Extra Credit Reading: Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Alert! All hands man your battle stations! The former navy Admiral who has been placed in command of the Los Angeles Unified School District is making the rounds and inspecting his crew.

Mark Pruett of North Carolina's Charlotte Observer cites a study by The American Academy of Pediatrics that advocates parents should "raise children with a Wild Streak." Here's a sample:

A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of childhood playtime. It reinforces my own belief that many young adults have been cheated by years of excessive schoolwork and teamwork, too many extracurricular activities, and a straitjacketed "just say no to anything risky" upbringing. I am convinced that modern childhood generally does not build enough independence and thirst for knowledge.

For the past few years I helped interview high school seniors seeking scholarships to come to Appalachian State University. These applicants come from all over the state. They play instruments and sports, participate in church and charity, and work in diverse jobs.

They also display remarkably similar accomplishments. They are at the top of their high school classes and possess generically good manners. They lead teams, groups and clubs. They are smart, solid and hardworking.

They might be surprised to learn that I, like many college professors, yearn for rarer traits -- curiosity, passion, a wild streak. Yes, teamwork and leadership skills will help your child to implement someone else's ideas, and extensive extracurricular activities will foster responsibility. What your child really needs, though, is an inventive, self-reliant, restless spirit.

Read the whole thing.

Things aren't looking so hot in Seattle but the Rest of Washington State seems to be doing just fine, Thank you very much!

There are now over 300 million of us that the psychopathetic "President" of North Korea keeps threatening with impunity while the President of the United States is embarrassed reduced to drawing increasingly ineffective "lines in the sand" that the North Korean Dictator happily jumps over. Update: the Psychopathetic One may be about to embarrass defy POTUS once again.

Are bells in schools becoming obsolete? On a related note, Mike Antonucci's Intercepts wonders if "the harsh tone of school bells" is the chief occupation of successful school site administrators...

In news of the Iraq Civil War, it's being reported that employers are letting down large numbers of our National Guardsmen and Reservists who are trying to return to their jobs after serving on active duty over there.

Around here, we keep an eye on the comings and goings of U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings. But we here at the 'Wonks are not alone. There are other interested parties who also keep a close watch on The Queen of All Testing. (Update: Joanne Jacobs has the skinny on Spellings' appearance on Celebrity Jeopardy.)

I wonder if all this new volunteerism on the part of many of America's college students stems from altruism or the need to find "résumé stuffers" that set one apart?

They're blogging liberally over at The Carnival of the Liberals.

For those of us who haven't yet had enough of The No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government is thinking about mandating even more while the State of California would like to know if you've had your fill.

Heh. Another day, another Congressional corruption scandal. Only this time, they're keeping the alleged corruption all in the family. (I guess that we'll continue to get the government that we keep re-electing deserve.)

When a female British airline employee is permitted to wear the Muslim hijab but forbidden to wear a cross around her neck, something is radically wrong. ---------------------------Carnival of Education entries are due today. See our latest EduPosts here and yesterday's Extra Credit Reading there.