To Earn Classroom Certification, More Teaching and Less Testing
New York and up to 25 other states are moving toward changing the way they grant licenses to teachers, de-emphasizing tests and written essays in favor of a more demanding approach that requires aspiring teachers to prove themselves through lesson plans, homework assignments, and videotaped instruction sessions. (via NY Times)
Does Impulsiveness Give Boys Math Edge?
A new study suggests boys’ impulsive approach to math problems in the classroom may help them get ahead of girls in the long-run. The research claims girls may tend to favor a slow and accurate approach — often computing the answer by counting — while boys may take a faster, but more error-prone tack, calling out the answer from memory. (via Live Science)
Burned-Out Nurses Linked to More Infections in Patients
For every extra patient added to a nurse’s workload, there was roughly one additional hospital-acquired infection logged per 1,000 patients, according to a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. (via NBC News)
Psychological Abuse: More Common and Equally Devastating as Other Child Maltreatment
A new study suggests psychological abuse — possibly one of the most common forms of child abuse — may be just as devastating as other forms of child abuse. Psychological maltreatment can include terrorizing, belittling, or neglecting a child, the study’s authors say. (via TIME)
Mysterious Nodding Disease Afflicts Young Ugandans
More than 300 young Ugandans have died as a result of nodding syndrome, a mysterious illness that stunts children’s growth and destroys their cognition, rendering them unable to perform small tasks. Uganda officials say some 3,000 children in the East African country suffer from the affliction. (via Associated Press)