Thursday, February 19, 2009

TED - Technology, Education, Design


I am listening and watching a performance at TED by the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra. Wondering how long it took to get these young musicians to get to this point. What were their lives before? How has this experience and skill impacted them and their families? Yes, ART and CULTURE is the CORE of education - and is too often the first to face budget cuts. Let's wake up and develop the inner talents and interests of our youth.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The Tenement Museum



The Tenement Museum located on New York's Lower Eastside has made a substantial improvement to reach out to viewers and get them to interact. This part of the site is so appropriate to middle aged school children.

I recently asked some 8 graders if they knew what countries their families came from before living in the United States. Many did not know, they did not realize their names indicated where their families emigrated from. Take a tour of what life was like coming from various corners of the world and settling on New York's Lower Eastside.