J. R. R. Tolkien is one of the most famous authors of the 20th century. Known for the mythical worlds and creatures he presented in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien is beloved for his way with words and his imaginative genius. Tolkien’s fame, lovability, and worldwide influence are the types of […]
The way we were… How did the Ingalls girls get such a stellar education? The education received by the characters in the Little House on the Prairie books has long amazed readers. How in the world did the Ingalls girls manage to get such a stellar education in the midst of primitive surroundings and a […]
Last fall we shared a new bit of preschool research conducted by the Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt University. The research found that Tennessee’s state-funded Voluntary Prekindergarten program made little difference in giving children a head start in learning. In fact, the time in preschool actually seemed to make children fall behind their peers who […]
In 2013, the Nation’s Report Card showed that only 38% of high school seniors were proficient in reading. With scores like that, the U.S. isn’t likely to earn the “most literate country” award any time soon. So what is America’s international literacy ranking?
In the last several years, Americans have been sensing that something is seriously wrong with the current crop of young people. True, they are likely to have the most education credentials any generation has ever received. They also are technically-savvy, and as such, have a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. But in spite of […]
We understood, more than 100 years ago, how to teach children so that they would become successful, well educated adults. Did we forget how to teach, or was a decision made to change curriculum to deliberately degrade the educational system? Take over your school boards. Change the curriculum back to what has been proven to […]
It’s a commonly accepted fact that reading offers far more cognitive benefits than watching television. This is largely because television is a more “passive” activity, while reading goes deeper, encouraging greater thought and fostering verbal communication. But a recent study out of Kensington University in London suggests that the advantage of choosing reading over television […]
The average American is inundated with hundreds of voices every day. Politicians. Talking heads. Entertainment stars. Teachers. Students. The list could go on. But while there are multiple voices, many of the big ones seem to give a similar message concerning politics, culture, and education. Especially education. Just what is this education message? It often […]
The story is over a year old, but the consequences will last a lifetime. ~ Ed. Should teachers be able to pass a basic literacy test before they set foot in a classroom? One would think that the answer to that question would be a solid yes. After all, it seems obvious that the ability […]
In a recent Washington Post article, author Sarah Hamaker described how many young adults no longer know how to do simple, basic skills: Colleges and employers alike are reporting that young people can’t do life’s most basic tasks. With all of our emphasis on academics and what it takes to get into college, essential life […]
November 6, 2015 ~ Last week the Nation’s Report Card announced that no more than 40% of America’s 4th and 8th graders are proficient in reading and math. Those are scary numbers, but the numbers for writing are even more frightening: only 27% of American 8th and 12th graders attained proficiency. Why are American students […]
I recently dug up a 1908 curriculum manual in the Minnesota Historical Society archives. It provided instructions on everything from teacher deportment to recommended literature lists for various grades. As a book lover, I was especially interested in the latter! With the exception of a few textbook-like anthologies, the chart below lists the recommended reading […]
While at a gathering of friends several months ago, I stopped to chat for a few minutes with a twelve-year-old boy whom I’ll call Davy. Although the youngest in a family of all girls, I knew Davy was all boy. He liked guns and animals and all manner of typical boy subjects. Because of this, […]
If one was to name a leading institution of higher education in America, Harvard University would definitely be one of the first to come to mind. After all, anyone with the name Harvard on his resume is practically guaranteed an open door to all kinds of profitable careers. The trick, then, is to get into […]
The ability to critically think does not develop in children until around age 12. It begins after the child’s fundamentals are drilled into them. We used to understand this basic principle of education. This is why classical education was so effective. It was also why prior generations of Americans were so successful in life. The […]
In recent years, many Americans have adopted the idea that public education is neutral ground. Such a mentality has undoubtedly sprung from the fact that the public school is the agent of the government, an entity which strives to keep itself clear from sectarian, political, or other ideological viewpoints. But in recent years, the falsity […]
If there are no studies that demonstrate that preschool benefits children after third grade, why is the government pushing for all children to be taken out of the home and be in it. The answer is to destroy the maternal child bond. If they accomplish this, it is much easier for the ‘Village’ to place […]
We all want the best for our kids. Because of this desire, it’s quite discouraging to see when efforts to boost progress in reading, math, and other subjects flatline in schools across the country, as the chart below shows.
One of the hallmarks of modern America is the tendency toward prolonged childhood. While it used to be the norm to enter the adult working world by one’s mid-to-late teens, students now extend their preparation for career well into their twenties (and sometimes beyond), enabled by parents who act as their caretakers, education experts who […]
To many Americans, high school seems like a normal part of life. To not attend is unheard of; to fail to graduate is a death sentence for one’s future. But what we often forget is that the modern high school is a relatively new concept. As Paul Beston notes in a recent article for City […]