Day 24: Reading List on the Net {National Poetry Month & 30 Day Blog Challenge}

For today's poem I'd like to share another of Lee's poems. She wrote this just the other day and I quite like it:

The View (by Autumn Lee)

Great wide world--

I see you!

You spread away, away--

I can cover you with one hand.

At some point there's an edge--

I see you for miles.

Great wide world--

You look so small!

There's so much in every place--

I see it in one glance.

Much more beyond just here--

I am above it all.

Great wide world--

I'm standing in the sky!

From here I see how big you are--

Still only takes one hand.

You're so much vaster than I know--

But for now I see it all.

*This post contains one single solitary Amazon affiliate link. See Disclosure/Policies.*

Otherwise I'm keeping a reading list on my phone when I come across links that interest me. Here is a little video to watch: Keepers of the Flame.

Most of the links I have are for education; public school that is. I will only share some of those. But one I have bookmarked is not. It is from Christian Science Monitor (I am not in agreement with their theology/doctrine but appreciate their reporting):
Is this the most effective new antipoverty program in America? What it entails is taking an active interest, and follow-through, in those who are in poverty. It doesn't mean just giving them money or resources to buy what they need. It means helping them see how to get what they need, and in some cases even understanding what it is that they need. Watching the video documentary from 2010, Waiting for Superman*, one tactic for an alternative school to reach more students effectively is by taking an active interest in the students' family. It involves helping the parents get what they need so that they can in turn better help their kids.
*Amazon affiliate link

Less is More. That isn't the title of the post but it really sums it up. A US educator goes to Finland to get more ideas on how to do new things with her class here in the US. What she finds is that the Finnish students are succeeding when the US students are not; that might be because less is more.
Here in the US,

"we can't even stick to ONE philosophy of education long enough to see if it actually works. We are constantly trying new methods, ideas and initiatives. We keep adding more and more to our plates without removing any of the past ideas. Currently we believe "more" is the answer to all of our education problems- everything can be solved with MORE classes, longer days,...MORE assignments, MORE pressure, ...and of course MORE testing! All this is doing is creating MORE burnt out teachers, MORE stressed out students and MORE frustration."

She gives 11 areas that Finland has the Less is More mentality when it comes to education. And they all make perfect sense. I'd say these are evidence-based results that should be given much thought here in the US. There is always the drive to find 'evidence-based' strategies and practices for the best teaching and learning here in the US. But I think that for the most part, those advocating for so-called evidence-based practices are primarily concerned with successful schools in the US. That presents a problem when supposedly the most successful here is still falling behind the most successful internationally. If we are going to compare, it makes sense to see what others are doing "right" so that perhaps those strategies can be applied.

Lastly, the reliance on smartphones by teens is rising. Apparently in 2012 only 1/3 of teens (surveyed) had smartphones; now 73% of teens (surveyed) have one. 92% of teens go online everyday.
Of course they have to throw in demographics as well: 85% of African-Americans have a hand-held device, while 71% of white and Hispanic do. Interestingly,"91% of white and upper-income teens" also have a desktop or laptop at home, compared to only 80% of "African-American, Hispanic, and middle- and lower-income teens." Facebook apparently is still the king of social media for teens, but Instagram, SnapChat and Twitter are used more often by middle- and upper-income teens. Girls gravitate toward the more visual apps.
Other than the social media stats, as far as was stated, the rest of the results mimic adult ownership and usage of smartphones or hand-held devices. Is this surprising?