I’ve written before about Freakonomics‘ Stephen J. Dubner and his blog series on the value of college. The economics professors he interviewed were able to address issues such as the cost of a college degree and how that weighs against the prospective earnings of college graduates. They were also able to draw direct connections between the amount of education that a person receives and his productivity and happiness. But there was one question about the value of college that none of them were able to answer, and that is how college transforms students (a pet topic of mine). For this, he had to turn to three college professors who taught in the History, English, and Media Studies departments at his alma mater. Each professor taught a course in which Dubner experienced a transformative moment that helped shape who he is today. He brought all three of them together to talk about those lessons he still carries with him, and what resulted was this delightful and heartfelt podcast. It touched the student in me who would love to have the opportunity to bring together all my favorite teachers to thank them for those formative lessons. And as an educator it was a gentle reminder that we can never know when and how we affect the lives of the people we teach.


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