“Should I feel bad that I let my son watch age-appropriate education programs on TV and learn things like a second language?… Shame on me for letting my child play chess and math games on my iPad?…Is it really outrageous that I let my son sit on my lap in front of my computer so I could help him type his first love letter while in preschool?… When used appropriately with guidance, there’s nothing wrong with technology for kids.” Beth Lambert, New York City October 26, 2011
What triggered this parent’s letter to the editor of the New York Times was an article in the paper the previous week on a low-tech Waldorf school in Los Altos (CA) that bans high-tech devices for instruction until the 8th
“Dad, if ants are so strong why can’t we just make really big machines that are built like ants and can carry heavy stuff for us?” Joel asks me.
Being a first-grader, I struggle with how to teach the difficulty of scalability.
“Sometimes things that work in small spaces don’t work when they get too big,” I tell him.
“Show me,” he dares.
So we build a small Lego structure that works wonderfully as at four inches tall. However when we attempt to create a human-size version it collapses.
“That’s the problem,” I tell him.
I don’t get into the formulas involved, but he’s able to grasp in a very tangible way that small things when scaled to larger spaces don’t always function as well.
I’ve been re-reading Socrates lately. I find it interesting that the same man (presumably) who had engaged in
mcbrooklyn.blogspot.com - It became "Occupy Success Academy" at the Carroll Gardens branch library on Saturday as a large number of local parents disrupted Eva Moskowitz, head of the Success Academy charter school chain, wh...
blogs.edweek.org - What would happen if one of the wealthiest men in the world decided to remake the institution of public education in America? What if that man believed he understood the secrets to success, and sou...
nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com - Parents, Educators, and Students of New York Citycordially request your presence at the People’s General Assembly On Public EducationDate: Monday, the Seventh of November,Two Thousand and ElevenTi...
stltoday.com - ST. LOUIS • When students first entered Imagine Academy of Academic Success four years ago, their school was already entangled in a complex series of real estate deals — ones that would divert doll...
schoolingintheownershipsociety.blogspot.com - St. Louis charter school building has been sold and resold for 10 times original price. Skeptical educators often ask me how it is possible to make a profit from operating a charter school. Here's...
coopmike48 Big Education Ape: All Education Matters: A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYC -goo.gl/tZ0ul2 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
coopmike48 Big Education Ape: At the National Association of Multicultural Education conference today - goo.gl/361FY2 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
coopmike48 Big Education Ape: My Real Issue is Human Development | Lefty Parent - goo.gl/U5i7p2 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
coopmike48 Big Education Ape: Defining a teacher’s worth - goo.gl/90ZvOabout 1 minute ago · reply · retweet · favorite
mlive.com - GRAND RAPIDS - Does education need an Occupy the Classroom?That's a question being debated in recent weeks. Over the last few months, the Occupy Wall Street movement has grown in several U.S. citie...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Law | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Lawby Larry Fer...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Schools Matter: Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standards:Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standardsby skrashenSent to the Los Angeles Times, ...
preaprez.wordpress.com - As a general rule I am a guy who likes taking his politics to the street. It’s why I like the Occupation movement. I was talking to someone, an old political activist like me, who muttered about ho...
loyalopposition.blogs.nytimes.com - For a brief moment this week, Herman Cain’s supporters took a time out from blaming a “racist,” “liberal” conspiracy for the tumult over recently reported sexual harassment allegations. Instead, th...
nytimes.com - Oh, Herman. Just answer the questions — honestly. You know well that this “scandal” only strengthens the resolve of your base. Here are the details in case you’ve been distracte...
schoolingintheownershipsociety.blogspot.com - Progressive candidate Emily Sirota (at left) lost the election to Anne Rowe who was financed by corporate front groups. A pivotal campaign in Denver It's long been an accepted fact, even by the l...
afscme31.org - 11/04/2011Feeling the pressure created by AFSCME and thousands of Chicago residents who don't want cuts to their libraries, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to foist a "compromise" plan onto City Counc...
nytimes.com - WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney, in a speech before a conservative group here on Friday, offered his most detailed plan yet to cut government spending and lower the federal debt, including an overhaul of ...
forbes.com - Image by Getty Images via @daylifeI admire Ralph Fiennes as an actor a great deal. He’s starred in some of my favorite films, and pulled off Lord Voldemort exquisitely in the Harry Potter saga. The...
dangerouslyirrelevant.org - Here's a statement that I'm getting really tired of hearing:"We didn't have computers when I was in school and I turned out okay. There's no reason why kids today need 'em."I'm sure that this argum...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Engaging Parents In School… - The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids Succeed Academically:The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids Succeed Academicallyby Larry FerlazzoI’ve foun...
sbnation.com - By Matt Watson Follow , and Like SBNation.com on Facebook.Nov 5, 2011 - Boxing legend Joe Frazier has liver cancer and may not have long to live, according to multiple reports. "He's in serious sha...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky's blog:Saturday coffee.by Fred KlonskyGraphic: H/T Chris Janotta.Chicago will be rainy this coming week, but today it is sunny and Fall-like. A long dog-walk with Ul...
vivirlaeducacion.com - Publicado el 5 Noviembre 2011Archivado en granfjsh | Por si necesitas Cien Años de Soledad, la obra maestra de Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez, tienes la posibilidad de conseguirla y visionarla en tu e-book...
boston.com - JUNEAU, Alaska—The budget questions that sent Alaska lawmakers into special session this year had nothing to do with austerity measures or disagreements over cuts to state agencies or programs.They...
dailycensored.com - The NY Times is going to write a five part series on whether anyone can create a job. I have answered the question in 5 paragraphs…When asking the question, “can anyone create jobs,” the answer is ...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Law | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:NY Times: “All Americans Should Feel Ashamed” Of Alabama Immigration Lawby Larry Fer...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Election memories. « Fred Klonsky's blog:Election memories.by Fred KlonskyAs a general rule I am a guy who likes taking his politics to the street. It’s why I like the Occupation movement.I was tal...
bigeducationape.blogspot.com - Schools Matter: Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standards:Invest in protecting children from poverty, not in national standardsby skrashenSent to the Los Angeles Times, ...
boston.com - SEATTLE—In the dead of night, as drunken Halloween revelers streamed into the street from nearby bars, Karen Strickland tried to teach Occupy Seattle protesters how to get their message across to p...
latimesblogs.latimes.com - Hundreds of protesters vented their frustration with Wall Street Saturday in a march through downtown L.A.'s financial district that at one point erupted into a pushing and shouting match with a co...
latimesblogs.latimes.com - A second Iraq war veteran who was hurt in Occupy Oakland protests is in stable condition, a hospital spokesperson said Saturday. Kayvan Sabeghi, 32, was injured Thursday morning at the hands of Oak...
