FEB RUARY – M AR C H 20 1 2
The Park Parent in this issue: FACEBOOK ROUNDTABLE // 2 TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGY // 3 A PASSION FOR SCIENCE // 5 READING IN THE MIDDLE DIVISION // 7 P.A. UPDATE // 10, 11
Making Homework Smarter for Park Students BY DARSHAK SANGHAVI, Park Parent Editorial Board
I
f you hadn’t heard, there’s a dangerous practice going on in schools. It’s “barbarous,” opines the Ladies Home Journal, calling it “a national crime.”
The State of California once banned it in all schools. A prominent public health organization tagged the practice as being a leading killer of children with chronic health problems. Are we talking about concussions? Some sort of new substance abuse? A toxic contaminant in school meals and cafeterias? Not exactly. These worries were all from early in the 20th century, and they concern, of all things, homework. Of course, national attitudes toward homework changed greatly after the continued on page 4
Park School Athletics: Finding a Balance BY SARAH KEATING, Park Parent Editorial Board
W
hile public schools throughout the nation continue to cut programs in art, music and physical education, Park students
are fortunate to have a wide range of learning and enrichment opportunities beyond the 3Rs. The School offers many options for physical activity through physical education classes, and intramural and interscholastic sport programs.
vo l u m e 4 4 number 4 A PUB LICATION OF THE PARK SC HOOL PARE NTS ’ ASSOC IATION
Outside of Park, however, organized youth sports in the U.S. have evolved considerably since Little League Baseball was formed over 70 years ago. Children in elementary and middle continued on page 8