Parent Cortical Mass

Happy Holidays!

The Parent Cortical Mass Blog's weekly roundup of news articles will resume Monday, January 5, 2015.  Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

Week's Top Articles on Learning & Education, for Parents

“Math knowledge at the beginning of elementary school was the single most powerful predictor determining whether a student would graduate high school and attend college.” Read Anya Kamenetz's article for further information. 5 There's important information on math and early learning this week. Stay informed. 2 6 7 To reinforce your knowledge on the growth mindset and working memory, check out these two articles. 3 4 Which countries assign the most homework? Take a peek at the graph showing how much homework 15-year-olds around the world must face. Notice which countries assign the most and the least. Humm... 8 Yes, in the resources section below you'll find plenty articles with lists of fabulous educational toys. Do they work? Well, as you might suspect, that depends on the parents. 1

Parenting

10 Health Findings from 2014 Every Parent Should Know About - Catherine Pearson, Huffington Post

The Death of the American Family Dinner Has Been Greatly Exaggerated - R.A. Ferdman, Wash Post

The Scientific Evidence Against Spanking, Timeouts, Sleep Training - R. Thompson, Quartz

1 Can Toys Really Be ‘Educational’? Well That Depends on Parents - Nicola Yelland, The Conversation

2 Using Every Day Moments to Inspire Early Math Skills - Too Small to Fail

Learning

3 What Believing in the Possibilities Can Do For Learning and Teaching - T. Markham, Mind/Shift

4 What Your "Working Memory" Does (and How to Give It a Tune-Up) - Jory Mackay, Lifehacker

Links Between Humility and Learning - Science Daily

10 Ways That Brain Myths Are Harming Us - Christian Jarrett, Wired

Education

5 Why Math Might Be the Secret to School Success - Anya Kamenetz, nprEd

6 Why the Pres. Wants To Give Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to Toddlers - A. Kamenetz, nprEd

7 When It Comes to Early Learning, Preschool Isn't Enough - Fawn Johnson, The Atlantic

8 Global Ranking of Where Teens Have the Most Homework - Sonali Kohli, The Atlantic

Big Drop in Students Being Held Back, But Why? - Will Huntsberry, nprEd

The Difference Between Good Grit and Bad Grit - C.M. Rubin, Huffington Post

Resources

This Video Game Reckons It Can Get Your Kids to Tidy Their Rooms - Dan Crawley, Venture Beat

The Best Edu Apps, Websites & Games of 2014 - Graphite, Common Sense Media

17 Kids' Books from 2014 That Make Great Holiday Gifts - Huffington Post

25 Engineering, Technology, & Math Toys for Mighty Girls - A Mighty Girl

Last Minute Science Gifts for Kids - Anna Kuchment, Scientific American

Natural Math: 100+ Activities & Resources - LauraGraceWeldon.com

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!

Week's Top Articles on Learning & Education, for Parents

Can you imagine scanning the brain of adolescents while they watch a video clip of their moms' criticizing them? Neither could I. But, this research might offer some clues to parenting adolescents. 1 This week find articles covering three of our top 10 learning concepts--10,000 hours, language dancing, and background knowledge. 2 3 5 Top education policies covered this week include common core, accountability, and teacher effectiveness. 4 6 7 Do you know any young kids who are fascinated by weather events? Here's an app that will engage their interest. It's called Marco Polo Weather. 8

Parenting

Can You Turn Screen Time Into Family Time? - Michelle Miller, Joan Ganz Cooney Center

Parents Told: Use iPads to Get Reluctant Boys to Read - Graeme Paton, The Telegraph

1 The Teen Brain “Shuts Down” When It Hears Mom’s Criticism - Christian Jarrett, Wired

Being an 'Elephant Mom' in the Time of the Tiger Mother - Priyanka Sharma-Sindhar, The Atlantic

Talking About Racism With White Kids - KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times

Flex Time Doesn’t Need to Be an HR Policy - Scott Behson, Harvard Business Review

Learning

Why Physical Activity During Childhood Matters - Society for Research in Child Development

2 Practice Doesn't Always Make Perfect - Nathan Collins, Scientific American

3 How Baby Talk Gives Your Child the Best Start in Life - Aviva Rutkin, NewScientist

Why Students Avoid Academic Help - Max Nisen, The Atlantic

Education

What Every School Can Learn From Preschools - Anya Kamenetz, nprEd

Neuroscience Improves Early Childhood Education Quality - Ellen Galinsky, HuffPost

Is the U.S. Focusing Too Much on STEM? - Alexandra Ossola, The Atlantic

4 Common Core Has No Better Alternative - William J. Bennett, CNN Opinion

5 Prior knowledge: Can we really level the playing field? - Tim Shanahan, Common Core Watch

Education Isn't the Problem—Inequality Is - Matt Phillips, The Atlantic

12 Questions for School Reformers Who Say One Thing, Do Another - Anthony Cody, WashPost

6 Should the U.S. Make Standardized Tests Harder? - Mikhail Zinshteyn, The Atlantic

7 Principals Reject ‘Value-Added’ Teacher Assessment - Valerie Strauss, Washington Post

Resources

8 Marco Polo Weather – A Fun App About Weather - iPad Apps for School

What to Read Next: Kids' Holiday Books for December - Regan McMahon, Common Sense Media

Data-Driven Parenting App Gives Personalized Tips for Every Kid - Kyle Vanhemert, Wired

GeoToys: Smart Playtime Plus a 20% Off for GeekMom Readers - Laura Grace Weldon, GeekMom

“High School Story” Wants To Make SAT Prep Fun - Catherine Shu, TechCrunch

5 Hot Tech Toys for Kids in 2014 - Caroline Knorr, Common Sense Media

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!