Culture
THE NEW WAY TO LOOK AT EDUCATION
"Thwart Institutional Cowardice"
Congratulations Vicki Abeles for Raising Funds for next film "Beyond Measure" Read moreShaping Serendipity for Learning: Conversations with John Seely Brown
"Conventional wisdom holds that different people learn in different ways. Something is missing from that idea, however, so we offer a corollary: Different people, when presented with exactly the same information in exactly the same way, will learn different things." - John Seely Brown Read moreEntrepreneurs: Pirates in the Arena
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena . . . Read moreMind Overload! from Technology & "Societal Exhaustion"
Mindfulness: "I've seen it transform classrooms . . . " Read moreNEW POST: Does your high school promote clique culture?
"You see us as you want to see us... " Read moreTEENS -- A LOST GENERATION?
Now almost 16 million views - "brilliant" video - under two minutes Read more11 Back-to-School Parenting Scenes of the 70s (Humor)
Get up in the morning and make yourself a cup of Sanka with Sweet 'n' Low. Line up all the lunchboxes on the formica counter top in your kitchen. Open up a bag of Wonder Bread and do this assembly line style. Read moreThere is No Education Without the Arts
"We're not talking about making sure that everybody has private music lessons," Read moreIvory Tower: The Movie
A documentary about higher education that "questions its cost and value" . . . Read moreAuthor John Green: Teenagers Think the Big Questions in Life Matter
Why Do We Give Them Short-Shrift? The Teen Whisperer: How the author of "The Fault in Our Stars" built an ardent army of fans Read moreWant smart & different kind of brilliant? Check out John Oliver
Video - Humor His Climate Change segment with Bill Nye and "the deniers" is just that. Read moreWanted: Teacher, Coach or both?
"The coach is the boss of you, but they're not the boss." Read moreThe Satori Generation
Enlightened or Generation Resignation? Read moreBullying: "Most parents have no idea . . . kids aren't talking" - 4 tell-tell signs
Photo above: Kameron Jacobsen, age 14, died from suicide brought on by bullying Read moreThe Paradox of Wealth
"But what is overlooked in all the shouting is that paradoxically, the people who have the most to gain from insuring some measure of economic equality and social justice are the wealthy." by Joseph Ganem Ph.D. Read moreCool Smart Teen: Changing the conversation about building stuff
Not just building an app to play with . . . but a test for cancer Read moreVideo: What is the link between "design-thinking" and creativity?
Creative Confidence: Must-Watch Interview on Charlie Rose Read moreHow Much Do Early Years Lead to Student Success?
"The idea being that wasn't necessarily to create little engineers everywhere, though that would be great for us. The idea was to take advantage of the natural learning process and curiosity that children have at that age . . ." Tamika Lang, Boeing Read moreThe New Resume
A picture is worth a thousand words. A video game-like format is worth . . . Read moreNoam Chomsky: In the news again, this time about Twitter and High Schoolers
Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at MIT, "father of linguistics", political commentator. From bio: "Besides his work in linguistics, Chomsky is internationally recognized as one of the most critically engaged public intellectuals alive today": ... Read moreFrom iApe to iPad
Are our kids sitting too much? (Are we?) Exercise: Miracle-Gro for the Brain Read moreI Forgot My Phone: Viral Video
If you missed this one, do check it out below.26 million views and counting . . . two minute run-time.... Read moreAdvice to Graduates: Accomplishment is Unreliable
The Best Commencement of 2013 - George Saunders: "But still. It bothers me. So here's something I know to be true, although it's a little corny, and I don't quite know what to do with it: What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded . . . sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly." Read more# of School Shootings Since Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012
The New Normal? Unless . . . Today, another school shooting. This time in Oregon. One student dead. One teacher injured."All told, there has been nearly one shooting per week in the year and a half since Newtown."June 10, 2014... Read moreToday's WOW Story: Yong Zhao's "Be Careful What You Wish For"
Flipping Standardized Testing on its Ear Read moreEleven Barbies
Girls: We Are the Champions, Inventors, Doers & Makers Read moreTwo Schools: Which one builds a better bully?
"Education-as-we-know-it is about building hierarchies - among athletes . . . " Read moreThe New Stupid: Parents
"I think you're Crazy . . . . . .You really think you're in control??" -Gnarls Barkley Read moreThe Parent-School Relationship: The Importance of Listening
"....I have been part of schools that have constantly told me what to do but never listened to what I had to say.' " Read moreTalking Story: Drowning Doesn't Just Happen to Kids . . . Hana Hank Saved a Family
"And someone saved my life tonight, sugar bearyou almost had your hooks in me, didn't you dearYou nearly had me roped and tied,Altar-bound, hypnotized,Sweet freedom whispered in my ear,You're a butterflyAnd butterflies are free to flyFly away, High away, bye... Read moreLife as a Learning Lab
" . . .we've spent hours and hours discussing how we can help students follow their interests and passions, and also help students learn powerful ideas and develop as systematic thinkers." Mitchel Resnick on Alan Kay, Squeak and Scratch Read moreGuest Post: The Difference between a Mentor and Role-Model
"a good mentor takes the time to understand" Read moreWelcome, Professional Students . . . to the Hunger Games, er, we mean School
"First, students have to jump through ever-more demanding, preassigned academic hoops. Instead of developing a passion for one subject, they're rewarded for becoming professional students, getting great grades across all subjects, regardless of their intrinsic interests." - David Brooks, The Creative Monopoly Read moreAre we creating innovators? 22 Insights
C.J. Westerberg dissects new book by Tony Wagner - "Creating Innovators" Video Trailer Read moreDo students and teachers get feedback or measurement?
What do we measure and why? Questions About The Uses of Measurement by Margaret Wheatley and Myron Kellner-Rogers Read moreThe "Anti-Creativity Checklist"
14 Ways To Say NO to Innovation: Harvard's Youngme Moon Read moreWant initiative and perseverance? Hire this kind of learner
Passion-Based Learning in Action Read moreWhat Adults Can Learn From Kids: "Don't Underestimate Our Ability"
12 Year Old Literacy Advocate Sets Us StraightAre Teachers & Parents Actually Making Kids "Shrink To Fit?"
TED Video - Eight Minutes of Adora Svitak Read more
John Green's "Brilliant" Commencement Speech: The True Hero's Errand
Best-Selling Author of "The Fault in Our Stars" Read moreLegendary Quincy Jones riffs about technology, music, math, creativity, and . . . parenting
" . . .We'd go to executive conferences with Bill Gates and he'd say, 'Alan will you please take over?' . . . " - Quincy Jones Read moreThe Only Child. Spoiled? Lonely? Nope.
Chelsea Clinton, Cary Grant, Rudy Giuliani, Robin Williams, Mahatma Ghandi & Frank Sinatra: You're Not Alone Read moreMemorial Day: A Whole New Meaning
"And reflect on the families left behind. For us, every day is Memorial Day." Read moreThe Limits of Education
New guest post. Financial Literacy: Yes. Does it equal "doing the right thing?" Not necessarily. Read moreThe Inner Net
Connected and Disconnected Read moreOuch! Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation?
and/or The Next Greatest? The 80 million Americans born between 1980 and 2000 Video Read moreWhy Perry Hall is not in the National Lexicon
Afterwards he stated in a recorded call from the jail with a cousin: "You know what school I wish I went to? Sandy Hook Elementary." Read moreNo significant learning can occur without a significant relationship
Every child deserves a champion - TED talk Read moreBoston: A Gollum Moment for Media? And nostalgic for Tom Friedman?
Pro-innovation-disruption-MOOC-advocate and NYTimes columnist Thomas Friedman gets nostalgic: "That's why, when the Internet first emerged and you had to connect via a modem, I used to urge that modems sold in America come with a warning label from the surgeon general, like cigarettes. It would read: "Attention: Judgment not included." Read moreWhy Change Is So Darn Hard
Radish or cookie? Read moreThe Bad Habits You Learn in School
And it's not about smoking. John Coleman via Harvard Business Review Read moreTurning on the Light
Blog post from MIT student Kirsten L. - #BostonStrong #MITStrong Read moreWeekend Funnies: My Teenage Son is "Going Through a Phase" Video
Gabriel Iglesias' smart teenage son doesn't talk to him anymore. 2 Minute Video via Comedy Central Read more"The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination"
JK Rowling, Harry Potter Author, Captivates Crowd With Harvard Commencement Speech Read moreTo be Daringly Vulnerable
Transforming Education, Parenting and Work, PLUS the Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto Read moreThe Arts: Seeing & Thinking Differently
Artless & Senseless? "Once it is recognized that productive thinking in any area of cognition is perceptual thinking, the central function of art in general education will become evident." -Rudolf Arnheim, Visual Thinking Read moreA New Way to Look at Copying: a Prerequisite for Innovation & Creativity?
The Video Series: Everything is a Re-Mix Read moreBigger, More and Faster is sooo much better. Right, kids?
How I really dislike these commercials Read moreTime to Re-think School Award Ceremonies?
Should school leaders take another look at how award ceremonies affect learning and motivation? Read moreWeekend Video Funnies
Watch 9-Year Old play tennis with "No Fear" vs. pros and Ben Stiller Read moreMusic Education . . . do you recall . . . the day the music died?
"One of the things that musicians and artists tend to do is explore other people's art and other people's way of doing things" Read moreShould Schools Teach Students How-to-Code + Lessons Beyond
More concerning is that if we can't portray what is taught in school as compelling, maybe it's not as relevant as we think. Read moreWanted: A new superhero to feed America
"My superhero is the food angel. She leaves a basket . . . " - Feeding America PSA Read moreFrom the Culture of Aloha, a Path Out of Gun Violence
In an OLA school environment, we would find group and individual achievements and excellence praised, rather than superiority or domination. -Poka Laenui Read moreMother Nature's Child: New Documentary Trailer
Children today spend on average spend less than 40 minutes "outside" Read moreNew Steve Jobs movie: Where Fun and Money Collide
Woz vocal about inaccuracies in new biopic: Jobs didn't get social value of tech until later Read moreFriday Funnies: Law of Drama
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Hamlet, Shakespeare Read moreConversations that happen in the middle
"We (parents and teachers) really don't get into a conversation . . ." Read moreViral Video - What do you remember from high school? (Humor)
Week-end Funnies 2-Minute Video Below Viral video parody (nudity alert!) Some Study That I Used to Know is already at 1.5 million views. It's another play on Goyte's hugely viral video Read moreMaker Faire Africa 2012 in Pictures
Possibly one of the more unexpected products at Maker Faire Africa this year in Lagos is a urine powered generator, created by four girls. Read moreWhat world am living in . . . what should I learn?
Tom Friedman asks "How Do We Adapt to Thrive?" Lessons from Singapore Read moreA "rising global army of freelancers." Are students equipped for this world?
The problem lies with the system that punishes artists and rewards bureaucrats instead. Read moreThe Most "Inarticulate Generation?"
2 Minute Video - Truth in Humor Read moreSomething's Gotta Give
What stays, what goes, and what we're missing in education Read moreZuckerberg Doesn't Have a Tiger Daddy
FACEBOOK Zuckerberg father: "Rather than impose upon your kids or try and steer their lives in a certain direction, to recognize what their strengths are and support their strengths and support the development of the things they're passionate about." Read moreAre our kids sitting too much? (Are we?)
"What's particularly interesting about recent research is the revelation that sitting for extended periods of time does significant damage to human health that cannot be undone by exercising." Read moreA 14-year-old and her Love-Hate Relationship with Twitter
I hate Twitter because it makes me feel bad about myself. I hate Twitter because it makes me feel good about myself. Read moreCollege M.I.A.'s #7
College Missing In Action: J.D. Salinger, Harry S. Truman, Steve Jobs, Ted Turner -- Didn't Attend College Or Dropped Out -- "Some of the people coming out of those apprenticeships are in more demand than college graduates because they've actually managed things in the workplace." Read moreWeekend Light - Daniel Radcliffe Sings the Elements
Harry Potter sings the periodic table of elements on the Graham Norton show with Colin Farrell, Rihanna...humor video Read moreMayor Bloomberg on Guns: "What are you going to do?"
"It's not about gun control, but crime control" Read moreLearning. Outside the box.
When you are taught inside a box, you lose parts of yourself. Must-Watch Quick Video. Read moreNote to Aaron Sorkin
Dig Deeper into Education Read moreThe Changing Face of the American Dad
"Rather than having one parent totally identified by the job and one identified by the parenting, we both have found a middle ground." Read moreTeenage Whisperer: Hear Me Roar
"So please stop shuffling the paper me around And stop, talk and listen and then I might just be found . . ." Read more"A" students tend to become professors, and "C" students become wealthy donors...
"Creativity, he said, might be an even more valuable asset that educators and parents should emphasize." -WSJ quoting Larry Summers, former President of Harvard, President Obama and Clinton advisor Read moreMore College M.I.A.s --- Larry Ellison, James Cameron . . .
Larry Ellison of Oracle recently closed on the purchase of a majority ownership of land in Lanai, Maui, Hawaii (for those who've been on vacation), which was the catalyst for re-publishing this classic post which may still resonate . . . Like it or him or not, he is another M.I.A. (Missing in Action- didn't graduate or attend college who is among the notable and/or accomplished) Read moreMichael Jordan and success: "Maybe I led you to believe it was easy . . . when it wasn't . . ."
Michael Jordan & LeBron James duke it out Read moreDoes our educational system put the brakes on the entrepreneurial spirit in America?
"Parents could turn the system on its head if they weren't so caught up in outmoded mentalities about education forged in the stable economy of the 1950s (but profoundly misguided in today's chaotic, entrepreneurial economy)." Read moreHow Design Impacted a Rural School System
A "Small Story" with Big Implications: "We need to be better citizens in our own backyard" Read more"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation." - Plato
There is a Play Deficit in our country and it is harming our children. Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and research clearly shows this lack of play is producing profound physical, intellectual, social and emotional problems for today's kids. Read moreA very viral Al Pacino riff
"Inches" Make the Difference. Inspiration for students, parents, educators - - - Read moreEducator shows how collaboration is key to math and science mastery
Innovator or traditional educator? Read moreThree Great Reads on High-Stakes Standardized Tests
Three Great Resources for Parents, Teachers & Administrators Read more"It takes education to change your reputation . . . "
"Young Homie" Chris Rene Read moreA Favorite Quote for the 4th of July
in order to give their children a right . . . to study painting, poetry, music, architecture . . . John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 5th, 1780 Read more"Sugar and Kids: the Toxic Truth"
There is a "high" one get from this substance - which is also hidden in so-called "healthy" foods such bread, tomato sauce, yogurt - where one needs more of it over time to get the same feeling of satisfaction, even after a week. Read moreHard Sciences. A "Boy" Thing?
What schools and parents can do to guide girls' interests in Science, Technology, Math & Science - PBS Video + Series - Judy Woodruff reports Read moreThe Chinese Curse. Is America Next?
"HIGH SCORES BUT LOW ABILITY"Is America Leaving Behind What Asia Wants? : Controversial Book & Video Read more
Great minds don't "do desk" alike. Surprise.
The series is called "Desktop Diaries" - with three videos that are such an indulgent insight into their working minds, as expressed by their organization - pack rat version, the streamlined version Read moreAre you "That" Parent?
How many good questions aren't asked about schools and education because of the apprehension of being "that" parent? Read moreStories Matter: The Danger of a Single Story
Melinda Gates' Twitter Poll: A Top "Crowd Fav" TED Talk Read moreHow would students rethink education? The list may surprise.
While a few of those might seem large at first glance, the reality is that most students wanted more authenticity and more autonomy. Read more"Gaming the System: Redshirting in Kindergarten"
"I wonder if we'll look back on the way children were raised in our particular time and place and say, 'What were we thinking?'" -Malcolm Gladwell Read moreWhat is the "right" kind of parent?
"It is sad to me when I hear parents feeling bad that they aren't doing "x", or feeling bad or embarrassed that they are doing "y"or doing too much of "x", or reluctant to ask questions and convey their concerns." Read moreHarry Potter Dissed by Oscars. Video - Humor.
Videos: Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes : How It Should Have Ended Read moreThe Case for Distraction . . . or Ritalin?
"It is the attempted standardization of a human being and of a notion of achievement that is limiting, prescriptive and bullying." Read moreSay 'No' to the Greek Chorus
"The mess, the mess! . . . an engraved invitation to transformation. . . Certainty is dead. . ." Read moreHave The Jetsons Arrived?
From "Connect A Million Minds" Initiative - 3 Minute Video. Read moreMichelle Obama beats Jimmy Fallon in White House Race
Video--- FLOTUS Michelle Obama takes on Fallon to promote her Let's Move initiative. Read more"What happens to all the Asian-American overachievers when the test-taking ends?"
"Let me summarize my feelings toward Asian values: . . .F--- grade-grubbing. F--- Ivy League mania. F--- deference to authority. . . . F--- earnest, striving middle-class servility." Read moreThe Dark Side of Our Achievement Culture
New "Race To Nowhere" Trailer Video Read moreThree Young Women Wow Crowd at TEDx
" . . .making my own opportunities when I didn't even know what I was doing." Read moreWhat Color is My World? by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
African-American Inventors & Innovators: MSNBC Morning Joe video Read moreHomeschoolers Bite Back
"I homeschool to give him the world as his classroom, with all the wonderful diversity it offers." Read moreJon Stewart on SOPA: "Angry Nerds"
Masterful - - - Read moreA Connected Teacher: Priceless
Does This Look Like Your School Classroom? Read moreTechnology: Enabling a "Golden Age" for Introverts?
"Rather than riding the texture of a live conversation to figure out how to give and receive information, people are now used to simply pushing their thoughts out into the world, to be responded to at some undetermined future point." Read moreDon't be a bully. LOSER.
New Video Release Read moreHow U.S. Education is Failing our Kids: Eric Ries
. . . how our educational system teaches students that incremental effort always brings incremental benefits. Not so . . ." Read moreWhat does it mean to be a tech-savvy and connected principal?
I wasn't there. In fact, I was almost literally half-way around the world. It happened in Philadelphia and I'm in China. Read moreCheating: Ace test-taker takes SAT for other students for $$
"I totally give him this like, a new lease on life. He's gonna go to a totally new college, he's gonna be bound for a totally new career and a totally new path in life." -Sam Eshaghoff on 60 Minutes Read moreCrossing the Math Chasm
Asking the Right Questions: So at one end we've got falling interest in education in math, and at the other end we've got a more mathematical world . . . teachers are also frustrated. Read moreMeryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher
Holiday Movie Time! If you missed last night's 60 Minutes on CBS, check out Streep in this fabulous interview with Morley Safer. We also included a fun second video which was not featured on the show, Meryl's Men: How She Feels about her Co-Stars like Dustin, Jack, Kevin and Alec. Read moreHoliday Reading: Thinking fast and slow
Because it is much easier, as well as far more enjoyable, to identify and label the mistakes of others than to recognize our own. Read moreBoy Role-Modeling: The "Man Box"
New TEDWomen Video: Tony Porter Makes a Call to Men Everywhere Read moreWhy Can't a Boy Be More Like a Girl?
Why Boys are Tuning Out. "Indirectly, that's what she (the teacher) tells them (boys): 'Be a Girl' " Read moreBravo, Gustavo Dudamel!
The 29 year-old Conductor Who Is Redefining Music Education Read moreParents: Do our kids know what "it takes" to be good at something?
Youth Motivation & Mastery: Create the environment conducive to having kids discover what it takes to become good at something on their own, rather than having "us" - the authority figures - telling them how. Read moreAre Girls Really Alright?
"The Morale of this Story? Embarrass Your Daughters"- Rachel Simmons Read moreRichard Dreyfuss: "We have mis-educated our children so badly"
New Update links: Announces new Civics Initiative PLUS his iTunes EULA Read moreSteve Jobs: What if you knew "life was made up by people that were no smarter than you . . . ?"
"Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again." Read moreMike Huckabee: Kids leave school not because they are dumb, but because they are BORED
Who Woulda Thunk? Chats with Sir Ken Robinson Read moreDoes Education Need "A New Sheriff"? Elizabeth Warren
Gotta Watch Two Minute "Truth in Humor" Rap Viral Video: Elizabeth Warren Read moreExercise: "Miracle-Gro for the Brain"
PBS Video: Results of a 6-year high school program prove reading levels and Math test scores significantly increased by exercise BEFORE . . . Read morePardoning of the Turkeys: "West Wing" Flashback
A Thanksgiving Video (Humor) Read moreTeachers: Don't Leave Out the Parents
"I think we should start assuming that parents are truly on our side and not someone who is out to get us." Read more"Why Can't Playgrounds Look More Like This?"
"Because a playground doesn't have to cost a million bucks and come in a box. In fact, it's better if it doesn't." Read moreThugs In The Locker Room: Listen To The "Culture Of Silence"
" . . . sports columnist Sally Jenkins wrote about the swagger of young male athletes and the culture of silence that protects their thuggish locker-room behavior." Read moreAre students "respectful" of adult "values?" Why should they . . . if adults in authority don't walk the talk?
"We do not tolerate intellectual dishonesty from our children in our schools. But it is apparently tolerated and promoted everywhere else. Educational standards cannot be improved until adults begin to model the education values that they loudly espouse." Read moreStephen Colbert Infiltrates Occupy Wall Street
Dressed as Che Guevara Read moreParents as Role Models in Fighting Obesity
Now, a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association finds that heavy teens often gain a lot more weight in their 20s. Half of obese adolescent girls . . . Read moreA More Complex Steve Jobs Revealed
Reporter Steve Kroft of CBS' "60 Minutes" reporter Steve Kroft interviews biographer Walter Isaacson in 2 prime time videos PLUS Jobs' relationship and views on Bill Gates, Larry Page of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. Read more"I'm her mom, not the nanny!"
" 'I don't think we know anybody Hispanic who isn't a baby sitter,' he said." Read moreMagazines Don't Work. iPad Does. . . according to a 1-year old
Excerpt from The Atlantic Monthly: "The video shows how magazines are now useless and impossible to understand, for digital natives. [A] humble tribute to Steve Jobs, by the most important person: a baby." Not such a great thing . . . Read moreEnding the Dinosaur Era?
Global is not a test score. Two thought-leaders. Fred Wilson interviews Carlota Perez in this illuminating and inspiring video about our global future Read more"My screwed, coddled, self-absorbed, mocked, surprisingly resilient generation."
" . . we had a PC education - people tried to hide from us as long as possible that not everyone is equal we were told we all have a fair chance of making it that's just not so and we're starting to realize that . . ." Read moreA.D.H.D.: An American "Dream" or Reality?
What are the currents in our time that might be causing an upwelling of psychopathology? Read moreThe Great Disruption
"Two master narratives - one threat-based, one opportunity-based, but both involving seismic changes." Read moreShould Kids Be Paid (Bribed) For Good Grades?
Colbert Interviews Harvard Professor In Amusing Video PLUSDeath Threats, A Time Cover Story & "Morning Joe" Debate (w/Surprising Conclusions From Scarborough) Read more
Girls go to college, and boys create and run tech businesses. Ouch.
"Are girls better at school and boys better at breaking the rules?" Read moreOccupy Wall Street explained in a NY minute on Bill Maher's "Real Time"
Bongo drums, disorganization, and incoherence? Maybe not so fast . . . Read moreJohn Sculley on Genius
Former CEO of Apple riffs about Steve Jobs, what makes the best innovators & the nature of genius in this essay tribute to mentor - his "Oxford Don" - Alan Kay Read moreModern Manhood: Bill Bennett on Morning Joe
William Bennett promoting his new book, "The Book of Man," below, which prompted an interesting discussion on MSNBC's Morning Joe today. Read moreLady Gaga: "Bullying is for Losers"
Video: Lady Gaga sings tribute to Jamie Rodemeyer, gay 14-year old who committed suicide last week Read more"Mr. Cellophane" Invisible Kids: In the middle of the achievement gap
Because you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never even know I'm there Read moreTaking a homework break and "feeding my brain"
13-year old daughter is doing homework on-line. Mom walks in. Sees her watching a video when "supposed" to be doing homework . . . Read moreThe Unintended Consequences of Grading "Effort"
"Even when I try really hard, I'm still dumb." Grading effort is a precarious endeavor that teachers need to think long and hard about before . . . Read moreLipgloss: "The Gateway Drug" for Girls
3 Quick Videos from the "Women of the World" 2011 Conference Read moreMalcolm Gladwell: We're Off the Rails
Being Smarter about Stuff: like Income Inequality Read moreEducation at the Crossroads
By Seth Godin. Should this be about school or about learning? For a while, smart people thought that school was organized to encourage learning. Read morePhillips Academy Andover Students Rap About Learning
It's all there - auto-tunes and rap juxtaposed with professors and football fields. Read moreHow I Spent My Summer: Being Edgy
"Colleges have moved people from thinking they should be exceptionally well rounded to using the vocabulary that 'well rounded' means 'no edge,' " Read more"Why It's Smart to be Bi-Lingual" - the brain's new super-food?
Watch actor Bradley Cooper, of The Hangover impress in this interview done in French. Read moreWelcome Back to School, Parents!
A Back-To-School Newsletter - Does it sound anything like your school? Read moreAbove and Beyond
Video "tells the story" of how the 4Cs in school -- communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity - can spark learning Read moreFacebook and education? Social media? Ask kids what they think.
The Southpark Episode A group of teens set me straight this week-end when I asked them about Facebook. Read moreBeing Parented To Be Sexualized And Snippy?
Cyberbullying. On-Line Sexting. Promiscuity is a badge of honor that is filtering to younger and younger girls in affluent communities. Time to step in. Read moreAnd the beat goes on . . . from Atlanta test score cheating to Wall Street to oil spills
" . . . the cheating occurred at 44 schools and involved at least 178 teachers and principals, almost half of whom have confessed, the governor said." Read moreHarry Potter: It's been a great ride
"My childhood is over . . ." Read moreWhat Should Kids Know?
What about reading and writing, civics, life skills, mastery skills, pleasure of knowledge? What kind of Math should high schoolers learn? Read moreGot Jobs? Yup. Got Tech?
A Help Wanted Listing via Fred Wilson post Read moreThe Social Network Grows Up with Google Plus
What goes round must . . . What circle of "Friends" are you in? Sound familiar? Read moreSupreme Court Justice Touts Video Game Site To Teach Civics & Government
Sandra Day O'Connor Slams No Child Left Behind: Good Morning America Video Read moreBurma Through Skateboarding
Video - was hooked after the first minute. Global, Culture, Education. Read moreCompare Singapore vs. U.S. Teacher Development. Hmm.
How the U.S. Can Build A Better Teacher Read moreJohn McEnroe & Bjorn Borg - One of the Greatest Sport Rivalries
One of the best short HBO profiles featuring the relationship between two tennis greats - American John McEnroe and Swede, Bjorn Borg - in a short documentary, aptly named, "Fire & Ice." Read moreLady Gaga bullied in high school: "it sticks with you for life"
Lady Gaga visits Barbara Walters and the gang on ABC's "The View." Video. Read moreThe Unintended Parent-Child Disconnect
"The real value of college isn't in teaching what is known; it is in preparing students for the unknown." Read moreWhat if . . . College Had No Clothes?
How would high school be different? Read moreParents & the homework blues. Forget the flash cards . . .
"Be There. . . .Let's not forget the emotional connection between teacher and student." David Brooks and "The Social Animal." Read moreWhat Do They Know? They're Just Students . . .
Dr. Alec Couros Says He's An Educator, But Has His "Open Doctrine" Gone Too Far? Video - Humor Read moreWhat Skateboarding Can Teach Us About Learning
Dramatic Video "School Sucks" : Building a Better Learning Culture Read moreWhile I was Procrastinating. . .
The 20-something Seth Godin? Video Version. "While I was procrastinating . . ." Read moreColbert takes on Renaissance man, James Franco
"Is his brain like a shark, and will die if he stops learning?" Read moreObama on Being a Dad to Two Teen Girls
Some things he won't have to worry about right now . . . Read moreThe Shift is About to Hit the Fan?
"I Am" documentary by Tom Shadyak, director of Bruce Almighty, The Nutty Professor, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Read moreDon't Take Away My Extra-curricular Activities or Charge Me Extra
Over the past few decades, we have tended to define human capital in the narrow way, emphasizing I.Q., degrees, and professional skills. - NY Times David Brooks Read moreSir Ken Robinson: The Purpose of Education
It's Personal. Cultural. Economic. Read moreStephen Colbert To Mr. Math: "Lies, Damned Lies"
Find out which numbers are lonely, lucky, liberal or conservative! Read moreA More Global Perspective On Teacher Development
High Stakes Standardized Tests As Measurement? Teacher Development & "What Works" With Students Read more" . . . when you teach kids, you have a moral obligation to work to see the best in them . . ."
Leader Chris Lehmann Slams Teacher Blog Denigrating Students in "Bloggate" Read moreThe "N" word and Huckleberry Finn
Another terrific report from 60 Minutes last night, if you missed. Byron Pitts takes on the "N" word and Huckleberry Finn. Yay or Nay? Read more10 ways to build resilience . . .
Does your child's school and class culture sound like this? Read moreSchool Pie Charts LOL
Final Exams, What Teachers Hate Most, What I Like About Being a Father, What to do About Homework, What I Got From My College Degree, and more . . . . funny charts Read moreStephen Colbert Interviews Tiger Mom
Well, we asked when the story broke, and Stephen did get around to interview Amy Chua - aka the Superior Chinese Mom" - last night on The Colbert Report. Read moreIs a new "Thank You" culture coming?
Gary Vaynerchuk on "Morning Joe" with a message that social media will drive a more humanized and "small town" world. Read moreWhy does this viral video about child-driven education make so many uncomfortable?
A Child Driven Education: Two Videos that may change the way you think about the ability for a child to learn and the role of technology in education. Two viral videos: Sugata Mitra Read moreSir Ken Robinson Changing the Education Paradigm - New Video
The geographic ADHD map is a hoot, while the over-arching message and smug thinking in certain academic/thought-leader/politico circles is not . . . Read moreHow To Create Jobs For At-Risk Youth
Guest Blogger Edward DeJesus Gets Real: " . . . More Youth Will Find More Successful, Productive Work In The Human Service System Than In The Green Industry . . ." Read moreDavid Brooks Says "Superior" Chinese Mom is "Coddling" her Children
"Practicing a piece of music for four hours requires focused attention, but it is nowhere near as cognitively demanding as a sleepover with 14-year-old girls." Read moreAre Chinese Moms Better than American Moms?
The parents reading this article in the Wall Street Journal are more likely to be the ones having their their children tutored, equally-scheduled, and possibly kinda cheating, and/or privately schooled, and legacy-guaranteed to some marquee-name university, so they can agree with Chua's so called superior- parenting techniques . . . ." C.J. Westerberg Read moreThe Teacher Model in Singapore: What Matters Most
"Numerous research studies point to why developing good teachers should be our priority, how effective teachers improve student learning, and the devastating effect that ineffective teachers have on students (many a parent can relate to this)." Read moreWho is The Daily Riff's "Person of the Year" in Education 2010?
The Winner Made Everyone a-Twitter Read moreSchool of One: Is This What "Blended Learning" Looks Like?
When Technology & Education Collide - Every "One" Has a Story Read moreKindergarten Test-Prep Nightmare
Are You Tipping Off Your Child's Test Monitor? A Jaw-Drop View of How To Prepare Your Kindergartner To "Win" Private School Entry Read moreWe're All Frogs Boiling In Water
The Hidden Impact of Technology on our Everyday Lives . . . Read moreThe Arizona Tragedy: How To Teach Our Children Well
Deepak Chopra Leads the Conversation on "Morning Joe" Plus Ways to Teach about the Arizona Shootings Videos Read moreThe Creativity Crisis In Our Schools
"The correlation to lifetime creative accomplishment was more than three times stronger for childhood creativity than childhood IQ." Read morePresident Obama: Isn't It Time To Listen To Students?
Student As Customer? Don't We Want Change That Works For The Student First? Read moreBestselling Author Seth Godin Slams The Education System
Declares "School Is A Complete Failure" and "The Application Process Of Getting Into College Is A Joke" - Watch Jaw-Dropping 4 min.Video Read moreForgive Me, Father, For I Have Linked
Laura Bush's Middle School Initiative, Teacher Colleges Being Graded, and Maureen Dowd on the Catholic Church "app" (yes, you heard right) Read moreDealing with Parents of a Cyber-bully
Parents who present the other parents with a printout of their child's most repugnant moments should be prepared for minimization, even denial. Why schools must be involved. Read moreDisney's Schools In China
" Disney's focus groups find that for Chinese parents, 'education means everything'. English, in particular, is viewed as a ticket to the wider world ..." Read moreMentoring: The New Activism in America
Newark Mayor Cory Booker - Blizzard Superhero - on the move with a call for action in the "education movement " Read moreThe Battle for the Mind of the High School Student
UPDATE: Technology & the Teenage Brain Mash-up Read moreCornell Professor Roars at Yawning Student
Having a Bad Day - Video plus Seth Godin link Read moreStephen Colbert on the Mark Twain 'Huck Finn' Censorship
"As long as the 'N' word doesn't appear in the Cliff Notes, you're okay . . ." Read more"the Jersey Shore-ization of American Society"
"School Shock": TIME's Joe Klein riffs about parental involvement and our "crap culture" Read moreSo you want to get a Ph.D. in Humanities?
Humor: Video Series Plus "So You Want to Go to Law School" Read moreBullying & the Brain: Tips for Parents
As parents, "our emotional brain wants to fix" the situation and often times we are counter-productive by not being calm in this very chaotic situation. The three steps to remember Read morePushing back on mediocre professors
Seth Godin: "The vast majority of email I get from college students is filled with disgust, disdain and frustration at how backwards the system is." Read more"Pretty" Blown Away
Not just for parents of girls: Poetry Slam video Read moreEducation of a President
"Change is hard," Obama says. "If people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place."- "Obama in Command: The Rolling Stone Interview" by Jann Wenner"'Given how much stuff was... Read moreYour Child's Digital Dossier
Your Child's Life As Recorded by Technology - Four Minute Video Read moreThe Education Crisis: "The Daily Show" Version
Wish-We-Thought-of-ThatThe Daily Show Version of "Education Nation" and "Waiting for Superman"Video Below (Humor)An education news round-up that only Lewis Black on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show can do . . . Black takes no prisoners with NBC's special "Education Nation"... Read moreWhite-Hot Debate: Should Homophobia be Addressed in School Bullying Programs?
Heated Confrontation on Anderson Cooper: Check out Video Read moreRace To Nowhere: Must-Watch Documentary Clip
Are We Creating A Culture Of Unprepared High Achievers? Read moreColbert to Parents: Keep Fear Alive
"The More You No" Video: Banning Books & the March on Washington DC in October Read more"The Many Teachers In Our Lives"
"Five Writers Share Their Memories" Of Fellow Soldiers, Parents, Spouses & FriendsOpinion From The Los Angeles Times Read more
"Teach: Tony Danza": The New Reality Series
"Who's the Teach?" Read moreHarvard Kids: On Speed Dial Where Life Is A Blur
Intensely Scheduled Extracurricular Activities Take Center Stage Read moreWaiting for Superman: A "Signal Moment" In Education?
"It's a moment ripe with ferment and possibility, but also rife with conflict, in which the kind of change that fills many hearts with hope fills others with mortal dread- and which gives a movie like 'Superman' a rare chance to move the needle." Read moreDestination: Education
Imagine If Every Student Spent A Year Abroad Before College. . . Read moreNew First Impression: Your Child's Digital Tattoo
A "New Cache Society"?On-Line Messages Live Permanently On the WebFuture College & Job Seekers: Listen UpVideo Below With so much press dedicated to cyberbullying and the ill effects of too much time spent on-line, let us not forget how important... Read moreADHD? Or, Too Young for School?
Rampant Misdiagnosis of ADHD - Grow Up! Read moreRecording Artist & Philanthropist John Legend To Bill Maher: "You're Wrong On Education"
Retaliates Against Maher's "Rule" To "Fire The Parents, Not The Teachers" Read moreThe Professional Lives of Teachers in Singapore
An American Math Teacher Travel Journal Read moreIndia's "I Can" Mind Shift: What America Can Learn
By Empowering Kids To "Lead The Change", India Raised Math, English and Science Outcomes Read moreTransforming School for Real Learning: The Video to Watch
Best education video of 2010? Brilliant TED talk by Chris Lehmann, principal of Science Leadership Academy -- a featured school in "Apple in Education" series takes on technology to meta-cognition to empowering students to the role of education. Check it out. Read moreThe Cheerleader Culture Riff
The Worst Kind of Role-Modeling? Read moreBrian Williams @12Noon EDT: Teacher Town Hall - MSNBC's "Education Nation"
Check out Brian Williams and his "Teacher Town Hall", streaming live, which "will bring together teachers from across the country, both in-person and online, to brainstorm ideas, talk about what works . . . Read moreStephen Colbert University
Kaplan University and University of Phoenix: Not Having a Great Day Read moreTeachers Can't Do It Alone
A powerful and well-done video presentation about the teaching profession - the churn, the upcoming demand, and most glaringly, the lack of collaboration . . . Read moreOur Razzle Dazzle Culture
"A society that is concerned about the strength and wisdom of its culture pays careful attention to its adolescents." --Ted Sizer Read moreOh, Joy. Now We Have Gambling For Grades.
Not exactly the kind of "tech advances in education" one wants to brag about. Read more"Net Neutrality Is The First Amendment Issue Of Our Time"
Senator Al Franken Takes On Google-Verizon And The Big Boys Read moreEducation Arms Race
Outnumbered? Sure. Yet are we dumping valuable assets? Dr. Yong Zhao and "2 Million Minutes" Compton Duke It Out In One Of The Most Important Debates In Education Today Read moreCollege Grads: Diploma First. Passport Next.
"I don't care where you went to business school. I don't care whether your grades were good or bad. You have to leave the country." Read moreA Leader Reveals Key Job Candidate Questions
" . . .In abundance, it's very easy to lose focus. But in adversity, one must have extreme focus. . . " Read moreA Must-See "Morning Joe" Debate:
All Roads Lead To Education: Afghanistan, National Security And, Yes, Even Obesity Read more"Always Learning": The Next Work-Out For Boomers & Gen-X?
" . . .This is the largest study ever to confirm that hitting the books could help you fight the symptoms of dementia in later life. . ." Read more"How Creative Are You?"
. . . .this test is that measures (and values) exactly the opposite qualities that are generally most valued in schools, especially in middle and high schools, where compliance, conformity and rigid adherency to instruction, rules and "what is taught" are rewarded and highly valued . . . Read moreTeaching A Pig To Dance
Former Republican Presidential Candidate and Actor Fred Thompson and The Daily Show's Jon Stewart Know Better Read moreTHE LAST 18 YEARS IN RAP
Custom Made For "All The High School Grads": 4 Min. Vid - Great Site For Students Read moreA New Conversation With Sir Ken Robinson
"The Problem Is In Order To Get Through This Culture Of Standardized Testing, We Are Standardizing Our Children To Make Them 'Fit The Test'." Read moreEyes Wide Open: Parental Advice About Teens
How To Distinguish Between Typical Teen Behavior & Serious Problems Read more"Get Off Facebook": Middle School Principal Takes On Cyberbullying
Sends Message To Parents & Tweens: "There Is Absolutely No Reason For Any Middle School Student To Be A Part Of A Social Networking Site!" GMA Video-Stephanopoulos Read moreTHE "SMARTEST" CITIES IN AMERICA
NC's Raleigh/Durham to New York City: We're Smarter Read moreOn-Line Enrichment: A Smart Summer School Alternative
What Do Home Schooling, Supplemental Learning & Summer School Now Have In Common? No Need To Be Chauffeured. Read moreStar Trek Has Arrived: Telepresence Coming To Schools?
Cool Technology: The Next Wave In Videoconferencing - "Beam Me Up, Scotty". Read more"I Am What I Learn" : The Myron Rolle Story
Football Star puts NFL "on hold" to attend Oxford with a Rhodes Scholarship. Video. Read moreThe Oil Spill And Our Educated Citizenry
"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." ... Read moreScary Exciting: Will Make Your Hair Stand On End If You Haven't "Met" Milo
Avatar Meets Math, Science & Art. 3 Minute Video. Read moreBright Spots For Jobs: College Grads
"Companies in second-tier tech locations such as Austin, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C., had an easier time recruiting talented employees during the slump. But now that Silicon Valley firms have started aggressively hiring, and the general economy is improving, competition is stiffening. . . " Read moreGraduation Mash-Up: Reality-Check Time
Three To Read: Sharp Observations On Our Graduating Class Read moreMarijuana For A.D.D. Instead Of Adderall?
". . . .Andrew, Weed Is Nothing Short Of A Miracle For Me . . ." Read moreDear Millennials: Your Parents Lied To You
"You're wonderful, sweetie. Just keep working hard and you can be anything you want to be. Great job!" (soccer mom, 1992) Read more"Ritalin Or Recess?" Are Schools Promoting The Use Of Drugs?
"Study high, take the test high, get high scores" - NYU Student Read moreA 2.5 Year Old Has First Encounter With An iPad
Video: Approaching the 1 Million Mark In Hits - Oh, The Places These Kids Will Go! Read moreWar On Cancer & Chemicals Affecting Our Kids
"Some 41 percent of Americans Will Be Diagnosed With Cancer": Six Things We Can Do Read moreEducation Business: Major Revelations About For-Profit Schools In PBS Special "College Inc."
College Inc., a powerful special documentary aired last night on PBS's Frontline, covers the hot topics in higher education and is just too compelling to miss: for-profit schools like Phoenix University and DeVry, how on-line is impacting higher ed, the... Read moreChatroulette: Is Your Teen/Tween On This On-Line "Porn" Chat Room?
What Every Parent MUST Know: New Free Video Chat Site With No Real Age Restriction Making It Big With The Younger Set Read moreNational Geographic Bee FINALS
Hosted By Alex Trebek - Spread The Word - 5 Million Kids Entered! Read more"Is The New Facebook A Deal With The Devil?"
Updates Today From Wired Magazine, NY Times, Mashable & Even Al Franken Read moreYes, We Can. Hell No, You Can't. John Boehner In Very Viral Video
Too Funny To Resist. Check It Out. 2 min. Read moreWhy Do Schools Have To Be So Beige? Brooklyn Middle School Shows True Colors
Why do most schools look like left-over military bases? Read moreControversial Documentary "Waiting for Superman" Expected To Shake Up Education World
Directed and produced by Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim of An Inconvenient Truth, Superman "reminds us that education 'statistics' have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily." Read moreDiscovery Premieres Stunning 11-Part "LIFE" Series - Natural Science Lessons At Home
Narrated By Oprah Winfrey - Photography "Ultimate Portrait In Animal Behavior" Read moreWhy We Need Mentors In School & Work More Than Ever
"The young entrepreneurs who are starting companies for the first time are best served by seeking out and getting experienced serial entrepreneurs as angel investors, board members, and mentors.We encourage all of the first time entrepreneurs we work with to do... Read moreCreate 1.5 Million Jobs By Fixing Our Crumbling Schools?
Sounds like a plan. Link here for more info. How any school in this country has sub-par facilities is beyond comprehension.What do you think?... Read moreHistory Maker Tom Hanks & Colbert Talk HBO's "The Pacific" & Video Visit To The White House
HBO's "The Pacific" - See new videos below w/Stephen Spielberg & Tom Hanks at The White House PLUS Hanks has some fun with Stephen Colbert defending his "History Maker" moniker, as coined by Time magazine. Read moreBill Maher: Fire The Parents, Not The Teachers
VIDEO - Did Newsweek Cover Put Maher, A Teacher Union Critic, Over The Edge? Read moreMichelle Obama: "We're In Charge" - Obesity Not Kids' Fault - Global Issue
Newsweek breaks this week with terrific multi-article coverage of First Lady Michelle Obama's take-no-prisoners campaign to help bring our child obesity epidemic and our super-size-it mentality to a tipping point. Link to articles here. An excerpt of her much-needed "tough... Read moreTop Chef Jamie Oliver Joins FLOTUS Michelle Obama Vs. Our Overweight Kid Epidemic
Join the "Food Revolution": Can Your High Schooler Cook 10 Healthy Meals? Videos. Read morePBS: Next "Golden Age" Of Arts In America
Spearheaded By The Surge In New Media, PBS Prez Announces "Major Online Initiative" Bringing Arts To Wider Audience In An Impassioned Speech In Los Angeles. Read moreSchool Spying Students At-Home Via Computer?
A family is suing school who allegedly spied on their son at home without cause by using a school-provided laptop webcam as a "peeping Tom technology". FBI is on case. Read more16 Olympic Sports Linked To Science
Video Collaboration by National Science Foundation & NBC Read more"The Future Is Now" In Education Advertising
Kaplan University & The New Zealand Lottery Hit A Personal Note. 1 Min. Video Read moreBill Gates: "'Waiting For Superman' Is An Incredible Film"
Watch Two Min. Interview/Trailer: "Film Reminds Us We Need To Change The System" Read moreThe Lottery: Watch 2 Min. Movie Trailer
With The Third Major Movie We've Announced This Week (!) In Education, Are We Seeing A Revolution Afoot? This Must-See Flick Hits "The System" Hard. Coming in Spring. Read moreVIRTUAL "FIELD TRIP" TO CHINA. INTERRUPTED.
HOW U.S.- CHINESE CYBER-RELATIONS MAY AFFECT EDUCATION Read moreAre Standardized Test Scores Arne Duncan's One Note Song?
The Federal Stimulus and "Race to the Top" Grants - How Will It Affect Education?According to The Christian Science Monitor this month:"The federal stimulus money for education is prompting states, much more than before, to embrace reforms promoted by the... Read morePANIC IN DETROIT
David Bowie and Other Observations - How Education in Detroit May Be a Warning To Other Vulnerable Districts Across the Country Read moreIS THIS EDUCATION? YOU BET.
Our boys need good role models now more than ever Read moreThe secret message communicated to most young people today by the society around them is that they are not needed, that the society will run itself quite nicely until they - at some distant point in the future - will take over the reigns. Yet the fact is that the society is not running itself nicely... because the rest of us need all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can bring to bear down on our difficulties. For society to attempt to solve its desperate problems without the full participation of even very young people is imbecile.Alvin Toffler
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