This week free-range parenting went from a philosophical to a legal debate. A few weeks back police picked up two children (ages 10 and 6) as they walked home from their neighborhood park. Authorities said their parents were responsible for “unsubstantiated child neglect.” Then, police picked up their kids a second time. The parents, “free-rangers,” are outraged. They intend to file a lawsuit, to clarify parents’ rights. 1 This week educators in the Atlanta schools' cheating scandal were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to seven years. Was this just, or is the school accountability system guilty? 2 3 4 For seven years reauthorizing No Child Left Behind has been gridlocked in Congress. This week a rewrite of the law passed the Senate committee unanimously. The new bill, named the Every Child Achieves Act, moves to the Senate floor. It’s a step. 5 Check out the amazing scrolling graphic of Mt. Everest. It conveys the “tallest mountain in the world” like you’ve never seen! 6
Parenting
1 The Murky Law on Free-Range Kids - Amanda Kolson Hurley, CityLab
There's Never Been a Safer Time to Be a Kid in America - C. Ingraham, WashPost
Kids Take More Risks Crossing Streets Than Parents Think - Lisa Rapaport, Reuters
Helicopter Parents Can Be a Good Thing - Julie Hiltz, PDK Sage Journals
5 Ways to Smooth Transition from Senior Year to College - Annie Berning, Grown and Flown
6 College Experiences That Make College Worth It - Brandon Busteed, Gallup
Encouraging Teenagers to Read, by Choosing From Non-YA Shelves - Jessica Lahey, New York Times
Learning
Babies Learn Best When Surprised - Janice Wood, PsychCentral
Letting Go of Executive Control Speeds Learning of Motor Tasks - Geoffrey Mohan, L.A. Times
Self-Affirmations May Calm Jitters, Boost Performance - ScienceDaily
Emotional Intelligence: The Social Skills You Weren't Taught in School - Eric Ravenscraft, Lifehacker
Wait for It: Delayed Feedback Can Enhance Learning - Tori Rodriguez, Scientific American
Education
We Should Be Asking Why and How We Test, Not Just How Often - Linda Darling-Hammond, HuffPost
End the Education Wars - Frederick M. Hess, US News
The Lost Purpose of School Reform - Diane Ravitch, New York Review
2 Accountability on Trail in Atlanta - Robert Pondiscio, US News
3 Teachers Were Offered Bonuses for Test Scores. Of Course They Cheated - Annie Murphy Paul, WP
4 Cheaters Never Prosper - Dana Goldstein, The Marshall Project
5 NCLB Rewrite Heads to Senate Floor - Allie Bidwell, US News
PISA's Potentially Dangerous Problems, And What to Do - Yong Zhao & Alma Harris, Washington Post
Resources
6 How Tall is Mt Everest? [Amazing Scrolling Graphic] - Johnson, Berkowitz, Gamio, Washington Post
The Math Question That Went Viral - Terrance F. Ross, The Atlantic
Fun Way to Learn About Leonardo da Vinci: Read His Resume - Marc Cenedella, Cenedella
7 Wonderful Books that Help Kids Make Sense of Death - Maria Popova, BrainPickings
Get Your Kids to Vote on the Children's Choice Book Awards - CBC
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