Harvard Graduate School of Education Announces Spring 2011 Askwith Forums

The Harvard Graduate School of Education is pleased to announce its Spring 2011 Askwith Forums, a series of public lectures dedicated to discussing challenges facing education, sharing new knowledge, and generating spirited conversation.

Highlights this spring will include a talk by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, a screening of the film World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements, and a conversation about the 35th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act moderated by MSNBC's Chris Matthews.

The Askwith Forums, which are free and open to the public, together attract more than 3,500 attendees each year. The series provides an opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to share their work, talk with one another, and advance proven practices that will improve learning opportunities for all children.

The complete spring schedule of events follows:

• Feburary 8: "The Big IDEA: Reflecting on 35 Years of Equal Access for Students with Disabilities" with David Ticchi, Ed.M.'69, C.A.S.'71, Ed.D.'76, one of the first blind teachers in a Massachusetts public school; Harvard College student Kevin Mintz; and Professor Tom Hehir, HGSE. Moderated by Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball. 6:30-8 p.m.
• February 16: "In Brown's Wake" with Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow, Ed.M.'76 and panelists. 5:30-7 p.m.
• March 4: "Where Do We Go From Here? People of Color and Coalitions of Conscience" with Professor Patricia Hill Collins, M.A.T.'70, University of Maryland. This forum is offered in conjunction with the Alumni of Color Conference. 4-5:30 p.m.
• March 23: "LGBT Issues in K-12 Education" with Eliza Byard, executive director of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), and Joseph Kosciw, senior director of research and strategic initiatives, GLSEN. 5:30-7 p.m.
• March 30: Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. 5:30-7 p.m.
• April 14: "Deep Secrets: Boys' Friendship and the Crisis of Connections" with Professor Niobe Way, Ed.D.'94, New York University. 5:30-7 p.m.
• April 26: Film screening of World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements with Andrew Rotherham, cofounder and partner for Bellwether Education Partners, and John Hunter, teacher and creator of The World Peace Game. 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• May 4: "Does Gender Matter in Education Leadership?" with Professor Nannerl "Nan" Keohane, Princeton University; Senior Lecturer Deborah Jewell-Sherman, Ed.M.'92, Ed.D.'95, HGSE; and Kim Smith, cofounder and chief operating officer for Bellwether Education Partners. Moderated by Dean Kathleen McCartney. 5-6:30 p.m.
• May 10: "An Evening with Marian Wright Edelman." 5:30-7 p.m.

Unless otherwise noted, all forums are held in Askwith Hall on the first floor of Longfellow Hall at 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, Mass.

About Askwith Forums: Askwith Forums, established in 1998 by an anonymous donor and named in honor of New York City public relations consultant, writer, and publishing executive Herbert Askwith, is a series of public lectures at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The Askwith Forums have featured a wide range of topics, including early childhood, civic and moral engagement, expanded learning models, educating for human rights, and international education. Topics are initiated by faculty, students, and alumni, and aim to address the highest-priority challenges facing the education sector.

Prominent speakers have included U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma, Teach For America founder Wendy Kopp, education historian Diane Ravitch, author Eric Carle, and former U.S. Secretary of the State Condoleezza Rice.