Against the Grain

Educating for Happiness or Money?

What’s the point of education?  The prevailing wisdom today is that children need to be prepared for eventually joining the job market, and that an investment in schools is an investment in the future productivity of the country.  But what would schooling look like if the value of education was not monetary, but something deeper, such as the child’s lifelong wellbeing or happiness?  Developmental psychologist Susan Engel discusses why training shouldn’t be confused with education. She explores alternatives to the ways children are currently taught.

Resources:

Susan Engel, The End of the Rainbow: How Educating for Happiness (Not Money) Would Transform Our Schools New Press, 2016

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