Esther Wojcicki: Godmother of Silicon Valley, legendary teacher, and mother of a super-family
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Esther Wojcicki, an educator, author, and mother, shares her approach to education and raising successful children in a conversation with Guy Kawasaki on the Remarkable People podcast. She believes in the TRICK approach, which stands for trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness. Esther emphasizes the importance of these values in achieving success. She reflects on how being a girl forced her to overcome adversity and believes that an optimal level of adversity is necessary for personal growth. However, too little or too much adversity can be problematic. Esther believes that a successful child is one who feels happy and supported in achieving their goals, regardless of societal standards or attending prestigious schools. She disagrees with the controlling approach to parenting described in Amy Chua's book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" and emphasizes the importance of children believing in themselves and being able to navigate challenges independently. Esther also addresses the stress that children feel from their parents' anxiety about their future and encourages parents to support their children's choices. She believes in giving kids more autonomy and allowing them to be in charge. Esther discusses the use of Wikipedia as a source of information in education and believes that it is a great source. She acknowledges the challenge of changing traditional teaching methods and curriculum and believes that education needs to adapt to the 21st century. Esther emphasizes the importance of trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness in parenting and education. She believes that parents should trust their instincts and trust their children. Esther shares a story about George Dantzig, a graduate student who mistakenly assumed a math problem on the board was homework and solved it, highlighting the importance of grit. She advises quitting when there is no hope for success or happiness. Esther discusses the importance of understanding and liking math and suggests teaching its practical applications to make it more relevant. She is proud of her TRICK method and its impact on education. Guy Kawasaki highlights the importance of creativity, independence, and innovation in education and business.
Esther Wojcicki, an educator, author, and mother, shares her approach to education and raising succe