“A growth mindset is the best gift we can give our children,” says Jessica Lahey. Read her smart tips on helping kids deal with criticism. This is an all-important parenting skill. Get informed. 1 You’ve seen those diagrams of brain scans with colorful patches. But what do they mean? Watch the TED Talk by Nancy Kanwisher, a prominent MIT neuroscientist, and learn the basics of brain scan research. Her engaging 17-minute talk makes it completely understandable! Really. 2 Recent studies have shed light on the 10,000 Hour Rule. This week's article discussing deliberate practice, meritocracy, and equality and inequality in capacities, is a must-read. 3 Common core math continues to vex parents. Stay current. 4 5 6 Do you enjoy taking pictures of the family during the holidays? Check out this project from the Library of Congress. Could be a fun family project! 7
Parenting
1 Helping Kids Take Criticism Constructively - Jessica Lahey, New York Times
Parenting as a Gen Xer: We're the 1st Parents in the Age of iEverthing - Allison Slater Tate, Wash Post
Kids and Screen Time: Cutting Through the Static - Cory Turner, NPR Ed
In Defense of Screen Time - Heather Hopp-Gruce, Boston Globe
The Recession's Baby Bust - Olga Khazan, The Atlantic
Preparing Your Child for Common Core Tests - Kenneth Chang, New York Times
This Is the First Weekend in America With No Saturday Morning Cartoons - Robert Sorokanich, Gizmodo
Learning
2 The Brain is Like a Swiss Army Knife - Nancy Kanwisher, TED Talk
3 Practice Does Not Make Perfect - D. Hambrick, F. Ferreira, & J. Henderson, Slate
Curiosity Prepares the Brain for Better Learning - Daisy Yuhas, Scientific American
Q&A: Plumbing the Mysteries of the Teenage Brain - Anya Kamenetz, NPR Ed
How Siblings Teach One Another About the World - ScienceDaily
Why Daydreaming is Critical to Effective Learning - Katrina Schwartz, Mind/Shift
Playing Tag Keeps Children More Focused in Class - Kathryn Baron, Education Week
Education
4 Common Core Makes Simple Math More Complicated. Here's Why - Libby Nelson, Vox
5 Newer New Math - Erick Erickson, RealClearPolitics
6 Teaching Math to People Who Think They Hate It - Jessica Lahey, The Atlantic
Is the New AP US History Really Anti-American? - Emmanuel Felton, Hechinger Report
Public Schooling: War Without End - Neal McCluskey, Townhall.com
Why Finland's Schools Are Top Notch - Pasi Sahlberg, CNN
If Massachusetts Were a Country, It's Students Would Rank 9th in the World - James Crotty, Forbes
Report Finds 'Deeper Learning' Model Improves Outcomes for All Students - K. Schwartz, Mind/Shift
Where Did 'Race to the Top' Lead? - Stephen Brill, Reuters
Resources
Comics: A Candy Alternative for Halloween - Jenn Fujikawa, GeekMom
NASA's Space Racers App - Coolmomtech
10 Things Parents Should Know About Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS - Z, GeekDad
7 The Library of Congress Wants Your Holiday Pictures - Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing
AP U.S. History Practice Test -College Board
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