tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66982916622458847212024-03-13T11:43:23.072-07:00Ted CoinéThe blog of all things Ted.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-83781792425088991592008-06-19T10:05:00.000-07:002009-05-03T18:20:47.312-07:00New BlogVisit my "new" blog:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.savvycapitalist.blogspot.com/">http://www.savvycapitalist.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />I'm going to stop posting on this blog now. See you at the Savvy Capitalist!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-79468770976522454232008-06-17T05:37:00.000-07:002008-06-17T05:43:40.259-07:00Business/Enlightened Self-InterestSince well before publishing my first book and turning from businessman into consultant, I've been preaching the gospel of Enlightened Self-Interest: that doing the right thing pays. With our language school, the pitch is that employers who pay for the English lessons of their workers benefit immensely through better-trained/more efficient workers whose morale and loyalty is unshakable; a greatly expanded pool of potential managers (no matter how talented you are, you can't manage if you don't speak the language), greater morale among the rest of the workers, who (a) don't feel their co-workers are talking about them in Spanish, Vietnamese, etc. and (b) love working for a company that actually cares about its people, even its lowest-wage workers; vastly-improved customer service; increased customer loyalty, because they too like buying for a company that shows it cares... The list of benefits goes on and on.<br /><br />The trick here is, there's no trick. Our clients tell us these are the tangible results of our training. They pay a little (but not too little!), and benefit a lot.<br /><br />That is the case with workplace ESL lessons, but the point carries over to the entire realm of enlightened management. A quick review of the companies out there that treat their people better than the market demands, that conduct themselves ethically even when no one is looking (the only legitimate test of ethics), that treat their suppliers and customers fairly rather than exploitively, that give to charities either directly or (better) through matching employee contributions - these companies perform better than their competitors.<br /><br />Of all his points, the one I take most exception with is Milton Friedman's notion that there is a duality between doing the right thing for "pure" motives and doing the same exact right thing for selfish gain. Try as you might, you can't separate the two! <br /><br />When I was in college studying philosophy, I came to understand the same thing regarding altruism: there is no such thing as a purely unselfish act. Even if no one else knows what you've done, and even if it harms you while helping strangers, it still benefits you in some way, at least through a feeling inside that you have done the right thing. So too with corporations: there is nothing "right" that a company can do that will not benefit that company in some way...<br /><br />...although I must make clear that sometimes the right thing to do could cause the company's demise. Imagine if Phillip Morris simply stopped making cigarettes - didn't sell off its operations, just closed them. They'd go bankrupt the same day. <br /><br />Some companies are inherently good; it's built into their DNA, part of their founding culture. I have to research this company better, but I think Johnson & Johnson is one such firm (either that or they've really done a great snow job!) Other companies are inherently evil and destructive, and that's also built into their DNA starting with their founders: Blackwater, Halliburton; all tobacco companies. <br /><br />But the vast majority of companies are wandering around in the middle of the road, pursuing profits as best their leaders know how without bothering (or daring?) to stand for anything ethical or good. I really believe that such companies - and such leaders - need "permission" to do the right thing: that most would like to, but how can they do the right thing when they're just getting by?<br /><br />One of the main functions of The Naples Institute, as I envisioned it from before I even approached Gene Landrum and Bernie Turner with the notion, is to create an authoritative, revered institution that gives business leaders that permission. An organization that teaches enlightened leadership, that publically recognizes enlightened management, and that plainly, undeniably illustrates how doing the right thing - being enlightened - serves the best interest of the individual, the leader, and the organization.<br /><br />Reader, your thoughts are not only welcome, but sought after.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-2983557209974701732008-06-16T15:04:00.000-07:002008-06-16T15:12:52.351-07:00Education/Teach for America<em>Let me preface this article by the source -</em> The Wall Street Journal <em>- is suspect now that Rupert "Fox & Friends" Murdoch owns it. Still, it's brilliant: this is </em>exactly<em> what my Naples Institute colleagues and I have been discussing.</em><br /><br />REVIEW & OUTLOOK<br /><br />Amazing Teacher Facts<br />June 14, 2008; Page A10<br /><br />This month 3,700 recent college grads will begin Teach for America's five-week boot camp, before heading off for two-year stints at the nation's worst public schools. These young men and women were chosen from almost 25,000 applicants, hailing from our most selective colleges. Eleven per cent of Yale's senior class, 9% of Harvard's and 10% of Georgetown's applied for a job whose salary ranges from $25,000 (in rural South Dakota) to $44,000 (in New York City).<br />Hang on a second.<br /><br />Unions keep saying the best people won't go into teaching unless we pay them what doctors and lawyers and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CEOs</span> make. Not only are Teach for America salaries significantly lower than what J.P. Morgan might offer, but these individuals go to some very rough classrooms. What's going on?<br /><br />It seems that Teach for America offers smart young people something even better than money – the chance to avoid the vast education bureaucracy. Participants need only pass academic muster and attend the summer training before entering a classroom. If they took the traditional route into teaching, they would have to endure years of "education" courses to be certified.<br />The American Federation of Teachers commonly derides Teach for America as a "band-aid." One of its arguments is that the program only lasts two years, barely enough time, they say, to get a handle on managing a classroom. However, it turns out that two-thirds of its grads stay in the education field, sometimes as teachers, but also as principals or policy makers.<br />More importantly, it doesn't matter that they are only in the classroom a short time, at least according to a recent Urban Institute study. Here's the gist: "On average, high school students taught by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">TFA</span> corps members performed significantly better on state-required end-of-course exams, especially in math and science, than peers taught by far more experienced instructors. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">TFA</span> teachers' effect on student achievement in core classroom subjects was nearly three times the effect of teachers with three or more years of experience."<br /><br />Jane <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hannaway</span>, one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">study's</span> co-authors, says Teach for America participants may be more motivated than their traditional teacher peers. Second, they may receive better support during their experience. But, above all, Teach for America volunteers tend to have much better academic qualifications. They come from more competitive schools and they know more about the subjects they teach. Ms. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hannaway</span> notes, "Students are better off being exposed to teachers with a high level of skill."<br /><br />The strong performance in math and science seems to confirm that the more specialized the knowledge, the more important it is that teachers be well versed in it. (Imagine that.) No amount of time in front of a classroom will make you understand advanced algebra better.<br /><br />Teach for America was pleased, but not exactly shocked, by these results. "We have always been a data-driven organization," says spokesman Amy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Rabinowitz</span>. "We have a selection model we've refined over the years." The organization figures out which teachers have been most successful in improving student performance and then seeks applicants with similar qualities. "It's mostly a record of high academic achievement and leadership in extracurricular activities."<br /><br />Sounds like the way the private sector hires. Don't tell the teachers unions.<br /><br /><em>End note: While the Wall St. Journal has historically always been a knee-jerk union-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">basher</span>, I am union-agnostic. Nothing is truer than the old saw, "A company (or school system) that goes union deserves a union." Workers choose to join a union when they feel they need protection from their employers. And American school teachers certainly need protection from most school systems.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Still, I am firmly opposed to the position of teachers' unions that seniority, and not skill, decide issues such as pay and job security. So while I won't join the gleeful abuse being heaped out by the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">WSJ</span>, I abstain with that caveat.</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-17946666228728486282008-06-12T07:18:00.000-07:002008-06-12T07:36:56.621-07:00Capitilism 2.0A few days ago a colleague at The Naples Institute commented on the notion that the sole purpose of a business is to make money for its stockholders, who are then free to do what they like with it, including giving it to charity if they choose. That's not a new idea, of course; it is one of the tenets of Primitive Capitalism (my own term). Indeed, in a public corporation, stockholders have been known to sue management in order to compel them to maximize profits.<br /><br />I don't think that choice will disappear anytime soon, and I don't think it necessarily should. I personally enjoy choice and variety in the world.<br /><br />Here's the thing, though: that is becoming only one option of several in the modern economy. One thing I would really like to see happen with The Naples Institute is for us to establish ourselves as leaders in what many are calling Capitalism 2.0 - the more sophisticated view of businesses as potential instruments for positive social change as well as of profits.<br /><br />Look at the "For-benefit corporation," such as Newman's Own, which is legally a for-profit company, but which gives 100% of those profits to charity. That's hundreds of millions of dollars so far. There is another for-benefit corporation, TMI, in Immokalee that I hope we get to tour at some point. Michael, Jane, and I are in the process of turning Naples Social Action.org into a for-benefit corporation. The model makes more sense to us, especially as we are not going to ask for donations to fund our operations.<br /><br />Many profit-oriented companies are still agents of social responsibility. Starbucks and numerous other firms sell Fair-Trade Certified coffee. Whole Foods is very serious about its giving. And we already talked about Tithe and More (<a href="http://www.titheandmore.com/">http://www.titheandmore.com/</a>), the local real estate firm that gives 30% of its profits to charity.<br /><br />Gene Landrum and I have just started a venture fund. 10% of our profits from that will go to charity. Also, the companies we create will give 10% to charity. Our first firm is already set up to do so.<br /><br />The question came up at the last NI meeting, does Tithe and More benefit from its dedication to charity? Is this a marketing ploy? My answer is, (a) I'm certain it is useful to its marketing - I myself would prefer to give them my business than another realtor - but (b) it is not a ploy. I've met Bill Ventress, the broker/founder. He is a remarkable man who honestly, to his core intends to help others.<br /><br />Capitalism 2.0 is all about companies doing more than just maximizing profits. It's about doing Good, with a capital G. It is also about Enlightened Self-Interest. Chew on this: overwhelmingly, the companies I am familiar with that are socially responsible are also much more competitive than their less generous competitors.<br /><br />My argument for even the most Neolithic, primitive business person who wants to make money and nothing else: give. Behave ethically. It pays - in actual money.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-37207964139135489642008-06-11T09:59:00.000-07:002008-06-11T10:04:06.741-07:00What is Social Justice?<em>As Dr. James R. Fisher, Jr. (</em><a href="http://www.peripateticphilosopher.com/"><em>http://www.peripateticphilosopher.com</em></a><em>) points out, the purpose of a think tank is to create and disseminate original thought. As The Naples Institute is a think tank dedicated to fighting for social justice, I sent this one-question survey out to our members. I'd love to hear from you as well.</em><br /><br />Q - In your view, what is "Social Justice?"<br /><br />My own thoughts, to get your juices flowing:<br /><br />I think that social justice is present in a society where everyone shares legitimately equal opportunity. If we live in a society where any child, even those born poor to the most miserable, unfit parents, has the unfettered chance to gain a top-notch education and pursue any career she chooses, then we have passed the most important litmus test of a just society. Add to that the consistently-applied, unbiased rule of law; freedom from governmental corruption; a safety net that ensures every person will not starve or suffer malnutrition, be exposed to the elements, or lack adequate health care; and that those honestly incapable of work can live free from poverty (the elderly, the truly infirm, the mentally incapable).<br /><br />If our society delivers on this promise, then I view it as just - not "generous," but "fair." <br /><br />I think a "generous" society is one that stunts adversity. Adversity has, throughout history, been the prime motivator for people to excel. I wouldn't want to take that benefit away from anyone.<br /><br /><br />By the way - this is from Jim's website:<br /><br /><em>Dr. Fisher is also a chartered member of THE NAPLES INSTITUTE, a leadership think tank fighting for social justice by identifying leadership problems of the world, producing new leaders, and promoting leadership consistent with its aims of social justice for all people.</em><br /><br />I couldn't have said it as well - or as succinctly - myself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-13845739419618323912008-06-10T12:34:00.000-07:002008-06-10T12:49:09.435-07:00Laptops/What the kids are actually up toOkay, so yesterday we gave laptops to a bunch of kids. What are they going to <em>do</em> with them, exactly?<br /><br />What indeed? They are going to be tricked into learning critical reasoning skills, computer-code writing, high school math, graphic arts, coherent and interesting story-telling... we're teaching these little school kids how to actually <em>think!</em> Something that doesn't happen nearly often enough in today's schools.<br /><br />Specifically, the kids are learning digital storytelling. The 30-hour/30-lesson Waveplace Foundation project is all focused on one end result: an animated story, created, designed, and executed entirely by the children. The teachers give them the guidance they need to manipulate the software, and they help the kids along the way if they forget something. If a child wants to try something even harder than what the course teaches - which has already happened, just in the first class - then that's great, and the teachers are there to lead them through it. The children also teach each other to a remarkable degree. I was shocked to see how helpful and kind they can be. My peers and I weren't exactly as nice to each other when I was a squirt.<br /><br />Most of the learning takes the form of trial and error. For instance, my project is to take my dog Stubby surfing (she'll have a goal and some obstacles along the way, but I haven't gotten that far). I drew Stubby yesterday in Lesson 1, then learned how to make her move around the screen in Lesson 2. I wrote code, which made her complete a square, 90-degree angles included (yes, the kids are learning high school geometry!) To get Stubby to go in a triangle instead of a square, I'd have to remove one line of code (3 sides = 3 turns, not 4, of course), and I'd have to turn those 90-degree angles into 120-degree angles.<br /><br />We actually did this very exercise when Tim Falconer, the founder and president of Waveplace, was here in February. 25 migrant kids from RCMA, 8- and 9-year-olds, were plugging in numbers, trying to get the cartoon to travel in a triangle. They made many mistakes, learning that it was not only okay to do so, but that it was actually a lot of fun. Then they hit upon the right numbers, and - voila! The cartoon moved the way they wanted it to. <br /><br />Imagine if you will how powerful they felt at that moment! These are some of the most disenfranchised children in the entire country. But they had just learned a skill, worked diligently to figure out a problem, failed and tried and failed and tried, and finally made it - all on their own. <br /><br />As I said, that's in lessons 2 and 3. They'll be doing that tomorrow. By next Monday, they'll be even further along. First, they'll learn to create art, move it, and make it look like it's actually moving - legs walking, head turning, mouth opening and closing (one project is a dinosaur eating stars, for some reason). All that's just warm-ups. Once they've mastered all that stuff, they'll outline their actual story and begin to craft it on the screen.<br /><br />Can you tell I'm excited? Spend an hour with these kids, and you will be, too. You can't sufficiently express the magnitude of this project with the written word - though I dare members of the press to try!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-87594759275738988672008-06-10T07:55:00.000-07:002008-06-10T08:02:17.619-07:00Business & Economics/Unions<em>My CFI friends and I are discussing unions today. Here is my take on that. Please note that my father was the personnel negotiator for two companies during two very contentious strikes in the 50's and 60's. For one of them, at Florida plants of Virginia-Carolina Chemical, he and other executives had to be helicoptered into the plant for their own safety. When not at the negotiating table, they worked the lines in order to keep the plants open.</em><br /><br />Unions helped our nation, starting around the '30's as they began to gain traction. Somewhere around the '50's, the scale began tipping the other way in many industries. The problem today is, we're stuck with the public distaste of excessive union abuse from the 50's-80's, but legitimate need for strong unions in some fields even today.<br /><br />I think it would work out a lot better if more companies were run like Nucor (a steel manufacturer). Nucor managers had to intervene for the safety of outside union organizers at one of their plants - because the workers were on the verge of physical violence! Now THAT is a company that understands Enlightened Self-Interest. By treating their people well, the people feel no need for the protection of a union.<br /><br />Southwest Airlines is another famous example. They actually have MORE unions than any other airline (little-known fact), but have better labor relations - and they are singularly profitable. My pal Dr. Jody Gitell wrote a great book on the 10 reasons for that, <em>The Southwest Airlines Way.<br /></em><br />Neither companies nor unions are inherently good or bad. They're all just collections of individuals. It is the leaders who are good, bad, or (sometimes) indifferent.<br /><br />Management whose workers choose to go union deserve a union, bottom line. I think the technical term for such managers is "knuckle-head." Currently, a large<span style="color:#ffff00;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;">local employer</span> is a fascinating example of this brand of leadership.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-59652007457957931322008-06-10T06:54:00.000-07:002008-06-10T06:59:24.865-07:00Laptops/Profusion of low-cost optionsThis article in <em>The Economist</em> is very interesting. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.economist.com/search/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11482468&CFID=8900042&CFTOKEN=13726689">http://www.economist.com/search/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11482468&<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CFID</span>=8900042&<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">CFTOKEN</span>=13726689</a><br /><br />We've been watching this issue closely. So far, the alternatives to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OLPC's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">XO</span> computer measure up on price or features. But that may very well change sooner, and probably will change later.<br /><br />That's fine. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Waveplace</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">courseware</span> we're using in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Immokalee</span> and the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Caribbean</span> can be used with any computer, be it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">XO</span>, Mac, or PC. So the device we use does not matter one bit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-52607576497918096862008-06-08T10:43:00.000-07:002008-06-08T11:33:54.134-07:00Laptops/Tomorrow it starts!I can't tell you how excited I am. Tomorrow, 43 fourth-grade migrant kids - the most at-risk children in our community - will each get his very own <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">XO</span></span> laptop computer, along with the first two-hour lesson in how to use it. Our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Waveplace</span></span> pilot will begin. (<a href="http://www.waveplace.org/">http://www.waveplace.org/</a>)<br /><br />I've been waiting four years for this. That's when I first read about the adorable little green-and-white <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">XO</span></span>, and the mission of One Laptop Per Child (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">OLPC</span></span>), a nonprofit spin-off of the MIT Media Lab. (<a href="http://www.laptop.org/">http://www.laptop.org/</a>)<br /><br />For four years I've watched, waited; tried to help and been rebuffed ("We aren't set up to take donations at this point," I was told when I first reached out to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">OLPC</span></span> all those years ago. How hard is it to open an envelope and deposit a check!?!?)<br /><br />Now, it's actually going to happen. You may think I need a life, but tomorrow's event will mean more to me than my birthday. Of course, I caught the flu this year on my birthday and my family was away in Boston, but still....<br /><br />Tim Falconer, the creator of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Waveplace</span></span>, is flying into town tonight with another of our board members and our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">documentarian</span></span>.*<br /><br />Tomorrow at 9:30, the teachers assemble to begin their training, which will cover 30 hours in the next five days. Two of the teachers are only 14 years old. The idea of teenagers stepping up to lead in this way - that's a whole new dimension that we hadn't even anticipated.<br /><br />This project we're about to launch is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">transformative</span></span> on multiple levels.<br /><br />Joining us will be Valerie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Alker</span></span> of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">WGCU</span></span> Radio. That is just the beginning of some outstanding media coverage which will include Wink TV, the Naples Daily News, and even National Public Radio.<br /><br />This is a national news story.<br /><br />At 1:<span style="color:#330033;">00</span> the children will arrive for their first lesson. So will Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Ventress</span></span>, my new idol, who is funding one of the two pilots. His company, <a href="http://www.titheandmore.com/">http://www.titheandmore.com/</a>, is nothing short of inspirational. I'm sorry to gush like a school kid, but that's how I feel right now.<br /><br />Of course, tomorrow is only day one of a week-long training with Tim, and a 10-week program with the kids and the teachers.<br /><br />I promise to keep you posted as we go.<br /><br />Oh, almost forgot: I guarantee you, we will stumble along the way. That's why this is called a pilot. It's the first time we'll have this many teachers involved, for one thing, and they have never worked as a team before. Jane, John Lawson, and I haven't worked in-person with Tim before - I hope we don't let him down, but we'll just have to see.<br /><br />That's okay, though. Even with the occasional glitch, we will be learning and improving on the fly. We'll all be better for the experience.<br /><br /><br />*I'm pretty sure I made that word up, or at least that's what spell check wants me to believe. Go ahead and use it. Just give me credit if you would.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-84705764172077704502008-06-04T13:14:00.000-07:002008-06-05T08:09:48.001-07:00One Terrific TriathlonCongratulations to Linda Gregory, my pals at The Bike Route, Bikes for Tykes, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Zonta</span> Club, and the Red Cross, and all those who helped for pulling off yet another excellent Naples Fitness Challenge Triathlon last Sunday. It was my first triathlon in 20 years, and it was absolutely the best-run <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tri</span> I've ever participated in.<br /><br />Man, am I out of shape! I've put on 50 pounds since starting our first company in 2001. As the saying goes, "All work and no play makes Ted a chubby boy." A friend took a picture of me as I emerged from the water, and... oh, boy. Let me apologize right now to everyone who had to see such a sight. A fat dude in a neon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Speedo</span>... it wasn't pretty. <em>I</em> wasn't pretty.<br /><br />Let's use this as a starting point. I've been accused of being a motivational speaker: let's see if I can motivate myself to shed some lard.<br /><br />Stay tuned.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-8610772307281457522008-05-30T10:02:00.000-07:002008-05-30T13:45:37.089-07:00Laptops/My $1 WagerMy friend Ken doubts we can do it - he isn't very positive about Laptop South Florida, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Waveplace</span>, or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OLPC</span>.<br /><br />He has a good point. Ken argues that dedicated parents produce children who do well in school and in life, and that bad parents don't: those kids are screwed, and no laptop computer or creative, challenging <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">courseware</span> is going to change that.<br /><br />I've heard this before, and it's true - to an extent. Studies show again and again the strong correlation between parental influence and the success or failure of a child. If we want the kids to make something of their lives, we have to change the parents. Period. Until we do that, we're wasting our time and resources.<br /><br />I refuse to buckle in to this line of reasoning. If the odds are drastically stacked against many poor children because their parents each work three jobs and have ten kids, or because one is gone and the other is a crack-whore, or because they simply do not value education and have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">subterranean</span> expectations for their progeny... so what? Are we going to just throw these young lives away?<br /><br />Perhaps we should incarcerate them all now, before they turn ten. Think of all the crimes we'd prevent.<br /><br />As a moral society, and as moral individuals, we cannot give up on these children. Not even the most hopeless among them.<br /><br />My near-obsession is to help the worst of the worst-off children, the ones with the crappiest parents and worst prognoses, to make it anyway. I want to make sure that they get the education they deserve, are inculcated with the values they need to prosper educationally, economically, and morally.<br /><br />I take Ken's pronouncement as a challenge. So I bet him $1 that he's wrong.* We each gave a third pal, Andy, our dollar. When these fourth-graders graduate from high school Andy will award that $2 to one of us. If our 42 kids in the pilots this summer graduate at 50% or worse, as is now the case in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Immokalee</span>, Ken is up two bucks. If we beat that by at least 10%, I win.<br /><br />I will win this bet.<br /><br />Here's why: because it isn't up to just me. We have a terrific core of believers assembled. All sorts of talented people are lining up to help us with this project. And the kids themselves are going to run with it, too. This is far bigger than any one of us.<br /><br /><br />*I always wager $1, never more. If you've seen the movie <em>Trading Places</em>, you'll know what inspires this.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-43291135822981733952008-05-30T09:38:00.000-07:002008-05-30T09:44:51.745-07:00A Tragic LossMary Ann <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Durso</span>, the driving force behind this nation's #1 local Habitat for Humanity organization (right here in Collier County) died yesterday.<br /><br />I never met Mary Ann in person, though we've spoken on the phone several times. She was lively, gracious, and inspirational - just talking to her got me fired up to redouble my own efforts to help the community, a feeling that would stay with me for hours after I put down the phone.<br /><br />I had meant to interview her, when I got around to it, as a Neapolitan of Note for our e-newsletter and for e Bella Magazine. Clearly, I'll never get around to it now. I blew my chance.<br /><br />This community has lost a tremendous friend and servant to those in need. Mary Ann <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Durso</span> will be sorely missed.<br /><br />To read more about this remarkable lady: <a href="http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/29/mary-ann-durso-collier-habitat-humanity-leader-die/">http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/29/mary-ann-durso-collier-habitat-humanity-leader-die/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-10994655032958282362008-05-30T09:14:00.000-07:002008-05-30T10:01:55.773-07:00My FriendsI relish the company of friends whose opinions differ from my own. I'm not being <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">facetious</span>. You see, I already know what I think and why. I'm much more interested in what other, possibly better-informed or more-intelligent, folks have to say.<br /><br />When I'm with friends who are either more liberal or more conservative than I, or more pessimistic or cautious, for that matter, it gives me the chance to strengthen my arguments or to change my views - something I am happy to do (though that may surprise those of you who know how strongly I feel about... well, about most things.)<br /><br />I had the unparallelled luck a while back to fall in with perhaps the most intelligent, informed, and delightfully <em>quirky</em> bunch of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Friends</span> I've ever had. These are the leaders of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CFI</span> Naples, my "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">philosopher's</span> club." We break bread together once or twice a week, and talk about anything at all - many of my recent entries in this blog were inspired by live and online conversations with this crew. The discussions can range far and they can heat up pretty quickly. I enjoy every minute of each one!<br /><br />If you do one thing next month, join us for the general <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">CFI</span> meeting/discussion on Tuesday, June 10<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> at 6:30 pm - more details can be found on the calendar at <a href="http://www.naplessocialaction.org/">http://www.naplessocialaction.org/</a>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">CFI's</span> monthly meetings provide arguably the most lively and interesting discussion in Greater Naples. Conservatives, liberals, believers and doubters, and all in between enjoy exploring some of the day's most controversial topics in a respectful, collegial atmosphere. Check your dogma at the door but please, bring your curiosity and zeal for reason!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-65161434275929357552008-05-29T14:23:00.000-07:002008-05-29T14:24:27.124-07:00Laptops/Colombia<em>From Today's Boston Globe:</em><br /><br />The One Laptop Per Child Foundation has landed an order for 65,000 of its low-cost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">XO</span> laptop computers from the state of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Caldas</span> in Colombia. The state government will take delivery of at least 15,000 machines this year, with the rest to be shipped by the end of 2009. Each laptop costs $188, making the deal worth more than $12 million. The Cambridge-based foundation sells its <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">XO</span> laptops mainly to governments in developing countries where they are given free to children. (Hiawatha Bray)<br /><br /><em>We're part of something huge - and it's just beginning.</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-69294040809192060482008-05-29T06:45:00.000-07:002008-05-29T06:51:43.694-07:00Pollyanna?I hope I don't sound too much like a Pollyanna when I say that, looking back with the detachment of history, future generations may very well wonder what the American people were ever concerned about when we fretted over keeping our global prominence. <br /><br />Japan scared the daylights out of us in the 80s and early 90s, but we don't utter a peep about them anymore. (Although it's interesting to note that they're still not far behind us at productivity, GDP, etc.). <br /><br />Now we're just as fearful of China. On one hand, it's easy to see why, as they're growing at such a mind-boggling pace. But legions of their people still starve to death every day - starve, as in die of empty bellies! How can a nation in such straights maintain its self for long? China's competitive edge is propped up by an artificially-weakened currency and cheap labor, which is already rising in price and fueling transfer of jobs to less expensive nations such as Vietnam. And corruption is so endemic in China that it's hard to argue that they have the #1 guarantor of economic success, the rule of law.<br /><br />Of course, we could also fret over the EU's new prominence if we choose. Maybe, if something happens in China's economy, that will be our next hobgoblin.<br /><br />Here's the part I find fascinating about American culture, though: <em>our entire history, about 400 years worth, is the story of simultaneous decline and rejuvenation.</em> Yes, we have life-sapping American Idolatry, lazy, uneducated, pierced twenty-somethings, and rampant teen parenting. These factors are degenerating our society - they are, without a doubt in my mind!<br /><br />But at the same time there are plenty of kids who are starting businesses, dedicating themselves to philanthropy; getting advanced degrees. I just met yesterday with a 30-year-old who, all by himself, is compensating for 20 slackers. It's hard to be a pessimist after an hour with a guy like that.<br /><br />This country continually regenerates its self. America remains the most vibrant culture ever. And it will as long as enough of us care to ask the question, "Is this country in trouble?" I don't think that question will ever go away.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-50266907629357978622008-05-28T12:55:00.000-07:002008-05-28T12:59:07.331-07:00More on Education ReformThe following is an elaboration of an entry from Tuesday, May 27th on this same topic.<br /><br />My ideas for education reform are based strongly on personal experience, both as a former student and as the owner of a private language school. Here are some thoughts:<br /><br /><strong>Teacher & School Quality<br /></strong><br />* As a nation, a state; a county, why would we ever even consider scrimping on education because of expense, as we do now? We don't do that with national defense! And isn't education national defense? It is our competitive edge. After our physical safety, what is more important to the life and prosperity of our republic?<br /><br />* The quality of the teacher is the only thing that matters at all in education - assuming he/she isn't hobbled by arduous and bad curricula or working in an over-crowded classroom.<br /><br />* Florida is ranked 35th in the nation -actually a big improvement over 48th just a few years ago. But here's my question: why aren't we copying the #1 (VA) and #2 (CT) states in every manner possible? Those states pay teachers much more than Florida, and it is very hard for even the most qualified candidates to land a position in either state.<br /><br />* The PACE Center for Girls in Immokalee operates at about $10k/student, with tiny little classes, a very small student population, and kids who are admittedly the dregs of the Immokalee school system: these girls go to PACE because they have been kicked out of public school, have dropped out, or are in danger of one or both. Yet nearly all of them graduate, and most go on to college. Meanwhile, our county spends about $7,500/student, and look at the results. The drop-out rate in Immokalee is 50%. For an additional $2,500 per kid, we could have them all in PACE-like schools, county-wide.<br /><br /><strong>Teacher Pay<br /></strong><br />* If you want the best teachers, you have to pay for them - same as any other career. Would you go to a surgeon who made $35,000 a year? Yes, there are some truly gifted teachers who perform their jobs despite the pay. But my ambition for our schools is to have the very-most talented graduates go first into teaching, if they can get the work; those left over will have to settle for law, medicine, business, etc. Then, two years later, 90% of these stars will go into the general work force, so those other fields will not have to suffer their absence for long.<br /><br />* The going rate for ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers in Greater Boston is $15/hour (at Berlitz it's $8/hour). Coiné Language School pays $50/hour. Yes, Jane and I are do-gooders - I think that's pretty well-established. But Enlightened Self-Interest dictated this decision. It allows us to poach the very best teachers at will from the very best schools in the area (and thus in the world, as Boston is a global center for private ESL). Part of the reason we can recruit those teaching super-stars is the money, sure, but the other part is the respect that differential in pay shows these teachers. Good teachers get the results our corporate clients demand, and those clients then refer us to their peers. It's just savvy business.<br /><br /><strong>Class Size<br /></strong><br />* There are courses in which knowledge can be passed down en masse, lecture-style. I honestly believe that a student will benefit more from a book and some spare time to read it. Indeed, at William & Mary a number of my professors were eminent scholars with acclaimed books and ground-breaking studies under their belts - and many of them were grossly incompetent at the art of teaching. I chose philosophy as my major because the professors taught better, plain and simple. The discipline fascinated me, sure, but so did a number of other subjects - English, history, sociology; psychology (my minor). (Side-note: W&M's philosophy department, with its talented teachers, is always ranked at or near the top nationally. Coincidence?)<br /><br />* We guarantee our results at our language school - but only if the class has 8 students or fewer. This is based on my 12 years of experience with real, live classes: each time you add a student after 8, learning slows down perceptibly. So you can quote all the studies you like about class size and results, but... good luck convincing me. My opinion is based on experience and results.<br /><br /><strong>Trimming Fat<br /></strong><br />* I think we have many-too-many administrators in our schools and our school systems. The money we could save by eliminating their jobs - most of which pay more than teaching posts, sadly - would make up part of the extra expenses you mention.<br /><br />* One of my 11 points is on kids doing maintenance. That would save more money now paid to janitors (who, by the way, deserve thoughtful, dedicated out-placement: this is a current concern right here in our county, and I'm sympathetic to their situation).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-31158362105314108802008-05-28T05:39:00.001-07:002008-05-28T05:43:16.244-07:00Laptop Talk next TuesdayThe story on "60 Minutes:" <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/20/60minutes/main2830058.shtml?source=search_story">http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/20/60minutes/main2830058.shtml?source=search_story</a><br /><br />Join me next Tuesday, June 3 at 6:00 pm at the Naples YMCA (Pine Ridge just east of Airport Pulling Rd.). I will be leading an information session on "Laptop South Florida - What is it? and How you can get involved."<br /><br />See ya there!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-12942114156274471742008-05-28T05:35:00.000-07:002008-05-28T05:37:35.642-07:00Ethical InvestingI find this article fascinating: <a href="http://www.globalethics.org/newsline/2008/05/27/uk-teens/">http://www.globalethics.org/newsline/2008/05/27/uk-teens/</a>. This is Capitalism 2.0 in the flesh - something I didn't invent (sadly), but that I preach actively now as a business consultant. Our global economy is transforming, and I think it's a wonderful thing.<br /><br />...Now let me play my own Devil's Advocate: (a) This is England. Those people still live in trees, from what I understand (never been there myself). London may be the new leader in international banking, but the rest of the UK economy has a lot to learn from ours. (b) These are teenagers. They'll out-grow it; this is just a phase. (c) They won't work for unethical companies? Good for those companies! Have you managed a person under 25 lately?<br /><br />All of that is fair: the British economy doesn't exactly set our trends. Kids do indeed get more practical and less idealistic as they mature. And how much influence do you really think these kids will have on their parents' investments? But it still heartens me. It indicates a trend.<br /><br />As top brass at Johnson & Johnson dubbed it in the '50s, this will motivate Enlightened Self-Interest: companies will start to cater to this trend, and the world will benefit.<br /><br />Your thoughts on this matter are most appreciated. <a href="mailto:ted@naplessocialaction.org">ted@naplessocialaction.org</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-79078892320065924252008-05-27T13:30:00.000-07:002008-05-27T13:33:54.421-07:00Education/SEEDWow, that was a quick response! I shared my latest missive (below) with some friends, and one replied with the link to this editorial in <em>The New York Times</em> by Thomas Friedman, author of <em>The World Is Flat </em>(which I highly, highly recommend).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/opinion/25friedman.html?ex=1212465600&en=773059e8f181d4ca&ei=5070&emc=eta1">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/opinion/25friedman.html?ex=1212465600&en=773059e8f181d4ca&ei=5070&emc=eta1</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-52590312726883272842008-05-27T12:05:00.000-07:002008-05-27T12:29:02.428-07:00Prescription for EducationHere's my abbreviated prescription for our nation's public schools:<br /><br />1. Teacher starting salary $80 k.<br />2. Teachers are hired with the expectation that they will serve only two years. Discharge them honorably with tuition to grad school.<br />3. The best 10% of teachers make it past those first 2 years. That will build in experience and mentoring.<br />4. No education classes recognized: content or nothing.<br />5. Maximum class size 12 students.<br />6. Standardized testing: AP exams, period.<br />7. Mandatory daily sports.<br />8. Mandatory daily chores (no maintenance staff).<br />9. Honor system strictly enforced.<br />10. Maximum school size 150 students.<br />11. 3 Rs + E: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Entrepreneurialism</span>. ...For EVERY kid!<br /><br />As I said, that's just a start. As the saying goes, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance!"<br /><br />Some day soon, I'll get my hands on a charter school. Look out World!<br /><br />PS - A link to the prep. school that literally changed my life. I can't stress that enough; it is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">impossible</span> for me to exaggerate (try as I may). When the day comes for said charter school of my own, I plan to copy just as much as I possibly can from the Wooster School: <a href="http://www.woosterschool.org/community/commsvc.php">http://www.woosterschool.org/community/commsvc.php</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-69678445960954230192008-05-24T12:06:00.000-07:002008-05-24T12:07:51.480-07:00Laptops/Give One, Get One is back!Two important developments on the laptop story. Read the article below to learn more:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=53876;_hbguid=52e1c791-3db3-4f3d-a478-0f2eade2125e">http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=53876;_hbguid=52e1c791-3db3-4f3d-a478-0f2eade2125e</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-47731320468667874522008-05-24T05:37:00.000-07:002008-05-24T05:44:15.719-07:00Right to Bear Arms and Shoot Our Friends<em>Another spirited debate among the leaders of CFI Naples, which Jane calls my "Philosophy Club." Here I weigh in on the Second Amendment:</em><br /><br />The Bill of Rights was written, it seems, with the intention of obscurity, perhaps to keep it a living document rather than a set of dictates that we genuflect to without thought. Still, the Second Amendment is particularly confounding to all of us.<br /><br />There is "the right to bear arms" part, which seems clear enough until you consider which arms: <em>all</em> arms, including automatic weapons? Grenade launchers? Rocket launchers? Surface-to-air missiles?<br /><br />Then there is the "in a well-regulated militia" phrase. Do we just ignore that part? If I buy a gun, can I declare myself a militia of one? Is a local gun club a militia? Or did the Founders perhaps mean something <em>very </em>well-regulated, like the National Guard? It seems that we have 50 very well-regulated militias.<br /><br />Perhaps the ACLU considers the NRA to be doing a fine job of protecting our right to bear arms. As the second largest and best-funded lobby after AARP, I think that's the case.<br /><br />I've got to weigh in as a moderate here, which is never very exciting. If I were the victim of a violent crime, I would want to carry a gun for my own sense of security. For that reason, I'm glad to have that right. On the other hand, if we regulated our gun position even a <em>little</em> bit better in this country, perhaps we'd be a lot safer. How many kids die fooling around with Dad's bed-side pistol each year? One is too many, but I think it's more than one. How many drunks kill friends with a .38-special every Saturday night at pool halls across the country?<br /><br />I don't think guns are inherently dangerous. If you look at Switzerland, every single male aged 18 to about 60 is required to have a working military rifle in his home. The magazines are shrink-wrapped, though, and regular inspections ensure that anyone who opens their magazine's protective wrapping is sent to jail. Perhaps this is a closer definition of "well-regulated" than what we see in the US.<br /><br />Have you seen <em>Bowling for Columbine</em>? The interview of Charlton Heston is... well, I'll never watch <em>Planet of the Apes</em> and <em>The Ten Commandments</em> in the same way again. It's hard to support the NRA after that scene, even if you aren't a big Michael Moore fan.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-27653858985826830482008-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:002008-05-23T10:42:07.772-07:00EnvironmentI see this as a possible way out of our current oil and global-warming woes without inviting economic ruin:<br /><br />(a) We have the technology today to build fuel-efficient vehicles, the (ugly little) Prius being one of many. High gas prices are inspiring more consumers to purchase compact cars (25% of new sales last month) - let's hope that trend increases. This won't hurt any auto manufacturers one bit, and no one has to pass a law - as an ardent capitalist, I love it! <br /><br />I think it's in our national interest to spur this along, though. Right now, <em>today</em>, we could close the small truck/SUV tax loophole and set minimum fuel standards that would be rewarded with tax breaks. Thus, if you want a Prius, you save money; if you still want a Navigator, good for you - please pay Uncle Sam a $5,000 fee for this luxury.<br /><br />(b) Let's try nuclear power again on a large scale. I think it beats the alternative. Hopefully, we'll develop a way to "disarm" the toxic waste later.<br /><br />(c) Let's give tax incentives to those who purchase green alternatives such as "Al Gore light bulbs" for the home and office, solar panels where they make sense weather-wise, etc. etc.<br /><br />(d) Let's pour tax-money and private capital into R&D for green technology. If thousands of entrepreneurs across the country are encouraged to start small companies to solve some of these environmental problems... hey, isn't that fostering the ingenuity and drive that has kept this country great for 400 years?<br /><br />Instead of coercion, let's try incentive. I'll bet we'll get much farther.<br /><br />By the way: A few months ago, Jeanmarie Hendry (of The Naples Institute) took me to a building site in Bonita - poor folks buying their first homes, which were "green" houses. The technology was simple, available today, and in several cases (like the smaller air-conditioning units) LESS expensive than the typical alternatives - indeed, a number of the solutions were merely in design, not materials, like running the air ducts at chest-level instead of up high where the hot air of the room & roof heats the cooled air on its way into the room. There's no reason every private builder couldn't incorporate those ideas into their new homes without losing whatever price-advantage they enjoy today. They would be prompted to do this with tax incentives. Again, let's inspire through benefits, not penalties.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-71363830331812471852008-05-21T11:45:00.000-07:002008-05-21T12:26:51.968-07:00Laptops/SafetyThe most important consideration is that we are actively working with the Sherriff's Dept. - their head of IT & cyber crimes now has one of the computers, which he is checking out - and NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) is actively engaged in this program. Amelia at NCMEC will be joining us the very first day of the program (June 9th) to certify the kids in an online safety program, and she will be back to work with us every time we have a new batch of children. Safety online comes through education, and (as a father of two young girls), that is of paramount importance.<br /><br />...Along those lines, it is important to realize that many cell phones now enable Internet access. So the question isn't, "Will these children be going online?" but, "Will they know how to stay safe from predators and bullying when they do?"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6698291662245884721.post-14037927365880780682008-05-21T07:53:00.000-07:002008-05-21T12:37:13.009-07:00Laptop UpdateTomorrow we will be meeting with the principal at Lake Trafford Elementary School. Hopefully, he'll match us with a teacher who will help us in the pilots this summer, and who will be the resident Immokalee laptop specialist, on hand to coach other teachers in Immokalee going forward.<br /><br /><strong>So far, here is what we have:<br /></strong><br />* Classes will be held at Beth El Assembly of God. The kids will meet 3 times a week, one hour each time, throughout the summer. There will be 2 pilots running simultaneously, each with 21 kids - one group from RCMA, the other from Lake Trafford. All are going into 4th grade. There will be 3 teachers who will be certified teacher-trainers for this program by the time the pilot ends.<br /><br />* The "XO" laptops are made by OLPC (One Laptop Per Child), a nonprofit started by professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab. They are child-sized, drop-proof, waterproof, dust-proof, have Wi-Fi that is four times better than anything we adults can buy for ourselves, and they have the only screen in existence that works well in direct sunlight. Again, we adults just can't buy that, no matter what we're willing to pay. They come with a still- and video-camera. They are theft-proof (they turn off when stolen), and even if they aren't connected to the Internet, they still instantly "mesh:" they recognize when another XO is within range, and hook up to it automatically, making collaboration a breeze. Because OLPC is a nonprofit, the computers themselves are only $220 each, including shipping. Including the training, this program costs $500 per child.<br /><br />* The software (or "courseware," as it's called) that the kids will be using in class has been created by an organization out of Pennsylvania called Waveplace Foundation (<a href="http://www.waveplace.org/">http://www.waveplace.org/</a>). I am on the board of directors. The founder and president of Waveplace, Tim Falconer, will be leading the first week of teacher-training. That is 30+ intensive hours, most of which are the 3 teachers and Tim alone, going through the entire course that the kids will be taking this summer.<br /><br />* Waveplace courseware is designed to teach the kids computer skills, including writing code, graphic design, animation, and digital story-telling, among other things. The children will even be using high school geometry - yes, these are 4th graders. Waveplace lets the kids explore and learn; the teachers help them along. Rather than "drill and kill" through rote memorization, kids have <em>fun</em> learning. They stay engaged this way. I've seen it in action. Let me tell you, it's amazing.<br /><br />* We have had two previous pilots, one on St. John (US Virgin Islands), the other in Haiti. Results were great both times, though we're confident the kids in Immokalee will do even better with their projects because of the ground laid by those first two pilots.<br /><br />* Once our two pilots are done, we're ready to roll out courses to as many students as we can raise funds for. Our first priority is to bring Waveplace training and OLPC computers to all of the 4th graders in Immokalee; ultimately, every kid from kindergarten through eighth grade will go through this program and have a computer of their own, but that is going to take some serious fund raising. We will also be bringing the same opportunity to the other Title I (poor) schools throughout South Florida, as funds permit.<br /><br />* Our goal is to be done within ten years. Right now, no kids have this training and these computers. Ten years from now - 2018 - every single kid in South Florida will. That is what we are doing.<br /><br /><strong>Here are the organizations and people involved:<br /></strong><br />* Waveplace Foundation/Tim Falconer. <a href="http://www.waveplace.org/">www.waveplace.org</a><br /><br />* OLPC. The computer its self is called the XO. <a href="http://www.laptop.org/">www.laptop.org</a>.<br /><br />* One-by-One Leadership Foundation of SWFL. This is a faith-based organization that has spearheaded our fundraising, brought key players to the table... John Lawson, the executive director, is one of the true heroes of this story.<br /><br />* <a href="http://www.naplessocialaction.org/">www.NaplesSocialAction.org</a> - that's my wife Jane and me, and our partner/technology guru Michael Junkroski, owner of <a href="http://www.vsm.net/">www.VSM.net</a> on Marco. I'm on the board of Waveplace. I put Tim and John together. We are running the pilots. Jane is one of the three teacher-trainers, and will manage the other teacher-trainers.<br /><br />* Laptop South Florida. This is the nonprofit that we are forming to run local efforts here in this region. One-by-One is "giving birth" to our 501(c)3, i.e. helping us get established with the state and the IRS. I am building the board.<br /><br />* Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA)'s Community School - the kids from our first pilot are coming from there.<br /><br />* The Summer Migrant Program, headed up by Earl Wiggins - the kids from the second pilot are being funded through this project.<br /><br /><strong>Other items of interest:<br /></strong><br />* There are hundreds of thousands of OLPC computers being used in third-world countries as we speak. Peru and Mexico are leading the movement with 600,000 in use or ordered.<br /><br />* Our pilot begins Monday, June 9th. WGCU and NPR are both sending reporters to cover this story.<br /><br />* We will have a presence at the Immokalee Kids Games on Saturday, June 14.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0