Parent Cortical Mass

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

The learning opportunity this week is about memory, or more accurately, false memory. Why corral 3 articles on this? Because you’re more likely to remember the concept in the context of Brian Williams' #misrememberings. 1 2 3 You already know how important it is to read to your kids. Even so, don't miss the post by Doug Lemov, author of the best-seller Teach Like a Champion. His reasons why reading aloud matters will inspire and motivate you. 4 Now, what to read aloud? Any Newbery winner is a slam-dunk choice! Check out the 2015 winner, announced this week. 9 In education, the big topic is testing, or more correctly, over-testing. Congress is debating the annual test requirement in No Child Left Behind. Parents can deeply influence this policy. Read pro-and-con positions and stay informed. 5 6 7 8 The Where’s Waldo eye-track suggestion is sheer genius! 10

Parenting

Uncovering Security Flaws in Digital Ed Products for Schoolchildren - Natasha Singer, NYT

Techies Are Hacking Education by Homeschooling Their Kids - Jason Tanz, Wired

Consultants Steer Parents Through Maze of School Choice - Arianna Prothero, Education Week

Is Your First Grader College Ready? - Laura Pappano, New York Times

Pros and Cons of Skipping a Grade - Connie Matthiessen, GreatSchools

Learning

1 Scientists Explain How Brian Williams' Memory May Have Failed Him - Brittny Mejia, L.A. Times

2 Is It Possible Brian Williams Really ‘Misremembered’? - Melissa Dahl, Science of Us

3 You Have No Idea What Happened - Maria Konnikova, The New Yorker

"Study Less, Study Smart": Best Ways to Retain More in Less Time - Patrick Allan, Lifehacker

Researchers: iPad or Smartphone Use Can Harm Toddler’s Learning, Social Skills - T. McCoy, WP

4 Why Reading Aloud Still Matters - Doug Lemov, Teach Like a Champion

Education

8 Best Things Teachers Do For Kids - Lisa Endlich, Grown and Flown

5 In Defense of Annual School Testing - Chad Aldeman, New York Times

6 Exams Have Left My Students Incapable of Thinking - Secret Teacher, The Guardian

7 ‘The Test,’ by Anya Kamenetz: Book Review - Dana Goldstein, New York Times

8 School Testing Is Unpopular, So It Must Be Conservative - Rick Hess, National Review

What Would It Mean to ‘Fix’ No Child Left Behind? - Room for Debate, New York Times

States Weigh Turning Education Funds Over to Parents - Stephanie Simon, Politico

Gifted and Talented Programs Dumb Down Our Students - Matthew M. Fields, Time

How Schools Are Dealing With Anti-Vaccine Parents - Jacoba Urist, The Atlantic

Resources

9 2015 Newbery and Caldecott Winners - Melissa Taylor, Imagination Soup

10 Finally, Science Has Solved the Eternal Question of "Where's Waldo?" - K. Trendacosta, io9

7 Steps to Good Digital Parenting - Family Online Safety Institute

Milestones: Free Online Videos to Understand Grade-Level Expectations - GreatSchools

13 Numbers That Explain the Resurgence of Measles in the U.S. - Anna Almendrala, Huff Post

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

Carol Dweck wrote an article for Scientific American this week. Every parent needs to know her research on the growth mindset. Her book, Mindset, is on our list of Top Books for Parents. If you’ve not read it, this don’t-miss article will get you up-to-speed. 1 You know that ‘learning styles’ are a myth, right? Good. But even if you do, Christian Jarret’s article in Wired this week is uber-informing. He promises that in 2 minutes you'll know all you need to know. 2 Research on the 30 Million Word Gap has inspired new initiatives and polices. Read Sara Neufeld’s article and learn how closing the word gap might also close the achievement gap. 3 Games from your childhood are now online and free to play. Remember Oregon Trail, Sim City, Prince of Persia? Spend some quality time with your kids sharing your favorites. Besides the fun, it’s a history lesson! 4

Parenting

1 The Secret to Raising Smart Kids - Carol Dweck, Scientific American

10 things Not Enough Kids Know Before Going to College - Christopher Blattman, Vox

‘Redshirting’ Kindergarten-Age Kids Can Lead to Regrets - Sharon Holbrook, New York Times

What Happens to a Woman's Brain When She Becomes a Mother - A. LaFrance, The Atlantic

Does Chilly Weather Really Cause a Cold? - Monte Morin, L.A. Times

Learning

Talking to Babies Boosts Their Ability to Make Friends and Learn -Sarah Griffiths, Daily Mail

Daniel Kahneman: The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory [Video] - Ted Talk

2 All You Need to Know About the ‘Learning Styles’ Myth, in 2 Minutes - Christian Jarrett, Wired

Education

3 Can the Achievement Gap be Closed Through Parent-Child Talk? - Sara Neufeld, Hechinger Report

Should Schools Teach Personality? - Anna North, New York Times

Colleges Turn to Personality Assessments to Find Successful Students - Douglas Belkin, WSJ

The Case for Annual Testing - G. Whitehurst, M. West, M. Chingos, M. Dynarski, Brookings

Beyond Standardized Tests - Anya Kamenetz, Mind/Shift

Parents Challenge President to Dig Deeper on Ed Tech - Natasha Singer, New York Times

The Roots of Obama’s Ambitious College Plan - David Leonhardt, New York Times

Despite Contrary Reports, New Teachers Are Staying in Their Jobs Longer - Hanna & Pennington, CAP

Meet The Classroom Of The Future - William Huntsberry, nprEd

Resources

The Book with No Pictures - by B.J Novak

The Connected Baby – Gadgets for the Little Ones - Kevin Lisota, GeekWire

The Question Game: A Playful Way to Teach Critical Thinking - TeachThought

4 Play 'Oregon Trail,' 'Sim City,' and 2,000+ games In Your Browser -J. Dornbush, EW

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

Should parents help kids with their homework? Get the pros and cons from experts with differing opinions and be informed. 1 High school seniors are now in the thick of applying to colleges. How many applications are enough? This article has some interesting stats. 2 Is it worth it for students to take A.P. classes? Get the scoop from Jessica Lahey. 4 Now there’s an app for the word gap. Since 90% of U.S. adults have a cell phone, what if this worked? 3 Can America increase the number of highly effective teachers? And can we distribute these teachers more fairly? This week we cover current issues in teaching. 5 6 7 8 It’s late fall and the birds are flying south. Why? How do they know where to go? Get your background knowledge up to speed. 9 Did you know there’s a hall of fame for toys? Who got in this year? (Spoiler alert! The slip-and-slide missed the cut.) 10

Parenting

1 Should Parents Help Kids with Homework? - Room for Debate, New York Times

Finally! Common Sense (and Science-Based) Advice on Toddler Screen Time - Lisa Guernsey, Slate

Why Is My Child Behaving This Way? (A Checklist) - Janet Lansbury, Elevating Child Care

Teens with Earlier School Times Have Higher Motor Vehicle Crash Rates - ScienceDaily

2 Applications by the Dozen, as High School Seniors Hedge College Bets - Ariel Kaminer, NYT

Bittersweet Sixteen - Randye Hoder, Motherlode, NYT

Learning

Regulating the Teenage Mind: Practical Activities & Resources - Bari Walsh, Harvard

Taking Notes May Actually Make You Much More Forgetful - Patrick Allan, Lifehacker

How Love Protects Your Baby's Brain - Gwen Dewar, PhD, BabyCenter

Focus on Executive Functions in Kindergarten Leads to Lasting Academic Improvement - EurekAlert

3 To Help Children's Language Skills, Text Their Parents with Tips: A Study - Motoko Rich, NYT

Education

4 To A.P. or Not to A.P., That Is the Question - Jessica Lahey, Motherlode, NYT

Common Core Reading: 'The New Colossus' - Emily Hanford, NPR

How to Challenge Voracious Young Readers - Peter Sipe, Flypaper

5 US to Focus on Equity in Assigning of Teachers - Motoko Rich, New York Times

6 Is Teach for America 'Complicit' in Attacks on Public Education? - Ari Paul, In These Times

7 Improving Teacher Prep Requires Less Tinkering, More Transformation - K. Connally, EdCentral

8 What It Really Means to Be a Public School Educator Today - Nancy Chewning, Washington Post

Resources

9 What to Explain to Your Kids Why Birds Fly South for the Winter - Fatherly

What Is Cryptography? - Khan Academy

Spot It! Games - Blue Orange Games

Best Gift Books of 2014 - Melissa Taylor, Imagination Soup

10 Yes, There's a Toy Hall of Fame. Who Made This Year's Cut? - Fatherly

Step-by-Step Guide: Making Your Facebook Account As Private as You Want - C. Bankoff, NY Magazine

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!