The Follow-Up: Why the School System is Broken

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

The American school system was built to measure performance but at what cost? In this Follow Up episode, Dr. Mona sits down with Lauren Smith, a former educator and nationally certified school psychologist, to unpack how our current approach to education fuels anxiety, burnout, and perfectionism in kids.

They dive into the ripple effects of over-testing, constant competition, and the push to perform that begins as early as kindergarten. From standardized tests to college rankings, the conversation explores how a culture obsessed with metrics is stealing creativity, rest, and joy from learning — and what real change could look like.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why kids are more anxious than ever about school and grades

• How over-testing and Common Core shape classroom pressure

• The downstream effects of perfectionism on teens and college students

• How teacher burnout connects to testing culture

• What other countries are doing differently — and better

• Why “slowing down” might be the most radical educational reform

Want more? Listen to the full, original episode.

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