This week the Olympics capture our attention. What a perfect time to read articles about talent vs. practice, and performing vs. choking. ● After last week’s State of the Union, Pre-K is now the hot topic in our education policies list. More than ever, learning science reveals the consequences of “exposure gaps” in early childhood. Even the President is talking about the word gap. There’s momentum to fund high quality, targeted, pre-k programs. It may be the best way to close our nation’s achievement gaps and improve the global ranking of our education system. ● Don’t miss the story of how Bill Gates went from clumsy to masterful in wielding political influence. He has leveraged his fortune to push and nudge changes in education. ● Check out the handy apps on the Olympics.
Parenting
Kids Are Playing Organized Sports Less Frequently - Annie Murphy Paul, Brilliant
Do Parents Care Enough About Schools? - Room for Debate, New York Times
Preschool's Benefits Extend to Parents - KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times
5 Myths About Stay-At-Home Dads - Dave Lesser, Time
How to Raise Happy Kids: 10 Science-Backed Steps -Eric Barker, Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Guide to "Secure Attachment" Research, for Thinking Parents - Gwen Dewar, Parenting Science
Learning
How Olympians Stay Motivated - Olga Khazan, The Atlantic
The Olympics: 5 Things to Learn About Talent and Practice - Jonathan Wai, Psychology Today
Hijack! How Your Brain Blocks Performance - Christine Comaford, Inc.
5 Common Mistakes Your Brain Makes Every Day - Marghi Merzenich, PositScience
Shy Kids Know the Answer - They Just Don't Say It Outloud - Eleanor Barkhorn, The Atlantic
Number Games Could Improve Kids' Math Skills - Kathleen Raven, Reuters
Education
Preschool Push Moving Ahead in Many States - Richard Perez-Pena, Motoko Rich, NYT
Exposure Gap: Universal PreK Can Address Achievement Gap - J. Zibulsky, Psychology Today
Is Kindergarten Too Young to Test? - Holly Korbey, Mind/Shift
How the Debate Over Charter Schools Makes Us Dumber - Conor P. Williams, Talking Points Memo
Bill Gates Masters D.C. - And the World - Stephanie Simon, Erin Mershon, Politico
Public Education's Weird Ideological Divide - Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine
Teacher's Wife to Obama: 'Please Stop This Runaway Reform' - Dana Bultman, Washington Post
Choosing the Right Measure of Student Growth - Ehlert, Koedel, Parsons, Podgursky, EdNext
What Happens After Fed-Up Parents Take Over a School? - Natasha Lindstrom, The Atlantic
Resources
Take Home the Gold With These 6 Winter Olympic Apps - Kelly Knox, ParentMap
Barefoot World Apps: New Packs Added! - Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kids Books
How the Universe Was Born: Animation from CERN - Maria Popova, Brain Pickings
Can This Smartphone App Stop Cyberbullying? - Lane Florsheim, New Republic
Parents' Choice Spring 2014 TV Awards -Claire S. Green, Parents' Choice
Read a few articles each week, and gain parent cortical mass! If you enjoy our weekly article roundup, please email it to a friend, or share on social media. Thank you!