You're not stupid. But your textbook might be leaving you ignorant. Yep, that thing you're relying on to help you learn about an important subject could be letting you down. It might, in fact, be lying to you. I don't investigate any X-files, but I sometimes like to say, "Trust no one…and no textbook, either."

It's a shame. Aside from the free textbook downloads you can now find online, textbooks aren't just usually bland and boring; they're also expensive. For all the money we're forced to spend on them, we rightly expect traditional textbooks to— at the very least—be accurate. But a surprising number of them contain the kind of errors that could give any unsuspecting student a false sense of security about the quality of his or her education.

Lately, I feel like a tornado strapped into a rollercoaster. I have had so much going on in every aspect of my life that it feels as though I haven’t even had a moment to pause and catch my breath for weeks.

However, while I do occasionally catch myself grumbling about my insane schedule (usually when I’m sitting down to eat my first real meal of the day at 10 p.m.), each and every thing that has kept me whirling through life from morning until night is worth it to me. Every current “role” in my life is important, and I wouldn’t give a single one up for the world. Friend, girlfriend, daughter, sister, employee, maid of honor, horseback rider, coach—every role (no matter how demanding) contributes to my happiness, satisfaction, and self-worth.

"Humanity, it was nice knowing you. Please don't cry. We'll always have our memories. Really. (Well, so long as the next 'cool' gizmo doesn't hog all those too.) It's not you. You're great. It's this Luke fella I'm trapped in. He's like a toothless zombie at a Star Trek convention."

Ever since I first drooled over a shiny iPad, this is the kind of one-way conversation my inner Luddite has been having. I call him Jeremiah. And with all the talk lately about iPad textbooks ushering in some kind of glorious education revolution, he's been gnashing his teeth, wiping the corners of his eyes, and sounding more depressingly nostalgic than ever.

Jeremiah annoys the hell out of me. For one thing, I'm about as big an Apple fanboy as you're ever likely to encounter. For another, my iPad is like my baby. Many nights, it even sleeps next to me. Still, the humble rants of Jeremiah haunt me. I'm forced to hear them. But more and more, I'm listening to the guy. I'm even beginning to think he's got a point.

Replacing paper textbooks with electronic textbooks on iPads or other tablet devices may not actually be as big a deal as everyone wants to believe.

More...

There are a number of words in my house that I don't say because little ears are listening (usually ones that I have to stifle when I stub my toe or burn dinner). But, I skip these words because they are actually bad words. I can't imagine forbidding the use of words related to religious holidays, evolution, or other "controversial" topics. So, when I read this article regarding the New York City Department of Education's banning of words used by school test developers, I was a little thrown.

In an attempt to avoid topics that could make students feel "uncomfortable," approximately 50 words were put on the chopping block. Words, such as "dinosaur" (which might imply evolution), "birthdays" (which are not celebrated by all religions), "Halloween" (which could suggest paganism), and "crime" (which is just plain unpleasant) are a few of the casualties. The list also instructed that tests not mention bodily functions, diseases, natural disasters, celebrities, divorce, politics, homelessness, or even rock-and-roll music.

More...

With an accountant for a mother, I can't say that I ever had to worry about not making the grade in math class. From the time I was quite small, I was adding, subtracting, dividing, and even creating macaroni algebra charts (scary, but true).

However, these days many young students in Western Canada are facing the challenges of learning basic math without the help of their parents, because the methods by which foundational mathematics is being taught these days are changing.

Forget memorizing times tables (which, if you're anything like me, are permanently burned into your brain), and start thinking exploration-based learning. This can include the use of visual tools, such as blocks or graphs to carry out addition, subtraction, and other basic math processes.

More...

Every day I take a significant amount of time to prepare food for my family. I use what my kids like to refer to as "ingredients" over packaged food. I read labels and like to think I’m pretty informed about the foods that I choose for my family to consume. I also attempt to educate my kids on the importance of thinking about the foods that we put into our bodies, even when it means using the age-old "you'll thank me when you're older" line.

However, once a week this all goes out the window.

My daughter's school offers a hot lunch program which runs one day a week, and I have to admit, this is when she gets to eat the junky food that I typically give a flat out "no" to. While from time to time there are healthy choices, with a token package of apple slices or carrots and dip thrown in, the bulk of the options consist of pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and tacos.

As a former student of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, I was pretty excited to see that this innovative school is gearing up to provide a degree-worthy education related to sustainable agriculture (a far cry from the typical industry-driven programs that you tend to see).

Rather than responding to the needs of employers, this program is an answer to the needs of our changing world, and will be British Columbia's first production agriculture degree program, teaching students the art and science of small-scale farming.

As a label-reading, organic-conscious mom, I can see the value in knowing that the food my family and I are eating is grown by individuals, rather than corporations. I would far rather spend my money at a farmers market where I can talk to the person who grew my food, than purchase imported produce from a grocery store and wonder why on earth my green peppers need to come all the way from South America, and why they seem to last forever in my refrigerator.

More...

Who needs facts when you've got blind passion and fear? I'm normally one to take my time in deciding which side to support in a dispute. But with threats of a full-blown teachers' strike in Canada's province of British Columbia (BC)—and limited job action already occurring—I recently found myself seething with knee-jerk anger at teachers. I was furious at this group of people I generally hold in high regard. I believed they were causing real harm to some of their students. And it was all because of three words: no report cards.

I should have known better.

Before I explain, you first need to know a few basics.

More...

I confess: I've never met a cell phone I liked. Even my fancy smartphone is something I merely tolerate. I'm sure this makes me a freak of nature. After all, these things are here to stay. And since I can't escape the electronic leashes, I must adapt. But the widespread use of mobile technology does present a number of hard questions.

Should students be allowed to use cell phones in school? This is one of those hard questions. It's made all the more difficult to answer because, I believe, we aren't framing it within an appropriate context.

More...

Let me start by admitting that the title of this post is meant to be provocative and even a little sarcastic. Obviously, there are many reasons to get an education that don't directly relate to a person's income potential. Yet, when someone who is genuinely curious asks, "Why do people need education?" the responses inevitably involve the financial benefits of college or formal post-secondary training. It's part of the culture we live in.

Is this a bad thing? I think it depends. The simplistic message of "the more education you attain, the more money you can make" is promoted relentlessly by many politicians and media personalities. College often seems to be touted as the silver bullet for what ails your current economic condition or as the magic carpet ride to a future of financial security. But such popular wisdom is usually only partially correct.

More...