Margo Howard's Sage Advice Enters a New Venue

Margo Howard's wildly popular advice column "Dear Margo" reaches millions of readers in print and online, but this fall her words of wisdom will fall on a new set of ears when Pat Watson brings the "Dear Margo" column into her fifth-grade classroom.
"I've decided that my 5th graders (I've been a teacher for many years) would benefit from 'Margo's' special brand of insight and advice," elementary school teacher Pat Watson explained in an email to Howard this week. "I've decided to choose some of your letters (only those with suitable content for 5th graders) to share with my students next year."
Howard's advice, penned for various audiences throughout her illustrious 30-year career, will now reach her youngest -- and perhaps toughest -- audience yet. Watson plans to have the students use critical thinking skills to try and respond to the tough questions that "Dear Margo" deals with every week.
"It would be fun to have them [the students] respond first, and then see what Margo has to say," writes Watson. Howard, who grew up learning how to dole out wisdom and witticisms from her mother Eppie Lederer (a.k.a. Ann Landers), may herself end up inspiring the next generation of advice columnists.
By incorporating Howard's column into the classroom, Watson hopes to give the children a chance not only to think critically about real problems, but also to offer them exposure to a strong adult role model.
"Logical adult role models are worth their weight in premium chocolate," Watson quips.
Howard, who initially followed in her mother's advice-giving footsteps with an eight year run of "Dear Prudence" for the online magazine Slate now pens a column in her own name, "Dear Margo." The column is syndicated in newspapers around the world as well as on Yahoo! and other websites.
You can read
Margo's advice for yourself on her Creators.com page.