The Smartest Kids in the World

The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Don't we all agree that education in the U.S. could use a fresh take? Amanda Ripley tells us what it's like to be an American exchange student in one of the countries where high schools are "better": Finland, South Korea, Poland.

A couple of months ago her book was much-discussed. Now it seems to be off the radar. But her observations have merit. Here are a few:
1. Ripley says local control is "hard-wired for inefficiency" ( p. 34).
2. Parents who engage kids in talk about big ideas -- movies, books, current affairs with teens especially -- will have kids who are better readers ( p. 108). Parent volunteering at school, on the other hand, does not seem to affect student achievement.
3. Read for pleasure and your kids are more likely to do it too.
4. Take education seriously -- more seriously than sports even.
5.  Make teaching a high-level profession in training, in both respect and pay.
6.  Have hard tests, especially a hard and useful matriculation test at the end of high school..
7. There must be meaningful opportunities for everyone. Equity is essential to good schools.
8. The best way to evaluate a school is not by word of mouth, but by visiting when school is in session.  Are the kids interested, paying attention, working hard? (208).
9. High school graduates  should be able to write an essay, develop an argument, and clearly communicate an idea. But many can't.

You've probably already heard that students work too hard in Korea, routinely studying in private tutoring offices until 9 p.m. before heading home. Ripley also reminds us that Korea and Finland have gone through hard times in recent history. They value education as a way out of that era. Americans, Ripley says, have been lulled by our country's wealth. We don't take education seriously.

I usually get mad at non-educators when they make recommendation, but Ripley keeps to her role as reporter; she doesn't really tell us what to do.


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Mortar and pestle

This is my birthday present to myself: a hulking mortar and pestle. I'm not sure why, but I need it. I love fresh-ground spices, and my little white china set seems puny. I don't like the clinking sound it makes. Yesterday I cooked Thai chicken and yellow rice, planning to use this for the coriander seed and cumin, but discovered it takes time to get it ready. You have to season it by scrubbing with wet white rice, grinding the rice to a pulp and then rinsing it away many times until the rice water finally runs clean. The inside of the mortar isn't dirty, exactly, just dusty. After the rice step is over, you do the same thing with salt. This could take a long time, so I decided to scrub it one step each day. It's worth the trouble.

 Here's lots more information on this primitive kitchen tool.

Diana Kennedy, in her book Mexican Regional Cooking, says, "No self-respecting cook in this hemisphere should be without this classic piece of kitchen equipment."(p. 254). I agree.

Missing salt water

I miss the ocean, so I made boats. 

Sail
21 12" x 21 1/2"
lace, organza, cotton, paper, paint

Kayak,
14 3/4" x 20 3/4"

lace, organza, cotton, paper, paint

Kayak detail

Sailboat detail

Praline cookies

I made a cake for C to serve his football friends. "Oh, this is good!" he said, "and it's really small.  Let's eat it ourselves." So I made some cookies with fresh pecans from the farmers' market for the football guys. "Mmmm..." C said. "These are even better. Do I have to share?"








Praline cookies
(This recipe is an old one I cut from some newspaper. I can't say more.)

1/2 C. butter
1 1/2 C. brown sugar. (I used part light/ part dark because I ran out of light brown. I think the dark made the cookies both crisp and chewy, so I'm going to do this combo again. It is about 2:1 :: light:dark)
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chopped toasted pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter, sugar, and egg.
Stir in flour, vanilla, and pecans.
Mix well.
Shape into balls.  Place on parchment-covered cookie sheet.

Flatten to about 1/8 inch.
Bake 10-12 min. (I baked at least 5 extra minutes.), or until brown.
Makes 3 dozen.

Stars in the neighborhood

One reason I love my neighborhood is the poetry of the Army Surplus Store around the corner.

Collage on watercolor paper

What is it I like about this collage? I made it on watercolor paper, following the blog Simply Artistic Pleasures; I used masking, spray paint, calligraphy pens, painted gesso, printing tools. It looks kind of messy and happy. Maybe I like it because there are no mistakes.

Lately I've been overwhelmed by how much I don't know about art -- theory, history, technique. I am reading too much about the high-stakes multi-national art scene. How ridiculous to let that craziness infest my thinking.

Finally I realize the obvious: make lots of art, learn along the way, and enjoy every moment. That's why I like this collage.

Making my own birthday cake

Is it pathetic to make your own birthday cake?

Not at all.

C has bought me many cakes, but we both agree mine are better. Besides, it's days before my birthday. I have a habit of celebrating the entire month of November -- with the ultimate goal of celebrating all year long when I get really smart. Thus, today's dessert (Dinner was leftovers), inspired by Smitten Kitchen and my mother. The SKithchen blog suggests a cake topped with bittersweet chocolate and pears chopped small. Instead of her recipe, I made Mom's sponge cake and topped it with 3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips and three Bartlett pears chopped smaller than bite-size. It took 45 minutes to bake, more than Mom's recipe. The pears are still a little hard. Next time (and there WILL be a next time!) I will let the pears ripen well, or soften them in the microwave before adding them to the cake. I considered using Kallebut chocolate, but Ghirardelli bittersweet  chips are perfect. It's festive and delicious. Don't wait for a birthday!

Mom's sponge cake with pears and chocolate

1 C. sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

dash salt

1/2 C. milk

1 T. butter

2 eggs

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips 

3 soft pears, chopped

1. Sift dry ingredients together.
2. Scald milk with the butter. Let butter melt. (I use a glass measuring cup & put it in the microwave until little bubbles form on the sides, but it doesn't boil. Takes less than a minute.)
3. Beat the eggs a lot, until they lose that eggy look & become light.
4. Gradually beat in the sugar.
5. Then add the dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.
6. Add hot milk with butter & vanilla.
7. Pour into buttered & floured 9" cake pan (I used a skillet.)  Bake 30 min. at 350° (45 minutes for pear and chocolate cake).
8. Top with 3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips and 3 soft pears, chopped. These will sink into the cake. 
9. Cool & then remove cake from the pan. (Don't use a skillet if you plan to remove the cake from the pan.),
10. For Boston Cream Pie split the cooled cake carefully with a long serrated knife & spread bottom layer with cream. Put second layer on top of the cream. Decorate with powdered sugar or a thin chocolate glaze.