I'm back.
Odds and ends about education
Good day, good people. I'm back from a fantastic adventure—first a week in the vibrant mountains of Colorado for a "values in tension" retreat, then a restful vacation in Maryland. The mountain retreat put me in rooms with brilliant deep thinkers, guiding each other through professional riddles. I came with a head full of nonprofit frustrations that lightened as I left, replaced by actionable solutions.
Maryland put me in the jarring corridors of the Holocaust Museum and the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. Both experiences left a mark. My biggest takeaway was that immersive encounters can outshine years spent in traditional classrooms.
As summer wraps up, I'm excited to reconnect and share more stories with you. Stay tuned. Hope you have a productive school year!
The good news about student achievement
He can spell. Eighth-grader Aaron Lim from El Rancho Charter School in Anaheim emerged victorious in the 2023 Orange County Spelling Bee after 18 intense rounds of competition. Mastering the word 'gallivat,' which describes an East Indian ship used by pirates, Aaron secured his win. Aaron's achievement grants him the opportunity to represent Orange County at the upcoming Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
They can spell too: Five talented students from San Antonio-area charter schools were recently honored in the fifth annual Aline B. Carter Poetry Contest for Young Poets. BASIS San Antonio Shavano senior Sonny Vuong claimed the top prize with her poem "The Moonlight on the Ganges Riverwalk," winning Best Overall Poem and a $1,000 reward.
She might be a teacher by age 19: “Hannah Pearson, 17, is a college junior with a goal to become a licensed teacher in just two years. She just moved in to begin classes at UNC Pembroke.”
She tells the story and wins an award: Middle- and high-schoolers submitted 3,300 entries into NPR's fifth-annual Student Podcast Challenge. Georgianna McKenny, a student at Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, a prestigious, public boarding school for academically talented high schoolers, won with a podcast that revealed how Jackson’s water crisis has impacted students.
They do the math. Mathematics Civics and Sciences Charter school students triumphed in an international mock trial, besting 70 teams. Despite facing tragedy, the North Philadelphia school secured wins in state and global competitions.
Chicago come up: Urban Prep Academies won its court battle to continue running its Chicago charter school focused on Black male students.
“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading.”
– Katherine Paterson
Odds and ends from education algorithm
Ed Politics: California lawmakers cut community charters out of the community school vision.
Shady Race: Questions surround the funding behind the victory of Tulsa school board candidate E'Lena Ashley, as a short-lived Oklahoma political action committee, Restoring Oklahoman Values, reported spending over $18,000 on direct mail for her campaign, claiming funds from a federal PAC with the same name. However, the national group denied transferring such an amount to the state PAC, leaving the origin of the funds unclear. This case underscores the growing influence of national conservative organizations in local school board races, highlighting the need for transparent campaign finance practices.
Sports make a difference: A recent study by neuroscientists at the University of Eastern Finland offers valuable insights for parents aiming to enhance their children's cognitive development. Examining 504 children aged 6 to 9, the study underscores the importance of a balanced approach. Kids who engaged in organized sports and spent time reading exhibited improved thinking skills, while a traditional Nordic diet complemented these gains. Additionally, the research emphasizes the cognitive benefits of structured physical activities and the positive impacts of reading on mental health and creativity. The study advocates for guided screen time and highlights the importance of transparent communication when encouraging healthier habits.
Forgetting is learning: For those of us who can’t always manage all of life’s details, we might be pleased to know that researchers believe forgetting might be a form of learning. Verbatim: “Neuroscientists today report the first results from experimental tests designed to explore the idea that "forgetting" might not be a bad thing, and that it may represent a form of learning—and outline results that support their core idea. Last year the neuroscientists behind the new theory suggested that changes in our ability to access specific memories are based on environmental feedback and predictability. And that rather than being a bug, forgetting may be a functional feature of the brain, allowing it to interact dynamically with a dynamic environment.”
Social Media Study: The correlation between social media usage and childhood depression may not be as strong as we’ve been told. Verbatim: “Contrary to popular belief, a six-year study reveals that increased use of social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok does not lead to higher rates of anxiety and depression among young people. Following 800 children from ages 10 to 16, the study found that symptoms of mental health issues remained stable irrespective of social media habits. The research suggests that while some vulnerable groups may still be affected negatively, social media also offers positive aspects like social support.”
Parenting from the front
Parenting matters: “A longitudinal study of children in North Carolina found that better parental supervision of children in early adolescence was associated with higher household income of the child at age 35. Children of parents who did not engage in adequate supervision earned approximately $14,000 less per year compared to those who did.”
Parenting styles: “Dr. Ramani Durvasula estimates that she has treated 50 narcissists in her life. They all had one thing in common, she says: “All 50 were difficult kids. They will own it.” There are two parenting styles that lead a child to develop into a narcissist, Durvasula says. And, oddly enough, they are opposite from each other. “There is the traumatized, neglected, poor attachment style pathway, and then there is the overindulged, spoiled child pathway,” she says.”
Parents can’t use weaponize their faith against public schools: “A Maryland court ruled this week that parents cannot opt their children out of lessons featuring inclusive LGBTQ+ books on religious grounds, stating that families do not have a “fundamental right” to disrupt public education in the name of their faith.”
Parent wrongs: We are living in a time when child health experts need to warn the public against participating in a social media trend that has parents cracking eggs on their children’s heads.
They don’t care about Black parents: One thing should be clear about all the self-congratulatory talk about “parents’ rights,” it doesn’t include parents of color or parents of non-binary students. As an example, Black parents and community leaders in Florida are raising concerns about what their kids will be taught - or, more accurately, what they won’t be taught - about Black history, but nobody cares. Parents in Iowa, Texas, and Arkansas likely have the same issue. Just as in the history that these states are prohibiting from classrooms, today’s disgracefully racist education policies will embarrass future Americans.
The robots are coming
The future is arriving quickly with the ubiquitous application of generative AI. Are we ready?
If AI careers draw the big check: The near-term future may produce astronomical salaries. According to the WSJ, the arms race among corporate giants for AI talent has made the $900,000 job possible.
If AI Becomes Conscious: Many researchers say that AI systems aren’t yet at the point of consciousness, but that the pace of AI evolution has got them pondering: How would we know if they were?
If AI is racist: A black technologist told a chatbot that she is a white kid who needs help convincing her parents to allow her to attend an HBCU. The chat suggested she tell her parents that she can “run fast and dance well.”
If AI can teach: Museums that explore racial violence and antisemitism are embracing holograms, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. These advancements enable visitors to engage in immersive "conversations" with Holocaust survivors and listen to the voices of those who endured enslavement, fostering a deeper understanding of historical atrocities.
If AI is in schools: “Educators — especially in high schools and colleges — to assume that 100 percent of their students are using ChatGPT and other generative A.I. tools on every assignment, in every subject, unless they’re being physically supervised inside a school building.”
If AI is in schools II: “As schools reopen for fall, educators and district leaders are wrestling with complex questions posed by the A.I. tools: What should writing assignments look like in an era when students can simply employ chatbots to generate prose for them? How can schools, teachers and students use the bots effectively and creatively? Does it still count as cheating if a student asks a bot to fabricate a rough draft that they then rewrite themselves?”
Curtain Call
Legendary emcee Bob Barker, known for his iconic role as the host of "The Price is Right" for an incredible 35 years, has passed away at the age of 99. Throughout his tenure, Barker's distinguished charm and unchanging presence resonated with fans as he guided contestants through the show's exhilarating games. The vibrant set with its signature mustard-avocado-and-tangerine colors and the enduring Showcase Showdown wheel remained constant reminders of his era-defining reign. As the world's greatest MC, Barker's affable rapport with contestants and the audience alike, along with his remarkable wit, earned him 18 Daytime Emmy Awards and the 1999 Lifetime Achievement accolade. His unwavering dedication and longevity marked him as a rare stalwart in an ever-changing industry. While he may have stopped dyeing his hair in the 1990s, his impact and legacy remain vividly alive in the hearts of fans.