Where Do You go for Inspiration?

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I go to TED.com and one subject that is dear to my heart is Education.  This man is my hero.  

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_educ...

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I secretly think that if I ever won the Euro Lotto ( big bucks ) that this is where I would put my money.  Watch his other videos on Ted too, Sugata Mitra is awesome.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Nicky, I go here!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We hear so much about how there are no clinical studies for "alternative" treatments because nobody will fund them. Well, that's not true. For one thing, The AKC has a foundation that provides grants for the study of genetic diseases in purebred dogs. They is a study right now at Iowa State Veterinary school to test the effects of certain probiotics on Inflammatory Bowel Disease in several of the breeds most prone to it. The purpose of this is to see if probiotics can help reduce the long-term use of immunosuppressant drugs in these dogs, a topic near and dear to my heart. http://www.akcchf.org/research/funded-research/1609.html

 But just last week, I received a mailer from The Morris Animal Foundation, a registered not-for-profit that funds humane health studies  and disseminates the information obtained from these studies, "to improve the health and well-being of companion animals and wildlife."

Take a look at the Morris Foundation website. I was very excited to read that they are about to start the largest dog health study ever, under the Canine Lifetime Health Project.  Projected to last 10-14 years, they will focus on identifying the genetic, nutritional and environmental risk factors for cancer and other diseases in Golden Retrievers. GRs were chosen because more than half of them die of cancer.

http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/

 

 

[Bonnie and Kona]

This is so exciting, Karen. Thank you for posting this encouraging information.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I got info. from them too. Yes, there are some interesting studies out there.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

If you thought stats were boring you've got to watch this one.

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_e...

[F, Calla & Luca]

Soon, soon : )

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I really wish this could be how the school system works.  I teach adult students and many of them treat classes as grades rather than learning opportunities and it breaks my heart that they just don't want to learn.  I would be thrilled to receive students who had learned this way all throughout primary/secondary school!