You’ve heard about kids bullying other kids in cyberspace, but what about bullying school authorities? One of the nation’s leading school superintendents, Joshua Starr, posted an open letter to parents. He describe how some students were seriously snarky, even threatening, to him on twitter and Facebook. After explaining the legal position that puts him in, he asked parents: how do we teach our kids cybercivility? It’s complicated. Read the review of dana boyd’s recent book and get smarter about kids online behavior. Parents are working out a whole new societal contract about civility. How you think this through shapes the future. ● Should you request a specific teacher for your kid? Jessica Lahey, a parent and a teacher, tells it like it is. ● This week I learned about StudyBlue, a study app with 5 million students sharing crowdsourced notes, guides and practice quizzes. Lots of engaging study help there!
Parenting
Thinking of Requesting a Specific Teacher for Your Child? Think Twice - Jessica Lahey, NYT
States Standardized Tests Have Negative Impact on Parents' Civic Engagement - Science Daily
Kids Are Cyberbullying Their Teachers - Jordan Pearson, Motherboard
To Parents: Open Letter on Cybercivility from Supt Joshua Starr - MontgomerySchools.org
Status Update: Review of 'It's Complicated' - Alissa Quart, NYT Sunday Book Review
Not All Women Get to Decide Between Opting Out and Leaning In - Dr. Peggy Drexler, HuffPost
Best Commentary re Recent Research on Parent Involvement - L. Ferlazzo, Engaging Parents in School
Parental Opposition Over Privacy Fells inBloom Edu-Software Firm - Dwoskin & Fleisher, WSJ
Learning
Kids Don't Learn Better Just Because They're 'Little Sponges' - Daniel Willingham, Real Clear Education
Getting Your Child to Love Reading - Kathryn Perkinson, Dept of Education, RIF.org
This Is Your Brain on Great Literature - Annie Murphy Paul, Time
Tapping Into the Potential of Games and Uninhibited Play for Learning - Jordan Shapiro, Mind/Shift
The Surprising Upside of a Dyslexic Brain - Annie Murphy Paul, Time
Speed-Reading Apps Will Not Revolutionize Anything - Ryan Jacobs, Pacific Standard
Success, Failure and the Drive to Keep Creating [Video] - Elizabeth Gilbert, TED.com
Education
A Walmart Fortune, Spreading Charter Schools - Motoko Rich, New York Times
Many Factors Influence Voucher Parents' Decisions, But Not Really A-F Grades - E. Moxley, StateImpact
Supreme Court Gives Affirmative Action Foes More Room to Maneuver - Amanda Paulson, CSM
Are Schools on Internet 'Slow Track' Under Proposed FCC Rules? -Michele Molnar, EdWeek
Obama Administration Wants Better-Trained Teachers - Lyndsey Layton, Washington Post
Michelle Rhee Interview: Do Standardized Tests Measure What We Value? - J. Schneider, EdWeek
Should Students Sit on School Boards? - Jacoba Urist, The Atlantic
By Not Challenging Gifted Kids, What Do We Risk Losing? - Ingfei Chen, Mind/Shift
Is Misused Neuroscience Driving Government Policy? - Zoe Williams, The Guardian
Head Start, Meet Accountability - Sophie Quinton, The Atlantic
Resources
Minecraft Re-creates Denmark--Yes, the Entire Country - Jeffrey Grubb, Venture Beat
7 Study Apps to Survive Finals Seasons - Jonny Hawkins, EdTech Digest
How to Fix iPhone iOS 7 Battery Issues with 6 Quick Tips - coolmomtech
Best Books for Babies - Common Sense Media
Review of Games from 11th Annual Games for Change Festival - Jordan Shapiro, Forbes
Cedric Villani: Going Gaga for Math - Niamh Mhaoileoin, ZY
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