Notes from
Trish's Desk
February 23, 2010
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Greetings!
Did you catch Shani Davis winning back-to-back medals at the Vancouver Olympics last week? His achievement was spectacular.
When we watch the Olympics, it is easy to see the huge investment needed to transform raw talent into world-class athletes. It takes more than money. It also takes tons of time, family support, community resources, government programs, and a whole infrastructure to test, challenge and prepare these athletes for the performances of a lifetime.
You know where I'm going with this, right?
Why is it so hard to make the same collective investment in our public school students?
Higher Expectations + Greater Access
+ More Investment
= Unlimited Student Success
The more important question is the one we ask ourselves: What kind of investment can I make to public education today?
Here are some suggestions to get you thinking about how you might answer that question.
- I'd like to start by recommending Disrupting Class, an excellent book that does a deep-dive into the public education system. The authors analyze the many failed solutions that have been thrown at the problem. They also offer a surprising solution adapted from Clayton Christensen's own research into American businesses. Disruptive innovation is essential for bring positive lasting change to a broken system. TAF is using disruptive innovation to introduce STEM-focused public education programs that work, especially for students of color.
- Next, meet Shawn Armour, a recent addition to the TAF Academy staff. Here's what he said about investing his time after work as a Java instructor in our Quasar internship program: "I have a vested interest in my community because I have children of my own, [and] the children of today are the future of this world. I give back because I care... about community, about my children, about the economy, about the future." We need more volunteers like Shawn investing time to transform students' lives.
- Another TAF staffer told me that her 12-year-old daughter recently declared that she wants to open a hair salon. Typical preteen pipe dream, right? Then mom listened more closely, and heard what her daughter really meant. She wants to combine creativity and entrepreneurship to start her own business and manufacture her own line of hair and beauty products for women of color. She proved her dedication further by doing a research project on Madam C.J. Walker, America's first female self-made millionaire. That kind of personal investment got mom's attention and admiration.
TAF's 9th Annual Leadership Breakfast is a great opportunity for you to invest personally in productive disruptive innovation in our nation's classrooms. Join us on March 10. Bring your ideas and opinions. I hope to see you all there! (Click here to register today!)
Thanks for listening,
Trish Millines Dziko
Executive Director
Technology Access Foundation |
