Have you heard people say, “Why can’t public schools run more like businesses?” Or, “Schools should be subject to market forces, like businesses, so they would have to get better, or go under.” Your response to these statements could be to, 1) nod your head (agree) or, 2) roll your eyes (disagree) or, 3) shrug your shoulders (it’s complicated.) Several articles below present these conflicting responses. But, start with Jessica Lahey’s even-handed lesson on the common core. (No test at the end, promise.) Then, read articles that go with and against whatever is your bias. You could get riled. If that happens, here are two suggestions. Read Eric Barker’s entertaining summary of the research on “making kids smarter.” Or, just clear your mind by watching Chris Anderson’s TED-Ed video, “How many universes are there?” Remember, this is about gaining cortical mass…
Parenting
Recline, Don't 'Lean In' (Why I Hate Sheryl Sandberg) - Rosa Brooks, Washington Post
New Mantra for Moms: I Am the Standard - Jennifer Senior, New York Magazine
What You Learn in Your 40s - Pamela Druckerman, New York Times
The Preschool Parent Interview: Elevator Pitch for My 2-Year Old Judy Batalion, New York Times
Big Score: When Moms Take the SAT - Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker
How to Think Critically About Video Games - Jordan Shapiro, Forbes
Holding Teens Back in School May Be Disruptive - Rick Nauert, PsychCentral
Learning
2 Parenting Skills Deserve the Credit for Why Breastfed Babies are So Smart - EurekaAlert
Study: Babies Can't Learn to Read - Eleanor Barkhorn, The Atlantic
Working Memory and Fluid Reasoning: Same or Different? - Scott Barry Kaufman, Creativity Post
Young Musicians Reap Long-Term Neuro Benefits - Erika Beras, Scientific American
10 Science-Backed Steps to Help Kids Get Smarter - Eric Barker, Barking Up the Wrong Tree
5 Year Olds Can Learn Calculus - Luba Vangelova, The Atlantic
Why Are Girls Nervous About Math? Maybe Because Moms Are, Too - Annie Murphy Paul, Slate
How Your Brain Works [2 minute video] - Damn Fine Media, The Guardian
Education
High Schools Assign 3.5 Hours of Homework a Night, Survey Estimates - S. Stainburn, Ed Week
A Lesson on the Common Core - Jessica Lahey, New York Times
Teachers Wish More People Would Listen to Them - Emily Richmond, The Atlantic
Gates Foundation Opposes Release of Teachers VAM Scores in FL - Vicki Phillips, Washington Post
The Failure of Test-Based Accountability -Marc Tucker, Education Week
Deja Vu: Too Late to Learn From China - Yong Zhao, Zhao Learning
New All-Digital Curriculums Hope to Ride High-Tech Push in Schools - Motoko Rich, New York Times
Should Tablets Replace Textbooks in K-12 Schools? - ProCon.org
The False Markets of Market Based Reforms - Bruce D. Baker, School Finance 101
What Education Doesn't Know About Business - Robert Pondiscio, Education Week
Class Size Matters a lot, Research Shows -Valerie Strauss, Washington Post
Resources
Steve Hawking's Charming Kid's Book About Time-Travel - Maria Popova, Brain Pickings
How Many Universes Are There? [4:43 minute video] - Chris Anderson, TED-Ed
Rosie the Riveter: Women's Contributions During WWII (Ages 9-11) - Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books
Got a Comics-Loving Girl? 5 Female Characters She'll Love - Charlie Brooks, BabyCenter
Apps That Challenge Kids to Solve Environmental Issues - Tanner Higgin, Mind/Shift
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!