Feeding Mind, Pursuing Truth
Blog 3 Columns
- Home
- Blog 3 Columns
America’s Coming Demographic Storm0
- October 2, 2015
A storm’s coming. A demographic storm. Today news outlets are reporting that a record 94,610,000 Americans are not in the labor force. According to the AP, “The proportion of adults either with a job or looking for one is at a 38-year low,” and “employers cut back sharply on hiring in September and added fewer
READ MORE
Should U.S. Students Get More Exercise and Playtime Like Those in Finland?0
- October 1, 2015
More and more articles have recently been stressing the need to implement meditation techniques in the classroom. As Quartz reported, “Research shows that it is helping to reduce stress and decrease rates of depression.” But is such a practice simply trying to remedy a situation many schools have brought upon themselves? Could the stress and
READ MORE
Is critical thinking overrated?0
- October 1, 2015
How often do you see people clamoring for more ‘critical thinking’? Quite often, I suspect. But do we really want more critical thinking or do we simply mean we want more thinking and reflecting? The emphasis in modernity on ‘critical’ is quite noticeable in social media. If one point of fault can be found (or
READ MORE
Have You Seen the “Bone Church”?0
- October 1, 2015
When I arrived in Rome for my study abroad program in 2000, one of my first visits was to the famous “Bone Church.” Marquis de Sade said of it, “I have never seen anything more striking.” Mark Twain called it “a spectacle for sensitive nerves.” The “Bone Church” is actually the crypt of the church
READ MORE
Aaaand Another Study Says Preschool Hurts, Not Helps0
- October 1, 2015
All of the good arguments for Pre-K education seem to be dropping like flies. One of principal arguments of Pre-K advocates is that it will ensure future academic success for students. But a recent study from the Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt University shows that any benefits of Pre-K soon disappear. Peabody studied Tennessee’s state-funded
READ MORE
5 Cool Coolidge Quotes0
- October 1, 2015
Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president of the United States in 1923, after the death of President Harding. Prior to being the vice president under President Harding, Coolidge had also served as governor of Massachusetts as well as in a variety of other government positions. Interestingly, despite earning the nickname of “Silent Cal” for his lack
READ MORE
Sex trafficking and family breakdown, is there a link?0
- September 30, 2015
The Twin Cities, like many areas around the country, has been the host to horrifyingly high levels of sex trafficking. Most recently, thirteen men were involved in several sex traffic stings in which they were charged with “hiring or engaging in prostitution of a minor.” According to the Pioneer Press, “Two of the men were
READ MORE
Poetry: Teaching to Think0
- September 30, 2015
While paging through an 1894 Minnesota high school manual, I came across the recommendations for literature classes. Although it appears that students were expected to read many books on their own (and then present them to the class in twenty minute talks), the following list offers some suggestions for classroom readings: As I looked through
READ MORE
Philosopher: Why a ‘Secular Society’ is Doomed0
- September 30, 2015
It’s taken as a given that the Western world today is a more “secular society.” But though the term “secular” is frequently thrown around, not many people have a clear idea of what it means. That’s because it’s used in different ways. Probably the most common meaning associated with “secular” is “non-religious,” i.e., those who
READ MORE