Esther Wojcicki has spent more than four decades proving one simple idea: children rise to the level of trust we place in them. As a legendary journalism teacher, a bestselling author, and the mother of three remarkably accomplished daughters, she has shaped how a generation of parents and educators think about raising confident, capable, and kind children.
The Teacher Behind a Media Empire of Students
In 1984, Esther took over a small journalism class of about 20 students at Palo Alto High School. She did the opposite of what teacher training told her to do. Instead of running a compliance-based classroom, she handed her students real responsibility: real deadlines, real publications, real editorial decisions. The program grew into one of the largest and most respected scholastic media programs in the United States, with hundreds of students and multiple award-winning publications.
Her alumni include Oscar-nominated actor James Franco, NBA player Jeremy Lin, and thousands of journalists, founders, and creators who credit her classroom with teaching them to think for themselves. Steve Jobs, whose daughter studied in the program, was among its admirers.
The T.R.I.C.K. Method
Everything Esther teaches, in the classroom and at home, rests on five values. She spent 35 years refining them before publishing the framework in How to Raise Successful People. Together they spell T.R.I.C.K., and they form the backbone of every guide on this site.
The method is deliberately simple. Trust your child with real responsibility. Respect her as an individual with her own gifts. Give her the independence to try, fail, and try again. Collaborate with her instead of dictating to her. And model the kindness you want her to carry into the world. Esther’s teaching mantra, “I do, we do, you do,” turns those values into a practical habit: model the skill, practice it together, then step back and let your child own it.
“The goal of parenting is to raise a child who doesn’t need you anymore.”
Esther Wojcicki
A Method Proven at Home
Esther and her late husband Stanley Wojcicki, a Stanford physics professor, raised three daughters in Palo Alto. All three grew into leaders in their fields. Susan Wojcicki served as CEO of YouTube for nine years and was one of Google’s earliest employees. Janet Wojcicki is a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. Anne Wojcicki co-founded the genetics company 23andMe and led it as CEO.
Esther is quick to point out that the method is not about producing CEOs. It is about raising children who feel supported enough to pursue their own dreams, whatever those turn out to be. Success, in her definition, is a person who believes in her own ability to make decisions.
Author, Speaker, and Education Reformer
How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results (2019) became an international bestseller and brought the T.R.I.C.K. Method to parents around the world. Her earlier book, Moonshots in Education (2015), laid out her vision for student-driven, technology-enabled learning. She has served as Vice Chair of Creative Commons, advised education programs globally, and co-founded learning platforms that put her philosophy directly in the hands of students and families.
Her life and work are the subject of the documentary The Godmother of Silicon Valley, which traces her journey from a strict immigrant household to the classroom that changed Silicon Valley.
Start With the Method Itself
Learn the five values Esther spent 35 years refining, and how to use them with your child this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Esther Wojcicki?
Esther Wojcicki is an American educator, journalist, and bestselling author known as the Godmother of Silicon Valley. She founded the Palo Alto High School Media Arts Program, created the T.R.I.C.K. parenting method, and wrote How to Raise Successful People. She reviews all content on ParentingChildren.com.
What is the T.R.I.C.K. Method?
T.R.I.C.K. stands for Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration, and Kindness. It is Esther Wojcicki’s five-value framework for raising confident, capable, and compassionate children, developed over 35 years of teaching and parenting.
Why is Esther Wojcicki called the Godmother of Silicon Valley?
Her Palo Alto High School journalism program shaped generations of students who went on to lead in tech, media, and the arts, and her three daughters became prominent leaders in technology and medicine. Her influence on both students and families across Silicon Valley earned her the nickname.
What books has Esther Wojcicki written?
Her best-known book is How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results (2019). She also wrote Moonshots in Education: Launching Blended Learning in the Classroom (2015).
What does Esther Wojcicki do on ParentingChildren.com?
Esther is the site’s content reviewer. Every article is written by Caroline Brin and reviewed by Esther to ensure it accurately reflects the T.R.I.C.K. Method and evidence-based positive parenting practices.
Written by Caroline Brin.