Food for Thought

Let Kids Rule the School
Susan Engel's op-ed in the New York Times

Are some ADHD-labeled kids just young for their grade?
Katherine Harmon's article in Scientific American

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills
Imaginative play builds necessary self-regulation skills

Ellen Galinsky speaks to Katie Couric about her new book, "Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs"
The Seven Skills are:
* Focus and Self Control
* Perspective Taking
* Communicating
* Making Connections
* Critical Thinking
* Taking On Challenges
* Self-Directed, Engaged Learning

Books in Home as Important as Parents' Education in Determining Children's Education Level
A 20-year study shows the effects of having books in the home

Daniel Greenberg's "And 'Rithmetic"
20 hours of mathematical instruction is all that is required for motivated learners to master 6 years of coursework

Ken Robinson, Schools Kill Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson makes a case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity

Paul Lockhart's "A Mathematician's Lament"
A critique of mathematics education today and a glimpse of other possibilities

Superintendent Louis Benezet's 1929-1936 Experiment
Arithmetic instruction was delayed until grade 6, instead focusing on reading, reasoning and reciting