Category Archives: Education

An Angel Packs a Suitcase

Posted on December 15, 2012 by

Politicians and business leaders demand that schools prepare students for the future, but the future is notoriously difficult to predict. Which future shall we prepare them for? Star Trek  or The Hunger Games? How can we responsibly prepare students for whatever the … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism, Education | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

An Imperfect Conduit

Posted on October 1, 2012 by

“… what they did for this country is still etched in the minds of not only you, but millions of Americans, forever. That’s why it’s so important that this memorial be preserved and go on for our children and our … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Volta | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Teach the Timeless

Posted on July 15, 2012 by

Version 6.0, 2012 Did you ever see “Shift Happens”? You might remember it as the “Did You Know?” presentation, full of startling statistics about the relative populations of China, India and the United States, and about the exponential growth of … Continue reading →

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Vocation, Virtue, and Jerry Sandusky

Posted on June 23, 2012 by

Jerry Sandusky, convicted serial abuser of vulnerable children, got away with molesting boys for decades because of a deeply-ingrained belief in American culture that football coaches are inherently virtuous. Football coaches at all levels, from peewee to the NFL, are … Continue reading →

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What We Got for $140,000

Posted on June 15, 2012 by

Tomorrow, my daughter graduates 8th grade, bringing an end to her twelve years of Waldorf education. She’s been a student at Green Meadow Waldorf School since she was three years old, longer than she can remember. To her, Waldorf school … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Motherhood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

This Essay is Not Living Up to Its Potential

Posted on April 1, 2012 by

You’re not working up to your potential! Raise your hand if your teachers told you this when you were growing up. Wow! That many of you! That’s a LOT of unlived-up-to potential! Let us pause for a moment and imagine … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Motherhood, Volta | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Overthrow of the Queen

Posted on March 15, 2012 by

When my daughter Grace was in the second grade, she staged a small, gentle revolution against a powerful person. Now 14 ½ and in eighth grade, she wrote the following memoir for an English assignment: The Small Rebellion By Grace … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Motherhood | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Post-Apocalyptic Career Counseling, Part III

Posted on March 1, 2012 by

III. Conclusion If not even an Ivy League education is a guarantee of success, then what is? Well, the employment rate among neurosurgeons remains encouragingly high, if you have the hands for that kind of work. The Bureau of Labor … Continue reading →

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Post-Apocalyptic Career Counseling, Part II

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

II. Life Beyond the Success Algorithm “My whole life, I had been doing everything everybody told me. I went to the right school. I got really good grades. I got all the internships. Then, I couldn’t do anything.” –Rebecca Chapman, … Continue reading →

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Post-Apocalyptic Career Counseling, Part I

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

I. Demise of the Standard-Issue Career Advice What are you telling the rising generation about how to succeed in the post-apocalyptic economy? Is it something like this? Pay attention to your teachers, do your homework, and study for your tests. … Continue reading →

Posted in Criticism, Education | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments