Discussion on three topics took hold of the edusphere this week: the privacy of student data, the overuse of accountability tests, and the rebellion against the common core. ● Laws protect the privacy of student information, but in the rush to implement new technologies in schools, it’s clear privacy got left in the data-dust. Get informed on FERPA, COPPA, data walls, and parental permissions rights. ● New research shows that increases in standardized tests scores do not lead to increases in cognitive ability. It's complicated. ● What is going on with the common core? States are rebelling, and not along party lines, as both red and blue states are impacted. Bill Gates wrote another article this week to stem the tide. ● Every parent gets asked the onion question. Watch Ferris Jabr’s video and be ready for it!
Parenting
Schools Must Be Privacy Zones - Common Sense Media
Group Calls on Companies to Safeguard Student Data - Ben Kamisar, Education Week
Is Your Kid's Privacy Safe at School? - Tony Porterfield, Common Sense Media
In Defense of Internet Safety Education - Larry Magid, SafeKids.com
How Some School 'Data Walls' Violate US Privacy Law - Valerie Strauss, Washington Post
PTA and LifeLock Developing Kits to Teach Good Digital Habits - Dian Schaffhauser, The Journal
Do You Care About Ed Reform? 3 Ways to Get Involved Locally - Take Part
Learning
How Babbling to Babies Can Boost Their Brains - The Economist
Premature Infants Benefit From Hearing Adults Talk - Janice Wood, PsychCentral
4 Myths About Learning Disabilities - Hallie Smith, Science of Learning Blog
Can Playing Video Games Help With Dyslexia? - Linda Poon, Mind/Shift
A Toolbox to Build Emotional Intelligence - Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Roots of Action
We Need To Teach Kids How To Pay Attention - Annie Murphy Paul, Brilliant Blog
Education
Standardized Tests Parents Love to Hate? Maybe We Love Them After All - J. Kelmon, GreatSchools
Anti-Testing Groups Form Alliance to Bring Sanity to Ed Policy - Valerie Strauss, Washington Post
Growth in Standardized Test Scores Doesn't Buy Us Cognitive Ability - Scott B. Kaufman, Creativity Post
What Explains Increasing ADHD Diagnosis? Is It School Testing Policy? - Alison Gopnik, WSJ
High School Grades Predict College Success Better Than SAT Score - Eric Westervelt, Mind/Shift
Families Want Data Showing the Value They Get for College Tuition - Douglas Belkin, Wall Street Journal
The School Standards Rebellion - Stephanie Simon, Politico
3 Myths That Confuse the Debate Over America's Schools - Bill Gates, LinkedIn
Education Reform Divides Democrats - Matthew Yglesias, Slate
What Do Americans Want for Schools? Choice, Yes, Charters, Not So Much - S. Garland, Hechinger Rpt
Resources
Top 5 Toys Beyond Goldiblox - Jamie Davis Smith, Huffington Post
Genius Brands’ Science-Based Series Heads Into Production - Wendy Goldman Getzler, Kidscreen
Why Do Onions Make Us Cry? [Video] - Ferris Jabr, Scientific American
Jupiter Will Be at Its Highest Point in the Sky for Many Years to Come - ScienceDaily
Neil Degrasse Tyson: We Are Made of Stars [Video] - Big Think
Infographic: Math Cheat Sheet for Parents - MathGameTime, Larry Ferlazzo, Engaging Parents in School
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