Parent Cortical Mass

PCM's Top Articles of the Week

Keep current on learning and education news with Parent Cortical Mass' Top Articles of the Week. This week the education blogosphere buzzed about a controversial article on PCM Influencer, Diane Ravitch. To help with holiday shopping, PCM names our Top 7 Toy Award Listings.

Parenting

A Serving of Gratitude May Save the Day - John Tierney, New York Times

Parenting Book From China Causing Controversy - Lisa Belkin, Huffington Post

Learning

What We Learn Before We're Born - Annie Murphy Paul, Ted Talk

The Trouble With Bright Kids - Harvard Business Review

What's the Future of Children's Books? - C. M. Rubin, Education News

Education

Should Teacher Ratings Be Public? - Jim Newton, Los Angeles Times

The Dissenter, Profile of Diane Ravitch - Kevin Carey, The New Republic

On Carey's Profile of Diane Ravitch - Dana Goldstein, Ladywonk

What Carey Should Have Said About Diane Ravitch - Mike Petrilli, Education Next

Resources

2011 Mensa Select Board Game Winners - Jenny Williams, GeekMom

GeekDad Holiday Gift Guide - John Baichtal, GeekDad

2011 Toy of the Year Awards - Toy Industry Association

Oppenheim Hot Toys Awards - Oppenheim Toy Portfolio

Best Kid Toys for 2011 - Babble

Best Toys for Kids, Age by Age - Parents Magazine

Dr. Toy's 2011 Best Picks - Dr. Toy

PCM's Top Articles of the Week

Parenting

Are Kid Apps Good for Your Children - Cecilia Kang, Washington Post

Students Can't Stop Texting, Even to Sleep - Alexandra Rice, Chronicle of Higher Education

Learning

Sorry Strivers, Talent Matters - Hambrick and Meinz, New York Times

Can an Online Game Crack the Code to Language Learning? - Tina Barseghian, Mind/Shift

Why Guessing is Undervalued - Annie Murphy Paul, Time

Do Grades Keep Children From Learning? - Lisa Belkin, Huffington Post

Education

How About Better Parents? - Thomas Friedman, New York Times

How About Better Parents? Ask Clarence Lee - Peter Meyer, Flypaper

Better Parents. Really? - Madeline Holler, Babble

Being an Effective Parent’s Not That Difficult - Dave Banks, GeekDad, Wired

Forget Wall Street, Occupy Your Local School District - Andrew Rotherham, Time

Don’t Believe the Education "Reformers" - Gene Lyons, Slate

Is Sal Kahn the New Andrew Carnegie? - Annie Murphy Paul, Time

It’s a Video Library, Not a Revolution - Diana Senechal, Core Knowledge Blog

Should Accomplishment Come Before Self-Esteem? - C. M. Rubin, Huffington Post

Resources

Parents’ Choice 2011 Holiday Guide - Parents’ Choice

What Can Parents Do to Help Their Children Succeed in School? - OECD Report

Top 10 Free and Cheap Math Learning Apps - Sarah Cargill, Getting Smart

How to Set Parental Controls on the iPhone - The Online Mom

PCM's Top Articles of the Week

Parenting

Parents' Dilemma: How Much Tech for Kids? - Larry Cuban, School Reform & Classroom Practice

Learning

Words Promote Important Spatial Skills - National Science Foundation

Reading Aloud to Promote Reading Love - Lisa Belkin, Huff Post Parents

What to Say When Praising Effort and Process - Tina Barseghian, Mind/Shift

Motivation vs. Memorization and the Matthew Effect - Leigh Cousins, PsychCentral

Education

How Children's Play is Being Sneakily Redefined - Alfie Kohn, Washington Post

How Should We Pay Teachers? - Andrew Rotherham, Time

Following the Rules for Evaluations Off a Cliff - Michael Winerip, New York Times

Why Parents Think Schools are a Mess But Their's are Fine - Jon Schnur, Time

On Abolishing the Department of Education - Chester Finn, Fordham Institute

Intriguing New Data on Charter Schools - Mary McConnell, Deseret News

When Good Intentions Make Us Stupid - Rick Hess, Education Week

Research Doesn't Back Key Education Reforms - Valerie Strauss, Washington Post

What My High School Transformation Says About Ed Reform - Jay Mathews, Washington Post

5 Catchiest Reform Phrases - Roxanna Elden, The Answer Sheet

Resources

Dept's of Education, Defense Launch 'Learning Registry' - Stephen Noonoo, THE Journal

Scholastic to Publish '39 Clues'-Inspired e-Book Stories - Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today