the $678 per iPad fixed cost, which will come pre-loaded with Pearson e-textbooks and other educational apps that make up the remainder of the money.
Read more: http://www.electronista.com/articles/13/07/26/apple.contract.will.kick.off.with.31000.ipads.covers.all.k.12.students/#ixzz2ajY1UGlo"
Apple to replace LAUSD iPads if broken, stolen or damaged
LA School Report
July 30, 2013
With a link to the contract, which also details the Pearson software on the iPads
Low Income schools getting first wave of new iPads
LA School Report
July 31, 2013
Controversy Awaits $30m iPad Vote
LA School Report
Note at the writing they thought it would be only 31,000 iPads for $30million, which actually only covers the frist 49 schools.
This is all about putting corporations before kids. Jesus. This whole thing makes me want to homeschool.
LA will give all 640,000 students a $678 iPad by the end of 2014
Electronista
July 26, 2013
"The bulk of the total cost is the $678 per iPad fixed cost, which will come pre-loaded with Pearson e-textbooks and other educational apps that make up the remainder of the money.
Read more: http://www.electronista.com/articles/13/07/26/apple.contract.will.kick.off.with.31000.ipads.covers.all.k.12.students/#ixzz2ajY1UGlo"
Apple to replace LAUSD iPads if broken, stolen or damaged
LA School Report
July 30, 2013
With a link to the contract, which also details the Pearson software on the iPads
Low Income schools getting first wave of new iPads
LA School Report
July 31, 2013
Controversy Awaits $30m iPad Vote
LA School Report
Note at the writing they thought it would be only 31,000 iPads for $30million, which actually only covers the frist 49 schools.
"The district received 13 bids for the contract, three of which were found to be within “competitive range.” Superintendent John Deasy defended the decision to go with Apple. ”It is the best product that went through the bidding process,” he said.
"However, the LA Times‘s Steve Lopez pointed out that Deasy appeared in an Apple video in January of 2012, promoting the use of textbooks on iPads."
Recent teaching and education stories
'Hair on Fire' guy has new book out for teachers
Two Wise Gals
July 18, 2013
Says what all experienced teachers know: keep quiet in the meetings then do what you want in the classroom.
LAUSD parents fighting mainstreaming of special needs kids
Larry Mantle's Air Talk
July 25, 2013
An interesting discussion. In some cases, moving kids from special schools will deny them amenities that make their lives easier.
Two Wise Gals
July 18, 2013
Says what all experienced teachers know: keep quiet in the meetings then do what you want in the classroom.
LAUSD parents fighting mainstreaming of special needs kids
Larry Mantle's Air Talk
July 25, 2013
An interesting discussion. In some cases, moving kids from special schools will deny them amenities that make their lives easier.
Standardized testing—recent news
How much time do school districts spend on standardized testing?
Washington Post Answer Sheet
July 25, 2013
"The grade-by-grade analysis of time and money invested in standardized testing found that test prep and testing absorbed 19 full school days in one district and a month and a half in the other in heavily tested grades. The Midwestern district spent $600 or more for standardized testing per pupil in grades 3-8; about $200 per student for grades K-2; from $400 to $600 per student for grades 9-11. The Eastern district spent more than $1,100 annually on testing per student in grades 6-11; around $400 per student in grades 1-2; between $700 and $800 per student for grades 3-5."
"Students can spend 60 to more than 110 hours per year in test prep in high-stakes testing grades.
"If testing were abandoned, one school district in this study could add from 20 to 40 minutes of instruction to each school day for most grades. The other school district would be able to add almost an entire class period to the school day for grades 6-11. Additionally, in most grades, more than $100 per test-taker could be reallocated to purchase instructional programs, technology or to buy better tests. "
New Common Core Tests—worth the price?
Washington Post Answer Sheet
July 24, 2013
"On Monday, the 21-state Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, announced how much it would cost for the Core-aligned test: $29.50 a student for summative math and reading tests. More than half of the states in the consortium now pay less for their current assessment tests. When officials in Georgia heard the numbers, they pulled out of the consortium, given that they now spend a total of $12 a student for math and reading tests. (They also cited concerns about having the technology to give all the tests to all students on computer.) Oklahoma left PARCC too."
Regular bedtimes important to child development
New Study Shows Why You Should get the Kids to Bed on Time
WSJ
July 30, 2013
Says that a regular bedtime may be more important than the exact time of bedtime.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Juice boxes can get MOLDY inside
Why I stopped buying juice boxes
Underground Health
July 27, 2013
Since many juice box and pouch products don't have preservatives, it just takes a little bit of air inside to start the science happening.
I think I'm going to focus more on drinks that come in clear bottles from now on. GROSS.
Underground Health
July 27, 2013
Since many juice box and pouch products don't have preservatives, it just takes a little bit of air inside to start the science happening.
I think I'm going to focus more on drinks that come in clear bottles from now on. GROSS.
photo: Underground Health
Beware of sand holes at the beach
The worst five minutes of my life
Earth Chick Knits
Jul. 16, 2007
Horrifying story about how her son was swallowed up in a sand hole while playing at the beach — so quickly that no one saw it happen.
"After our accident, I learned that sandhole collapses are a more frequent occurrence than I would’ve dreamed, and that the majority of them end in death. There are four easy things you can do to prevent such a tragedy:
1. When you arrive at the beach, always check nearby for any holes left by others, and fill them in.
Earth Chick Knits
Jul. 16, 2007
Horrifying story about how her son was swallowed up in a sand hole while playing at the beach — so quickly that no one saw it happen.
"After our accident, I learned that sandhole collapses are a more frequent occurrence than I would’ve dreamed, and that the majority of them end in death. There are four easy things you can do to prevent such a tragedy:
2. Do not dig holes any deeper than knee-high of the shortest person in your group. Yeah, I know this sounds extreme. If this feels more extreme than your group can accommodate then perhaps you can at least stop at waist-high.
3. If you do dig holes, fill them in before you leave. The hole my son fell in had been left by other children.
4. Make sure any children you go to the beach with know that holes and trenches can be dangerous, and that they should let you know if they see any abandoned holes."
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Blogger refuses to be taken advantage of
Blogger responds to major corporation's attempt to get free advertising.
Equal. Not.
Catherine Deveny.com—June 13, 2013
Whole milk is better for you
New Study: Lowfat and Skim Milk drinking kids are the fattest
Healthy Home Economist—March 2013
Lowfat milk is associated with higher weight in preschoolers. Not new news, just another take on it. Nourishing Traditions has some more information on milk that's a pretty interesting read.
Catching up on Recent Education Articles
Walla Walla school tries new approach to school discipline—suspensions drop 85%
Aces Too High—April 23, 2012, and traveling Facebook recently
This is a GREAT and worthwhile read.
Third Graders wil now officially assess NYC teachers
Washington Post Answer Sheet—June 13, 2013
This is utter lunacy. I don't know how anyone can remain in the profession under these conditions.
How College Students Incorrectly Assess their Instructors
Washington Post Answer sheet—June 5, 2013
See "Third Graders," above.
Creating a Culture of Inclusion
Teacher Tom—June 11, 2013
What's the Most Natural Way to Learn?
Washington Post Answer Sheet—June 17, 2013
'I didn't really research anything in HS,' DC Valedictorian Says
Washington Post Answer Sheet—June 17, 2013
As Demographics Shift, Kids books Stay Stubbornly White
NPR—June 25, 2013
Why Schools Should Relax about Cheating
Washington Post Answer Sheet—June 5, 2013
I'm not sure whether I agree with this, but it's an interesting read!
Why Teachers Should Present New Material as Stories
Washington Post Answer Sheet—June 4, 2013
Teaching—The Hardest Job Everyone Thinks They Can Do
Technology in Education—May 15, 2012
Cortisol, depression and dementia
So what does this mean about cortisol build-up in young children for later life??
Depression May Increase the Risk of Dementia Later On
NPR
June 24, 2013
Depression May Increase the Risk of Dementia Later On
NPR
June 24, 2013
Teach kids how to swim
I knew how to swim, but always have been terrified of the water, I suspect due to a well-intentioned water babies class as a young child.
Swimming and the Fear Factor
NY Times
June 10, 2013
Drowning doesn't look like Drowning
Mario Vittone's blog, and Slate
May 3, 2010
Swimming and the Fear Factor
NY Times
June 10, 2013
Drowning doesn't look like Drowning
Mario Vittone's blog, and Slate
May 3, 2010
Friday, June 21, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Now here's a film I'd like to see
Ricky Jay's tricks and treats
Native Intelligence—LA Observed
May 16, 2013
"Fred Neumann was Jay's aikido teacher. He remembered his pupil's stage trick when he turned two $1 bills into a single $2 bill, and decided to test Jay's magic mettle one day after class. Jay was in the shower when Neumann asked him to perform the trick.
Native Intelligence—LA Observed
May 16, 2013
"Fred Neumann was Jay's aikido teacher. He remembered his pupil's stage trick when he turned two $1 bills into a single $2 bill, and decided to test Jay's magic mettle one day after class. Jay was in the shower when Neumann asked him to perform the trick.
""I'm not prepared," Jay objected. Then, naked and dripping wet, suddenly conjured two $1 bills and rendered them into a single $2 note. There is no martial art with that kind of power."
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
One solution to that pesky Ed budget? Close the school!
Albion, Mich's Only HS Shuttered Over Budget Deficit
Democracy-Tree.com
May 15, 2013
"Last night their board voted to shutter the high school altogether, with no plan in place on how and where to educate 9th through 12th grades. "
Democracy-Tree.com
May 15, 2013
"Last night their board voted to shutter the high school altogether, with no plan in place on how and where to educate 9th through 12th grades. "
Why musicians make nothing despite hard work
Making Cents
Pitchfork
Nov. 14, 2012
Okay it's stale, but the info is still good.
"Consider Pandora and Spotify, the streaming music services that are becoming ever more integrated into our daily listening habits. My BMI royalty check arrived recently, reporting songwriting earnings from the first quarter of 2012, and I was glad to see that our music is being listened to via these services. Galaxie 500's "Tugboat", for example, was played 7,800 times on Pandora that quarter, for which its three songwriters were paid a collective total of 21 cents, or seven cents each. Spotify pays better: For the 5,960 times "Tugboat" was played there, Galaxie 500's songwriters went collectively into triple digits: $1.05 (35 cents each)."
"The answer is capital, which is what Pandora and Spotify have and what they generate. These aren't record companies-- they don't make records, or anything else; apparently not even income. They exist to attract speculative capital."
Getting your kids to help with the chores
Chores Without Threats or Bribery
Attachment Parenting International
May 15, 2013
I'll have to read this one a few times to let it soak in!
Attachment Parenting International
May 15, 2013
I'll have to read this one a few times to let it soak in!
Because your four year old needs more body-conscious imagery
Huffington Post
May 13, 2013
Disney Princess Makeover Sparks Outrage: Merida Petition Goes Viral
Yahoo! Shine
May 10, 2013
Also check out the slideshow of current toy makeovers at the bottom.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Only the test matters
When are people going to wake up and realize this doesn't create independent thinkers? I think it's time to review our Huxley and Orwell.
Michigan GOP Says: Teach to the Test
Democracy-Tree
May 13, 2013
"This scheme would force each individual educator to put all their energy into “teaching to the test”, much in the same way No Child Left Behind did to schools as a whole. Not only would it destroy teamwork through the unnecessary burden of teacher-against-teacher competition, but it would enforce a methodology that is proven to be harmful. Teachers would become coaches, and core curriculum subjects would become competitive sports."
But how do they do it overseas?
“Every teacher in Finland has a master’s degree.” He added: “[In Finland] We don’t believe in competition among students, teachers, or schools. We believe in collaboration, trust, responsibility, and autonomy.”
Michigan GOP Says: Teach to the Test
Democracy-Tree
May 13, 2013
"This scheme would force each individual educator to put all their energy into “teaching to the test”, much in the same way No Child Left Behind did to schools as a whole. Not only would it destroy teamwork through the unnecessary burden of teacher-against-teacher competition, but it would enforce a methodology that is proven to be harmful. Teachers would become coaches, and core curriculum subjects would become competitive sports."
But how do they do it overseas?
“Every teacher in Finland has a master’s degree.” He added: “[In Finland] We don’t believe in competition among students, teachers, or schools. We believe in collaboration, trust, responsibility, and autonomy.”
Monday, May 13, 2013
How to tell a story
How to Tell a Story
Crafting Connections
May 13, 2013
Storytelling tips from Sparkle Stories' David Sewell McCann!
Crafting Connections
May 13, 2013
Storytelling tips from Sparkle Stories' David Sewell McCann!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Teachers: Bill Gates wants to video you for your eval
Bill Gates' $5 billion plan to videotape America's teachers
Washington Post Answer Sheet
May 10, 2013
It's the principal's job to be a coach. Really if the principals are SO INCOMPETENT that they can't evaluate their staffs, wouldn't the money be better spent replacing the principals instead?
Washington Post Answer Sheet
May 10, 2013
It's the principal's job to be a coach. Really if the principals are SO INCOMPETENT that they can't evaluate their staffs, wouldn't the money be better spent replacing the principals instead?
Friday, May 10, 2013
McSchools
Open Letter to Secretary Arne Duncan: Mich. Schools are at the Breaking Point
AnnArbor.com
May 10, 2013
"Parents and concerned citizens across the state have been appalled by stories emerging from our state capital about a secret secret "skunk works" project to create bargain-basement schools. Their plan has two key parts: the first is a voucher-like debit card that students could use to "buy" bits of education here and there. Schools would become simply vendors. If a student "purchases" a bargain education, the balance on the card could be used for extras like sports fees, music lessons, and so on.
AnnArbor.com
May 10, 2013
"Parents and concerned citizens across the state have been appalled by stories emerging from our state capital about a secret secret "skunk works" project to create bargain-basement schools. Their plan has two key parts: the first is a voucher-like debit card that students could use to "buy" bits of education here and there. Schools would become simply vendors. If a student "purchases" a bargain education, the balance on the card could be used for extras like sports fees, music lessons, and so on.
"The other part of the plan is to create the value-priced school where students could find these "value menu" bargains. The skunk works group hopes to create schools that could operate with $2,000 less per pupil than the current minimum funding — but still allowing for vendors to make a profit.
"As their documents make clear, the only real way to do this was to depend on fully online education, with a small number of teachers overseeing a large number of students in an internet-based program. What makes this so cheap, of course, is that much of the time students are interacting with canned videos and worksheets....
"Is this what education means these days? Watching videos on a computer and asking chat room questions of a teacher somewhere else who is managing 50, 70 or 100 other students?"
Thursday, May 9, 2013
All blue-eyed people share a gene
Okay, so the news is a little stale. Still interesting.
Genetic Mutation makes those Brown Eyes Blue
NBCNews.com
31 Jan 2008
Genetic Mutation makes those Brown Eyes Blue
NBCNews.com
31 Jan 2008
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Chilling Effect on teacher input in education
The Deafening Silence of Teachers
The Educator's Room
March 13, 2013
"To demonstrate how freedom of speech is non-existent in some schools, walk into any school and ask a teacher to go on record to discuss the ills in public education. Instead of getting an abundance of answers you will be met with a deafening silence. Silence not because teachers don't have an opinion, but silence because their words many times are used to hurt them professionally. Apparently, the first amendment does not apply to teachers."
The Educator's Room
March 13, 2013
"To demonstrate how freedom of speech is non-existent in some schools, walk into any school and ask a teacher to go on record to discuss the ills in public education. Instead of getting an abundance of answers you will be met with a deafening silence. Silence not because teachers don't have an opinion, but silence because their words many times are used to hurt them professionally. Apparently, the first amendment does not apply to teachers."
Kids and Routines
Structure: Why kids need Routines
Aha Parenting
May 13ish, 2013
And six reasons why it's a good idea.
Aha Parenting
May 13ish, 2013
And six reasons why it's a good idea.
Frustration modification techniques
5 Things to do when you feel your temper rising
Aha Parenting
April 24, 2013
"You notice what you're feeling, you breathe your way through it, and you DO nothing.
When our temper rises, we all feel an urgent need to DO something, anything. But that's our emergency response system operating. And parenting, despite how it feels, is not usually an emergency. "
Aha Parenting
April 24, 2013
"You notice what you're feeling, you breathe your way through it, and you DO nothing.
When our temper rises, we all feel an urgent need to DO something, anything. But that's our emergency response system operating. And parenting, despite how it feels, is not usually an emergency. "
Limited teacher reward$ proposed in Nevada
Proposal for 'master teachers' with $200k annual salary has its skeptics
Las Vegas Sun News
May 3, 2013
The problem with this idea is that it likely would reward the wrong thing—test scores. Why not boost all teacher salaries and require that principals actually do their jobs: mentor and support teachers, and follow established evaluation practices? It makes me nuts that teachers are left holding the bag for all policy's ills — what about their managers? Why aren't they required to do THEIR jobs?
How to Appreciate Teachers
If America's Serious about Appreciating Teachers, Here's What it Takes
Good
May 7, 2013
" I appreciate getting a free burrito at Chipotle and homages to Taylor Mali, writer of "What Teachers Make," as much as the next educator, but the current tenor of our national conversation about education also reminds me of the dire straits our profession is in....Perhaps, teacher appreciation starts with changing the public perception of what a teacher actually does. "
Good
May 7, 2013
" I appreciate getting a free burrito at Chipotle and homages to Taylor Mali, writer of "What Teachers Make," as much as the next educator, but the current tenor of our national conversation about education also reminds me of the dire straits our profession is in....Perhaps, teacher appreciation starts with changing the public perception of what a teacher actually does. "
On women, self-worth, and slut-shaming
Female Purity is Bullshit
Jezebel
May 8, 2013 (?)
"Girls: You do not exist to please men, and your value as a human being is not contingent upon your sexual capital."
"This entire 'conversation' is just an effort to rig a system in which men get to determine female worthlessness no matter the input. ..Meanwhile, they get to do literally whatever they want with anyone, to anyone, at any time.
Jezebel
May 8, 2013 (?)
"Girls: You do not exist to please men, and your value as a human being is not contingent upon your sexual capital."
"This entire 'conversation' is just an effort to rig a system in which men get to determine female worthlessness no matter the input. ..Meanwhile, they get to do literally whatever they want with anyone, to anyone, at any time.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Girl Scout badges now meet national ed standards
Gross. Don't kids spend enough time in school already?
Girl Scout badges aligned to Common Core standards
Washington Post
Apr. 27, 2013
Girl Scout badges aligned to Common Core standards
Washington Post
Apr. 27, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Ethiopian kids school themselves
Given Tablets but no teachers, Ethiopian Children Teach Themselves
MIT Technology Review
Oct. 29, 2012
Who needs the Peace Corps when you've got a stack of iPads and kids bright enough to hack them?Would be even more interesting to see what they still learned/retained years later.
MIT Technology Review
Oct. 29, 2012
Who needs the Peace Corps when you've got a stack of iPads and kids bright enough to hack them?Would be even more interesting to see what they still learned/retained years later.
Running Commentary of your Child's Struggles
5 Benefits of Sportscasting your Child's Struggles
Janet Lansbury
Apr. 25, 2013
Lovely article. H/T to The Thumbstumbler
The nature of an effective test
Interesting story about education and testing. Don't think an automatic reader would be able to grade this one.
Why I let my students cheat on their game theory exam
Popular Science / Zocalo
Apr. 24, 2013
Why I let my students cheat on their game theory exam
Popular Science / Zocalo
Apr. 24, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Totally cool tall bike
Interesting Parenting Strategy
SNL skit in the making
Obama: If daughters get tattoos, we will too
Washington Post
Apr. 24, 2013
Obama: If daughters get tattoos, we will too
Washington Post
Apr. 24, 2013
“What we’ve said to the girls is, ‘If you guys ever decided you’re going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will get the exact same tattoo in the same place. And we’ll go on YouTube and show it off as a family tattoo,” Obama said. “And our thinking is that might dissuade them from thinking that somehow that’s a good way to rebel.”
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Recent articles on standardized testing
Standardized test questions kids have to answer that don't even count
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Apr. 23, 2013
Hey, as long as we're wasting class time, why not let our kids offer a bit of free research for the folks making gazillions off of the test? Our tax dollars at work, there.
New Standardized tests feature plugs for commercial products, Washington Post (Apr. 20, 2013)
It was only a matter of time. Bastards.
NCTE Position on machine scoring of standardized tests, National Council of Teachers of English, Apr. 2013
A very wordy and detailed report that essentially says: No. Just--no.
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Apr. 23, 2013
Hey, as long as we're wasting class time, why not let our kids offer a bit of free research for the folks making gazillions off of the test? Our tax dollars at work, there.
New Standardized tests feature plugs for commercial products, Washington Post (Apr. 20, 2013)
It was only a matter of time. Bastards.
NCTE Position on machine scoring of standardized tests, National Council of Teachers of English, Apr. 2013
A very wordy and detailed report that essentially says: No. Just--no.
Is reading from iPad same as a book?
Apparently it's not!
Do e-readers inhibit reading comprehension?
Salon
Apr. 14, 2013
"...E-readers ...prevent people from navigating long texts in an intuitive and satisfying way. In turn, such navigational difficulties may subtly inhibit reading comprehension. Compared with paper, screens may also drain more of our mental resources while we are reading and make it a little harder to remember what we read when we are done."
Do e-readers inhibit reading comprehension?
Salon
Apr. 14, 2013
"...E-readers ...prevent people from navigating long texts in an intuitive and satisfying way. In turn, such navigational difficulties may subtly inhibit reading comprehension. Compared with paper, screens may also drain more of our mental resources while we are reading and make it a little harder to remember what we read when we are done."
Turnitin.com for news orgs
Is it Journalism, or Just a Repackaged Press Release?
The Atlantic
Apr. 23, 2013
Philly Inquirer's Hard Years are Microcosm of Newspapers' Long Goodbye
Nice pix of a dying industry struggling to reinvent itself
What pro-spanking research misses
What pro-spanking research misses
The Attached Family
Oct. 2, 2012 (They also posted on their FB recently)
"Spanking kids does not deter behavior. Like beating a dog, it just makes them mean."
Summary of the changes in teaching over the last 15 years
How my job went from great to infuriating
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Apr. 21, 2013
Anecdotal summary of why these tests are a bad idea for students and teachers, and for the basis of our country as a whole. We need to grow writers, critical thinkers and leaders, not bubble-in-ers.
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Apr. 21, 2013
Anecdotal summary of why these tests are a bad idea for students and teachers, and for the basis of our country as a whole. We need to grow writers, critical thinkers and leaders, not bubble-in-ers.
Influence of media on children
Watching Movies with the kids is a mixed bag
New York Times
Apr. 19, 2013
Hello? You're showing your four-year-old Austin Powers?!
New York Times
Apr. 19, 2013
Hello? You're showing your four-year-old Austin Powers?!
School environment
The secret to fixing school discipline? Change the behavior of Adults
New America Media
Mar. 26, 2013
New America Media
Mar. 26, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
As good as any standardized test
Eighth-grader writes a standardized test spoof as commentary on standardized tests
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Apr. 17, 2013
Very hilarious and worth a read. Much more impactful since it was written by a student.
Washington Post Answer Sheet
Apr. 17, 2013
Very hilarious and worth a read. Much more impactful since it was written by a student.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
To feed your inner Cliff Claven
I can't remember how I found the website Brain Pickings, but it's a truly evil time-suck with a lot of fun stuff on it. It will help your dinner party conversations, but will be utterly useless in accomplishing anything productive.
Baby talk
The Power of Talking to Your Baby
NYT
April 10, 2013
"Another idea, however, is creeping into the policy debate: that the key to early learning is talking — specifically, a child’s exposure to language spoken by parents and caretakers from birth to age 3, the more the better. It turns out, evidence is showing, that the much-ridiculed stream of parent-to-child baby talk — Feel Teddy’s nose! It’s so soft! Cars make noise — look, there’s a yellow one! Baby feels hungry? Now Mommy is opening the refrigerator! — is very, very important. (So put those smartphones away!)"
NYT
April 10, 2013
"Another idea, however, is creeping into the policy debate: that the key to early learning is talking — specifically, a child’s exposure to language spoken by parents and caretakers from birth to age 3, the more the better. It turns out, evidence is showing, that the much-ridiculed stream of parent-to-child baby talk — Feel Teddy’s nose! It’s so soft! Cars make noise — look, there’s a yellow one! Baby feels hungry? Now Mommy is opening the refrigerator! — is very, very important. (So put those smartphones away!)"
Fight Fair at Home
A really good NYT article on effective arguing, with less drama.
"Lessons in Domestic Diplomacy"
NYT
Apr. 12, 2013
"Lessons in Domestic Diplomacy"
NYT
Apr. 12, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
What if Everybody Understood Child Development?
What if Everybody Understood Child Development?
Huffington Post (via Not Just Cute)
Apr. 5, 2013
"Most people, I imagine, would be surprised to learn that understanding child development is not one of the standard requirements to become a teacher. Or maybe not. Maybe most people, including those who decide what teachers need to know, are unaware of the incontestable connection between how children develop (not just cognitively but also socially, emotionally, and physically)and how they learn."
Huffington Post (via Not Just Cute)
Apr. 5, 2013
"Most people, I imagine, would be surprised to learn that understanding child development is not one of the standard requirements to become a teacher. Or maybe not. Maybe most people, including those who decide what teachers need to know, are unaware of the incontestable connection between how children develop (not just cognitively but also socially, emotionally, and physically)and how they learn."
on Women and 'Babes'
My So-Called 'Post-Feminist' Life in Arts and Letters
The Nation
Apr. 29, 2013
Hat tip to Scott Lewis Photography
"...Nearly every review refers to me as a stay-at-home mom. One such article is entitled "Battlefield Barbie," which calls me a "soccer-mom-in-training." I look nothing like Barbie. My kids don't play soccer. The general consensus is that the book is good, but I suck. The character assassinations are intense. Talkasks if I'm worried I'll be labeled a slut. I object to both the word and the question; the journalist prints them anyway.Brill's Content and The Women's Review of Books insinuate that I brought on my own rape and various other crimes that I experienced at the hands of men—armed robbery, a knockout blow to the skull from a crack addict.Salon resorts to slut-shaming and libel. New York thinks I'm an insult to feminism for having left a promising career behind."
Nature and outdoors is good for kids, adults
How Nature Makes Kids Calmer, Healthier, Smarter
Aha Parenting
Apr. 15, 2013
Exercise, friendships, and puzzles beat back dimentia
NPR
Apr. 15, 2103
Saturday, April 13, 2013
With police in schools, More children in Court
New York Times (found via FreeRangeKids.com)
Apr. 12, 2103
"Yet the most striking impact of school police officers so far, critics say, has been a surge in arrests or misdemeanor charges for essentially nonviolent behavior — including scuffles, truancy and cursing at teachers — that sends children into the criminal courts.
" “There is no evidence that placing officers in the schools improves safety,” said Denise C. Gottfredson, a criminologist at the University of Maryland who is an expert in school violence. “And it increases the number of minor behavior problems that are referred to the police, pushing kids into the criminal system.”"
Friday, April 12, 2013
Monarchs and Milkweed and RoundUp
Monitoring the Monarchs
NPR's Science Friday
Apr. 12, 2013
"Last month, monarch butterflies began an annual northward journey from their overwintering habitat in Mexico. Monarch expert Lincoln Brower discusses the dwindling monarch population. Brower says the plunge in butterfly numbers is due, in part, to a combination of habitat loss in Mexico and a decline in milkweed plants in the U.S."
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Sparkle Stories now on Kindle! and Free Sparkle Story!
"First ebook on Kindle and 'Everything Junkyard' Giveaway!"
SparkleStories.com
Apr. 11, 2013
SparkleStories.com
Apr. 11, 2013
They say:
"For years people have been asking us to make our stories available in print.
“I would love for my older children to read your stories.”
“We need bedtime stories we can trust.” “I am Deaf. So listening to stories does not work for me. Do you have written transcripts?”
And we’ve finally made it happen!" Check out the book, contest and free story here.
Renoir comes to life *
"Painting Renoir in Finely Detailed Strokes"
"Earthy muse in 'Renoir' helped bridge painting and Cinema"
"Earthy muse in 'Renoir' helped bridge painting and Cinema"
NPR
Apr. 11, 2013
A movie on Renoir that should appear realistic with the help of an art-world forger bringing his technique to life.
*updated with link to story
*updated with link to story
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
On Conspiracy Theorists and Climate Change
"What a Conspiracy Theorist Believes"
The New Yorker
Apr. 10, 2013
If you're a conspiracy theorist who believes Princess Diana's death was an organized assassination, are you more likely to poo-poo climate change?
The New Yorker
Apr. 10, 2013
If you're a conspiracy theorist who believes Princess Diana's death was an organized assassination, are you more likely to poo-poo climate change?
Glass gems and the light table
Play at Home Mom has a great round-up of activities you can do with light tables and glass gems. You can make a light table for cheap out of an underbed-storage box and a string of Christmas lights, and gain literally hours of alone time engaged play for your kids.
"Glass Gem Compilation," Play at Home Mom (10 Apr. 2013)
"Glass Gem Compilation," Play at Home Mom (10 Apr. 2013)
Great newspaper correction
Tampa Bay Times correction admits reporter 'not strong in the ways of the force.' (Poynter, Apr. 10, 2013)
God help the reporter who gets Star Wars trivia wrong. "Regret the error, we do," responds the Tampa Bay Times. "Wookie mistake," quips Poynter.
God help the reporter who gets Star Wars trivia wrong. "Regret the error, we do," responds the Tampa Bay Times. "Wookie mistake," quips Poynter.
Waldorf blogs
Here are some of the Waldorf blogs I keep my eye on, in no particular order:
The Magic Onions
SouleMama
Rhythm of the Home and Blog
This Whole Family
Natural Suburbia
Frontier Dreams
Waldorf Essentials
Waldorf in the Home (Informed Family Life)
Curly Birds
The Magic Onions
SouleMama
Rhythm of the Home and Blog
This Whole Family
Natural Suburbia
Frontier Dreams
Waldorf Essentials
Waldorf in the Home (Informed Family Life)
Curly Birds
Montessori blogs
This looks like a good homeschooling blog, by a Montessori teacher.
Trillium Montessori
I also like Counting Coconuts (and on Facebook) and Adventures of Bear, and At Home with Montessori (0-3)
Trillium Montessori
I also like Counting Coconuts (and on Facebook) and Adventures of Bear, and At Home with Montessori (0-3)
Parenting resources, persistent kids, and conflict resolution in preschool
Teacher Tom talks about parenting videos, and creating rules within a group via consensus—even for a young group.
Kids in the house: Discipline and Conflict in Preschool, (Teacher Tom, Apr. 8, 2013)
Teacher Tom talks about Rewards and Punishments, with some more links. A great thing to think about.
Alternatives to Punishments and Rewards (Teacher Tom, Apr. 10, 2013)
Dr. Laura Markham reminds us that the persistence that bugs the crap out of us in kids is actually a great trait in learners and adults
10 Tips to raise a persistent child, Aha parenting (2013)
And, she also reminds us some gentle parenting techniques in How can you set limits if you don't use threats to enforce them (2013). Big reminders for me.
Kids in the house: Discipline and Conflict in Preschool, (Teacher Tom, Apr. 8, 2013)
Teacher Tom talks about Rewards and Punishments, with some more links. A great thing to think about.
Alternatives to Punishments and Rewards (Teacher Tom, Apr. 10, 2013)
Dr. Laura Markham reminds us that the persistence that bugs the crap out of us in kids is actually a great trait in learners and adults
10 Tips to raise a persistent child, Aha parenting (2013)
And, she also reminds us some gentle parenting techniques in How can you set limits if you don't use threats to enforce them (2013). Big reminders for me.
Parent opt-out of standardized testing
I thought that allowing my son to take a third grade, fifth grade and middle school test might be a good idea, just like I had it in school. But I forgot about the new climate around all of this testing. This article makes me think again. We're creating a nation of worriers, as though if we don't cause others to worry, their lives are not being fulfilled. How is this collective anxiety going to help anyone?
Mom: why I won't let my son take high-stakes standardized tests, (Washington Post Answer Sheet, Apr. 7, 2013)
"At the same time, reading homework had become a nightly battle. My son Jacob, who turned 9 in January, was bringing home these long non-fiction reading passages, often very boring. He had to read the passage, identify the main idea, and make inferences about the material in order to answer the questions. The questions were often opaque, oddly worded, and frequently depended on outside knowledge. Sometimes when I was helping him I would figure out the answer, and I’ve have a moment of excitement, and then I would think, “Oh, yeah, I’m 46 and I have a PhD from Yale and I’m excited because I just figured out the answer to my 9-year-old’s reading homework?”
Mom: why I won't let my son take high-stakes standardized tests, (Washington Post Answer Sheet, Apr. 7, 2013)
"At the same time, reading homework had become a nightly battle. My son Jacob, who turned 9 in January, was bringing home these long non-fiction reading passages, often very boring. He had to read the passage, identify the main idea, and make inferences about the material in order to answer the questions. The questions were often opaque, oddly worded, and frequently depended on outside knowledge. Sometimes when I was helping him I would figure out the answer, and I’ve have a moment of excitement, and then I would think, “Oh, yeah, I’m 46 and I have a PhD from Yale and I’m excited because I just figured out the answer to my 9-year-old’s reading homework?”
"As test prep ramped up in February and March I had another revelation: Jacob does not love to read. Based on what he was bringing home from school, how could he?"
Driver's ed, for Dutch kids on bikes
Lenore Skenazy alerts us to a longtime Dutch tradition of teaching children the safety rules of the road so they can bike to school—sometimes as far as nine miles. A far cry from the parents who drive their kids only a few blocks.
Just like driver's ed, except for younger kids & Bikes (Free Range Kids, Apr. 8, 2013)
Just like driver's ed, except for younger kids & Bikes (Free Range Kids, Apr. 8, 2013)
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Buying healthy meat
Food Renegade discusses her philosophy on meat-buying as we all traverse the organic / hormone-free / grass-fed blah blah blah in Healthy Meats: What to Buy (Food Renegade, Aug. 4, 2009?). It was linked from an interesting discussion on Apr. 6, 2013 on her Facebook page.
Teaching students fear, through lockdowns
In Motherlode's Lockdown: Teaching Students to Hide from Guns, and Hide their Fears (NYT online, Apr. 8, 2013), we are reminded that the likelihood your child will be killed in a school shooting by a lunatic is 1 in 3,000,000, and most likely that lunatic might be another kid's parent. But we need to terrorize children with surprise drop-and-cover drills "just in case."
Welcome to Newsish!
Wherein, I offer my clippings-service spam via RSS instead of in your own in-box. A collection of articles that are interesting to me, but may be interesting to you. Topics likely will focus on education, parenting, homeschooling, crafting, nutrition, food trends, education news, journalism, photography, technology, media, and whatever else tickles my fancy or ticks me off.
Please note that the linked stories are copyrighted by the original writers, photographers and publishers. Some news sites may require a login to read the story.
I'll do my best to keyword, and group stories, so you can search by topic. If you enter the keyword and the word 'star' into the search box, you should find the articles I thought were extra interesting. If I remember to keyword it right. You might see some updated posts as I try to keep keywords current.
Any posts that come up in your feed prior to this date were not authored by me or anyone I know.
Please note that the linked stories are copyrighted by the original writers, photographers and publishers. Some news sites may require a login to read the story.
I'll do my best to keyword, and group stories, so you can search by topic. If you enter the keyword and the word 'star' into the search box, you should find the articles I thought were extra interesting. If I remember to keyword it right. You might see some updated posts as I try to keep keywords current.
Any posts that come up in your feed prior to this date were not authored by me or anyone I know.
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