by lindanathan | Nov 21, 2019 | Arts Education, Center for Artistry and Scholarship, Creativity, Equity, Interdisciplinary Learning, Leadership Development, Literacy, Professional Development, Teaching and Learning
Every now and then it’s important to recommit to why I’m in public education and why I continue to feel hopeful even in such dark times. Yes, funding for public schools continues to be a struggle, particularly for urban schools. After 25 years of high stakes testing,...
by lindanathan | Apr 26, 2019 | Equity, Leadership Development, Professional Development, School Visits, Teaching and Learning
When I think about Haverhill, I think about shoes, and I saw a lot of monuments and statues of shoes around the city. Yes, in the 20th century, Haverhill was a center of shoe production. Haverhill had a 200-300 year history making shoes from the time in 1646 when a...
by lindanathan | Apr 3, 2019 | Arts Education, Center for Artistry and Scholarship, Creativity, Equity, Leadership Development, Professional Development
Esperanza Spalding’s visit to Conservatory Lab was a magical moment for students as well as the adults who teach them music on a daily basis. She met the second grade orchestra named for her. She talked about the trust and freedom she saw in their eyes — something in...
by lindanathan | Feb 11, 2019 | Arts Education, Books, Leadership Development, Teaching and Learning
Last week I had the opportunity to give an author talk at the Massachusetts State House Library. When they asked last Fall if I’d be willing, I didn’t hesitate. Even though I didn’t know anything about this author series, I’m a devoted fan of libraries and librarians....
by lindanathan | Nov 30, 2018 | Arts Education, Creativity, Equity, Interdisciplinary Learning, Leadership Development, School Visits, Teaching and Learning
Recently, I traveled to Detroit to speak at the CS Partners annual conference. While there, I became enraged to learn about legislation related to the third grade reading test in Michigan that was passed two years ago by a Republican state legislature. Next year, this...
by lindanathan | May 22, 2018 | Arts Education, Creativity, Interdisciplinary Learning, Leadership Development, Professional Development, Teaching and Learning
Last month, I had the honor and privilege of participating in the Kennedy Center Arts Summit. The goal of the day was to “activate citizen artists, explore John F. Kennedy’s ideas and to shape our collective future.” The central focus was to envision the “future state...