Editorial Staff

WSJ Children’s Book Critic & Author, Meghan Cox Gurdon on Reading Aloud to Children in the Age of Distraction

/0 Comments/in , , , /by Editorial Staff
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

This week on “The Learning Curve,” Cara and Gerard are joined by Meghan Cox Gurdon, the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer and author of The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction. Meghan shares what inspired her interest in becoming a children’s book critic, after having been a foreign correspondent. She discusses her ideas about the importance of spending time reading aloud, and the impact of the heavy use of technology on children’s literacy. She delves into the “Goldilocks effect,” a concept from cognitive science and developmental psychology mentioned in her book, and describes the brain research behind the value of reading aloud with young children. They also explore how reading aloud helps close the vocabulary and general-knowledge gap, especially among struggling students, as well as its importance for kids in the middle and high school years. Lastly, she shares her views on how to evaluate the quality of children’s books.

Stories of the Week: As the school reopening debate continues, a new poll of American parents found that 71 percent view sending their kids back to school as a large or moderate risk to their own health. How much of a role do schools play in spreading the virus? A German study of 1,500 students and 500 teachers yields surprising results.

Guest:

Meghan Cox Gurdon is a widely published essayist, book critic, and former foreign correspondent who has been the Wall Street Journal’s children’s book reviewer since 2005. She’s the author of The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction. Meghan graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College. She and her husband have five children and live in Maryland.

The next episode will air on July 24th, 2020 with Dr. Sephira Shuttlesworth, a retired teacher and charter school leader, and the widow of the late Birmingham, Alabama, civil rights leader, the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth.

Tweet of the Week:

Newslinks:

Poll: 7 in 10 parents say sending kids to school a risk

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/507192-7-in-10-parents-say-sending-kids-to-school-a-risk-poll

German study shows low coronavirus infection rate in schools

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-schools/german-study-shows-low-coronavirus-infection-rate-in-schools-idUSKCN24E1R1

Get Updates on Our Education Research

Recent Episodes

Dr. Sheila Harrity on Worcester Tech & MA’s Urban Voc-Tech Schools

Dr. Harrity shares insights from her distinguished career in voc-tech schooling. She discusses how Massachusetts voc-tech schools leveraged provisions of the 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act to achieve academic and occupational excellence, built strong partnerships with industry and higher ed, and dramatically reduced dropout rates. Dr. Harrity reflects on Worcester Tech’s national acclaim, VIP visits from President Barack Obama and the late former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, and school reform policy challenges, while offering three key strategies to strengthen urban voc-techs nationwide.

Brown’s Pulitzer Winner Gordon Wood on the American Revolution’s 250th Anniversary

Prof. Wood explores the pivotal events and ideas that sparked the American Revolution. He discusses the political tensions of 1775, King George III’s imperial policies, and the colonists’ transformation from subjects to citizens. Wood highlights Benjamin Franklin’s rise, James Otis’s speech against the writs of assistance, and George Washington’s crucial military leadership. He also reflects on overlooked Revolutionary era patriots like Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and George Mason, the role of Minutemen, and how Lexington and Concord galvanized the colonies towards American Independence.

Jeffrey Meyers on F. Scott Fitzgerald & The Great Gatsby’s 100th Anniversary

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview noted literary biographer, Dr. Jeffrey Meyers. Dr. Meyers discusses The Great Gatsby on its 100th anniversary. He explores F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic life, his marriage to Zelda, and how their tumultuous relationship shaped his iconic novel. Dr. Meyers delves into the timeless themes of Gatsby’s yearning, the elusive American Dream, and 1920s decadence while analyzing major characters and symbols like Daisy, the green light, and Gatsby’s reinvention of himself. He also reflects on Fitzgerald’s later struggles and enduring literary legacy. In closing, Dr. Meyers reads a passage from his biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Hoover’s Dr. James Lynn Woodworth on CREDO, NCES, & Data-Driven Policy

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. James Lynn Woodworth, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Dr. Woodworth discusses the role of data in shaping K-12 education policy. He explores the impact of assessments like NAEP, PISA, and TIMSS on global education trends, the challenges of declining U.S. student performance, and the uncertain effectiveness of federal K-12 spending.

UK’s Dr. Paula Byrne on Jane Austen’s 250th Anniversary

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Helen Baxendale celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with Dr. Paula Byrne, Lady Bate, a distinguished biographer and literary critic. Dr. Byrne explores the key influences that shaped Austen’s life, the major themes of her novels, and the enduring relevance of heroines like Elizabeth Bennet and Elinor Dashwood. She also shares insights from her books The Real Jane Austen and The Genius of Jane Austen, shedding light on Austen’s love of theater and the lasting appeal of her works in Hollywood.

EdChoice’s Robert Enlow on School Choice

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice. Mr. Enlow discusses his decades of leadership in school choice advocacy, from his early work with the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation to spearheading policy reforms nationwide.

Frontier Institute’s Trish Schreiber on School Choice & Charter Schools in Montana

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Trish Schreiber, senior fellow in education at the Frontier Institute in Montana. Schreiber shares her journey from Silicon Valley to Montana and her passion for expanding educational opportunities.

UK Oxford’s Robin Lane Fox on Homer & The Iliad

In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy and Dr. Helen Baxendale interview Robin Lane Fox, distinguished classicist and Emeritus Fellow at Oxford. Prof. Lane Fox offers profound insights into Homer’s Iliad and its enduring significance. He explores the epic’s historical and literary context, from its roots in oral tradition to its lasting influence on Western culture.

Director/Actor Samuel Lee Fudge on Marcus Garvey & Pan-Africanism

https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.blubrry.com/3809857/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/64587551/thelearningcurve_samuelleefudge.mp3 In…

Cornell’s Margaret Washington on Sojourner Truth, Abolitionism, & Women’s Rights

In this week’s episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Margaret Washington, the esteemed historian and author of Sojourner Truth’s America. Prof. Washington delves into Truth’s remarkable life, from her early years in slavery in New York to her transformation into a powerful abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, and religiously driven reformer. She explores Northern slavery, the Second Great Awakening, her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, and her Civil War-era activism. Prof. Washington also reflects on Truth’s enduring legacy as a symbol of justice, equality, and resilience in American history. In closing, Prof. Washington reads a passage from her book, Sojourner Truth’s America.

UK Oxford & ASU’s Sir Jonathan Bate on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet & Love

In this special St. Valentine's Day episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview renowned Shakespeare scholar Professor Sir Jonathan Bate to discuss the timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Exploring its enduring greatness, Sir Jonathan delves into Shakespeare’s classical influences, particularly Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and how Elizabethan literature shaped the portrayal of lovers. 

Steven Wilson on The Lost Decade: Returning to the Fight for Better Schools in America

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Steven Wilson, a senior fellow at Pioneer Institute and a leading voice in education reform. Mr. Wilson discusses his journey into K-12 education policy, reflecting on his early work with Gov. Bill Weld and the landmark 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA), which helped propel the state’s schools to national and international success. He explores the intersection of K-12 curricula with race- and class-based politics and discusses themes from his upcoming book, The Lost Decade.