About this item
An inspiring account of ordinary teachers who are doing extraordinary things that could transform educationWhat School Could Be offers an inspiring vision of what our teachers and students can accomplish if trusted with the challenge of developing the skills and ways of thinking needed to thrive in a world of dizzying technological change.Innovation expert Ted Dintersmith took an unprecedented trip across America, visiting all fifty states in a single school year. He originally set out to raise awareness about the urgent need to reimagine education to prepare students for a world marked by innovation--but America's teachers one-upped him. All across the country, he met teachers in ordinary settings doing extraordinary things, creating innovative classrooms where children learn deeply and joyously as they gain purpose, agency, essential skillsets and mindsets, and real knowledge. Together, these new ways of teaching and learning offer a vision of what school could be -- and a model for transforming schools throughout the United States and beyond. Better yet, teachers and parents don't have to wait for the revolution to come from above. They can readily implement small changes that can make a big difference.America's clock is ticking. Our archaic model of education trains our kids for a world that no longer exists, and accelerating advances in technology are eliminating millions of jobs. But the trailblazing of many American educators gives us reasons for hope.Capturing bold ideas from teachers and classrooms across America, What School Could Be provides a realistic and profoundly optimistic roadmap for creating cultures of innovation and real learning in all our schools.
About the Author
After his career in innovation, Ted Dintersmith is now focused on issues at the intersection of innovation and education. He supports initiatives that improve the life prospects of youth around the nation and globe. He was the executive producer of the acclaimed documentary Most Likely to Succeed. Along with thought leader Tony Wagner, he co-authored the top-selling book Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era. During the 2015/16 school year, he went to all fifty states, visited 200 schools, and met with thousands of people involved with U.S. education. His new book, What School Could Be, is an inspiring account of what he learned through this de Toquesville-esque immersion in education across America. In the fall of 2012, Ted served as part of the delegation representing the United States at the United Nations General Assembly, where he focused on global education and entrepreneurship. He's a Partner Emeritus with Charles River Ventures, a leading early-stage venture capital firm. Ted served on the Board of the National Venture Capital Association, chairing its Public Policy Committee. Independent industry analysts ranked Ted as the top-performing venture capitalist in the United States for the 1995-99 period. Prior to venture capital, he was a senior executive at Analog Devices, and worked for two years on Capitol Hill on science and technology policy. Ted earned a Ph.D. in Engineering from Stanford University, and his undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary, where he earned High Honors in Physics and English.
