In the past several years, the American ad business seems to be run by prescription drug companies, given the number of drug ads sprayed across every show on TV. I won’t go into how much those ads cost, and how much that raises the price of drugs, since that’s not my topic. However, in the … Read more
You’ve probably noticed recent news headlines about a trend toward parents demanding that schools provide an education which parents think is appropriate for their children. The problem, of course, is that parents don’t agree what that “appropriate” definition is. Some parents want their children exposed to a wide variety of ideas and values, making sure … Read more
“But I want to protect my child!” One of the core facets of my work is that contrary to popular opinion, in early teen years, the brains of adolescents are constantly changing. This explains why the young teen boy regularly changes what he wants to be when he grows up, who he thinks is important, … Read more
You may have noticed that, over time, educational fads and standards change. Every five years or so, someone will publish a research paper which purports to prove that a new approach to teaching, or a new curriculum, will totally transform education. As a result, you’ll see your local school system sending all the teachers off … Read more
When this sort of article appears in USA Today, you know the problems boys have in school are getting noticed – FINALLY! “Boys in crisis: Schools are failing young males. Here’s what needs to change in classrooms“ If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that everything said here is … Read more
One of the terms I’ve heard a lot lately is “post-Covid classroom.” This makes the assumption that the pandemic is over, and we are back to normal. Nothing, as we all know, could be further from the truth. My friends in boarding schools, where everyone lives on campus, are actually teaching in a close to … Read more
Depending on where you live, you’re either looking forward to having your child back in school full-time, or your child is looking forward to another year of some version of school. In either case, those in the northern hemisphere are facing the start of school. And for those of you in the northern hemisphere, know … Read more
There are several effects of the pandemic on education that have fascinated me. If you’re a regular reader here, you know that I did teach in high school for 30+ years, but now I teach in a community college. I love teaching and this gives me the opportunity to stay connected to education. Last year, … Read more
Now that your son is allowed back in school and has the opportunity to play with his friends, the chance of head injuries will increase. It won’t surprise you that most children who are diagnosed with concussions are male, and those with serious concussions are overwhelmingly male. However, recent data indicates that those who sustain … Read more
Some years ago, I was observing a third-grade class in a boys’ school. The teacher, who was new to the school, was doing an excellent job and the students were all engaged in the project. The class was broken up into four groups and the boys had pulled their desks into circles to work together. … Read more