End of the year thoughts

Three nights ago ASB hosted our annual 8th Grade Ceremony. This event symbolizes the “Closing of Middle School,” and the “Beginning of High School,” for our students. The evening showcased two student hosts, and two class speakers. Sitting in the audience, watching and listening to these four fourteen-year-old ‘kids’ (with … Continue reading

What I learned from playing Words With Friends with my son

Several years ago my brother and I were back in the U.S. visiting our parents. They’d just moved to their new home in Tucson, Arizona. They took us to a get-together in the neighborhood. Neither my brother nor I knew anyone at the party. My mother walked us around the … Continue reading

Design Thinking and Social Change

E. E. Cummings wrote: In 2008, ASB hosted our first Un-Plugged Conference. The conference was born with a two-fold purpose: To showcase, to the world, the ways in which ASB integrates technology into the learning process of our students To engage ASB’s educators in a conversation about the relevant trends … Continue reading

Teaching our Children to Make Decisions

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. ‘Pooh?’ he whispered. ‘Yes, Piglet?’ ‘Nothing,’ said Piglet, taking Pooh’s hand. ‘I just wanted to be sure of you.’” The character of Piglet, in A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Poo, has a very clear idea (as clear an idea as Piglet can have) of who and … Continue reading

Transforming Teaching and Learning

Last year I contributed to the ASB Un-Plugged conference by sharing my research, based on data collected from over one hundred current Heads of Schools, to the question: What are the most important and relevant opportunities and challenges facing international schools? Here, in no particular order (except for #1), are: The Top … Continue reading

Looking Ahead to 2020

Remember when Facebook bought Whatsapp for US$19 billion? One analyst said, “Facebook bought Whatsapp so Zuckerburg’s company could become relevant once again.” His comment implies Facebook is no longer relevant. Facebook has dominated the social media market for a decade (ten years is a really long time in the world … Continue reading

The Ghost of Education Yet to Come

With every year comes the selection process for new hires. Interviewing teachers is a fascinating adventure. Once again, I’m struck by how differently (more powerful and more deeply authentic) the ‘master teachers’ talk to us about education compared to the rest. Truly, I am humbled and inspired by the anecdotes and … Continue reading

Remembering Madhu, Madiba and Goodness

I went to sleep last night with two deaths on my mind. The deaths of Madhu and Madiba. Madhu was an ASB Alum. Madiba was the Father of a Nation. “I still cannot believe that my dear ex-student Madhu was murdered,” wrote a former ASB teacher on Facebook last night. … Continue reading

Fostering an Educational Culture of Creativity and Innovation

Originally published on November 23, 2013. There have been 1.7 billion views of the ‘Gangnam Style’ video. That’s a big number. In fact, the magnitude of it makes the number incomprehensible to me — it fails to connect. However, a number I do understand is 13,000 years. I understand it because I can … Continue reading

Entrepreneurial Spirit and the Future

A while ago, a reporter from the Times of India called to interview me. She asked: “Is developing an entrepreneurial spirit important for schools to engage in; and if so, why?” Here’s what I said: “Absolutely. An entrepreneurial spirit is a critical objective of a relevant education today.” I then went on to share much of what … Continue reading