nprmusic:

I was told, ‘My sons cannot memorize their times tables — yet they sing along with Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, and they get their words.’

—Bob Dorough, who composed, conducted and even sang much of Schoolhouse Rock’s music, on the idea for “Multiplication Rock,” the very first series of Schoolhouse Rock shorts. Hear the full interview from Weekend Edition.

Believe it or not, Schoolhouse Rock is 40 years old.

Wow! Happy birthday, Conjunction Junction!

(via nprfreshair)

theweekmagazine:

With the ubiquity of keyboards, neither children nor adults need to write much of anything by hand. That’s a shame, because study after study has suggested that handwriting is important for brain development and cognition — helping kids hone fine motor skills and learn to express and generate ideas.

How writing by hand makes kids smarter

thedailywhat:

This Is All Kinds Of Wrong of the Day: Kameron Slade, a fifth-grader from Queens, NY, was scheduled to deliver a speech as part of a school-wide competition at PS 195. But when the principal learned Kameron’s speech was about same-sex marriage, he was ordered to choose a new topic or lose the opportunity to speak.

From the banned speech:

Some people are for same-gender marriage, while others are against it. Like President Obama, I believe that all people should have the right to marry whoever they want. Marriage is about love, support, and commitment. So who are we to judge? If we judge people like this, this is a form of prejudice. We must learn to accept all differences. …

My mom is very open to me about same-gender marriage. However, some adults may feel uncomfortable and think it’s inappropriate to talk about this to children. I think adults must realize that as children get older, they become aware of these mature issues that are going on in the world. If children read or watch the news, they can learn about things like same-gender marriage, so what’s the point in trying to hide it?

In conclusion, I hope that everyone understands how important it is to respect everyone for who they are. Same-gender marriage is becoming more popular. I believe that same-gender marriage should be accepted worldwide and that parents and teachers should start to discuss these issues without shame to their children.

[thinkprogress]

Go Kameron!

(Source: thedailywhat)

Infographic: Extending the Reach of Excellent Teachers

This is a cool infographic about how to maximize our education system through our best asset: excellent teachers. 

world-shaker:

thesnarkysub:

Barack Obama reads Where the Wild Things Are, with feeling.(via theatlanticvideo)

I love everything about this.

New York Yankee Mark Teixeira talks about his favorite teacher. 

Join Parenting and the National Education Association in honoring teachers for their unwavering passion, dedication and commitment to educating America’s future. Watch these online tributes to teachers, and then upload your own.

gjmueller:

pbstv wishes:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTER ROGERS!

PBS legend Fred Rogers would have been 84 years old today. He passed away in 2003.

Fred Rogers was a pioneer in children’s television who created a place where children feel safe, respected and cared for.

For more than forty years Mister Rogers has served as a trusted guide to help children learn about themselves, their neighbors and the world around them.

Watch vintage Mister Rogers clips on PBS Video. 

pbsparents:

This kid has 99 problems, and counting to 99 is one of them.

I’ve heard of “First World Problems” but “First Grade Problems??” I’m intrigued obsessed. It’s like, sometimes we grow up so fast, we forget how hard it really is to be a 6 year old.

(Source: )

mobiletechlearning:

A new study also found that 2-to-5-year-olds are also more likely to be able to open a Web browser than swim on their own. Mobilized thinks it is time to make cellphones waterproof so these kids can text for help if they ever fall out of a boat.
Via allthingsd.com

(via world-shaker)

gjmueller:

2 Strategies for Getting Students to Do the Reading

Many faculty use regular quizzing as a way to keep students up with reading and arriving in class prepared. But is this an effective strategy?

photo via flickr:CC|Old Shoe Woman

Put an educational twist on playtime with these fun science and astronomy-themed toys!

Also, get ideas for science fair projects on our Innovators of Tomorrow page. 

Our children’s future success—and the country’s—depends on the creative education they receive in school. Here’s what you can do right now to crank up the creativity and imaginative play.