http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-947090.mp3
Albany, NY – "RELENTLESS PURSUIT: A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES WITH TEACH FOR AMERICA"
Part One: Teach for America Celebrates 20th Anniversary -
The New York Times describes Teach for America as a "stunningly successful nonprofit organization." This month Teach for America is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Teach for America began two decades ago as an idealistic college senior's last-minute thesis project. Some thought it was a tad crazy. But since then, it's morphed into an important player in educational reform, attracting some 20-thousand top college graduates each year to fill only 25-hundred slots.
Teach for America founder, Wendy Kopp, (who we had on TBOOK at the ten-year anniversary mark) is using this occasion to issue a passionate and inspiring summation of what she and TFA Corps members have learned over the past 20 years. That educational inequity - the achievement gap - - is a solvable problem, and that the key to solving it - in a single classroom, a school, or system-wide - is leadership.
TBOOK seized on the anniversary benchmark as an opportunity to get an independent, external assessment of Teach for America by reviewing a book by former Newsweek correspondent, Donna Foote. In her book, "Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches with Teach for America", Foot documents the first year struggles of four TFA recruits at Locke High School in South Central Los Angeles.
In this week's chapter, TBOOK began by asking Donna Foote if she believes Wendy Kopp and Teach for America have been a success?
Glenn Busby reports. (12:09)
**(For additional information about Teach for America and its 20th anniversary, visit: http://www.teachforamerica.org/.)**
TBOOK EDUCATION HEADLINES AND UPDATES -
Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, says that while Washington may be divided on most issues, K - 12 policy can be one area of bipartisan agreement.
President Barack Obama is also making a White House push for renewal of ESEA.
Representative, Virginia Foxx, has been appointed to head the Subcommittee on Higher Education.
Hear more details on all these stories inside the show.
Glenn Busby reports. (1:45)
SCHOOLS FOR WORKING CHILDREN -
UNICEF estimates that some 250-million children work for a living in developing countries. It's calling the practice of child labor a violation of basic human rights. Many advocates strive to eliminate child labor completely, in particular, because work can keep children out of school. But in one neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan, a group of young people are both working and going to school.
World Vision's, Jessica Partnow, reports from Karachi. (5:18)
THE ACADEMIC MINUTE
"ACADEMIC WRITING" -
This week's episode features Jennifer Baker, Associate Professor of Arts and Sciences, at Green Mountain College.
The Academic Minute is hosted by Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, a celebrated philosopher and medical ethicist, and President of Mount Holyoke College. (2:30)