Sold by Patricia McCormick

Slavery. It is alive and well in the world we live in and this great book by Patricia McCormick tells a heart-wrenching tale of a young Nepalese girl, sold by her stepfather to 'help' her family live a better life. She thinks she is going to work as a maid, but quickly and horrifically discovers she has been sold into prostitution in the slums of Calcutta, India. The story is told in short vignettes and captures the darkness, despair and inhumanity of the evils of slavery that still exist in the world today. The first person point of view brings you up close and personal with the narrators experiences and emotions. While the novel is fictional, the author traveled to Calcutta's red light district and witnessed and heard the true stories of the young girls who live this life every day of their existence. Will she escape and find a life of freedom or will she be caught and dragged back to her daily torture? This gripping novel is a must read for all. It puts my life and that of my family's in clear perspective and gives me a deep sense of appreciation for all the freedoms and opportunities that this country gives me.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

There is nothing like a bit of light-hearted reading to start the summer. I had not read this book since I was in 9th grade and I remember loving it. I also remember telling my students that you walk away with something new each time you read a book. This definitely rings true with this one.

George Orwell's classic tale that tore apart both communism and capitalism still rings in my ears with its accurate depiction of the human condition and the eternal struggle between those who believe there should be as little government as possible and those who believe it should be omnipresent in our lives.

I am sure Orwell never imagined how the images of the pigs at the end would parallel the transformation of communism in countries such as China and Vietnam in today's modern world.

I also immediately thought of the Arab Spring that has just occurred and what the results of these "revolutions" will be. I wonder if life for the Arab world will be better or worse than when "Jones" was there.

More than anything else, this book made me think about how we all treat each other. Whether we live in a free country or under a despot, kindness and compassion go a long way towards a life worth living.

The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the Survival Skills Our Children Need --- And What We Can Do About It

It has been a long time since my last post. It has just been that busy. This book was an assignment for a class I am taking through my school district. The title intrigued me and I am glad I have read it. This is THE most powerful book I have read about education... period. He begins, as all education authors begin by outlining what is wrong with public education today, getting nods from me as I read each one. At first I thought it would be another book outlining the problems without possibilities for change. Boy was I wrong. While he outlines the problems with public education today, in the first chapter he outlines 7 survival skills our students need for the 21st century:

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving


• Collaboration across Networks and Leading by Influence


• Agility and Adaptability


• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism


• Effective Oral and Written Communication


• Accessing and Analyzing Information


• Curiosity and Imagination

Throughout the rest of the book he leads us through his conversations with business leaders, teachers and students, as well as himself. I was most impressed that he talked to students and got their input. Too many teachers and administrators forget how incredible ther students can be.

He gives us examples from all types of schools and comes to the same conclusion: we need to change what we are doing and provide a first class education to all of our students. He tramples on our attempts to help poor and minority students through the world of high stakes testing and shows us that the gap has not closed but is the same or worse. He tears apart AP classes and their focus on tests rather than critical thinking. Of course he riddles No Child Left Behind with as many holes as a swiss cheese. He also attacks teachers for their reluctance to change, administrators for not being instructional leaders, politicians for not doing what is right for our students and universities for not preparing our teachers to do a great job.

As I said earlier he does provide examples of 3 schools that do meet his criteria and do some incredible things with their students.

Once, while I was at a workshop, author Deborah Short once told me, " You do not measure the success of a student while they are in your program. You measure it after they have left. How many of your students graduated? How many went on to college or trade school? How many graduated? How many are successful members of society?". She challenged me to celebrate what my students accomplished after they have left me. These 3 schools made me think of what she told me.

High Tech High in the San Diego area is one of these schools. It is a public charter school and has incredible success with it students. Now I know what you are thinking: Charter schools pick the best kids. More than half of their graduates are the first to attend college in their family. There is no tracking by ability or AP classes. They refuse to teach test prep yet their scores on state assessments are some of the highest in the state. All academic content is taught through interdisciplinary projects, not traditional classes like English I or Algebra I. No textbooks either. To pass from grade to grade they have digital portfolios graded by teachers, students and adults from outside the school. As its' name implies there is a focus on technology, but more on how to use it in the real world. The seven survival skills are very present in this school. Read the book to find out more about this incredible campus. There is not enough room to tell you everything here!

The second school was in Rhode Island, called The Met. 75% of its students are economically disadvantaged, coming from a pool of students from schools with a 50% dropout rate! There are now over 50 public and charter schools run by The Met because of its' great successes where other schools have failed. It too has excelled on state tests without test prep and its students go on to colleges and trade schools and a brighter future.

The final school was the Francis Parker Charter Essential School. It is a group of high schools reinvented based upon the work of education professor Theodore Sizer. Once again it does not teach to the test but has scores that are in the top ten in Massachusetts, the home of the most rigorous state test in the nation. 100 percent of its students are accepted to college, 96% to four year colleges and 85% graduate from college. 20% of its students are special needs!

These models prove that we can do a better job teaching students across America. This book is essential reading for teachers, parents, students, school administrators; everyone! To gain a better knowledge of what this book examines and how these ideas can change education for the better, I highly recommend it to everyone!

Based upon the true story of the adventures and explorations of Percy Fawcett and his disappearance into the jungles of the Amazon, this book was incredible! It goes back and forth between Percy Fawxcett and his search for a lost and developed civilization in the middle of the threatening jungles of South America, particularly Brazil, and the author, David Grann's search for Fawcett's fate and possibly the lost city of Z, the "El Dorado" that had claimed so many lives with its legends of gold and riches. It is a historical mystery that makes you constantly think about the possibilities. It is a puzzle that confounds the greatest minds of exploration, anthropology and archaelogy and leaves you wanting answers. At every turn we are enlightened with new discoveries, and at the same time new questions. It instills a sense of curiousity about this Amazon world and its status as the last great mystery on this planet. It paints a picture of the forest and the indigenous peoples who live there that the world rarely sees. The ending will not disappoint you, but you have to read it yourself!

To Kill A Mockingbird

The first time I read To Kill A Mockingbird I was in ninth grade and it had a profound effect on me. It opened my eyes to the human condition outside of my own world and inspired me with the character of Atticus Finch, a man who is true to himself and his children at whatever the cost to himself. This stirring story of a small town in the Southern United States and its struggle with its demons of past and present will make you think about yourself and the world we live in today and how it has changed... and how it has not. If you have read it before, I will ask you to read it again. I always tell my students to not be afraid to read a book twice or more because they will find and learn something new every time they pick it up. What I got from this book in ninth grade is distinctly different than what I took from it now. For those of you that have not read it, you are missing out on one of the greatest books ever written. It is a story that makes us reflect on ourselves, our own beliefs and the society we live in. It takes us out of our comfort zone and makes us face ourselves. The coming of age of Scout and Jem, Atticus struggle to be an example to his children ( and ourselves) and Tom Robinson's ordeal will leave you on the edge of your seat, wanting to finish the book rather than wait for another day. Enjoy the great story, the many layered characters, but most of all let it make you think of your own struggles and the kind of person you want to be. Don't forget about Arthur "Boo" Radley either. I would tell you more, but a great story is waiting for you to read it.

A Long Walk to Water

I have always been a fan of Linda Sue Park, beginning with her stirring tale of a Korean orphan boy in A Single Shard and most recently with When My Name Was Keoko, a heart-wrenching tale told by two narrators chronicling the Japanese occupation of Korea during World War II. I read this new addition as I relaxed on a Saturday afternoon with my daughter and could not put it down. A Long Walk To Water once again is a story of two characters, Salva Dut, a young Sudanese boy whose life is changed forever by the war that engulfs his nation, and Nya, a young girl who must walk miles from her home everyday to bring water to her family. Salva Dut's story is based upon a true story and describes a journey both dangerous and sobering through war ravaged Sudan. His journey gave me a deep appreciation for the stable, safe country that I live in and a heartfelt appreciation for everyone who gives their time and energy to helping the less fortunate around the world. Salva's journey through the deserts of Sudan, escapes from death at the hands of humans and animals, and his suffering in the refugee camps of Ethiopia and Kenya create a tale that held me to every page and brought tears to my eyes as I finished the last page. Nya's story, though fictional could be the story of any young girl in Sudan today, making it that more incredible and emotional. The dirty, parasite infested water she traveled miles for was the lifeblood of her family and prized above all else. The conclusion to her story brought another flood of tears and an aching; a longing to help others. This is a great book for children ( 4th grade and up) and adults alike. Any spare time you have this holiday season should be spent reading this fantastic story. Kudos to Linda Sue Park and her ability to embody the human spirit in words.