What the heck is Pi Day? I heard about Pi Day for the first time in 2014 and I'm pleased that this four millennium old mathematical symbol has become so popular because I love math and want others to as well, but how did this happen and why has Pi become so popular? What is Pi? Math is Fun tells us that Pi is the ratio (the number of times one amount is contained within … [Read more...] about March 14th is Pi Day
Education
What To Do About Toy Guns
Highly realistic toy guns, computer and video games of mass destruction, and soldier action figures are some of the most popular items in toy stores today. Do these war and weapon toys promote violence and aggression in children? There is no longer any debate within the scientific community about the effects on children of media violence. Exposure to violent video games and … [Read more...] about What To Do About Toy Guns
Diverse Children’s Books
Our children are growing up in a rich world of diversity. Fifty percent under five are children of color, and by the time they grow up, they will be in the majority. We've come a long way from the time during which I grew up, when US schools and housing were still racially segregated by law. In celebration of our growing diversity and to show our children how the world … [Read more...] about Diverse Children’s Books
2014 Caldecott Winners
The 2014 American Library Association (ALA) awards were announced this week. Best known of these awards are The Newberry Medal and The Caldecott Medal. The Newberry Award was the first children's book award in the world. The Newbery Medal is awarded annually for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year. In 1921, Frederic G. Melcher … [Read more...] about 2014 Caldecott Winners
Corporate Homeschooling
This year marks the thirty-eighth year I’ve been involved with homeschooling. When I look back on the last four decades, it’s been an amazing experience—not only for me personally, but for all of us involved in this profound educational movement. What has made the homeschooling movement most remarkable is that it was not guided by one charismatic leader or driven by a small … [Read more...] about Corporate Homeschooling
Inclusive Children’s Media
We are rapidly becoming a more racially diverse society. People of color now comprise 37% of our population. And, 49.9 % of children under five are children of color. By 2060, 57% of the US population will be people of color. What we now call minorities will be the majority. And, yet, our media does not reflect this diversity. While multi-cultural literature has grown from … [Read more...] about Inclusive Children’s Media