Some Holiday Sales Continue!
See Pono Video, Each Child has a Voice




 We're Awaiting Final Contract and Will Soon Announce the Location and Date of the Next AERO Conference

Warning Sounded on Tech Disrupting Student Sleep

Educators who promote the use of education technology are working harder to caution students and parents about the impact of digital devices and the "blue light" they emit, which can disrupt student sleep patterns.

A recent meta-analysis by British researchers has brought renewed attention to the issue, calling increased use of mobile devices at bedtime a "major public-health concern" for children and teenagers.

As many schools and districts shift to 1-to-1 device programs, often allowing students to take those devices home each night, education leaders are looking for ways to incorporate warnings about the detrimental effects of mobile devices on sleep.

Read the rest here.
Some Holiday Sales Continuing
We are continuing a few of the holiday sales for the week. These include:

Half Price for AERO memberships. That is $20 for individuals, $37.50 for schools and organizations. This also means banners on the member site for just $75 for schools and organizations. Renew your membership at these prices if you want to keep your link on the member site and your spot on the map. 

Special price for new advertisers on AERO website and e news combo. Join Antioch University New England, Goddard College, Self Design, Marlboro College, High Mowing School, Ojai Village Academy, Summa Academy, Liberated Learners and others and be seen in 50 e newsletters and all major pages on the AERO website. 

E books are just $9.99

The price to audit the school starter course is now at 70% off, $300. 

All the prints of Bill's paintings that were ordered have been made and they are beautiful!
For one more week we will still send a thank you print of your choosing to readers who send a minimum of a $50  donation to AERO. for an 18 x 24 poster, and $100 for a 24 x 36 poster. The pictures on the website are low resolution and are not to be copied or disseminated. The prints we send out are in high resolution.  When you send in your donation, please indicate the number of the painting that you want in the comment section or by separate e mail. You can see all the pictures and their numbers  here.


Most selected Bill Mintz painting

Boys Read Better If You Let Them Play More
Study from Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

If you want your son to read better, a study suggests one way to do it: let him go outside and play! Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity influences boys' reading skills, researchers observed. More specifically, the more time a boy spends in active play, the more fluently he reads. In addition, he understands what he reads better. Conversely, if the boy spends much time sitting around, his reading ability suffers.

The same associations did not seem to exist among girls.

Movement and Reading

The researchers conducted this study among 89 boys and 69 girls. The children were between 6 and 8 years old. The researchers measured physical activity with movement sensors, heard rate counters, and other tools. They measured reading fluency and comprehension with standardized exams for first, second, and third graders.

Read the rest here.
Betsy DeVos of the American Federation for Children
Interview of Betsy DeVos of the American Federation for Children by Ed Pozzuoli of Tripp Scott
9th Report for Sprouting Seeds Learning Centre in Myanmar
Jim Connor, long time AERO member, founded Whispering Seed in Thailand, now in Myanmar

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters of Sprouting Seeds Learning Centre,
 
Thanks to all of your support we are now entering our busiest period for the café with a renewed sense of confidence. We took the time during the rainy period to further improve the interior of the café and are delighted with the natural look and feel of the space. Pine tables and the earthen counter blend beautifully to create a calming environment for weary travellers and locals alike to rest and enjoy our culinary delights! We also took the time to experiment with new ice cream flavours and a range of exciting baked goods including ...... , the response to which have been fantastic!

Read the rest here.
Links and Calendar
Links
Ongoing
Calendar
Please send us feedback on this issue. also, we would like to have more articles written by AERO members and about AERO school and organizations.  Thank you for your ongoing support. With  your help , we will make learner-centered alternatives available to everyone!

In Service,

Jerry Mintz
Executive Director
Alternative Education Resource Organization

Please consider making a donation to AERO to help support our work. Thanks!