JoAnn Deak Knows the Brain

I just returned from hearing JoAnn Deak speak about the brain. Funny, thoughtful, and very bright, she provided so much good information about differences in girls and boys. Brain-based research continues to find its way into the world of education and the study of child development, and it is all so helpful.


By the way, JoAnn's book You're Fantastic Elastic Brain has won two awards: the Mom's Choice Award and the Nautilus Award.


Make sure you listen to her the next time you see her name listed in a conference program, or better yet, get her to speak at your school.

More Bridge for Kids?

My earlier post on Louis Sacher's (Holes) latest, delightful book The Cardturner, a Novel About a King, a Queen, and a Joker got some cred in yesterday's NYTimes article by Winnie Hu. "For Students Raised on iPods, Lessons in Bridge" suggests that the post WWII popular game is making a bid for younger followers.

We're Never Through Learning

I was at a meeting of graduate students where three of my interns were presenting their end-of-year projects to their cohort. After the first intern presented her project, I had the opportunity to give comment and speak about being life-long learners. So, whether we are a teacher, or a graduate student, or a parent, or a head of school, we are life-long learners, and it is particularly important as we become adults because we are modeling for our students.

I sat down and the person in front of me, without turning around, handed me a torn piece of paper with a brief quote inscribed (the image above is a scan of that piece of paper). It really says it all!

Seven Ways to Love a Child

I came across "Seven Ways to Love a Child" by Jennifer Rogers. She opens this beautiful piece with

"A tired working mother stood in the classroom doorway, ready to depart with her two sons. Separated in age by two years, the boys were as different in appearance as they were in temperament, but they were great kids. They enjoyed math and reading, laughed hard and punched hard. They loved learning, loved life, loved each other. Mom’s secret: “There are many ways to love a child,” she said. “I keep it simple. I have expectations. I accept mistakes. And I celebrate the process.”

Click on the article title above to read the seven ways. You'll love them.

What Do Teachers Make?

In dinner conversation last night, one of the guests made a reference to Taylor Mali's 1999 poem "What Teachers Make." It caused me to view it again. If you have never heard it, you'll see that his passionate delivery is half the message. Here, see what you think . . .

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain

JoAnn Deak's book Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is a powerful book to share with young and old alike. Here is a short video to give you a peek inside a brain's power.

Young Adult or Adult?

Our school librarian and I were discussing bestselling author John Green, and she enticed me to read one of his books. She went to the shelves, handed me Paper Towns, said that this was one of his most notable, and that I would enjoy it. Well, it was a good read and reminded me of what it was like to be a senior in high school all over again—funny, emotional, and sometimes lonely. The book's sophistication caused me to ask, "Young adult or adult reading?" Check out this review page.

Like Falling Off a Cliff

     Keep an eye out for 40 research videos on child development coming from Ellen Galinsky's Mind in the Making website.  I viewed 8 at the American Montessori Society Annual Conference the end of March.  Watching them is like eating potato chips: once you start, you can't stop.  See what I mean when you watch this Joseph Campos video.

Good Night [Moon] New York City

     

     

      One of my family's all-time favorite books is Margaret Wise Brown's Good Night Moon.  So, you can imagine my attraction to a book my wife recently purchased for our grand daughter.  Good Night New York City describes the City much like Brown describes the "great green room" in Good Night Moon.