Radio Curious

Endangered Minds & Failure to Connect

It used to be that children would play with objects, be told or read stories, or perhaps listen to the radio during a significant portion of their early years. With the advent of television, videos and computers, that tactile and oral world is often left behind. Children who are frequently exposed to television, videos and computer games in the first seven years of life have been found to develop pathways in the brain that later are significantly deficient in reading, studying and socialization skills. Dr. Jane M Healy is an educational psychologist with expertise in developmental psychology, and specialist in the brain development of young children. Her recent books, “Endangered Minds,” and “Failure to Connect,” discuss how television, videos and computers affect the minds of children.

Dr. Jane M. Healy recommends “The Goddess in Older Women,” by Jean Bolden.

Originally Broadcast: May 9, 2001

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Have you ever wanted to look at penguins while they look at you, or crawl past giant clams, or see eye to eye with tropical sharks? Well, you can do that at Monterey Bay Aquarium, in Monterey, California. Splash Zone was an exhibit featured in the summer of 2000. It was designed for families with children from infants to age 9, but was also very fun for adults. I visited Splash Zone early in that summer and spoke with Andy Case, the special projects coordinator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He was on the team that created Splash Zone.

Andy Case recommends “Tropical Nature,” by Adrian Forsyth & Ken Miyata.

Originally Broadcast: June 27, 2000

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The Wonder of Boys & A Fine Young Man

Boys do not have an easy time growing up and maturing in our complex world these days. The same standard of behavior is frequently expected of boys and girls, often without recognizing the special and different needs of boys. Testosterone is a prime mover in the shaping of boys’ behavior resulting in their special and different needs. This is a two-part program from the archives of Radio Curious with Michael Gurian, the author of a 1997 book entitled, “The Wonder of Boys: What Parents, Mentors and Educators Can Do To Shape Boys Into Exceptional Men.” I spoke with Michael Gurian in January of 1998 from his home in Spokane, Washington.

Michael Gurian recommends “Sex on the Brain,” by Deborah Blum & “Beyond the Birds and the Bees,” Beverly Engle.

Originally Broadcast: January 23, 1998 & January 30, 1998

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The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls

Advertising has had a major effect on how we view our bodies and on our individual self-image. The history of how this advertising has come to affect American girls as they pass through menarche and adolescence is presented in a book called “The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls.” This book describes the historical roots of acute societal and psychological pressures that girls feel today. It shows how the female adolescent experience has changed since 1895. The author, Joan Jacobs Brumberg, is a Professor of History and Women’s Studies at Cornell University in New York. In this two-part program, I spoke Professor Brumberg in October of 1997 and asked her what drew her to write “The Body Project.”

Joan Jacobs Brumberg recommends “Learning to Bow,” by Bruce Feiler & “The Grass Link,” by May Vinchi.

Originally Broadcast: October 14, 1997 & October 21, 1997

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America’s Future: Transition into the 21st Century

William Boyer, a Professor Emeritus and the former Chairman of the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Hawaii, is the author of a book called “America’s Future: Transition into the 21st Century.” In this program, we discussed the rights of future generations, how to protect those rights, what they are, and what right we have to determine the rights of future generations. This program was originally broadcast in March of 1993, when Radio Curious was called Government, Politics and Ideas.

Originally Broadcast: March 30, 1993

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