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53rd out of 104 books
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11 voters
Endangered Minds: Why Children Dont Think And What We Can Do About It
Is today's fast-paced media culture creating a toxic environment for our children's brains? In this landmark, bestselling assessment tracing the roots of America's escalating crisis in education, Jane M. Healy, Ph.D., examines how television, video games, and other components of popular culture compromise our children's ability to concentrate and to absorb and analyze info...more
Paperback, 392 pages
Published
October 15th 1999
by Simon & Schuster
(first published October 1st 1990)
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Make no mistake about it: Jane Healy is not a fan of Sesame Street! But I'm a fan of Jane Healy's. How could I, or any responsible parent, not be? Her books are written with such fervor, passion, and intellect, that you just become instantly immersed in her world, and life's work.
In Endangered Minds she tackles the topic of cognitive development in children, and every aspect and activity that relates to it, or impacts it: especially television (hence her disdain for Sesame Street). What I apprec...more
In Endangered Minds she tackles the topic of cognitive development in children, and every aspect and activity that relates to it, or impacts it: especially television (hence her disdain for Sesame Street). What I apprec...more
I discovered Dr. Jane Healy's 1987 book, Endangered Minds, researching a novel I was writing on early man. I wanted to better understand what parts of our brain show significant evolution since our species appeared (like the increasing size of the frontal lobe, the evolution of the Wernecke and Broca areas). I admit, part of it was also that I was a new mother and there are so many competing opinions about when kids should read, write, what they should learn when, I didn't want to make a mistake...more
Healy wrote a very prescient book in 1990 and revised it slightly for this edition in 1999, having seen most of her ideas validated by neuroscience in the succeeding decade. She is a welcome antidote to the raving rationalizations of Steven Johnson and Henry Jenkins and others who feel that electronic media are causing little or no damage to the minds of our children (those two have gone so far as to assert that electronic media are IMPROVING the minds of our youth, which the now repudiated Flyn...more
Long but worth every chapter. Incredibly valuable research. Healy examines the effects of a changing culture upon children’s brains in the context of education: “We are rearing a generation of ‘different brains’ and…many students’ faltering academic skills…reflect subtle but significant changes in their physical foundations for learning” (45). Healy also addresses the double-edged sword of neural plasticity, and in light of our changing culture and the brain's adaptability, charges us with the t...more
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It reads a bit like a college psych text sometimes, can be a bit repetitive, but overall, incredible content. To be more specific, incredible content that supports some of our personal parenting choices; so I like that. I could see some of my more mainstream mommy friends tell me that it is alarmist, but I think it is pretty straight-forward, and not intended to be alarmist. Some of the content is backed with hard scientific evidence, but a lot of it is opinion based... but on the opinions of su...more
Very informative book. It's too dense with information, but on the back it highlights a few topics she discusses:
"How growing brains are physically shaped by experience."
"Why television programs - even supposedly educational shows like Sesame Street - develop 'habits of mind' that place children at a disadvantage in school."
"Why increasing numbers of children are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder."
"How parents and teachers can make a critical difference by making children good learners f...more
"How growing brains are physically shaped by experience."
"Why television programs - even supposedly educational shows like Sesame Street - develop 'habits of mind' that place children at a disadvantage in school."
"Why increasing numbers of children are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder."
"How parents and teachers can make a critical difference by making children good learners f...more
This book was recommended last year at the literacy conference, and although it is not new, the information about brain development in children is still very relevant. I appreciated her frank discussion of the need to be sure that children of all ages are prepared for the verbal and numerical tasks set for them in school (or by overly ambitious parents) when they haven't had the proper preparation. She has strong opinions on when and how certain subjects should be taught, and as a teacher I felt...more
"Endangered Minds" is an incredibly fascinating book with liberal streaks of alarmism. As I pride myself on my parenting paranoia, this book was right up my alley.
The first half of the book discusses the brain and how it grows and learns in children. I loved all of this information! It is amazing to me how intricate our brains our and how malleable and impressionable a child's brain is.
The rest of the book takes a detailed look at how media (television and video games in particular) are changing...more
The first half of the book discusses the brain and how it grows and learns in children. I loved all of this information! It is amazing to me how intricate our brains our and how malleable and impressionable a child's brain is.
The rest of the book takes a detailed look at how media (television and video games in particular) are changing...more
I found this book to be quite enlightening, and yet disturbing all at the same time. I was fascinated with the research on the physiology of brain development, and the great impact environment plays in how our brain develops. The plasticity of brain development is remarkable, and gives such hope to all individuals. However, I fear that because of the trends of society, we are embarking on new territory in the field of educating the youth of tomorrow.
The ideas Healy presents in her book, althoug...more
The ideas Healy presents in her book, althoug...more
This book tells us alot of things we already know:
-TV is making our kids dumber (yes, including sesame street and pbs)
-ADHD is sweeping the nation because of the way we overindulge in TV, Video Games, consumer stuff, computers, and massive amounts of unhealthy food
-Reading is good, it WILL make kids smarter and not just with more facts, but with reasoning and life skills which go well beyond intellectualism.
-Real conversations are lacking from parents to children. These conversations are what w...more
-TV is making our kids dumber (yes, including sesame street and pbs)
-ADHD is sweeping the nation because of the way we overindulge in TV, Video Games, consumer stuff, computers, and massive amounts of unhealthy food
-Reading is good, it WILL make kids smarter and not just with more facts, but with reasoning and life skills which go well beyond intellectualism.
-Real conversations are lacking from parents to children. These conversations are what w...more
This book is giving me LOTS to think about. Makes me even more glad to not have my kids in public school. And it's not just about TV and video games (although those do play a role). The best thing you can do for your kids is TALK to them. About everything. Ask them questions, discuss life, answer their questions. I really liked the Sesame Street chapter.
The author causes you to think about how television, video games, and other popular culture is possibly limiting children's minds and putting them at a disadvantage. It is definitely thought-provoking, but it is not based on validated research. However, I think it is still something good to think about.
I loved so many parts of this book and others I just, well didn't. Tbe first few chapters are fascinating as she explores child brain development. I gobbled it up! But it just seemed to drag on and become redundant. We get it, hours in front of TV= bad, reading to you kids= good. I found myself skimming some of the middle chapters because of this.
I think the author's goal was to show that kids are watching too much tv and playing too many video games, but the thing I kept getting from it (even t...more
I think the author's goal was to show that kids are watching too much tv and playing too many video games, but the thing I kept getting from it (even t...more
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The information is a little dated, which made her cautions about technology and computer use seem somewhat unrealistic. That said, between the horror stories and vague prescriptions, there was quite a bit worth considering.
Aug 02, 2011
Maria Guzman
added it
Even though this was written in the 90s, every teacher and parent should read it. As a teacher it gives me hope about being able to help my students learn; the ever plastic brain, I love it!
Read this back in the 90s,which reinforced our decision to educate our four children at home. Now, 20 years later,we are reaping the benefits. I am sure this is as relevant today as it was then!
Jun 05, 2012
Bekah
marked it as to-read
Cannot wait to get my hands on this book! The description alone makes me want to unplug our TV. I have a lot to wade through before I get to this one though.
Every parent and teacher and potential parent and potential teacher and creator of things/tv/movies/programs for kids should be required to read this book!
This book explains the latest research on the brain and the damage that TV and video games are doing to our children. Wish I could do things over again...
A very dense book about how children think and why teachers see certain behaviors in class. Couldn't read in one setting - so much information at once. Take it in small bites and chew slowly.
I really enjoyed this book, and it really got me thinking. However, when I got to the last chapter, the author starts with the assumption that we can't get parents to change the way they parent, therefore it all up the schools. As a parent, I'm slightly offended by that. Nonetheless, I kept going.
I've got to think more about what really bothers me about her suggestions for the future of schooling, but there is something there that really bothers me down deep. I got sidetracked by this and have s...more
I've got to think more about what really bothers me about her suggestions for the future of schooling, but there is something there that really bothers me down deep. I got sidetracked by this and have s...more
Yes, it's definitely alarmist, but the brain research is very interesting, especially as a teacher and mother.
Fascinating! The part on how TV and Video games affect the developing brain was particularly interesting.
This is a very important book for anyone who has the care of children. I highly recommend it.
Dec 14, 2008
Sarah
marked it as to-read
recommended by my fingerwagging educator mentor at school..!
Sep 17, 2009
Julie
is currently reading it
I think it might be boring because I keep getting distracted from it.
Reading to learn more about technology and its effects on students
This book is absolutely a MUST READ for any parent, teacher, caregiver, and grandparent. I know that we live is a "nation of fear" (another good read) but this book is not preachy or shock-jock in it's delivery -- just straightforward scientific hypothesis, research and sociology.
Endangered Minds was recommended to me by a noted music psychologist, teachers, and researcher Dr.John Feierabend and I thank him. We've made changes already in our parenting and home environment. I am also looking at...more
Endangered Minds was recommended to me by a noted music psychologist, teachers, and researcher Dr.John Feierabend and I thank him. We've made changes already in our parenting and home environment. I am also looking at...more
Fascinating. Isn't really telling you a whole lot you don't already suspect, but I enjoyed the tidbits of neuroscience backup it up. It could use some updating given it was written in 1991 (so I can't even imagine that the amount of "screen time" kids were getting then could compare to today's iphone zombies) but in many ways, it feels current anyway.
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“How can children bombarded from birth by noise, frenetic schedules, and the helter-skelter caretaking of a fast-paced adult world learn to analyze, reflect, ponder? How can they use quiet inner conversation to build personal realities, sharpen and extend their visual reasoning?”
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