Off the charts/SEA Homeschoolers Conference

Cheery Friday Greetings to our Learning How to Learners!

Book of the Week

This week, we read Ann Hulbert’s Off the Charts: The Hidden Lives and Lessons of American Child Prodigies.  A strength of this book was its broad coverage of prodigies of all sorts—from computer programming savants like Bill Gates to dance and acting prodigy Shirley Temple.  (A concomitant weakness is that sometimes we wanted to learn more!) We particularly appreciated Hulbert’s highlighting of the difference between intelligence and wisdom. Some parents with extraordinary IQs, for example, have pushed their children in bizarre ways—with often disastrous results. Other parents have wholeheartedly devoted their lives to the children they wished to make into prodigies, only to find little solace in the long run with the resulting resentment. Somehow through all this, the book provides healthy encouragement for us ordinary, non-savant types.

There was a disconcerting tendency through the book to switch between prodigies even mid-paragraph, but otherwise, highly recommended!

Barb the Opening Keynote for Homeschoolers July 13 in Atlanta: Special Discount for LHTLers

If you’re at all interested in homeschooling—or in meeting Barb—please come to the SEA Homeschoolers Conference at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta for Barb’s keynote on the afternoon of July 13, and a “sit around and chat” session on the morning of July 14.

The convention is family-friendly, secular-oriented, and inclusive. It will feature a wide variety of workshops and talks for parents, as well as a full weekend of activities for kids and teens. There will be a vendor hall showcasing the best in secular homeschool materials, opportunities to network, and more. Open to homeschoolers,  anyone interested in homeschooling, or anyone who would just like to come out on Friday for the keynote on learning!

Tickets are on sale now—the coupon code for 20% off is “BarbAtSEA.” There are also special rates for the hotel rooms for those traveling from out of town.

We should note that Barb’s A Mind for Numbers is incredibly popular with homeschoolers, and her and Terry’s upcoming book Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying; A Guide for Kids and Teens, is ideal for homeschoolers as well as regular students—and their parents.

¡The Mindshift MOOC now in Spanish!

En esta ocasión, estamos emocionados de anunciar que se encuentra disponible la versión en Español de “Mindshift – Transforma tu mente para superar obstáculos en el aprendizaje y descubrir tu potencial oculto”. Este curso complementa las estrategias de aprendizaje efectivo descritas en Aprendiendo a Aprender, con un enfoque especial en las carreras profesionales, y en cómo sacar el máximo provecho a nuestro aprendizaje en el contexto actual de cambio constante. Está basado en el libro reciente de Barb del mismo título.

Te invitamos a formar parte de esta iniciativa, y a llevar tu aprendizaje a un nuevo nivel. (¡Gracias a Orlando Trejo, Spanish Lead!)

Yes, Pi Day Is Already Past, But….

Memory Champion Nelson Dellis has made a hilarious video on how to memorize 15 digits of pi in 30 seconds. (The video is worth watching if only for the laughs!)

Can Memorization Improve Cognitive Abilities?

This fascinating Scientific American article by neuroscientist James Hartzell explores the “Sanskrit Effect,” where MRI scans have shown that memorizing ancient mantras increases the size of brain regions associated with cognitive function.Memorization—long disparaged in Western educational systems—may have a valuable side to it. [Hat tip, Alejandro Ribó (@aribo on Twitter).]

Having Trouble Understanding Math Concepts?

Check out the wonderfully likable Kalid Azad and his simple, clear math explanations on Better Explained.

An Interview Guide on Leadership

Sarah Levitt has written a book to help leaders better understand how other leaders wend their way through the difficult, sometimes lonely path of great leadership: A Book for Magnificent Leadership: Transform Uncertainty, Transcend Circumstance, Claim the Future.  Through interviewing successful leaders, Sarah has laid out guidelines that others can find useful. “The audience for this book includes CEOs, business leaders, those professionals contemplating a career change and those beginning a career as consultants.”

That’s all for this week. Have a happy week in Learning How to Learn!

Barb, Terry, and the entire Learning How to Learn team

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