Book Analysis: "The Smartest Kids in the World" by Amanda Ripley (publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2013).

Ripley's "The Smartest Kids in the World", is a book I will reference and re-read a million times. It has literally answered the questions of why other school systems around the world score so much higher than us on International Tests and what our schools domestically are doing so wrong that places us in the bottom percentile. Ripley, a reporter and journalist, recruited 4 undercover agents (students) who went into the top performing schools world-wide and gave us a first hand glimpse into that very question; what makes other schools better?! Three of the four students were American students who were studying abroad for high school: a girl from a very poor performing school in Oklahoma attended her sophomore year in Finland which is ranked number 1, a boy from a prestigious school in Maryland studied his Senior Year in Poland ranked number 2, and  another boy studying in his gap year at Korea (ranked number 3) from the best school in the Nation in Minnesota. The fourth student was a girl who constantly transfered back and forth from Korea to the U.S. East Coast and laughed at the way her teachers were practically giving their students the answers. How, she wondered, were the students supposed to figure out those problems in the real world when those teachers weren't going to be around to give them the answers or walk them through a solution?

As a mom and an educator, this book has struck me on several levels. The most common theme in the other countries, is that they teach their students HOW TO THINK. My first class in Early Childhood Education taught us this same principal. However, when I started taking accredited Teacher Credential courses, I did not find this very basic, super important, foundational skill mentioned in any of my course work. It's not my programs fault, but I do think the course I took in Early Childhood Ed. should be a foundational course for both Parents and Teachers. It changed my life in how I Guided and Disciplined (the title of the course) my children and inspired me to make the huge leap into the Education Sector to become a teacher. 

The second main concept the author noted was that if American Parents took their children's education as seriously as they take Sports, we would be ranked among the top 5 Countries as well. Most parents in America seem more concerned with Athletics in Schools, than their child's education in schools. At a very prestigious private school in Washington D.C., Ripley noted that the parents suggested that more attention needed to be given to the math program. But, the parents were even more upset that their football team was underperforming! The balance is off in favor of a life skill that will not benefit a child beyond their athletic years and less in favor of a skill that will advance the child in society for decades to come. Ripley also noted that several entry-level job applicants didn't make the final cut for the job because they lacked basic math skills, but had knowledge in the top NFL players and teams. Shocking. 

Teachers in the higher performing countries were also very highly regarding. The same respect, pay and standards of excellence are given to the teachers the way we give respect and a hold a high standard of excellence to our Lawyers, Doctors, Actors and Professional Athletes. It is harder to get into a Teacher Preparation School in Finland than it is to get into the Medical Profession over there, according to Ripley. Imagine if we held our teachers to the same standard of Excellence. In contrast, here in the U.S.A., teacher programs are the easiest to get into and accept anyone who can pass the finger printing requirements and has a basic college education. Not to put down the drastic measures some go to achieve a college education, however, it's very difficult to get into Medical School in America. Why not have the same level of care for Teacher Education?

Last note I'll make about the book, in regards to the Korean student who transferred back and forth between countries. She noticed that the teachers taught the main mathematical subjects in tandem with each-other, which makes way better sense than separating the subjects. For example; here in the United States, I am positive that 99.9% of our schools teach arithmetic, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, statistics, advanced algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, linear algebra and so on, and most likely somewhere in that order. In Korea, teachers are teaching Geometry WITH Calculus!! Doesn't that make more sense? Geometry is the study of shapes and then Calculus is the study of how those shapes move! Why do we teach this differently?!?! 

"The Smartest Kids in the World" make me think of the education methods I use teach my own students and my own children.  I fear how we as a society will fare when it takes so long to pass Educational policy that will help. However, the most important thing is to be consistent in our teaching practices...yet, how can we do that? Common Core is supposed to help. But the reforms needed to help our nation seems gigantic. Small changes made by each person. Holding students to the highest level of expectations, as I have read from Ripley's book AND  in my Teacher Prep programs, is the BEST way to hold kids accountable to the education they deserve and require. As a whole, we should start there. 

Thanks again and stay tuned to next week's book...I am reading up on Marriage books to strengthen my own loving relationship. So far, so good:).

Reading as Mental Exercise- My One-Book-A-Week Adventure!

Hello All,

Mark Zuckerberg's New Years Resolution was to read one book a month last year (or was it a week?). I thought this was an interesting conquest, but as I rarely go on facebook (like every other year...) it didn't make me think much of the exercise. Not until I cam across a really AWESOME TEDex Talk by Tai Lopez titled "Why I read a book a day- and why you should too" (http://ed.ted.com/on/JB2WNUw0).

My goal wasn't to initially read a book  a day, or even a week, but it was the answer to my dulldrums when I get stuck in a rut in the Spring Time. I love Sprint Time, however, I am at my lowest level of productivity, am so drained and summer-ready that I can't focus or get even slightly depressed, for whatever reason!

So, I made it a point to start reading beyond new standards, my students' papers and office memos. I went to the Library with a super brave and very patient colleague of mine and all of my kids (6-year old and twin 4-year-olds) and we loaded up on 70 books!!!! Wahoo!!! (Before I go any further, I am a book-o-phile and my ideal library would rival the one the Beast had from Disney's "Beauty and The Beast"). It was my first time in over 2 years that I had gone that crazy in a library! We ran through the Children's section and my favorite, non-fiction! I got a biography on Warren Buffet and another giant, tons of education books and books on Genetics, health, architecture and green jobs (trying to get the hubby with a B.Arch the job of his dreams) and a bunch of neat productivity books that I had been hearing through podcasts.

This adventure was back in April and each week we go back, I replace the turn in the books I read/lost interest in for a bunch of other books. I request books for easy finding on the internet so they are there waiting for me when I get to library.

This blog, in the meantime, will be a brief report on the books I have read or perused in detail with an analysis of what I have read and how it has impacted my life and hopefully yours as well. The more I read, the more I am finding great advice from giants before me who have figured out major questions in life. As Isaac Newton has said, "I stand on the shoulders of Giants" and through reading, we all can, too!!

Food and Well-Being

An article was recently published on PrecisionNutrition.net, a website I am very seriously considering joining (my hyper-analytical qualities prevent me from making a decision in less than 24 hours). Anyway, the author and founder of the website has a doctorate in nutrion science and has been in the fitness industry most of his career, when not spending time in an ivory tower conducting research in biochem type studies involving nutrition and performance.

Anyway, it was an interview discussing how food directly influences our mood, performance, and other astounding findings regarding the profound effects certain foods have on our overall well-being. For example, if you are having trouble staying motivated for a particular exercise program (90% of the populations' ears just perked up) then taking a quality omega-3 and a multi-vitamin will help keep you focused and on the right track. This occurs because if you feel that you don't have the right energy (multi vitamin usually increases energy) then you'll want to stay in a sedentary state for whatever excuses. If you feel that you are experiencing brain fog (omega-3 usually helps this) then you will have even less motivation to even find your shoes and get out the door!

I relate so well to this article because I have come accross numerous books, studies and supplements that have had astounding effects on people and their general fitness (exericse, energy levels, and cognitive funciton, mind well-being, etc.). I'll recommend a few books that correlate to this issue.

On a personal note, in my early years of personal training, I was approached by a vitamin company. Long story short, I started taking high quality omega-3's (omega-3's versus the other omega's, 6, 12, etc., because an American diet is loaded in the latter and not in the former which throw off your neurotransmitter balances, to name only one of the effects on brain function and mood), a multi-vitamin, and a few other supplements that I took sparingly. Anyway, my mood, my motivation, my cognitive abilities, attention span, skin health (which studies say is a direct reflection on brain health), and energy levels all improved dramatically. I was no longer drinking coffee because I had to, but because I wanted to. This is when I was eating cafeteria food in college, which was disgusting and probably not safe to be serving to people. So I wasn't getting the nutrition I needed. Not to say that vitamins replace a well-balanced diet, because they don't. They complement a diet that no longer gives us the nutritional needs it used to. BUT that is a different post.

I am not acting as an evangalist for any products, but this article is science based, which is what grabbed my attention. The link is below. Bobby Cappuccio is a well known leader/teacher in the fitness industry. I have used a few of his books and exercise recommendations as references in my own programs and have found favorable results.

Enjoy!

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/food-and-mood

Dancing as Stress Relief!

Recently, I went to a friend's bachelorette party. I know what your thinking...party time. However, it was very classy. Yes, there were the typical party animals, but the whole event was a great stress reliever to be around like-minded business individuals letting lose after a crazy week of work and responsibility. The most freeing of all the activities, was the dancing part.

Dancing is where the Mind-Body Connection sets in. I have always been in favor of dancing to whatever genre of music resignates with your body. For example, 80's, hip hop, and high energy dance music make me want to bob my head and tap my toe to the beat, even if I am in the grocery store. I don't care how coordinated my moves are when I dance, it is more about the movement to a song that lifts my mood no matter how stressed I am feeling. These thoughts entered my mind as I was jiving to the beats- it is not only great exercise (which is why we stayed an extra 30 minutes, my like-minded cousin and I always maximizing our workouts) but to let lose and not have a care in the world (unless you are there to meet a mate) is the best feeling. Especially when you are surrounded by other people letting lose and "gettin jiggy wit it"!

So dance, dance, dance! Even if it is a waltz lesson, tap dance lesson, night out with the ladies (because let's face it, "I just need to dance!" (Dane Cook)), a Micheal Jackson song dance off, or by yourself with Lady Gaga or the Police turned up! You may be hesitant at first, but like all exercise sessions, once you start doing it, you'll wish got started earlier!

CORE ACTIVATION REDUCES BACK PAIN!

I don't know how many times a day I say this in my training sessions! (If you are a client of mine reading this, you'll know the pain). However, I cannot stress enough how important it is to fire the core muscles before you move your limbs! It sounds easy enough and if it were, we would have few cases of back problems. Weak core muscles, inability to activate the core muscles, and poor core (torso-pelvic-hip) alignment is one of the leading causes of backpain.

If you activate your ab muscles first, and then perform the movement, you will have a stronger output as well as core stability and decreased back pain after a while.

Myself, as well as countless other people I have spoken with, have seen several kinds of doctors for low back pain. I have seen Chiropracters, Sports Medicine Doctors, Primary Care Physicians, Physical Therapists and a few other professionals, and the one thing that worked out of all these treatments, (including a stint with a pain analgesic one of the doctors perscribed for a spasm that left me incapacitated for two days. Luckily, it was in college and my friends were accustomed to having a body sprawled on the couch for more than 24 hours!), was core strength. Only two of the doctors recommended that I should try to strengthen my abs. Only two! One guy, analyzed me as if I were a car and spoke into a voice recorder instead of speaking to me during the whole exam....that was bizarre.

Anyway, the moral of this story, is that if you are experiencing back pain, especially in the lumbar-sacral area, try putting yourself through a gentle abdominal strengthening program. Give it a month or two to ellicit the results you are working for and STAY CONSISTENT. Give pilates a try, if you haven't done so already, to learn proper pelvo-hip alignment and get some tips on how to hold your abs properly through out the day.

Give this a try and please leave a similar story or added tips for everyone to read! Anything to help a few more people to live life pain free and function optimally!

Mood lifters during the Winter Season!

Everyone reacts to the changing weather differently. Some are unphased by it and go about their hectic routines with an extra layer.

The other part of the population, may start to feel the Winter Blues setting in with the sun setting earlier. To off set this, research is recommnending to get outside with nature. Even just a few bouts of exercise outdoors or a short jog or walk in the sun can uplift move substantially and revitalize you for the day. An added bonus to try is leave the sun glasses at home. That's right, I said it; leave the Paris Hilton or Kardashian wannabe beta blockers at home for this short duration. The small amount of sun exposure will uplift your mood and energy level simulating the effects of light therapy! Since I have been doing this (and I typically only put myself through this momentary blinding exercise for 15 to 30 minutes tops), I have falling asleep much easier at night and sleep more restfully! Which, in turn, means that I will have much more energy the following day!

Try it this little tip as the days shorten to lift your mood.

Balance Found in Tumultous Waves

Waves undulate up and down like enormous blankets of water encapsulating huge boulders and then sink below the sea walls, revealling the enormity of  the the rocks.

I sit here, in front of the famous Maverick's Swell at Pillar Point Harbor Beach - waves coming at me from three different directions as I am on the very edge of the sand at the bottom of the huge cliff and the abyss of the Pacific. As frightening as this is, I am oddly calm. Finally.

It has been hectic this last month- Alan, my new husband and the father of my little guy, has returned to school to become an architect (need I say more) and is continuing  his workaholism at the restaurant. I have transitioned between jobs and feel like a failure for not making both work. Someday, I'll learn that spreading yourself too thin only works for some people. I, on the other hand, need to retreat to places like this to find solace after the war and lick my wounds.

That is what the ocean has always done for me. For some, it may be burying themselves deeper in their work, which I admire on some level. For others their solace is in extreme sports, marathons, talk therapy or anti-depressants. My grandmother-in-law believes the ocean works for me because my horoscope is a "fire sign", (I do believe that since anything about 80 degrees fareinheit aggrivates me). Whichever it may be, the ocean pulls me out of the tornado of life and centers me. Combine the ocean with running and it's equivalent to "o.d.-ing" on anti-depressants!

I hope everyone out there can find a place in life that brings as much ethereal happiness.