December 8, 2011 There’s been a great deal of talk lately about the value of education whether at the elementary, secondary or college level. People are starting to wonder whether a college degree is worth the tuition required to earn one. The education system as we know it is no longer working. Some education leaders […]
Whatever Happened to Music Education?
December 1, 2011 In writing a recent blog, inspired by LA Philharmonic’s Music Director Gustavo Dudamel’s orchestral version of a popular Puerto Rican band’s hit song, I began to muse on the subject of music education: in Venezuela and the U.S. There are a million kids enrolled in Venezuela’s music system, called El Sistema. Some […]
Happy Thanksgiving
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Education and the Arts: A Cultural Crossroads
November 17, 2011 Everything changes. Everything is connected. Pay attention. –Ancient Buddhist Proverb What does it feel like when your world is out of balance, off kilter, or out of control? Koyaanisqatsi, the Hopi word meaning- A life out of balance -is born of the Native American understanding that the world and all living things […]
International Education: A Personal Journey
November 10, 2011 In celebration of International Education Week (November 12-16), I am reminded of my own personal journey as an international student. It began when I was ten and the six weeks I spent one summer at the now defunct Stoke Brunswick School, in East Grinstead, England. With its original Tudor architecture dating back […]
Music and the Brain: An Enduring Partnership
November 3, 2011 Ever since I became entranced by Coltrane’s song “India” in my bedroom when I was sixteen and living at home, I’ve been aware of the power of music to affect the heart, soul, and spirit. Music has always exerted a powerful force on me, even before I could really put its magic […]
Latin America: Higher Education in Crisis
October 27, 2011 A recent article in the Economist (10/8/11) entitled “Universities in Latin America, The struggle to make the grade,” reports on the overall health of the institutions of higher education in the region and the prognosis is not good. Although there are some giant and reputable universities in Latin America, innovation and excellence […]
Student Uprising: A global movement
October 20, 2011 “The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt A recent (10/19/11) blog on Huffington Post states that “according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, students took out more than $100 billion in loans in 2010 and will have a $1 trillion […]
International Programs: An Economic Development Solution for Community Colleges
October 13, 2011 These are challenging times for community college leaders. Many states across the country are facing unprecedented budget reductions in higher education systems. As community colleges receive fewer state dollars, these institutions must develop alternate funding sources. Trustees are faced with difficult decisions as cost pressures mount against the backdrop of state accountability […]
We bailed out the banks why not our students?
October 6, 2011 If you haven’t heard already, people are protesting on Wall Street and it’s not the bankers demanding more deregulation or some garbage like that. No, this time, it’s the average man and woman, young and old, from all walks of life and political or religious convictions and they’ve been raising their voices […]