You will be happy to hear that no disaster has accompanied the release this week of Diane Ravitch’s second book, Reign of Error. Perhaps the sentiments contained in it (and in her article this week) are not yet sufficiently milquetoast to secure her general favor, but her outcry is worth the read. ● The common core, which impacts most students this school year, is now a battleground. Two articles, one by E.D. Hirsch Jr., will get you up to speed. ● Three articles to help boost parent skills in managing informal learning include studies about mimicking toddlers, effective homework practices, and the value in reading to school age kids. ● The articles by Clive Thompson on Twitter and writing skills, and by James Heckman, Nobel Prize winner for economics, are first-rate. ● Be forewarned. Click on Toys R Us’ top 15 hot toys for the upcoming holiday season.
Parenting
20 Important Questions Parents Should Ask Teachers - Terry Heick, TeachThought
School Jargon: I Can't Understand What My Kid's Teacher Is Saying - Dahlia Lithwick, Slate
The Kindergarten Class of 2013, Some Facts - Child Trends
Should You 'Red Shirt' Your Child? - Melinda Wenner Moyer, Slate
'Redshirting' Less Common Than Previously Thought - Michael A. Chandler, Washington Post
Children Today Are Suffering a Severe Play Deficit - Peter Gray, Aeon
When Your Child Doesn't Want to Go to School - Michael Winerip, New York Times
Discovering Your 18-Mo Old Uses an iPad in Pre-School - Holly Korbey, The Atlantic
Keep Reading to Your Child, Parents Urged - Judith Burns, BBC News
Learning
The Dumbest Generation? No, Twitter is Making Kids Smarter - Clive Thompson, Globe and Mail
It's Building Kids' Vocabulary, Stupid - Julia Steiny, Education News
Mimic Your Toddler, And Here's Why - Richard Rende, PhD, RedHotParenting
Physical Fitness and School Success - Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times
How Can We Make Homework Worthwhile? - Annie Murphy Paul, Mind/Shift
How to Fall in Love With Math - Manil Suri, New York Times
Education
Getting Parents & the Public Better Informed on the Common Core - E.D. Hirsch, Huff Post
Lifelines for Poor Children - James Heckman, New York Times
College Diplomas Are Meaningless. This is How to Fix Them - Reid Hoffman, New Republic
School Privatization is a Hoax - Diane Ravitch, Slate
Is it Time to Redefine "Gifted and Talented" - Holly Korbey, Mind/Shift
The Educational Value of Field Trips - Jay Greene, B. Kisida, D.H. Bowen, Education Next
The Common Core Money War - Stephanie Simon, Nirvi Shah, Politico
The Secret of Finland's Stellar Schools - Amanda Ripley, The Week
How Much Homework Do American Kids Do? - Julia Ryan, The Atlantic
Poor Students Need Homework - Robert Pondiscio, The Atlantic
Resources
A Parents Guide to iTunes - Warren Buckleitner, Children's Technology
2013 100 Best Companies - Working Mother
The Fall 2013 Small Screen Awards - Parent's Choice Awards
Annual Hot Toy List from Toys R Us - Wendy Goldman Getzler, iKids
19 Dr. Seuss iPad Reading Apps Organized By Text Level - TeachThought
Rosetta Stone Launches Learning App for Preschoolers - Jordan Shapiro, Forbes
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