Crossroads News
Renowned Psychologist/Author Visits Crossroads
Madeline Levine, Ph.D. addresses parents, faculty and staff.
In November, Crossroads welcomed guest speaker Madeline Levine, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of the books “The Price of Privilege” and “Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success.” On Nov. 19, Madeline addressed 350 parents from Crossroads, PS 1 and Wildwood School. The following day, she spoke to 150 faculty and staff members from all three schools.
In her presentations, Madeline discussed the impossibly high expectations put on children today, particularly from well-off families. “Kids from affluent families face unremitting pressure to be good not at something, but at everything,” she noted. This pressure can result in depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
Madeline proposed an alternate approach to raising and teaching children, one that acknowledges that not every student will get into an Ivy League school and that success comes in many forms. She stressed the importance of instilling traits that happy and productive adults possess, including emotional intelligence and resilience, and promoted project-based learning to impart lessons in a tangible, hands-on way.
Environmental and Outdoor Education Chair North Moench attended the faculty and staff presentation. He found Madeline’s ideas particularly meaningful for Middle Schoolers. “She confirmed my strong belief that experiential education is of utter importance for these students,” he says. “The structure of our current education system can hinder and dampen the zest for learning that this age group possesses. We need to find every way we can to make learning an interactive experience for all of our students.”
