Edutopia - there IS such a place

Education has several root words, educare; to draw out from within, rear, or educere; to lead.
Topia; a place, it differs from Utopia - which derives from ou+topos, or 'no place.'

In 1991 The George Lucas Educational Foundation founded an online fountain of resources for educators. The website, edutopia, designs and distributes content across multiple media platforms. It is now a flourishing harbor of online dialogue, sharing and innovation across educational spheres.

It is an example of motion towards 21st century education.


Why? Because it is offering a place where educators can feel a sense of community and support in pioneering new methods and inspired ways of engaging students today. The architecture of schools and classrooms needs restructuring in order to be pertinent to both students and teachers. The old models are not working. In education and economics, the United States is gradually being overshadowed by other nation's supremacy. This is a call to action. Obama too is insisting that teachers across America rise to the occasion and become masters in their field.

In his address to the National Urban League last week Obama said,

“Our goal isn’t to fire or admonish teachers,”

Rather, he said the “Race to the Top” program, which provides additional federal funds to local schools that meet administration standards — and a companion effort to overhaul the nation’s 5,000 worst schools — were ultimately aimed at giving good teachers higher salaries, more support, from supplies to smaller classes, and more training to provide them with career opportunities and financial rewards. About $4 billion is being invested in each initiative.

“All I’m asking in return, as a president and as a parent,” Mr. Obama continued, “is a measure of accountability. Surely we can agree that even as we applaud teachers for their hard work, we need to make sure they’re delivering results in the classroom. If they’re not, let’s work with them to help them be more effective. And if that fails, let’s find the right teacher for that classroom. (NYT's article)”

He then went on to explain that this is very different from the Bush legacy of 'No Child Left Behind,' which commenced a sort of punishment or failure policy for schools. Obama said the Federal government will be working with the entire community. I agree that the education debate must become more of a community affair. Teachers have too long experienced a sense of isolation and lack of support.

It is encouraging that George Lucas is using his advanced post in the media world for educational evolution. I believe that more of us, across disciplines, can cross the threshold. Education is not just for teachers and students. It is for our collective future. The more involvement at a community level, the more advancement in schools. So, even if you aren't a teacher, maybe check out edutopia and start dialoguing, sharing and promoting 21st century education in schools. It starts with educating ourselves.

In Paris, a daily paper for kids

'Daily Paper for kids Defies the Digital' -Paris Journal in the NYT's

To me, there is still a distinct difference between reading a book or the paper, compared to getting news on the computer, ipad, or iphone. It may be environmentally sound, yet, the tangibility of getting world news on paper is irreplaceable. And so what about the present generation of youth? Will they not know the sense of empowerment that is possible from browsing the daily paper?

In Paris, François Dufour, a successful entrepreneur in the field of education founded 'Mon Quotidien,' or My Daily, a newspaper for 10-14 year olds. The newspaper was started in 1995, and within three years circulation had reached over 50,000 copies. The paper's success allowed them to branch out with two more papers, one for 7-10 year-olds and another for 14-17 year-olds. There are a few full time adult staff, but everyday a group of preadolescents sit around a table and discuss content. The paper boasts interesting, quirky, and positive happenings that both appeal to and inspire youth. It also has games, cartoons and headlines.

There is something very clever and unique about this approach in our specific era. The fact that youth are being engaged in the formation of the daily paper means that it will be relevant to the targeted audience. Also, too many youth in too many nations are not participating in civic affairs and therefore are not developing a sense of responsibility or stake in global matters. We cannot afford to have uninformed citizens anymore. So I applaud François in using the money he made in the early 90's in such an encouraging way. Although numbers of French citizens who buy newspapers is diminishing, it seems that parents still value the substance of a good paper for their kids. Ah bon!

Don't forget to bring your visa to school

"Three decades after the Supreme Court ruled that immigration violations cannot be used as a basis to deny children equal access to a public school education, one in five school districts in New York State is routinely requiring a child’s immigration papers as a prerequisite to enrollment, or asking parents for information that only lawful immigrants can provide."

- New York Times, 7/22/10

The United States has the greatest number of immigrants worldwide, and almost one quarter of all youth are of immigrant origin. The stories of these individuals cannot be translated in simple terms, immigration is a family affair that webs with complex and sometimes traumatic turns. Children are the veritable fruit borne of immigration, says Marcelo and Carola Suarez-Orozco, NYU professors of Immigration. Children are often the driving force behind a parent's choice to immigrate, they take on responsibilities in the new country, and all too often are tragically separated from their families.

"What are the consequences of this systemic wreckage on the lives of children?"

The reality of Immigration in the United States is a crisis. Suarez-Orozco, in their Huffington Post blog, define the system as 'broken.' And Carola Suarez-Orozco goes on to describe the kind of psychological affects this broken system has on the lives of children. In the United States there are 11 or 12 million undocumented immigrants, the sheer proportion of this number elucidates a great breach in our system.

"They unmask a policy architecture that is at once misaligned with the realities of global migration and plagued by unclear, contradictory, and unrealistic objectives. The result is an immigration system largely irrelevant to any rational labor market objectives, the integrity of the family, the vicissitudes of labor and business, and the requirements of citizenship and social cohesion in the 21st Century."

The issue of immigration has for too long been steeped with misinformation and irrelevance. The fact that children are potentially being deprived of their right to education is unconstitutional. In anticipation of Federal Immigration Reform many States have passed their own initiatives; some of these, like the Visa requirement in schools in NY state are a perpetuation of racial profiling and discrimination. Rather than providing the necessary continuity of schooling, children without proper papers are continuously plagued with fear; Fear of family separation, and the unease of a watchful eye at school.

The immigration debate is one that must be talked about in classrooms. Children and teachers need to be prepared to face and unpack the reality of immigration today. Almost one quarter (16 million) of youth in the U.S. are of immigrant origin - And it is predicted that over 1 third of youth in 2040 will be of immigrant households (Suarez-Orozco). So, how are we fitting this reality into the picture? Both our schools and policy need dramatic restructuring.

Helping classrooms face the world

"Facing History's work is based on the premise that we need to — and can— teach civic responsibility, tolerance, and social action to young people, as a way of fostering moral adulthood. If we do not educate students for dignity and equity, then we have failed both them and ourselves."

This organization actually engages the darker side of human affairs in classrooms and communities through innovative, incorporated history lessons. Their mission is grounded in participatory pedagogy that links the individual to their world and shared global history. They have developed original curriculum which is used in more than 120 countries by over 50,000 educators. Their teaching models use a human-based approach and engage issues of identity in learning how to link the past with the present, thus gaining forethought for the future.

It is of essence that youth are given the information they need to make the right choices for a peaceful future for all people. This will require dialogue, the capacity to face oneself, and bitter lessons of history.

"We all have these elements within us the ability to be a Perpetrator, bystander or hero.
This class says you have have a choice. It prepares you to do the right thing.
It teaches us to acknowledge the suffering of others and do all we can to stop the violence that causes such suffering. That's all you can ask of yourself."

-Student, Facing History and Ourselves

Their website provides a fount of resources for teachers.

Sudanese Proverb

We desire to bequest two things to our children--
the first one is roots;
the other one is wings.

Eggers speaks for Sudan

Image by Stephanie Augustine for the NY Times


Ebb does not follow ebb -- flood is in between.
-Sudanese proverb

Dave Eggers, the author of 'What is the What' wrote an Op-Ed in the New York Times today called 'In Sudan, War is Around the Corner,' concerning the war torn land of Sudan. It was a plead of sorts, for America to use its diplomatic leverage to aid Sudan before the foreseeable possibility of a faulty, violent outcome to their National elections in January. The Nation has long been divided from the Islamic government of the North and Khartoum, and the South, where the majority of the Nation's oil lies. If the election goes poorly then violence will surely erupt between the two. There has been a slight lull in the intensity of bloodshed since the United States helped wager a comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and South in 2005. Eggers now calls upon America to use its standing to prevent the violence before it arises.

He summons the memory of Rwanda, in which President Clinton regrets he did not step in sooner. The International community did not intervene before all havoc and bloodshed had been done. Indeed Sudan has been through one of the most tragic civil wars of the 20th century, it is still vulnerable to devolution. I enjoyed the informed and political summons of this editorial.

Kampala Bombings, Global Problem

The Kampala bombings are not necessarily an American issue at this time, but the incident represents a global problem and could use a more attentive eye from the world.

An 18 year old American from PA who was injured in the bombings. See full article in the NYTs.

Again, conflict strikes in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. This time seemingly surrounding the World Cup festivities in Kampala, Uganda. Yet, it didn't take long for fundamental Islamist group, the Shababs, to claim responsibility for the suicide bombs that killed 70 and wounded countless more.

Kron and Ibrahim's New York Times article today chimed a familiar story with global reach. The Terrorist group may originate in Somalia, the war torn country that has been without stable government for 20 years. Both Uganda and Burundi have received terrorist threats from the Shababs for their alliance with the African Union in their efforts to secure the Somali region. Though the majority of Somalis are peaceful, the article warned against a pattern of Somali-American immigrants and refugees and their fragility to joining forces with terrorist groups.

Terrorism that lives and trains in America or travels to Uganda represents the deterritorialized reach of fundamentalist movements. Thus, it should also reminds us of the issue of inclusion here in America. Are we creating a nation that involves all of its people? Do minority populations have a voice? Dialogue is needed.

I feel like this article could offer a potent classroom discussion; It engages the breadth of globalization as well as conflict, international intervention, terrorist networks, immigration and social inclusion.

The issue of participation

A school teacher with hope, Arusha

An emerging young woman in Kigoma.

Dusty road of Kasulu.

Tanzania is a developing nation. Like many post-colonial nations, poverty is rife. Throughout the republic there is a complex web of Non-profits, religious and governmental development initiatives. There are as many organizations as ways of doing things and it has become important to look more closely at the work of others, and to learn from it. Not all development organizations lend force to the people and local culture, not all money filters to favorable cause, but, there are many who are doing noble work in all domains.

The Nobel prize winning economist, Amartya Sen explores development theory with a lens of freedom as development. This includes the central issue of participation. Are the people free to represent themselves? To Act? To Action. 'The people directly involved who must have the opportunity to participate in deciding what should be chosen,' Sen writes, thus development as we know it may be harmful for traditions and cultural heritage.

A quiet elder on the boat to Gombe, Lake Tanganika

So, let the people lead themselves. Some non-profits and initiatives are beginning to engage participation and partnerships with local volunteers. The UNHCR is making efforts to extend that right to displaced individuals. More and more, it seems NGOs in Tanzania are lessening their overseas volunteers in order to make efforts more sustainable.
Chellie Kew, a dear friend and the founder of The Q fund inspired me early on to be awake to the deep contrast that is alive in this era. She spoke of her time in South Africa with such gaping darkness and extreme luminosity, depicting the real chiaroscuro of progress and devolution. We must always look closely at both.

Furaha.

The Hundred Languages of Children

The Hundred Languages Of Children

The child
is made of one hundred.
The child has
a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking.
A hundred always a hundred
ways of listening
of marvelling, of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred worlds
to invent
a hundred worlds
to dream.
The child has
a hundred languages
(and a hundred hundred hundred more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
The school and the culture
separate the head from the body.
They tell the child:
to think without hands
to do without head
to listen and not to speak
to understand without joy
to love and to marvel
only at Easter and at Christmas.
They tell the child:
to discover the world already there
and of the hundred
they steal ninety-nine.
They tell the child:
that work and play
reality and fantasy
science and imagination
sky and earth
reason and dream
are things
that do not belong together.

And thus they tell the child
that the hundred is not there.
The child says:
No way. The hundred is there.


Loris Malaguzzi
(translated by Lella Gandini)

*All images taken with my Canon 35m