Comments on: Do brain cells freeze in 15-year-olds? http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/ Rooting for Teamwork in Science and Science Policy! Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:25:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Winner and Loser | Science Cheerleader http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/#comment-136 Winner and Loser | Science Cheerleader Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:01:18 +0000 http://sciencecheerleader.com/?p=70#comment-136 [...] chatted up one of the questions already here. I thought the subject of science education would be a big yawn but you proved me wrong. Your [...] […] chatted up one of the questions already here. I thought the subject of science education would be a big yawn but you proved me wrong. Your […]

]]> By: Reader Responses: Creative approaches to science education | Science Cheerleader http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/#comment-132 Reader Responses: Creative approaches to science education | Science Cheerleader Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:49:04 +0000 http://sciencecheerleader.com/?p=70#comment-132 [...] Responses: Creative approaches to science education Bart, from Huntsville, AL, posted a comment to this article where I asked what you think the federal government should do to prepare K-12 students for [...] […] Responses: Creative approaches to science education Bart, from Huntsville, AL, posted a comment to this article where I asked what you think the federal government should do to prepare K-12 students for […]

]]> By: More Power To You! | Science Cheerleader http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/#comment-128 More Power To You! | Science Cheerleader Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:53:01 +0000 http://sciencecheerleader.com/?p=70#comment-128 [...] "What's this?" « Do brain cells freeze in 15-year-olds? [...] […] “What’s this?” « Do brain cells freeze in 15-year-olds? […]

]]> By: Bart L http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/#comment-124 Bart L Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:38:24 +0000 http://sciencecheerleader.com/?p=70#comment-124 >>most education issues are handled by state and local policy makers. The Feds take a hands-off approach. Clearly, this approach isn’t working.<< Actually, with increased federal funding (we spend more per student than any nation except Switzerland), curriculum "strings," and No Child Left Behind, I had the impression that Uncle Sam took a little too much interest in local educational practices. The local approach is actually best, because local constituencies can experiment more. If we have One System To Rule Them All, and that one system sucks, then all of our kids are in trouble. Of course it's not just a matter of who's running the show, but--as you noted--what's being taught. NCLB and comparable state-level intiatives focus so much on testing that the kids don't get enough practice in problem-solving. This is the biggest complaint I hear when talking to educators. I'm a big fan of using space exploration as a means of getting kids interested. I was a Shuttle-era kid. Before that, it was Skylab, Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury. The Ares Projects are trying to develop more space-related materials to help teachers capture students' imaginations when they're younger. See http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/ares_education.html I'm sure other NASA centers have similar initiatives. While R&D expenditures are starting to increase for NSF, the NASA budget remains stagnant, at .58 percent of the whole. If this site gets a conversation started on what sort of future we want and what sort of education is needed to get us there, more power to you! /b >>most education issues are handled by state and local policy makers. The Feds take a hands-off approach. Clearly, this approach isn’t working.<<

Actually, with increased federal funding (we spend more per student than any nation except Switzerland), curriculum “strings,” and No Child Left Behind, I had the impression that Uncle Sam took a little too much interest in local educational practices. The local approach is actually best, because local constituencies can experiment more. If we have One System To Rule Them All, and that one system sucks, then all of our kids are in trouble.

Of course it’s not just a matter of who’s running the show, but–as you noted–what’s being taught. NCLB and comparable state-level intiatives focus so much on testing that the kids don’t get enough practice in problem-solving. This is the biggest complaint I hear when talking to educators.

I’m a big fan of using space exploration as a means of getting kids interested. I was a Shuttle-era kid. Before that, it was Skylab, Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury. The Ares Projects are trying to develop more space-related materials to help teachers capture students’ imaginations when they’re younger. See http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/ares_education.html
I’m sure other NASA centers have similar initiatives.

While R&D expenditures are starting to increase for NSF, the NASA budget remains stagnant, at .58 percent of the whole. If this site gets a conversation started on what sort of future we want and what sort of education is needed to get us there, more power to you!

/b

]]> By: Marvin Minsky http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/#comment-123 Marvin Minsky Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:50:41 +0000 http://sciencecheerleader.com/?p=70#comment-123 There is a truly HORRIBLE report about school math, produced by a Bush-administration supported organization: See "The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel" at http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/report/final-report.pdf So far as I can see, this report is a complete disaster. Its main recommendation is that schools should put more emphasis on teaching about fractions! There is a truly HORRIBLE report about school math, produced by a Bush-administration supported organization:
See “The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel” at

http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/report/final-report.pdf

So far as I can see, this report is a complete disaster. Its main recommendation is that schools should put more emphasis on teaching about fractions!

]]> By: s.c.k. http://sciencecheerleader.com/2008/06/do_brain_cells_freeze_in_15_year_olds/#comment-122 s.c.k. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:56:16 +0000 http://sciencecheerleader.com/?p=70#comment-122 what ever happened to music, the arts and gardening/horticulture? They are all directly related and interconnected to both math and science- not to mention another fun and accessible point of entry for students of all ages. While our government is busy slashing these programs, our youth (aka future) suffer indoor boredom, while sitting unnaturally still and passively 'learning' abstract concepts that seem to have no relevance to their lives. And it shows in both their test scores and Ritalin prescriptions. So my suggestion is this: there is so much to be learned through the arts. Why not focus on music, art and gardening as seedling programs for our youth? Anyone who sticks with them long enough will gain so much with regards to math and science, not to mention an expanded appreciation of beauty and a variety of ways of enjoying life. After all- is there any other cause for living? what ever happened to music, the arts and gardening/horticulture? They are all directly related and interconnected to both math and science- not to mention another fun and accessible point of entry for students of all ages. While our government is busy slashing these programs, our youth (aka future) suffer indoor boredom, while sitting unnaturally still and passively ‘learning’ abstract concepts that seem to have no relevance to their lives. And it shows in both their test scores and Ritalin prescriptions.

So my suggestion is this: there is so much to be learned through the arts. Why not focus on music, art and gardening as seedling programs for our youth? Anyone who sticks with them long enough will gain so much with regards to math and science, not to mention an expanded appreciation of beauty and a variety of ways of enjoying life. After all- is there any other cause for living?

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