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Free online lectures: Explore a world of ideas

Funding provided by:

Harvard Graduate School of Education

The Askwith Education Forum, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is endowed through the generosity of Patricia Askwith Kenner and other members of the Askwith family, and acts as a galvanizing force for debate and conversation about education in its narrowest and broadest perspectives. Each year, the Forum welcomes a number of prominent people from diverse fields to speak about issues relevant to education and children. Recent topics have included immigration, values, affirmative action, education reform, and the arts. All of these events are free and open to the public.break

http://www.gse.harvard.edu/askwith

Privatization and the Public Good?

Wed, Dec 4, 2002

Martha Minow, Harvard Law School professor, discusses her book, *Partners, Not Rivals: Privatization and the Public Good*, and explores what happens when private companies, nonprofit agencies, and religious groups, instead of government, manage education, criminal justice, legal services, and welfare programs. She is joined by John F. Kennedy School of Government faculty member Mark Moore, director of the Hauser Center for Non-Profit Organizations, and the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Professor of Criminal Justice Policy and Public Management. Gary Orfield, Harvard Graduate School of Education, professor of education and social policy, introduces these distinguished guests. This event was co-sponsored by the Harvard Children's Initiative.

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Meet the Poet: Billy Collins

Thu, Dec 12, 2002

In this intimate discussion, Billy Collins shares his thoughts on poetry as well as select readings from his works.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education
Educating for Human Rights and Global Competency

Tue, Feb 10, 2009

Felisa Tibbitts, of Human Rights Education Associates, and Ed Gragert, of the International Educational Resource Network (iEARN), examine the relationship of Human Rights Education and Global Competency. Sixty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As the world has become more integrated, human rights have become increasingly helpful as a moral compass to guide global competency. The discussants address a variety of approaches to human rights education, what is known and not known about their effects, and the implementation challenges to universalizing Human Rights Education. Fernando Reimers, Ford Foundation Professor of International Education and Director International Education Policy Program provides the introduction and moderation for this forum.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education
Yes We Can: Closing the Achievement Gaps

Tue, Mar 10, 2009

The authors of three recent books address how closing racial achievement gaps is indeed possible.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education
Stanley Kaplan: Democratizing American Achievement

Tue, Apr 23, 2002

Stanley Kaplan discusses how the knowledge and skills to triumph in education can be taught to any and all students.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education
Baudolino: Lying About the Future Produces History

Tue, Oct 15, 2002

Umberto Eco, author of *The Name of the Rose*, speaks about his latest book, *Baudolino*.

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Good Work: When Excellence and Ethics Meet

Tue, Oct 9, 2001

The co-authors of Good Work: When Excellence and Ethics Meet discuss how professionals can do work that is both expert and socially responsible, even in market-driven times.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education
Beyond the Drama Club: Safe School Programs

Wed, Nov 7, 2001

Jeff Perrotti and Kim Westheimer discuss the issues raised in their book, *When the Drama Club is Not Enough: Lessons From the Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students*, which examines schools, individuals and programs that made a positive difference in all students' lives. Other panelists include gay and lesbian students, teachers, counselors, parents, and researchers.

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Answering Only to God: Faith and Freedom in Iran

Tue, Apr 15, 2003

Jonathan Lyons discusses his book Answering Only to God: Faith and Freedom in Twenty-First-Century Iran.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education
Language Police: Restricting What We learn

Tue, May 6, 2003

Diane Ravitch discusses her latest book The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn. Ravitch maintains that America's students are compelled to read texts that have been censored by publishers who willingly cut controversial material from their books. Her book documents the existence of an elaborate and well established protocol of beneficent censorship, quietly endorsed and implemented by test makers and textbook publishers, states, and the federal government. School boards and sensitivity committees review, abridge, and modify texts to delete potentially offensive words, topics, and imagery. Publishers practice self-censorship to sell books in big states.

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