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"Why Morning Routines Are Creativity Killers"

"Based on a recent spate of articles on homework, it's clear that the homework wars - how much? how often? - are still topic of big interest to both parents and teachers. Some teachers hate to give homework; others see it as a vital necessity. But according to some research presented by Annie Murphy Paul, the question isn't how much, but whether the homework teachers do give actually advances learning."

"This 49-page digital graphic novel is based on Book 1 of the award-winning Middle School Confidential series written by nationally recognized teen expert and anti-bullying activist Annie Fox, M.Ed., and illustrated by Harvey award winner Matt Kindt. This is a native iPad app, designed specifically for the iPad screen. The Be Confident in Who You Are app is available for download on the iTunes App Store."

"From the smartphone Annie Leibovitzes to the Instagram Ansel Adams, it seems that everybody is a photographer these days. This is a fact teachers can and should take advantage of in the classroom - and for many reasons more than to expand the student photo repertoire beyond the selfie (though that is certainly an admirable goal). While a good lesson in photography itself is a fruitful place to start, digital photography can be a launching point for lessons in writing creatively, thinking critically, expanding the student worldview and building empathy that extends far outside the classroom. Let's take a look at a few of the best photo sites out there today and discuss a number of ways you can make the most of them in your classroom."

"When we set out to pick the 100 best iPhone apps of all time, our intention wasn't to simply do a list of the most useful or entertaining apps currently available. Just as a great teacher in your youth may have helped shape who you are today, groundbreaking apps of the past have had tremendous impact on the iPhone experience, even if their influence may have since waned or faded entirely. Ranking them was even more of a challenge. After whittling the list down to 100, we rated each app on its design, usefulness and cultural impact. We also took into account App Store data provided by analytics firm App Annie. Here's a full breakdown of our methodology. Though many names on this list are familiar, there are some surprises, too. These are the viral hits, the games we couldn't put down, the utilities that helped us master our workday, the apps that burned brightly and then faded away, the ones that first made the iPhone feel like magic - and those that still do."

"Educators, policy makers and business leaders often fret about the state of math education, particularly in comparison with other countries. But reading comprehension may be a larger stumbling block, writes Motoko Rich in an important article in today's New York Times: "

"Children are quick to ask "why?" and "how?" when it comes to new things, but research suggests elementary and preschool students learn more when teachers (and, presumably, parents) turn the questions back on them, writes Sarah Sparks in Education Week. Sparks reports on a symposium at the annual Association for Psychological Science research meeting held late last month, where panelists discussed how and when asking students for explanations can best enhance their learning:"

"There's no doubt that students find making to be a creative and engaging activity. But as they tinker, design and invent, are they actually learning anything? Making is too young a phenomenon to have generated a broad research base to answer this question. The literature that does exist comes from enthusiastic champions of making, rather than disinterested investigators. But there are two well-established lines of research within psychology and cognitive science that can inform how we understand making and help us ensure that making leads to learning. Taken together, these two strands of empirical evidence provide the best guide we presently have for maximizing the learning potential of maker activities."

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

"Over the three years Jordan Ellenberg was writing his book, he repeatedly encountered the same reaction to its subject. "I'd be at a party, and I'd tell someone what my book was about, and then I'd be like-'Hey, where'd you go?'" What topic was so awful and off-putting as to make people flee at its mere mention? Math." Book Review: "How Not to be Wrong" by Jordan Ellenberg