“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!