My son’s latest favorite read is Wild About Books, by Judy Sierra. It’s the cheerful, rhyming tale of a librarian who accidentally drives her bookmobile into the zoo. The animals discover the fun of reading, and the zoo is never the same. Marc Brown, author of the popular Arthur series, illustrated the book, but you’d […]
Several bloggers, including Mike the Mad Biologist, Shakespeare’s Sister, and Amanda at Pandagon, have written about the Discovery Channel Store’s appalling choices in science gifts for girls. The top boys’ gifts include things like the Discovery Whodunit? Forensics Lab and the Discovery Speed Detector, while the girls have the Discovery Deluxe Nail Salon and the
In the face of poor test scores and a lack of basic math skills among secondary-school students, educators around the country are rethinking math curricula, the New York Times reports. Math reforms a decade ago that emphasized letting students solve problems their own way, without necessarily teaching basics like long division, have not had their
Americans under 30 voted in the largest numbers for midterm elections in at least 20 years, and may have made a difference in the many close races. Young people favored Democrats by 22 points, nearly three times the Democratic margin among other age groups. Some say this indicates a rising Democratic bloc that could be
“For the wealthy with lots of financial assets, college costs less than it used to. For those who depend on their jobs for income, the opposite is true.” That’s the conclusion of the College Board, a research firm, as reported in Saturday’s New York Times. When expressed as weeks of pay needed to finance four
The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and its student clubs are celebrating October 15-21 as Ally Week. GLSEN says: “Ally Week is about identifying and supporting allies and asking them to sign the Ally Pledge to intervene in bullying and harassment throughout the school year.” Students and clubs are encouraged to register for Ally
Akeelah and the Bee is a gem of a movie for middle-school and late-elementary school children. Eleven-year-old Akeelah lives with her overworked mother in South Central LA and mourns the death of her father. Her two older brothers have their own paths, one in the Air Force and the other hanging with gangbangers. Akeelah struggles
Tomorrow, September 30, is Museum Day, and that means museums across the U. S. will be offering free admission. Simply print a pass from the Smithsonian Web site and you and a guest can get in free to participating museums. (Special exhibits may not qualify.) The Smithsonian organizes the yearly event, but this is the
The Seattle Times published an article this week on Finding Schools that Strive to be Inclusive. It’s a positive article, with examples of two moms, two dads, and interracial families. There are also some useful hints for educators, such as: A phrase such as “don’t forget to tell your parents about the field trip” rather
Having a pre-schooler, I don’t write about teens as often as perhaps I should. Here’s one item, however, that caught my eye: A long-term study of high school seniors’ educational and occupational plans found a widening gap between goals and actual achievements. Ambition can be good for some, the researchers say, but can also lead
