Christian Howd

People are naturally curious, so why is school such a chore for so many kids? University of Virginia cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham set out to learn why in his new book, Why Don't Students Like School? Part of the answer, he finds, is that thinking can be just plain hard. Unless conditions are right, we'll actually try to avoid the process of thinking. A teacher's challenge, the author says, is to "maximize the likelihood that students will get the pleasurable rush that comes from successful thought." The author chats about the learning process. - Christian Howd

1-888-NEED HIM - Why Am I Here? What Makes My Life So Hard? Answers to Life's Greatest Questions - Christian Howd

Are you a good person? Would you go to heaven when you die? - Christian Howd

Complaint Free Kids curriculum and church program. - Christian Howd

In the following articles, I will present different tools and creative ways to use them as we allow the Lord to work through us, shaping our children in His image (see Colossians 3:10). You'll see, there's no reason discipline has to be boring! - Christian Howd

The Education Innovation Laboratory at Harvard University. Includes the Spark program, paying students for test achievement. - Christian Howd

Every emergency-preparedness plan should include a first-aid kit. Many commercial kits contain the basics and are a fine choice. You might also consider assembling a kit yourself by stocking a plastic, airtight container with the following products recommended by our medical experts: - Christian Howd

Fruits, trees, vegetables. - Christian Howd

Good news, doodlers: What your colleagues consider a distracting, time-wasting habit may actually give you a leg up on them by helping you pay attention. - Christian Howd

Doodling is a way of passing the time when bored by a lecture or telephone call. Does it improve or hinder attention to the primary task? To answer this question, 40 participants monitored a monotonous mock telephone message for the names of people coming to a party. Half of the group was randomly assigned to a doodling condition where they shaded printed shapes while listening to the telephone call. The doodling group performed better on the monitoring task and recalled 29% more information on a surprise memory test. Unlike many dual task situations, doodling while working can be beneficial. Future research could test whether doodling aids cognitive performance by reducing daydreaming. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley - Christian Howd

Advice on Car Repairs, Auto Mechanics, Car Reviews and Values - Christian Howd