Tag Archive for ‘health’ at The Core Knowledge Blog

Tag Archive for 'health'

When Homework is a Headache — Literally

Published by Robert Pondiscio on October 31, 2008 in Research and Reports. 0 Comments

Children who develop headaches while reading or who struggle to complete their homework may be sufferring from an under-diagnosed vision problem. As many as one of every 20 students have some degree of “CI” or “convergence insufficiency,” the AP reports. Standard vision screenings administered by schools won’t catch it, since such exams stress distance vision.

To bring print or other close-in work into focus, both eyes must turn slightly inward, or converge. Convergence insufficiency means the eyes aren’t doing that properly. Words may appear blurry or double, or disappear as readers lose their place. “Complaints are rare in very young children because pictures and large type don’t require as much convergence,” the AP notes. “Parents tend to start noticing a problem once homework and deeper reading begins.”

A Broader, Bolder Approach to Education

Published by Robert Pondiscio on June 10, 2008 in Education Practice, Education Theory and Opinion. 1 Comment

The Edusphere goes for a We Are The World moment, with full page ads in the New York Times and Washington Post today in support of an initiative called A Broader, Bolder Approach to Education. Led by Helen F. Ladd of Duke University, NYU’s Pedro Noguera, and Tom Payzant of Harvard, and with signatories from Diane Ravitch to Richard Rothstein, the ads argue that schools can’t go it alone in closing the achievement gap, and call for:

Continued school improvement efforts.
Developmentally appropriate and high-quality early childhood, pre-school and kindergarten care and education.
Routine pediatric, dental, hearing and vision care for all infants, toddlers and schoolchildren.
Improving the quality of students’ out-of-school time.

Blogosphere reaction breaks along expected lines. Eduwonk Andy Rotherham takes issue with “the conspicuous soft-pedaling of a focus on results and the explicit rejection that perhaps schools are even a substantial part of the educational problem. At Fordham, Mike Petrilli says “amen” to the homilies but likewise complains “it’s REALLY squishy on school accountability.” Fellow Fordhamite Liam Julian, having none of it, wonders why there’s no call to provide “housing for every family and daisies for all schoolchildren.” Eduwonkette, on the other hand offers “big props” and provides a link for others to sign the statement. Joanne Jacobs plays it down the middle, but wants to see a “privately funded campaign that promotes good parenting: how to help your child develop language and reading skills and how to teach good behavior, for example.”

I’m going to avoid the Blogging 101 temptation to cop an attitude, quip and move on. This is an interesting discussion — it’s the discussion — and I’ll do my small part to encourage a low-temperature, thoughtful discussion, not knee-jerk reactions. The plain truth is, I could argue much of this round or flat, especially the accountability piece, the umbrella which covers everything else.

Continue reading ‘A Broader, Bolder Approach to Education’

Fit for Higher Scores

Published by Robert Pondiscio on June 10, 2008 in Research and Reports. 0 Comments

A Canadian study suggests schools that push fitness and nutrition may also boost standardized reading and math scores.

A landmark study of 33 Ontario schools that are part of a health drive called Living Schools — where students exercise each day, play extra sports and are discouraged from eating junk food — saw overall scores climb by 18 per cent over two years in reading, writing and math, compared to about 4 per cent for similar schools not in the provincially funded program, reports the Toronto Star.

The link between fitness, nutrition and student achievement “is a wake-up call for Canadians shamed last week by a study showing children across the country spend four to six hours a day in front of a screen – landing the nation an F in physical activity,” the paper reports.