EmpoweredEd2020

  The average number of books in a U.S. household is 114, according to a just-published paper called " Scholarly culture: How books in adolescence enhance adult literacy, numeracy and technology skills in 31 societies ." 114 is a good number. The paper's authors studied 160,000 adults and found that just having 80 or more books in a home results in adults with significantly higher levels of literacy, numeracy, and information communication technology (ICT) skills. The paper finds, "Growing up with home libraries boosts adult skills in these areas beyond the benefits accrued from parental education or own educational or occupational attainment." The effect was found to be powerful in: Children from such homes who ended up attaining just a high-school-level education "become as literate, numerate and technologically apt in adulthood as university graduates who grew up with only a few books." It’s not quite the more books the better The study, led by  Dr....

David Schatzkamer wrote this fantastic piece after last year’s Super Bowl. The cost of a 30-second commercial spot for this year’s Super Bowl was about $5.6 million, and according to AdAge, 30 seconds gets your attention – now do the same with our own kids. So how can 30 seconds improve you relationship with them? Our children know when we’re engulfed in our own technological or work-driven tasks; perhaps you have heard an eager voice say “Daddy, look what I colored,” or “Mommy, you wouldn’t believe what I built, come and see.” For adults, it seems obvious that you simply cannot give them that attention all the time. To borrow from gridiron terminology call a “Time Out!” Also, get the timer out for this experiment…I challenge parents out there to stop all that you’re doing in one 30-second long period (yes, you can time it). 1) Get down on their level 2) Turn your body towards them 3) Listen to what they’re saying. Take that time to acknowledge what they are doing and how they are feel...

Research finds highly intelligent individuals prefer to socialize less than the rest of us. I recently read a short article by Sarah Sloat. Sarah is a writer based in Brooklyn. She has previously written for The New Republic, Pacific Standard, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency. I like to socialize so hopefully that doesn’t cast doubts on my intelligence. Sarah writes, psychologists have a pretty good idea of what typically makes a human happy. Dancing  delights us . Being in  nature brings us joy . And, for most people, frequent contact with  good friends  makes us feel content. That is, unless you’re really, really smart. In a 2016 paper published in the  British Journal of Psychology , researchers Norman Li and Satoshi Kanazawa report that highly intelligent people experience lower life satisfaction when they socialize with friends more frequently. These are the  Sherlocks  and the  Newt Scamanders  of the world — the very intelligent few w...

    Art exploration is not only fun and entertaining, but also educational. Here are some tips for growing your budding artist. Children are naturally curious. From the minute they gain control of their limbs, they work to put themselves out into the world to see how it all works. They explore, observe and imitate, trying to figure out how things operate and how to control themselves and their environments. This unrestricted exploration helps children form connections in their brain, it helps them learn—and it’s also fun. Art is a natural activity to support this free play in children. The freedom to manipulate different materials in an organic and unstructured way allows for exploration and experimentation. These artistic endeavors and self-directed explorations are not only fun, but educational as well. Art allows youth to practice a wide range of skills that are useful not only for life, but also for learning. Skills youth practice when participating in art activities inclu...

In my old blog site I wrote about bananas several times. They are great for slicing and adding to cereals, making into smoothies, putting in bread and muffins and even eating plain. Because they are fruit, they must be healthy right? But how healthy? This seemingly insignificant fruit is an incredible source of essential vitamins and minerals. With it, you can fight disease, sleep better and keep your body healthy and strong. Take a look at seven amazing things bananas can do for you. Fight Insomnia Bananas are a great source of tryptophan. Try to eat one in the evening if you are having trouble sleeping. If you like peanut butter, you can spread a little on a banana for an extra tryptophan boost. Regulate Your Stomach Bananas also contain prebiotics and probiotics, according to WebMD. Prebiotics are food for probiotics, helping your stomach keep alive and well those good bacteria that are needed for proper digestion. Replace Sports Drinks Harvard Medical School reported that bananas a...

 

I thought this was frank and useful several years ago but now the teen market is even bigger. In fact bigger than the Baby Boomer market and although they have less to spend than their parents…they will be the consumers of the future for many brands today. 1. Too often, I think brands believe frippery is fantastic, it’s not – get to the point. Kids – like adults – probably want to know something along the lines of the following from your site… a) where your nearest store, event or retailer is, b) what your product/event/etc is going to cost them, c) how to get in touch with you or d) something pretty much damn nothing like playing a game. 2. Present the facts. Have a place where kids can put their own opinions down, and be approachable. 3. Don’t redirect them, that’s just rude – they’ve just turned up at your digital door. Sort your URL out. 4. Don’t put some tune you think is ‘hip’ on in the background; it won’t be. 5. And don’t turn up on their Facebook page and think you know what’s...