Why Do We Educate? Voices from the Conversation is a unique collection of contemporary writing about the purposes of education in today's society. It gives expression to the voices of more than 90 public and private figures through written essays, speeches, fiction, op-ed pieces, cartoons, and blogs. These are the voices of artists, entertainers, business executives, scientists, educators, government and civic leaders, religious and spiritual leaders, and members of the media. Through these voices is found expression of a number of educational purposes including the development of the individual, the promotion of the "good" society, and the advancement of humanity. Also through them is found expression of education as a means of cultivation and stewardship of democratic values and processes. The purpose of this book is to document the contemporary conversation about why we educate in democratic society and, through the voices represented in the book, provoke and promote the conversation further. This book is the second volume of the 107th yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. The first volume, Why Do We Educate? Renewing the Conversation, is a complementary collection of contemporary scholarly writing on the question.
Table of Contents:
Series Editor’s Foreword, Gary D. Fenstermacher Acknowledgments
Prologue: Voices From The Conversation, Mark A. Smylie
Why Must I Learn? Bernard Schoenbaum
Part One: Voices From Arts And Entertainment
A Talk To Teachers, James Baldwin
The Drill, Ed Burns
Quiz Master, Barney Tobey
People Expect Great Things From You, Bill Cosby .
Athletics And The Education Of Boys, Frank Deford
Dancing Through Life, Pierre Dulaine
Civilization’s Thin Veneer, Václav Havel
The World Of Music, Samuel Hazo
Dear Ann Landers, Eppie Lederer
On Not Winning The Nobel Prize, Doris Lessing
On Teaching And Grades, Robert Pirsig
Forget It, Bill Watterson
What Is An American Education? Richard Rodriguez
Expressing Our Imaginations and Feelings, Harold M. Williams
Part Two: Voices From Business, Science, And Technology
Global Competition Is The New Reality, David Abney
How To Get Off The Roof, Norman R. Augustine
Your Spaceship, Claude Smith
The Purpose Of Education, Joseph A. Bailey II, M.D.
Commentary, Craig R. Barrett
Competitive Edge, Robert Weber
Who, What, Why, Where? Keith L. Black
A Nobel Prize Winner Recalls His Education, Nicolaas Bloembergen
Is Google Making Us Stupid? Nicholas Carr
Strengthening American Competitiveness For The 21st Century, Bill Gates
Your Country’s Desperate Need, Whitney Darrow, Jr.
On The Threshold Of The 21st Century: Comments On Science Education, Leon M. Lederman
Great Teachers And Great Effort: Two Keys To A Great Education, Lowell Milken
The Promise Of Education, Christopher Nordlinger
Demographics Must Not Be Destiny, Andy Stern
An Extraordinary Opportunity Wasted On Youth, Sam Zell
Part Three: Voices From Education
Let Teenagers Try Adulthood, Leon Botstein
Who Are You? Barney Tobey
Remarks To Unesco Plenary Session, Paris, France, Laura Bush
Education And The Economy, Geoffrey Canada
Regaining The Thought-Action Continuum: A New Liberal Arts, Elizabeth Coleman
How Public Education Cripples Our Kids And Why, John Taylor Gatto
Such A Mess, Joseph Mirachi
Dear Teacher, Anonymous
What Our 17-Year-Olds Know, Frederick M. Hess
This Algebra Is Driving Me Nuts! Jeff Mcnelly
To Sustain The American Dream, Arthur Levine
Are There Any Questions? Mel Lazarus
Pass Or Fail, Will Okun .
Where The Process Begins, Vivian Gussin Paley
Try Not To Worry, Charles E. Martin
Posteriores Calcate! Aaron Parrett
My Graduation Speech, Neil Postman
Finding Our Way, Mike Rose
Part Four: Voices From Political And Civic Leadership
Labor And Management Must Work Together, Elaine L. Chao
American Education—American Competitiveness, Bill Clinton
A World Without Public Schools, David Gelernter
A Certain Panache, William Hamilton
A Prosperity Agenda For The 21st Century, Newt Gingrich
Huckabee Extols Higher Education, Mike Huckabee
Lifetime Earnings, Lee Lorenz
Jbs On Public Education, The John Birch Society
Values And Purposes Of Education And Skills, Liberal Democrats Online Policy Consultation Group
Service To America, John Mccain
Our Kids, Our Future, Barack Obama
Make Ripples Of Your Own, Alan C. Page
Moral Strength And Education, Colin Powell.
Our Day, Barbara Smaller
Speech At The South Carolina March For Equity In Education, Richard W. Riley
Part Five: Voices From Religious And Spiritual Leadership
Statement On Public Education, American Jewish Committee
The Real Purpose Of Education, Khalid Baig
That Sort Of Thing, Alice Harvey
Aims Of Buddhist Education, Bhikkhu Bodhi
Winning, Lee Lorenz
The Purpose Of Education, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Lovely Innocence, Robert Weber
For Wonder, In Wonder, Martin E. Marty
The Churches And The Public Schools At The Close Of The Twentieth Century, National Council Of The Churches Of Christ, U.S.A
Part Six: Voices From The Media
Find Your Voice As A World Citizen, Christiane Amanpour
Doing Hard Work Of The Mind: Immigrants See Life Is More Than Labor, Oscar Avila
Education Is Supposed To Make You Rich, Not Wealthy, Simon Barnes
Life’s Report Card, William Hamilton
The Biggest Issue, David Brooks
The Purpose Of Education, Tom Campbell
Hope In The Unseen, Thomas L. Friedman
The Luckiest Girl, Nicholas D. Kristof
“Do Your Own Homework”: Asian Students Should Learn To Think For Themselves, Andrew Lam
If At First You Don’t Succeed Enough, Abigail Sullivan Moore
Too Early, Robert J. Day
Memories Of Mississippi And The Challenges Of No Child Left Behind, Diane Rado
Build A Future We Can Be Proud Of, Tim Russert
Dealing With Hatred: How The Torrent Of Anti-Americanism
Affects Teenagers, Jeffrey Zaslow
Part Seven: Voices For Education And The Promotion Of Democratic Ideals
“Here’s The Story”, David Miller
Education For Democracy: A Statement Signed By Over 100 Distinguished Leaders, Albert Shanker Institute
Solving Problems And Building Communities, Richard Lee Colvin
On Civics Education, Richard Dreyfuss
Why Do We Educate So Many So Poorly In A Democratic Society? Lynn Huntley
The Fundamental Purpose Of Education Is Democracy, Sean Kershaw
Why Educate? Martha Minow
You Have The Right To Remain Silent, Jeff Danziger
Good Citizenship: The Purpose Of Education, Eleanor Roosevelt
On My Mind: Educating For Freedom, A.M. Rosenthal
