MomThink

Bans on Smartphones in the Classroom Gain Favor Across Political Spectrum 0
- Education, MomThink
- July 1, 2024
The school year is over, and the results should leave parents and educators with more anxiety than relief. Achievement scores are near historical lows and student absenteeism is high. There is some bipartisan agreement, though, on classroom management that could help students begin to rebound in the fall: Prohibit smartphones in classrooms. Earlier this year, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb,
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My Favorite Patriotic Recipes for Independence Day 4
- Culture, Featured, MomThink
- June 28, 2024
Independence Day is just around the corner! I’m planning to celebrate with a feast. What better things to cook than classic American recipes? Much of what we think of as “American food” actually comes from Western Europe where the majority of immigration to our country originated. Most of the immigrants were poor, simple, and hardy,
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What Do ‘Good Schools’ Look Like? It Depends on What Parents Want 0
- Education, Family, MomThink
- June 28, 2024
I often hear people in the education world, especially those who are more rooted in traditional schooling models, express concern about the “quality” and “outcomes” of the innovative schools and spaces now emerging. “How do we know these are ‘good’ schools with high academic achievement and strong outcomes for students?” they’ll ask. My response is always some
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In Defense of the Freedom to Be Wrong 0
- Philosophy, Education, MomThink
- June 27, 2024
It is the rare fortune of these days that one may think what one likes and say what one thinks. —Tacitus It’s very important for institutions of concentrated power to keep people alone and isolated: that way they’re ineffective, they can’t defend themselves against indoctrination, they can’t even figure out what they think. —Noam Chomsky
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Four Reasons Why People Are Choosing Not to Have Children 0
- Family, Culture, MomThink
- June 26, 2024
North Carolina State University Professor (Emeritus) Mike Walden is known for explaining complex issues in ways understandable to the general reader. That is unusual among scholars. Three “economic thrillers” written by Professor Walden and his wife M.E. Whitman Walden, Micro Mayhem (2006), Macro Mayhem (2006) and Fiscal Fiasco (2014), show how they do it. Professor Walden just posted a short, down-to-earth
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Under the Influence of Our Stuff: Lessons From an Old Sears Catalog 3
- Culture, Featured, History, MomThink
- June 25, 2024
We are under the influence of our stuff—home décor and furnishings, fast fashion, modern art, and too much more—and it’s slowly gnawing away at our contentment and human potential. What prompted this realization? Some old Sears catalogs, actually. And a love for antiques, the reason for which I couldn’t quite put into words. But let
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