The Common Core State Standards (“The Standards”) for Reading at Grades 6-12 uses eighteen terms to categorize the texts to be included in a reading curriculum: fiction, non-fiction, literary, foundational, seminal, historical, informational, fantasy, religious, novel, short story, document, memoir, biography, poetry, drama, script, and “works of public advocacy.” The Standards offers these categories in [...]
1. Breastfeeding is really that important. Despite the popularity of books that downplay the benefits of breastfeeding (popular with mothers who cannot get themselves to succeed at it often for want of the time and effort it takes from their professional lives,) studies have demonstrated hands-down the immense benefits of breastfeeding. Still, studies have not [...]
In my grade school in my wonderful hometown of Media, Pennsylvania, back in the 60’s and 70’s, they taught us rubbish. I am not referring to them telling us our government, elected by the people as it was, functioned ideally or even equitably, that we were “free,” (if you’d like to see an example of [...]
Key to motivating children to read literature that is not junk (see my previous post: Throwing In the Towel with Reading Workshop,) is finding a relevance that connects the child to the book, educational psychology having long-ago established relevance spurs an interest in reading (obviously.)
In this anally racial-attentive US culture, what has been known [...]
No Child Left Behind (NCLB,) an initiative introduced by both Republicans and Democrats, represented by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, has raised a panicked stampede of emotions from educators that is just delightful to see. I remember substitute teaching in the day when teachers used to drag themselves into school, half-zonked from partying the night [...]
I was in my local New York City Public Library today, the Jerome Park branch here, in the Bronx, and I noticed a little boy, maybe 7 or 8 years old, at the computer. As he moved his mouse, a gun barrel shifted around at the base of the screen and some rifle-scope [...]
