In this first segment of a two-part interview series, economist Diane Schanzenbach talks with us about her work in public policy and higher ed, including her research into the food stamp program.
"Is academia a frivolous waste of time when we could be telling people about Jesus, or is there a deeper significance to a life of learning? And if learning is worthwhile on an eternal scale, are some questions more worthy than others?" Anna Plantinga reflects on these important questions.
In my first week teaching, I printed my syllabi four times. The first time I mistyped dates (despite all my careful checking), the second time I mistyped dates again, and on the third attempt I set the copier to single instead of double sided copies...
This past summer, after taking five months off to be with my newborn, I went back to work. My department chair was, I think, trying to do me a solid, and he assigned me to teach two online classes. This made my days completely flexible...
There is an old education cartoon where a woman is standing in front of a body huddled under the bedcovers, just its toes peeking out, saying, “I know the kids don't like you and they pick on you, but you have to go to school...