Education
Keep academic authority in human hands
In an otherwise insightful, hopeful, and at times even beautiful, piece in the New Yorker in April, Princeton Professor of History D. Graham Burnett makes one critical error: Compared to the rise of AI, he remarks, the Trump administration’s frightening invasions into university affairs seems like a “sideshow.” But these are not two separate problems on two parallel tracks.…
Read MoreLiberation from the Craze of Algorithms
When’s the last time you looked at a plant? I mean you felt the ridges and veins of its leaves, rubbed the scented wax on your fingers, felt how its body shaped the wind…. If you have ever really examined any representative of this wonderful group of organisms, you might understand the gravitational pull…
Read MoreThe Troubles of Boys
Millions of words have been thrown at the vexing question; what’s wrong with boys and men? Boys are comparably less successful than girls in schools. They are statistically disadvantaged in college admissions and are now the minority in medical schools and law schools. Boys and men have a four times higher suicide rate. These…
Read MoreBooks are meant to be read
Throughout high school, reading was one of my greatest loves. By immersing myself in literature, I was able to engage in a dialogue with unfamiliar voices and experiences, all while gaining deeper insights into my own identity. Upon arriving at Princeton, I carried my love of language with me. I spent hours on readings…
Read MoreRight Feelings, Right Time
The emotional life of a teenager is hard to navigate—for parents and teachers, too A review of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour For latchkey kids like me growing up in the 1980s, teenage angst was a collective character trait. Popular songs like “Don’t You (Forget…
Read MoreHow Smartphones Are Rewiring Children: The Anxious Generation Review
[Editor’s note: Our archives contain several years of excellent articles, most of which remain relevant and important to today’s young people and the adults who work with them. This one is a “Director’s Choice” that we are reposting this week.] In Jonathan Haidt’s justly acclaimed new book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of…
Read MoreSchool’s Out
Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it. –Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland This is my story. It’s the story of a life spent in schools—as student, teacher, administrator, parent, trustee, guardian ad litem, and tutor. It’s the story of disillusion and hope. Revelation It began when I was 12 and riding…
Read MoreEnding honors classes punishes student success
Recently, Troy School District eliminated its honors course offerings in science and English. They are not alone, detracking, or getting rid of specialized tracks for talented students, is spreading across the nation as an increasing number of schools remove honors, Advanced Placement and other advanced course offerings. It’s not just Troy, and it is not just in Michigan: Leading…
Read MoreLearning to unlearn
“I just don’t think it’s necessary to hit your children,” my friend said with a frown. She picked up another fry and reached for the ketchup packet. “Like, why would you want to hurt your own child?” I stopped chewing for a second to answer, “It’s a cultural thing. It’s not a big deal.…
Read MorePrinceton needs to take academic breaks seriously
Every Princeton student knows the struggle of balancing academics with rest over breaks. Whether it be submitting an essay draft due at the start of fall break or finishing a presentation for the Monday following break, it isn’t uncommon for course deadlines to fall on one of the three formal breaks provided for students during the…
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