Nancy Devlin

Nancy Devlin
BornFebruary 21. 1929
DiedJanuary 19, 2022 (aged 92)
OccupationsEducational psychologist, author, columnist
Known for"Today’s Parents" column Parenting and education advocacy
SpouseTom Devlin
Children
  • Paul Devlin (producer)
  • Tom Devlin
  • Mark Devlin

Nancy Devlin (February 21, 1929 – January 19, 2022) was an American educational psychologist, author, and columnist. She was born in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York during the Great Depression.

She earned degrees from Hunter College and later received a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Career

Devlin worked for more than 20 years as a psychologist in the Princeton public schools and lectured at Rutgers University.

Publications

Columns and letters to the editor

Devlin became widely known for her weekly Today's Parents column in The Star-Ledger, writing nearly 700 articles on parenting, education, and child development during the 1980s and 1990s. Her work emphasized the importance of family relationships and communication between parents and children.

Selected columns

Books

Travels and personal life

In the 1950s, Devlin taught children of U.S. military families in Germany, Denmark, and Japan. Afterward, she traveled across Asia, Africa, and South America.

She later married physicist Thomas J. Devlin. They had three sons: Paul Devlin, Tom Devlin, and Mark J. Devlin.

Death

Devlin died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 19, 2022, at the age of 92 after suffering a stroke.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Miles, Gary (February 3, 2022). "Nancy Devlin, educational psychologist, author, and newspaper columnist, dies at 92". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  2. 1 2 3 "Nancy Devlin, former Star-Ledger columnist, dies". Nj.com. January 31, 2022.
  3. ↑ Devlin, Nancy (1985-09-01). "New Jersey Opinion; The Dangers of Labeling Children". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  4. ↑ "Opinion | Socially Anxious? Or Just Plain Shy?". The New York Times. 2007-09-27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  5. ↑ "Turn off TV and Talk with Tot". The Saginaw News. 1999-08-10. p. 26. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  6. ↑ "Parents should be involved in teacher selection". The Kalamazoo Gazette. 1996-08-15. p. 46. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  7. ↑ "Don't let ads con you into buying gifts that disappoint". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 1996-12-16. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  8. ↑ "Individual assessment needed before deciding child makes grade". The Houston Chronicle. 1997-05-15. p. 62. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  9. ↑ "Harsh discipline is never for a child's 'own good'". The Times. 1999-08-29. p. 139. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  10. ↑ "IQ tests don't measure innate intelligence". The Times. 1999-06-13. p. 149. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  11. ↑ "Best role models teach children to 'Do as I do"". The Times. 1999-01-10. p. 167. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  12. ↑ "Child's burnout at risk". The Times. 1999-09-12. p. 86. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  13. ↑ "Too much homework can harm kids and parents". The Times. 1998-10-11. p. 137. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  14. ↑ "Drawbacks to giving children all the best". The Times. 1998-07-26. p. 135. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  15. ↑ "Homework fails to make the grade". The Times. 1997-10-05. p. 141. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  16. ↑ "Helping kids develop and keep friendships". The Times. 1998-09-13. p. 159. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  17. ↑ "Legacy of divorce need not be passed down". The Times. 1998-04-05. p. 149. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  18. ↑ "Emphasis on SAT takes toll on students, schools". The Times. 1999-01-31. p. 123. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  19. ↑ "No such thing as 'non-abusive spanking'". The Times. 1996-12-15. p. 154. Retrieved 2026-05-18.