16/5/13 – Harvard Day 2

After some initial difficulties (I took the wrong train), I eventually managed to find my way back to the Graduate School of Education this morning and was greeted by our cheerful professor Fernando Reimers (Ford Foundation Professor of International Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education).

Today we looked at curriculum policy and program development. There is a wealth of information available on this topic, so it was great to have some real ‘experts’ there to help us identify the ‘key’ information, organisations and ‘must tag’ websites. In the session before lunch there was a provocative presentation on ‘Unequal United States’ by Natasha Kumar Warikoo (Assistant Professor of Education).

 After lunch we reviewed ‘Girl Rising’ – a documentary about the poor educational status of girls in undeveloped and developing countries. This screening was followed by a discussion on this all too prevalent form of ‘human rights abuse’ and ideas for change. All in all a big day – my head is full of information, my emotions run high on topics such as justice and equality and I ponder the possibilities available for those with the power to make a difference – including my role and what can be in the future.

By the time I left Cambridge that evening my mind was swimming with (sometimes conflicting) thoughts and ideas so, to clear my head, Peter and I decided to visit the local restaurant quarter and after walking up and down the street checking the menus we selected a restaurant, not because of the menu but because of its profusion of fairy lights and the availability, on this warm Spring evening, of outdoor dining. And what a great choice it was – we sat in the garden on a balmy Boston night, discussing my day’s adventures, sipping wine and munching on some superb local fare.  

Did you know that the largest number of 'Dunkin' Donut' franchises are in Boston!