Higher Order Thinking Skills Not Taught?

While the ranking of higher order thinking skills can be a bit arbitrary, it definitely encourages teachers to think about how they are structuring their lessons.  I try and use these different thinking skills to make sure that I am providing a varied learning environment for my students.  However, it seems that that is not the case in all places.  Check out this study that found little evidence of higher order thinking skills being taught and used in classrooms.

Reason 405 why Math Is Cool

Check out this video for hexaflexagons.  Really cool shape you can make with paper.  I'll be trying this after the MCA tests with my students.

A Galaxy Far, Far From Literacy?

A common concern for most teachers is that students are reading less and less each year.  With all the electronics that sap a child's time, sometimes I wonder why they read books at all.  Just joking, but only kind of.

Now, over at tor.com, they have looked into the literacy rates in the most famous republic in a galaxy far, far away.  What they found, may be shocking.  The republic is a post-literacy world.  Everything is recording in video/hologram form, and most things have an icon or picture showing what they do.  I'd recommend reading that article, particularly if you are someone who appreciates the holy trilogy.

What I find interesting about it is how the lack of literacy causes a lack of ability for the general populace to defend against tyranny, according to the article.  While we might feel that we need to share with our students some level of media awareness, perhaps the greatest reason to support literacy is that a illiterate society can be controlled much easier.