If you have a chance to watch Netflix’s “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal,” you really should. We all know the gist of what happened, but the documentary sheds so much light on the details. And because there were countless wiretaps involved, you actually hear the conversations that were being had! If you’re curious, here were my biggest takeaways ( all 100% my opinion, obviously, not making legal assertions here! ): 1. The parents absolutely knew wha

With colleges dropping the SAT left and right — and the recent announcement that they’re dropping the essay and subject tests — it’s normal to feel a reluctant pang of sympathy for a dying rite of passage. Here’s the thing, though: The College Board (the organization that runs the SAT) is stronger than ever. Most people don’t know that the AP program is also managed by The College Board, so while people celebrate the end of a standardized test…we’re unwittingly letting them

With more schools announcing  virtual-only learning for the fall , parents, students, and teachers alike are wondering what the long-term academic effect will be on students. I can’t tell you, but here’s what I know: there are few things more beneficial for the human psyche than a good book. We’ve probably all heard someone say, “That book changed my life,” but there are also studies showing it may  slow cognitive decline ,  help you live longer ,  reduce stress levels ,  imp

Well, hello! After a week off for the 4th of July, I returned to find that my local school district announced some big changes for the fall.  People are being asked to decide whether they want  100% in-person  or  100% virtual  schooling. To be honest, I don’t know if I’d be comfortable with either of these options.  Has your school made any announcements yet? In episode 31 of the Vocabbett podcast, I discuss how I fear our education system is following in the footsteps of th

There’s an old quote that the world is a book, and those who don’t travel read only one page. I quite agree, but I have my own little spin on it—that those who don’t read live only one life.  I can’t imagine how much less rich my life would be if I’d only lived in this time and space. Because of books, I feel like I’ve gotten to live in Henry VIII’s court, been chased by lions in the Colosseum, the list goes on…! I recently read an excellent summer reading book called Salt t

In  the last episode  of the Vocabbett podcast, I suggested that a more autonomous trend might emerge in education in a post-COVID-19 world.  That episode largely spoke to parents and students. In this bonus episode, I want to speak to  educators  about how we can make changes to the existing framework to better respect and nurture the students in our care.  Are you an educator who doesn’t want to walk away from the existing system, but knows that changes need to be made? Her