About this item
The basis for a major documentary, two leading experts sound an urgent call for the radical reimagining of American education so we can equip students for the realities of the twenty-first-century economy. "If you read one book about education this decade, make it this one" (Adam Braun, bestselling author and founder of Pencils of Promise) .. Today more than ever, we prize academic achievement, pressuring our children to get into the "right" colleges, have the highest GPAs, and pursue advanced degrees. But while students may graduate with credentials, by and large they lack the competencies needed to be thoughtful, engaged citizens and to get good jobs in our rapidly evolving economy. Our school system was engineered a century ago to produce a workforce for a world that no longer exists. Alarmingly, our methods of schooling crush the creativity and initiative young people really need to thrive in the twenty-first century. Now bestselling author and education expert Tony Wagner and venture capitalist Ted Dintersmith call for a complete overhaul of the function and focus of American schools, sharing insights and stories from the front lines, including profiles of successful students, teachers, parents, and business leaders. Their powerful, urgent message identifies the growing gap between credentials and competence - and offers a framework for change. Most Likely to Succeed presents a new vision of American education, one that puts wonder, creativity, and initiative at the very heart of the learning process and prepares students for todays economy. "In this excellent book...Wagner and Dintersmith argue...that success and happiness will depend increasingly on having the ability to innovate" (Chicago Tribune) , and this crucial guide offers policymakers and opinion leaders a roadmap for getting the best for our future entrepreneurs.
About the Author
TONY WAGNER currently serves as an Expert In Residence at Harvard University's new Innovation Lab and as a Senior Research Fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, founded by Linda Darling-Hammond in 2015. Prior to these appointments, Tony was the first Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard, and the founder and co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education for more than a decade. His previous work experience includes twelve years as a high school teacher, K-8 principal, university professor in teacher education, and founding executive director of Educators for Social Responsibility.
Tony is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and a widely published author. His work includes numerous articles and six books. Tony's latest, Most Likely To Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for The Innovation Era, co-authored by Ted Dintersmith, was just published by Scribner. Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World, was published by Scribner in 2012 to rave reviews and has been translated into 12 languages. His 2008 book, The Global Achievement Gap continues to be an international best seller, with a Second Edition recently released.
Tony recently served as the Strategic Education Advisor for a major new education documentary, "Most Likely to Succeed," which had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. He also collaborated with noted filmmaker Robert Compton to create a 60 minute documentary, "The Finland Phenomenon: Inside The World's Most Surprising School System" in 2010.
Tony earned an M.A.T. and an Ed.D. at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
