We all accept the importance of children learning to read. By the end of the third grade we expect children to read well enough so that reading can be an important aid to learning. By about the seventh grade, we expect children to read enough so that reading can be a major aid to learning across the curriculum.

I was somewhat surprised to encounter the following two articles about the math as an important component of early childhood education. The articles indicate that a preschool student’s understanding of math is a very good predictor of success in school.

Stipek, Deborah; Schoenfeld, Alan; and Gomby, Deanna 3/28/2012). Math matters, even for little kids. Education Week. Retrieved 4/15/2012 from http://www.schoolleadership20.com/profiles/blogs/math-matters-even-for-little-kids.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood behavioral disorder.

Reread the previous sentence and think carefully about what it says. ADHD is considered to be a behavioral disorder. Suppose that more than half of all children received this diagnosis? Would we then decide that this is the expected type of behavior and the students who did not behave in this manner have a behavioral disorder?

The ADHD behaviors tend to be ones that do not fit well with our schooling system. They include:

 I am always delighted to read about the progress girls and women are making in our academic system. I recently read:

Irving, Martha (10/24/2011). Women making slow, sure strides in science, math. Seattle pi. Retrieved 10/30/2011 from http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Women-making-slow-sure-strides-in-science-math-2231189.php .

Bob Albrecht and I have just finished writing the book listed below. It is available as a free PDF download from the Web.

I have long been impressed by free materials available from the National Academies. They make their materials available free for online reading. Now, they are providing free downloads of their materials in PDF format.

Click here to learn about Dave Moursund's free book on science and technology education for teaches and parents of K-8 children.

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Alfie Kohn is one of my favorite writers. He is a leading, insightful, and sometimes controversial force in working to improve our education system. He has written and spoken extensively about his insights into many of the very challenging problems in our educational system.