Posts filed under ‘Viewpoint’
Viewpoint: Obama wins Peace Prize
“In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself,”
— former Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Surprising news – Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize today. Yes, that Nobel Peace Prize. No, this isn’t a misprint. Among 205 nominations, the Nobel committee chose Barack Obama – accomplishments still TBD – as this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner. As my husband put it, “He hasn’t done anything.”
It’s true. And yet, it’s an insightful choice. Obama hasn’t evidenced a tangible accomplishment, but he has “done something” just by remaining hopeful in a climate of despair and fear.
Viewpoint: Play
As it turns out, I might be an unschooler. I’m shy of the term, since I’m in favor of the idea of schooling, and the first time I heard the word unschooling it was applied in a derisive manner. Surely I can’t be one of them.
Today’s post, however, isn’t about unschooling. It’s about play. It just happens that my focus quote is by an unschooler. There’s really nothing in her article that links the two. So for now I can remain on the margins of that category.
Play, however, is not something I am in the margins of. There are situations that call for learning to be dry and disconnected, but certainly these should be the sidebars of any learning situation. There’s no substitute for learning which occurs naturally through discovery, curiousity, exploration, and play.
Read more about play:
The Importance of Play from Brookes Publishing
Quotes about Play from the Strong Museum of Play
Peaceful Playgrounds – all about the spaces we use for recess
Playing with Your Child from the Child Development Institute
Maria Montessori: Play is the Work of the Child from the Child Development Institute
Viewpoint: Blackline Master
Do worksheets promote creativity or stifle it? A thoughtful essay by Lori Bourne of Montessori for Everyone.
Viewpoint: Losing Librarians
I’ve been told by various well-meaning folks to exercise more, move less, eat better, pray more, and just be nicer. But never at the library. Librarians remember that building society is part of the work they do.
Read more …
Resisting Marshmallows
It turns out kids who can wait for marshmallows are more likely to succeed. And kids can learn to resist marshmallows.
Viewpoint: Naming Crayons (draft)
Most of you have probably noticed that Crayola has gone a little funny with their names in recent years. I’ve really no idea what prompted their actions, but you can read an interesting essay about it: Color Me Ishmael
