U.S. students rank below 30th in math, 23rd in science, 17th in reading out of 30 developed countries (Dec 2010 OECD-PISA results). In 1995, the United States was #1 in the world in college graduation rate. In 2005, it was 15th. 90% of American students cannot find Afghanistan on a map. (Roper/National Geographic poll) 91%…
Hello Readers and Adventurers! Our shared planet is rich with art, music, poetry, spices, dance, language, and many, many stories. Every day people are becoming more connected across neighborhoods, countries, continents, and oceans – let’s join them! Across the U.S., our libraries have adopted the summer reading theme “One World, Many Stories.” This offers a…
TEDxNYED Homa Tavangar video link Earlier in March I had the great honor of joining several hundred people committed to innovation in education in various forms, for the TEDxNYED conference. The speaker roster, folks behind the scenes and participants I met (like Nathan Dudley of the NY Harbor School) truly inspired me, with their sincerity,…
Imagine what it’s like when musicians from disparate countries, playing diverse instruments, dedicated to different genres come together on one stage, having never met each other before. Initially the collaboration produces dissonance, but among skilled practitioners dedicated to their craft, disharmony transforms into harmony and something altogether new forms. This is what took place in…
With all the talk of “Restoring Honor” and taking back our country, I’ve been thinking a lot about the changes in America that feel so threatening to some. We are living through revolutions in just about every sphere of life. Some revolutions can be terrific. Like the American Revolution. Or the technological revolution that enabled…
I can’t resist passing along this advertising campaign from AT&T. Each of the seven images below conveys a powerful message by showcasing hand positions painted to reflect icons of diverse cultures. (Altogether there are about 30 such images, by Guido Daniele; find them here.) Show your kids as an example of creativity amidst vibrancy of…
