This week’s must-read article is by Adam Grant, author of New York Times bestseller, Give and Take. You already know how the right kind of praise develops kids’ intrinsic motivation and resilience. But Adam Grant talks about new research on how praise impacts kids’ moral development. It's worth knowing. ● If you haven’t heard about “flow,” one of our top ten learning concepts, don’t miss the TED Talk on the topic. It could change the way you understand your child’s frustrations. ● Digital learning opportunities saturate our lives 24/7. It even seems that informal learning has the edge over formal learning. How can schools keep up with the razzle-dazzle of today’s informal learning tools? ● The common core and accountability tests continue to dominate education news. PCM Influencer, Linda Darling-Hammond speaks to these topics. She’s a genius who can give clear, un-hyped explanations. Keep informed. ● Are these tests as hard you've heard? Try the just-released sample test questions and judge for yourself!
Parenting
Raising a Moral Child - Adam Grant, New York Times
What Every Parent Needs to Know About Praise - Dr. Laura Markham, Aha! Parenting
Why Students Are Tested, and Why Some Parents Opt Out - Jessica Lahey, New York Times
3 Reasons Students Should Opt Out & 3 Why They Shouldn't - Sarah Garland, Hechinger Report
Why My Family is Opting Out of Common Core Tests - Karin Klein, LA Times
The Opt-Out Outrage -Chester Finn, Flypaper
Sometimes It's Better to Quit Than to Prove Grit - Alfie Kohn, Washington Post
Millennial Working Parents Happier Than Previous Generations - Amy Joyce, Washington Post
Digital Parenting: It's About Assessing the Risk - The Online Mom
Learning
Flow, the Secret to Happiness, Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi [Video] - TED Talk
The Quickly Narrowing Gap Between Formal & Informal Learning - Terry Heick, TeachThought
Babies Get Smarter After Naps - Gwen Dewar, PhD, BabyCenter
Risky Play: Why children Love It and Need It - Peter Gray, PhD, Psychology Today
Math Anxiety Linked to Genetics, Study Finds - Liana Heitin, Education Week
We Need to Value Spatial Creativity - Jonathan Wai, PhD, Psychology Today
Students Reading E-Books Are Losing Out, Study Suggests - Annie Murphy Paul, New York Times
Education
We Need to Talk About the Common Core Tests - Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times
Common Core Tests Are in Classrooms, and They're Actually Working - Libby Nelson, Vox
Why it Matters that 70% of Teachers are not "Engaged" - Anya Kamenetz, Hechinger Report
Forget Time-Outs. Student-Run Courts are the Rage. And They Work -Dana Goldstein, The Guardian
What the PISA Problem-Solving Test Scores Really Mean - Daniel Willingham, Real Clear Education
Best, Brightest, and Rejected: Elite Colleges Turn Away 95% - Richard Perez-Pena, New York Times
Is College Worth It? - The Economist
Pencils Out: Linda Darling Hammond on the Common Core, Testing - Gavin Bade, American Prospect
What Do We Call Opponents of Corporate Education Reform? - Diane Ravitch, Huffington Post
Jeb Bush's Stance on Education May Not Be that Controversial - Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight
Parental Involvement Is Overrated - Keith Robinson and Angel L. Harris, New York Times
Resources
How to Protect Your Family from the Heartbleed Security Flaw - Larry Magid, SafeKids.com
If You Like Legos and Robots, You'll Love TinkerBots - Signe Brewster, GigaOm
Parents, Try Sample Test Questions from Common Core Exams - Sarah Garland, Hechinger Report
4 New Science Apps for Kids - Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
Free Math Tutorial from Pearson (Grade 6-12) - Joshua Bolkan, The Journal
Apple's Letter to Parents About In-App Purchases - Warren Buckleitner, Children's Technology Review
10 Cool Camera Apps and Why We Love Them - Kristen Chase, Cool Mom Tech
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