Kerry McDonald

Kerry McDonald

Contributor

Kerry McDonald is a Senior Contributor for Intellectual Takeout. She has a B.A. in economics from Bowdoin College and a Master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University. Follow her on Twitter.

Recent blog posts by this author

Pediatricians Are Now Writing ‘Play Prescriptions’

Kids need to play. It seems like an obvious statement, as central to childhood as eating peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches and chasing fireflies. For generations, parents have known that a play-filled childhood is essential for healthy physical and...

Should Parents Have the Right to Choose a Safe School?

As back-to-school time approaches, parents are bracing for school-related trauma. The threat of bullying, violence, school shootings, and mental health maladies looms large as a new school year emerges. A 2018 PDK poll found that one-third...

How My Unschooled Child Learned to Read Financial Statements (It Started with Silly YouTube Videos)

It started with a “Dude Perfect” video on YouTube. A couple of years ago, when Jack was very interested in basketball, he found these guys who create fun videos about making baskets with all sorts of twists and turns. He continued to watch...

When Playing Hooky Leads to Police Investigations, Interrogations, and Fines

With Memorial Day Weekend approaching, many Americans may hit the road early to avoid traffic to their favorite holiday destinations, or catch a Thursday flight to make a weekend stay at Grandma’s less rushed. For some German families, who...

In the Wake of Mass Shootings, Parents Reconsider Mass Schooling

In the wake of recent tragic school shootings, anxious parents are contemplating homeschooling to protect their children. After February’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, the Miami Herald reported that more parents were considering the...

Homeschooling Freedoms Are Under Threat. Will Parents Defend Them?

Homeschoolers today have it easy. Many of us were in diapers when, in 1977, educator John Holt created Growing Without Schooling, the first newsletter to connect and encourage homeschooling families. Holt and other social reformers provided the...

We Don't Give Our Kids Exams. But That Does Not Mean They Are Not Tested.

"If you don't teach them, how will they ever learn?" "If you give them freedom, how will they gain discipline?" "Without schooling, won't they just do nothing all day?" These questions are only a sampling of the typical unschooler's...

Utah Gives Parents the Right to Parent

For parents in Utah, it is now legal for their children to walk or bike to and from school without an accompanying adult. They can also let their kids play outside unsupervised, and be allowed to stay at home unattended. These newfound freedoms...

Creativity Scores in America Have Steadily Declined Since 1990. Why?

Prompted by my nine-year-old’s son’s emerging interest in photography, I have been introduced to the life and legacy of Ansel Adams, the renowned 20th-century American landscape photographer. As a curious and energetic child, with an innate need to...

Why Using the Turpin Family’s House of Horrors to Attack Homeschooling is Dishonest (and Unwise)

Horrific crimes and violent acts tug at our collective heart strings. When other humans are harmed, we rightfully feel empathy and anger. We should use these moments as opportunities for reflection and conversation, but we should be careful to not...