Iserotope Extras - Issue #22

Hi everyone! Today’s digest is in two parts. The first two articles deal with how we seem not to be making progress on race, especially in education. The second two articles focus on how we deal with death — whether it comes unexpectedly or not. All four articles are excellent, so please consider reading at least a couple of them. Thank you, and enjoy!

Parents Are Hiring Public-School Consultants to Help Them Figure Out Where to Send Their Kids

Why teach when you can instead perpetuate racial and socioeconomic gaps in education? Joyce Szuflita helps rich white parents get their kids into “good” public schools so they don’t “have to” send their kids to $40,000-a-year private schools. I try to be patient with this kind of thing, but there is something really wrong with her line of work. (But again, because I’m not a parent, I don’t have credibility.)

What Abigail Fisher’s Affirmative Action Case Is Really About

The Supreme Court will likely strike down affirmative action at colleges after hearing oral arguments yesterday in the case of Fisher v. Texas. Nikole Hannah-Jones (my favorite reporter on race and education) notes in this 2013 article that the plaintiff Abigail Fisher, a young white woman, likely would not have been admitted to the University of Texas even if the college did not factor in race in its admissions policy.

I find myself playing the piano more lately. This is a good thing! Most recently: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major.

Unpregnant: The silent, secret grief of miscarriage

I have several friends who have had miscarriages. Sadly, they’re common. But I still don’t know how to be a good friend during this time of grief and loss. Our society doesn’t seem to know what to do, either. This article helped me to understand a little bit, at least.

What Should Medicine Do When It Can’t Save You?

Dr. Atul Gawande — author of Being Mortal, totally required reading — writes poignantly about what we don’t want to talk about: death. He argues in this 2010 piece that our fear of death, combined with our health care system’s desire to keep treating terminal diseases, results in too many families torn at the end of a loved one’s life — when really that time should be filled with love.

That’s it for this week! No new subscribers last week, so it might be time for me to go out there and do some recruiting! If you know someone who might be interested, let me know, and I’ll do the cajoling firsthand. See you next Thursday.

Iserotope Extras - Issue #21

No articles about education this week (for some reason), but be ready for some heavy hitters. First up is a profile of Hillary Clinton and her relationship with the Black Lives Matter movement. Then comes a happy-go-lucky photo essay about young people in Baltimore having good clean fun. After an intermediary dessert break, it gets very serious, very fast: refugees, sex abuse scandals, and Alzheimer’s. Please enjoy!

Yes She Can

Michael Eric Dyson argues that Hillary Clinton could do more for African Americans than Barack Obama or Bill Clinton — especially if she continues to listen and learn from the productive tension offered by the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Twelve O’Clock Boys

I like this photo essay about kids in Baltimore riding dirt bikes and popping wheelies.

How about some gluten-free, dairy-free peanut butter chocolate chip blondies? (They were really good!) Try out Iris Delights, which specializes in made-to-order baked goods, chocolates, and candies. (I just realized this seems like an advertisement, so to be clear, Iserotope Extras received no money for this endorsement.)

The Rights of Refugees Who Do Wrong

This story about Nelson Kargbo, a child soldier from Sierra Leone who was given asylum in the United States, is very complicated and intensely sad. It also raises big questions about whether our country is ready to do the right thing for refugees.

Superb ‘Spotlight’ tells the story of journalists who investigated clergy sex abuse scandal

If you like journalism, or if you think *All the President’s Men* was a great movie, you’ll like Spotlight, which chronicles the Boston Globe’s coverage of the Catholic Church’s child molestation scandal of the early-2000s.

The Last Day of Her Life

I’m really picking some sad (but important) articles this week. This one is from May, and it tracks a woman’s journey with Alzheimer’s and her decision to end her life. It is a horrible disease.

Happy December! See you next week. Until then, select your favorite article, share it with a friend, and say you read it in Iserotope Extras!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #20

It’s Thanksgiving week, so this edition of Extras comes out a day early! First up is an article that explores the reasons for the latest suicides at Gunn and Paly. Then comes a photo interview with a young man trying to make it in college. After the break, there’s an excellent piece about the effects of toxic stress, and finally, enjoy a profile of Evan Spiegel, who is 25 years old and worth $1.8 billion. Have a great week!

The Suicide Clusters at Palo Alto High Schools

Reporter Hanna Rosin attributes the latest wave of suicides at Gunn High School and Palo Alto High School to high-powered, largely-absent parenting. A “culture of affluence” — in which teenagers have universal access to opportunity but remain anxious about fulfilling their parents’ expectations — leaves many young people paralyzed to reach out for help.

"I'm Gonna Rise Above What I Was Doing"

Chicago taught Tavaris Sanders how to survive among gang members. Is there room for him to thrive at a mostly-white liberal-arts college in Connecticut? This photo interview lets Tavaris speak candidly about the challenges he faces, and it will remind teachers why they’re working so hard.

Reading is believing. Here’s Antoinette, a student at City Arts and Technology High School in San Francisco. Antoinette just received her Kindle last week and has already completed two books.

Exposure to toxic stress in childhood linked to risky behavior and adult disease

Many urban students of color have experienced toxic stress, or chronic exposure to adverse childhood experiences, like abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. This piece, by my friend Ziba Kashef, explores how toxic stress can negatively impact students’ readiness to learn and offers solutions, particularly for care providers, to combat toxic stress.

Inside Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel's Entertainment Empire

Evan Spiegel is the 25-year-old CEO of Snapchat. He’s worth $1.8 billion. You should read this article not just to get an appreciation of this man’s confidence (i.e., arrogance) but also to understand how Snapchat is changing the media landscape. In other words, next time you see a young person taking a photo or recording in portrait mode, you’ll get why.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and see you next Thursday. Thank you very much for subscribing to Iserotope Extras!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #19

Today you get 5 articles, not 4. It’s like a bonus! First up is a wonderful interview between two good friends. Then comes a multimedia profile of a changing (gentrifying) block in Brooklyn. After an interstitial image, The Economist tells us (again) about how the United States has it all wrong, and then please enjoy two excellent pieces about teaching reading.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Gloria Steinem on the Unending Fight for Women’s Rights

I’ve always liked Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but in this wonderful interview, I learned that I also like Gloria Steinem. Both women are smart, strong, and very funny. When the interviewer remarks how far women’s rights have progressed, Ms. Steinem responds, “There’s no virtue in injustice.”

One Block: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

You don’t have to live in New York to appreciate this profile of one block in Bed-Stuy. It’s an historical journey through life on one stretch of MacDonough Street, a block that, like Brooklyn itself, has seen massive change. This is totally cool.

This is Lake Merced in San Francisco. When I’m running, which I’d like to do more often, this is my go-to route. Not as photogenic as its Oakland counterpart, Lake Merritt, it’s still extremely beautiful, especially at sunset.

An hereditary meritocracy

The Economist is always a bit sassy. This article argues that even if the United States prides itself on meritocracy, it’s the rich who can win the merit game any day. (Lots of good charts and graphs in this one, too, for social studies teachers.)

The House That Reading Built

Donalyn Miller is one of the leading proponents of independent reading in schools. She writes, “The books we create (or don’t), sell (or don’t), buy (or don’t), shelve (or don’t), read aloud (or don’t), assign (or don’t), and promote (or don’t) shape the narratives our children write about our world and themselves.”

Teaching Strategies: Annotating to Engage, Analyze, Connect, and Create

I’ve long believed that we need to make reading more like writing. In other words, what’s going on in students’ heads has to be more public. Otherwise, they can hide behind years of stigma and shame. Annotation is the way to go (though some students resist). Here are some great ideas for teachers.

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Iserotope Extras. Please choose one of the following for homework: (1) Reply to this email and let me know your favorite article, (2) Get one of your friends to subscribe (without resorting to duress). See you next Thursday!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #18

Hi everyone! This week, we start with Airbnb, a company that is extremely good at making people mad. Then comes an excellent video that points out how easily racism can curtail young people’s dreams. After the break, enjoy a multimedia profile on an impressive young woman, and finally, appreciate the marvel of the New York Public Library system.

Living and Dying on Airbnb

This article was everywhere this week. No matter where or how I turned, this article didn’t go away. It’s a very sad story, and it raises questions about whether we need more stringent regulations to protect consumers from “sharing economy” businesses like Airbnb.

Apostrophes

Nikole Hannah-Jones, a writer for the New York Times Magazine, is my favorite education reporter. She writes about the longstanding effects of segregation in schools. Here she speaks about a smart young woman in high school who wants to live the American Dream. Except there’s an apostrophe in her name. This video lasts 9 minutes.

Here’s my former student Chezlyn with Vice President Joe Biden! Now attending Spelman College, Chezlyn is studying to become a doctor. (Joe has good teeth.)

Ashima Shiraishi could become best female climber in the world at just 14

14-year-old Ashima Shiraishi is already one of the most talented climbers in the world — but can she reach the height of her father’s ambition? (This young woman is very impressive.)

A Book Odyssey

One of the best features of the public library — after that you can read books for free — is that you may request them to appear at your local branch. Here’s how a book traveled through the New York Public LIbrary system.

Thanks for reading! As always, reply to this email if you’d like to share your thoughts. Have a great week!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #17

This week begins with Snoopy (as things should be). Then a podcast about surveillance will make you paranoid. After the break, I’ve included a strong background piece on growth mindset, and finally, please enjoy a geeky article about how journalism is changing. Thank you for reading!

Why Snoopy Is Such a Controversial Figure to Peanuts Fans

Yes, I’m a fan of Snoopy. (He has a movie coming out this weekend.) This article points out that Snoopy is a bit like Elmo. Either you love him or you think he has too much power.

Is My Phone Eavesdropping On Me?

Note to Self is another great podcast. In this 27-minute episode, host Manoush Zomorodi investigates whether our phones are listening to our conversations even when we think they aren’t. Answer? Probably.

Just finished this dramatic book, an extension of Ms. Russakoff’s New Yorker 2014 article, “Schooled.” If you haven’t read the article, read the book. (It’s not much longer than the article. :) ) If you have read the article, you don’t need to read the book.

Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives

In Issue #13, psychologist Carol Dweck clarified “growth mindset,” claiming that educators had taken her theory too far. This primer offers details (and a nice diagram) that will be helpful to teachers and students. (By the way, growth mindset is an important concept for everyone, not just educators.)

The Future of News Is Not An Article

Imagine my joy when I learned that the New York Times has a laboratory that focuses on research and development. It turns out the Old Gray Lady is as savvy about the digital revolution’s transformation of journalism as any technology company. This piece argues that one of the largest limitations of news is that we still think in terms of articles. Better to think of “particles” (a great term!), or parts of articles, that can be tagged, indexed, and used again in future articles—in order to build a better organized representation of what’s happening in our world. If you’re a news junkie like me, you’ll like this piece.

Hey, that’s it! You’ve done it again! Thank you for reading this 17th issue of Iserotope Extras. Reply to this email to let me know what you think!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #16

It’s almost Halloween, which means things are spooky! But the good news is that teachers are almost through the October Doldrums, the time of year when emotions are deep and sleep is minimal. You’ll notice that this week’s articles touch on familiar themes (e.g., race, education) while also dabbling in other important topics (e.g., sleep, love). Please enjoy!

Hey, New Teachers, It's OK To Cry In Your Car

Being a new teacher is hard. I’m coaching a few this year, and the biggest challenge is to encourage new teachers not to drown in all the various (mostly negative) stimuli. (In other words, the best thing to do is to act exactly the opposite of how I acted when I was a new teacher.)

This Senator Saved My Love Life

Death, Sex, and Money is my favorite podcast right now. Host Anna Sale begins this 26-minute episode with the story of how her ex-boyfriend tries to repair their relationship. Then all of a sudden she’s interviewing former Senator Alan Simpson and his wife about what’s at the heart of a strong and lasting marriage. There’s a bit of everything here (including Anita Hill).

Sadly, this is what happens to physical books in many public schools. They get thrown in random bins on classroom floors. It’s time these books get back where they belong: in students’ hands. The Kindle is the best way. :)

The Black-White Sleep Gap

African Americans get less sleep and worse sleep than their white counterparts. Researchers are studying whether racism and discrimination lead to chronic stress, which results in higher rates of sleep deprivation and sleep disorders.

Studying at a Diverse School Doesn't Hurt White Kids' Test Scores

In last week’s issue (#15), Abby Norman was frustrated that her white friends did not send their kids to their community’s diverse neighborhood school. This piece offers more data that suggests that white parents’ fears are unfounded.

As always, let me know what you think by replying to this email! i’d love to hear from you. Have a wonderful week!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #15

Serious articles (and another podcast) this week about race, education, and what we do as a society when people die alone. Plus, there’s a picture of a Snoopy burger joint in Morocco! Thank you to all 46 subscribers. (Feel free to invite your friends to sign up, too.)

Why White Parents Won't Choose Black Schools

It’s true that when white people send their kids to neighborhood schools, the state of public education will improve. But getting there is hard. (Plus, I’m not a parent, so I have no credibility.)

Strange Fruit

This 17-minute podcast is a disturbing account of a lynching in Marion, Indiana, in 1930. An eerie photograph of the event led to “Strange Fruit,” sung by Billie Holliday. This is required listening for all teachers and everyone who cares about racism.

Subscriber and friend E. sent me this great picture from Morocco. Thanks, Erin! (I would love a Snoopy Burger.) (The Snoopy movie comes out soon.)

How Black Lives Matter Uses Social Media to Fight the Power

As a former social studies teacher, I appreciated this article’s account about how technology was used during the 1960s Civil Rights movement — and how things have changed today.

The Lonely Death of George Bell

Each year around 50,000 people die in New York, some alone and unseen. Yet death even in such forlorn form can cause a surprising amount of activity.

Have a great week! Please reply to this email if you’d like to share your thoughts. Thank you for subscribing to Iserotope Extras!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #14

Hi there! Up first this week is an excellent profile of Zappos, the quirky shoe company. Then comes a podcast (not an article!) featuring Maria from Sesame Street. Remember her? After the break, I’ve included two more serious articles, one about school shootings and one about John King, the new Secretary of Education. Please enjoy!

First, Let’s Get Rid of All the Bosses

I have friends who used to work for Zappos, so I know that the company is a bit kooky (my friends aren’t kooky), and every time I read another article about it, the kookiness grows. This article, for instance, ends with CEO Tony Hsieh’s giant praying mantis.

From Chaos to Sesame Street

Remember Maria from Sesame Street? Her real name is Sonia Manzano, and she retired this year (after 44 years on the show), and this 23-minute podcast will delight you. (Her voice will bring you back to childhood. Plus, Ms. Manzano has important things to say about race and coming of age in the late-1960s.)

My friend (and newsletter subscriber) Jessica sent me this beautiful picture of the San Francisco Bay at sunrise. Hope you like it!

How School Shootings Spread

Well, my newsletter got 13 issues in before its first Malcolm Gladwell article. (I suppose it was inevitable.) About school shootings, Mr. Gladwell argues that Columbine created a script, and now, “young men no longer need to be deeply disturbed to contemplate horrific acts.”

John King, the Next Education Secretary. Polarizing, Powered by Personal Story

I’ve been following John King’s career since he helped found Roxbury Prep in 1999. Now he’s 40, and he’s Everything Education Reform: no excuses and all charters, Common Core, and Race to the Top. If you wanted someone different from Arne Duncan, Mr. King is not your guy.

That’s it for this week. Hope you enjoyed this issue! Reply to this email to send me your thoughts, and share this newsletter with your friends!

Iserotope Extras - Issue #13

This week I’ve included more articles about education and reading, which many of you will enjoy. If you’re into growth mindset, definitely read the first one. If you’re into race and the 14th Amendment, definitely read the third one. The other two are good, too!

Revisiting the "Growth Mindset"

It happened with “grit,” and now it’s happening with the “growth mindset.” Educators get excited about a psychologist’s research, make it their own, and then morph its meaning. In this article, Carol Dweck clarifies her theory of intelligence.

Learning to Die

“No one tells you how discreetly death can make its catch, or how languorously. It rolls in like a low wave: It’s moving, and it’s not; she’s there, afloat, and she’s not; it simultaneously sluices through her and tugs her in its tide for hours, until she’s silently dispelled by its force.”

Author Joseph Ragain used to be Joey when he was my student in 1997. I’m reading and liking his first book, which is about a teenage boy in California who likes to play baseball and who finds out one day that he has been granted a few wishes.

The Model Minority is Losing Patience

If Chief Justice John Roberts has his way, this year’s Supreme Court will likely end affirmative action in higher education. This article explains the complicated nature of this issue in the Asian American community (though I’m not a fan of the term “bamboo ceiling”).

Beyond Walls: Libraries and Incarcerated Youth

Public libraries do a great job bringing books to students in prison. But in my experience, they do less well teaming up with public schools to bring books to students in classrooms. (My gut says that librarians feel they’re in competition with teachers.)

Hope you liked this week’s articles! Be sure to reply if you’d like to share your thoughts!