Issue 34  May 1st 2015

Skip A Grade? Start Kindergarten Early? It's Not So Easy

Words like "gifted," "brilliant" and "genius" get thrown around a lot to describe these students. Education researchers generally refer to them as "accelerated." It's a catch-all term to describe students who've either entered kindergarten early, grade-skipped or taken single subjects above grade level.

Part of the hype comes from how uncommon it is. Researchers estimate no more than 2 percent of students fall into these categories.

But two new reports in the last few weeks argue that there should be a lot more of this acceleration, and that states and school districts often get in the way.

5 Things Every Working Mom Needs to Hear 

Moms, I know you are out there. Like me, I know you are trying to catch your breath as you race from work to daycare at 5:30, hoping your child isn't the last to get picked up. I bet your stress melts away the moment you drop to your knees on the preschool room floor. I don't think I am alone in feeling an overwhelming joy consume me as my child runs towards me, crashing into my outstretched, tired arms.

How to Keep Children From Drowning in the Device Deep End

Most children in the developed world meet their first computer at an early age. Mobile phones, tablets, and laptops are in their homes, their schools, and many times, their backpacks. Is this accessibility all good?

Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Violence

If you have turned on the news or scrolled through social media at all in the past few days, you have surely viewed the images of devastation from the earthquake in Nepal and the scenes of violence and chaos from the riots in Baltimore. It is sad and scary to know that such things are happening in our world, some of them a lot closer to home than others. Unfortunately, though, this is our reality and we cannot simply close our eyes to make it disappear.  

Educationalist Sir Ken Robinson LIVE

This video is soooo interesting! As a former educator, I find this conversation thrilling! In this video, Author and Educationalist Sir Ken Robinson joins Nancy to talk about his new book "Creative Schools," his ideal successful education system and what needs to happen to enable creativity in students today.

Why kids lose interest in reading as they get older

For most children, learning to read is rewarding; it’s a sign of getting older, of gaining a skill that older siblings and friends possess. The emphasis in those early years is on understanding and appreciating stories. But consider how reading changes in the mid-elementary years and beyond.