March 29 - April 5, 2015
Lots of good stuff here!
Two weeks ago a This American Life podcast showed the danger of bringing public and private schools together. This week, the feature article celebrates how two schools successfully bridged that divide. A good exercise for any school.
Both of the other feature articles are also worthwhile: the opening article on perceptual learning shows the role this skill will play in the times of big data, and the article on resilience breaks down the trait, exploring its component parts and offering a path forward for teaching it.
The tech article from the Jacobin offers a provocative look at what problems we can and cannot solve with technology. It mischaracterizes a few things, but prompts good thinking about how we might best use the tools of today.
Enjoy!
FEATURED ARTICLES
Perceptual Learning: A New/Necessary Skill In An Information Age
New York Times, 3/27/15
"This is no gimmick. The medical school at U.C.L.A. has adopted perceptual
modules as part of its standard curriculum, to train skills like reading
electrocardiograms, identifying rashes (there are many varieties, which all look the
same to the untrained eye) and interpreting tissue samples from biopsies. The idea
is that you can learn to quickly identify abnormalities. Such modules are equally
applicable in any field of study or expertise that involves making subtle
distinctions."
Documentary Theater: Bridging The Public-Private Divide
KQED, 4/3/15
"The worlds of Richmond High School and Marin Academy are only one bridge
away from each other, but they rarely collide. That was until a theater project
asked students from both schools to interview each other, and perform each other's
lives on stage.... You have to learn to move the way that person moves, and follow
the exact words that person said -- even the ums, the ahs, the likes. So each student
met with a student from the other school, and they basically ripped their hearts
out, knowing full well that these interviews would end up on stage for everyone to
see, performed by the student that interviewed them."
What Is Resilience? How Do We Build It?
Harvard Graduate School of Education, 3/23/15
"The developing brain relies upon the consistent 'serve and return' interactions that
happen between a young child and a primary caregiver... When these interactions
occur regularly, they provide the scaffolding that helps build 'key capacities -- such
as the ability to plan, monitor, and regulate behavior, and adapt to changing
circumstances -- that enable children to respond to adversity and to thrive.'"
ADMISSIONS
Student Writes Fake Rejection Letter, Gets Real One [Humor-ish]
Boston Globe, 4/3/15
For Most People, Attending Ivies Doesn't Make An Income Difference
Slate, 4/1/15
CHARACTER
A Collection of Writing About Grit And Resilience
Edutopia, 4/2/15
Exploring The Research Around When And Why We Trust
New York Magazine, 4/1/15
COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Searching The Internet Makes Us Feel Smarter Than We Are
Pacific Standard, 4/1/15
Does Doodling Help Us Remember?
Wall Street Journal, 7/29/14
The Ubiquitous Brain Scan As Proof. Is It Reliable?
Brain Decoder, 4/1/15
A Non-Dweck Argument That Intelligence Is Malleable
Pacific Standard, 3/26/15
CREATIVITY
Being Tired Can Help Stimulate Creative Thinking
New York Magazine, 3/27/15
A Reminder Of Why Group Brainstorming Doesn't Work
Harvard Business Review, 3/25/15
CURRICULUM
Four States Allow Or Are Considering CompSci As Foreign Language
Bloomberg, 4/2/15
DIVERSITY/INCLUSION
What Does American Think About Inequality As Bad As The 1920s
Equitable Growth, 3/26/15
HIGHER ED
University of Phoenix Loses Half Its Students In Last Five Years
CNN, 3/25/15
HUMANITIES
25 Maps That Show The Origin And Spread Of The English Language
Vox, 3/3/15
INTERNATIONAL
Clear Comparison Of Finnish And South Korean Education
TED, 9/4/14
LEADERSHIP
Can A Hierarchical Organization Become Level? Zappos Tries.
Fast Company, 3/30/15
Here's The Level Management Model Zappos Is Trying.
Fast Company, 3/30/15
Six Tips For Building Organizational Culture
Harvard Business Review, 3/23/15
READING/WRITING
Active Voice Tells Better Stories. Science Should Give Up The Passive.
Slate, 4/1/15
SUSTAINABILITY
Millbrook School Is Now 100% Solar Powered
Green Schools Alliance, 4/3/15
TECH
Summer Coding Camps For Kids
EdSurge, 3/26/15
More On Laptops vs. Longhand Notetaking
Vox, 3/31/15
Against Techno-Utopianism And Blind Innovation
Jacobin, 3/1/15
OTHER
How One School Used Restorative Justice To Address Discipline
NationSwell, 3/27/15
Excellent Tips For Making Excellent Presentations
Stanford Graduate School of Business, 3/2/15
Should Girls Lacrosse Require Helmets?
New York Times, 3/30/15
In This School, Kids Do All The Custodial Work
NPR, 4/4/15
Two weeks ago a This American Life podcast showed the danger of bringing public and private schools together. This week, the feature article celebrates how two schools successfully bridged that divide. A good exercise for any school.
Both of the other feature articles are also worthwhile: the opening article on perceptual learning shows the role this skill will play in the times of big data, and the article on resilience breaks down the trait, exploring its component parts and offering a path forward for teaching it.
The tech article from the Jacobin offers a provocative look at what problems we can and cannot solve with technology. It mischaracterizes a few things, but prompts good thinking about how we might best use the tools of today.
Enjoy!
FEATURED ARTICLES
Perceptual Learning: A New/Necessary Skill In An Information Age
New York Times, 3/27/15
"This is no gimmick. The medical school at U.C.L.A. has adopted perceptual
modules as part of its standard curriculum, to train skills like reading
electrocardiograms, identifying rashes (there are many varieties, which all look the
same to the untrained eye) and interpreting tissue samples from biopsies. The idea
is that you can learn to quickly identify abnormalities. Such modules are equally
applicable in any field of study or expertise that involves making subtle
distinctions."
Documentary Theater: Bridging The Public-Private Divide
KQED, 4/3/15
"The worlds of Richmond High School and Marin Academy are only one bridge
away from each other, but they rarely collide. That was until a theater project
asked students from both schools to interview each other, and perform each other's
lives on stage.... You have to learn to move the way that person moves, and follow
the exact words that person said -- even the ums, the ahs, the likes. So each student
met with a student from the other school, and they basically ripped their hearts
out, knowing full well that these interviews would end up on stage for everyone to
see, performed by the student that interviewed them."
What Is Resilience? How Do We Build It?
Harvard Graduate School of Education, 3/23/15
"The developing brain relies upon the consistent 'serve and return' interactions that
happen between a young child and a primary caregiver... When these interactions
occur regularly, they provide the scaffolding that helps build 'key capacities -- such
as the ability to plan, monitor, and regulate behavior, and adapt to changing
circumstances -- that enable children to respond to adversity and to thrive.'"
ADMISSIONS
Student Writes Fake Rejection Letter, Gets Real One [Humor-ish]
Boston Globe, 4/3/15
For Most People, Attending Ivies Doesn't Make An Income Difference
Slate, 4/1/15
CHARACTER
A Collection of Writing About Grit And Resilience
Edutopia, 4/2/15
Exploring The Research Around When And Why We Trust
New York Magazine, 4/1/15
COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Searching The Internet Makes Us Feel Smarter Than We Are
Pacific Standard, 4/1/15
Does Doodling Help Us Remember?
Wall Street Journal, 7/29/14
The Ubiquitous Brain Scan As Proof. Is It Reliable?
Brain Decoder, 4/1/15
A Non-Dweck Argument That Intelligence Is Malleable
Pacific Standard, 3/26/15
CREATIVITY
Being Tired Can Help Stimulate Creative Thinking
New York Magazine, 3/27/15
A Reminder Of Why Group Brainstorming Doesn't Work
Harvard Business Review, 3/25/15
CURRICULUM
Four States Allow Or Are Considering CompSci As Foreign Language
Bloomberg, 4/2/15
DIVERSITY/INCLUSION
What Does American Think About Inequality As Bad As The 1920s
Equitable Growth, 3/26/15
HIGHER ED
University of Phoenix Loses Half Its Students In Last Five Years
CNN, 3/25/15
HUMANITIES
25 Maps That Show The Origin And Spread Of The English Language
Vox, 3/3/15
INTERNATIONAL
Clear Comparison Of Finnish And South Korean Education
TED, 9/4/14
LEADERSHIP
Can A Hierarchical Organization Become Level? Zappos Tries.
Fast Company, 3/30/15
Here's The Level Management Model Zappos Is Trying.
Fast Company, 3/30/15
Six Tips For Building Organizational Culture
Harvard Business Review, 3/23/15
READING/WRITING
Active Voice Tells Better Stories. Science Should Give Up The Passive.
Slate, 4/1/15
SUSTAINABILITY
Millbrook School Is Now 100% Solar Powered
Green Schools Alliance, 4/3/15
TECH
Summer Coding Camps For Kids
EdSurge, 3/26/15
More On Laptops vs. Longhand Notetaking
Vox, 3/31/15
Against Techno-Utopianism And Blind Innovation
Jacobin, 3/1/15
OTHER
How One School Used Restorative Justice To Address Discipline
NationSwell, 3/27/15
Excellent Tips For Making Excellent Presentations
Stanford Graduate School of Business, 3/2/15
Should Girls Lacrosse Require Helmets?
New York Times, 3/30/15
In This School, Kids Do All The Custodial Work
NPR, 4/4/15