"Dyslexia Linked to Differences in Brain Circuitry" HealthDay 5/14/10
These findings appear to back up the importance of reading aloud: "When you are reading, you are essentially saying things out loud in your head," researcher Laurie Cutting of Vanderbilt University explained ...."
Thursday, May 20, 2010
WORLD OF LEARNING: RESTING IS NOT ARRESTING
"Space out! Why daydreaming is so important" MSNBC/The Body Odd Blog 5/16/10
This piece dovetails nicely with what I've been reading about sleep in John Medina's Brain Rules. A view of sleep and dreaming as a dormant, static condition is clearly not accurate. "The neurons of your brain show vigorous rhythmical activity when you're asleep," Medina tells us, "perhaps replaying what you learned that day." Take a look at http://www.brainrules.net/sleep, especially the fourth slide.
This piece dovetails nicely with what I've been reading about sleep in John Medina's Brain Rules. A view of sleep and dreaming as a dormant, static condition is clearly not accurate. "The neurons of your brain show vigorous rhythmical activity when you're asleep," Medina tells us, "perhaps replaying what you learned that day." Take a look at http://www.brainrules.net/sleep, especially the fourth slide.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
WORLD OF LEARNING: THE VALUE OF CONFLICT
"Can an Enemy Be a Child's Friend?" New York Times 5/17/10
If you are interested in the brain and learning, you should follow Benedict Carey's work in The New York Times (and indeed, the "Mind" column he runs there). Here, while hardly condoning bullying, Carey cautiously presents evidence that confrontation can lead to character building.
If you are interested in the brain and learning, you should follow Benedict Carey's work in The New York Times (and indeed, the "Mind" column he runs there). Here, while hardly condoning bullying, Carey cautiously presents evidence that confrontation can lead to character building.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
WORLD OF LEARNING: RAVITCH AND CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND
"The Education of Diane Ravitch" New York Times 5/6/10
Just a starting point for finding out about Ravitch and her change of heart on high stakes testing and education.
Just a starting point for finding out about Ravitch and her change of heart on high stakes testing and education.
Monday, May 10, 2010
WORLD OF LEARNING: RISK TAKING
"Q & A: Teaching Kids To Take Healthy Risks" NPR 5/10/10
Good report on balancing the benefits and dangers of taking risks, an evolutionary reason why teens might be less careful about that balance, and how adults can demonstrate how they find a middle path.
Good report on balancing the benefits and dangers of taking risks, an evolutionary reason why teens might be less careful about that balance, and how adults can demonstrate how they find a middle path.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
WORLD OF LEARNING: MESSY BACKPACK SYNDROME
"Executive Function Disorder: rarely tested, rarely addressed, yet with devasting consequences" Robin Hansen/SF Examiner 5/6/10
I've been thinking about EF recently. In a conversation with a parent, we both felt that this was a problem often labeled too easily as ADHD. My sister and I have been talking about parents who've been asking us about helping with organizational skills. And one of my Goodreads friends recently recommended That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week by Ana Homayoun, a book that deals with the EF issue, as does Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel's Late, Lost and Unprepared: A Parents' Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning. Ms. Homayoun is local: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/education/01boys.html.
I've been thinking about EF recently. In a conversation with a parent, we both felt that this was a problem often labeled too easily as ADHD. My sister and I have been talking about parents who've been asking us about helping with organizational skills. And one of my Goodreads friends recently recommended That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week by Ana Homayoun, a book that deals with the EF issue, as does Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel's Late, Lost and Unprepared: A Parents' Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning. Ms. Homayoun is local: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/education/01boys.html.
WORLD OF LEARNING: INNATE KINDNESS
"The Moral Life of Babies" New York Times 5/3/10
While working with children over the last decade plus, I've always felt that most have an innate sense of fairness and empathy. Kids love to help, so much so that I am often pressed for ways in which they can do so. Paul Bloom, his wife and their team of researchers at the Infant Cognition Center at Yale are making the case that infants come equipped with a sense of what is good for others as well as themselves. The video accompanying the article is wonderful.
While working with children over the last decade plus, I've always felt that most have an innate sense of fairness and empathy. Kids love to help, so much so that I am often pressed for ways in which they can do so. Paul Bloom, his wife and their team of researchers at the Infant Cognition Center at Yale are making the case that infants come equipped with a sense of what is good for others as well as themselves. The video accompanying the article is wonderful.
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