The review examines John Holt's 'How Children Fail', critiquing traditional education and suggesting modern alternatives to improve learning. Longer summary

This book review discusses John Holt's 'How Children Fail', a critique of traditional schooling methods. The reviewer, who read the book as a child, presents Holt's observations on why children struggle in school, including issues with strategy, fear, and boredom. The review explores how school's structure, with its focus on external motivation and accountability, can hinder natural learning processes. It also touches on the long-term psychological effects of schooling and the trade-off between efficiency and control in education. The reviewer concludes by suggesting that modern technology might offer solutions to some of the problems Holt identified, and calls for rethinking our approach to education in light of recent disruptions to traditional schooling. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reviews 'The Cult of Smart' by Freddie DeBoer, praising its main arguments while criticizing several aspects, particularly DeBoer's stance on education reform. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews Freddie DeBoer's book 'The Cult of Smart', which argues that intelligence is largely innate and that society's obsession with academic achievement is misguided. The review praises the book's main theses but criticizes DeBoer's arguments on race, meritocracy, and education reform. Alexander particularly takes issue with DeBoer's support for expanding public education despite acknowledging its limitations, leading to a passionate critique of the school system as harmful to children. Shorter summary