Schools are emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math—the STEM subjects. Many people believe science is too technical for kids to understand. We talk to two experts who say children take to science readily if it’s presented in the right way by tapping into the “ick factor” that seems to fascinate them.
During the holidays, many parents fret over the materialistic messages their children are exposed to. We talk to a mom and an author who together have created a children’s book and game designed to make giving back to others a fun pursuit.
The late actor, Jimmy Stewart, gave us some very memorable characters during his time in Hollywood – many very funny; others endearing; and still others dark and villainous. Perhaps Stewart’s most dramatic role was the one that not many people know about, but that molded his life and his psyche – not to mention his acting – for most of his career: fighter pilot in World War II. We talk to an author who delved into Stewart’s war service about how flying missions over Europe and seeing his comrades die affected the actor and his choice of roles and acting style for the rest of his life.
In about six weeks, people will be celebrating the New Year and many of them will be resolving to change something in their lives – the ubiquitous “New Year’s Resolution.” We talk to a behavior specialist and coach about how bad habits are created and why. She also gives us some ways to help give those resolutions some staying power for the year ahead.
In 2004, we spoke with activist and former California legislator Tom Hayden who passed away last month. The topics were gangs and violence, how and why young men and women join gangs and how we can stem the violence of these groups and help the young people who belong to them to live better, safer and more productive lives. In these days of continued strife on urban streets, we can still benefit from his hopeful – yet controversial – ideas on the topic.
Does working crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and playing other games help prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia? Why does time seem to crawl when we’re young and speed up as we age? Does multitasking really help us get more done? We talk to a psychologist and author about these popular ideas and get the real story about how our minds can sometimes trick us into thinking things that really aren’t true.
The public library system in the U.S. is one of our most cherished community services, yet in these days of government budget cuts, libraries around the country are feeling the pinch of shorter hours, fewer staff and old technology. Our guests discuss why funding and supporting our libraries is a way to raise smarter kids, help residents with social service navigation, boost the economy, and help immigrants become full American citizens.