Teachers College Report

On the Teachers College website, a report on last Monday’s Campaign for Educational Equity symposium:

“My own journalistic investigation into the questions of poverty and education started a little more than five years ago, not far from here, when I first visited [HCZ Founder] Geoffrey Canada,” Paul Tough, an editor at The New York Times Magazine, told an audience at Teachers College’s fourth annual Symposium on Education Equity in November. “By the end of our first conversation, I knew I wanted to write an article about Geoff’s work, and by the time that article came out in The New York Times Magazine in 2004, I knew I wanted to go further and write a book.”

Tough, author of the recently published Whatever It Takes:Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America, concluded that “a true solution to the problem of underachievement in inner-city schools is going to require more nurturing families and safer neighborhoods, as well as better teachers and more accountable schools. It’s not only possible to fix both problems at the same time, it’s essential.”

Harlem Event

Also on Monday, Geoffrey Canada and I will be talking about Whatever It Takes and the Harlem Children’s Zone at an event sponsored by HCZ and the Hue-Man Bookstore. Details above.

Campaign for Educational Equity

Next Monday, November 17, I’ll be speaking at the Campaign for Educational Equity’s 2008 symposium, at Teachers College in New York City. I’m on at 9:20 a.m. or so, right after Gov. Paterson (on video), answering the question “What Will It Take?”

Teach for America Summit

This Saturday, November 15, at 3 p.m., I’ll be a featured speaker at the Teach for America New York City Alumni Summit. I’m on a panel with Marian Wright Edelman and Donna Foote, discussing “The Role of Media in Informing our Public Consciousness.”

Chicago event

Signing a book for a young reader, Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy, Chicago, October 22, 2008.

Chicago reading and book-signing

Next Wednesday, I’ll be giving a talk in Chicago:

The Renaissance Schools Fund and Perspectives Charter Schools invite you to join us for a reading and book signing with Paul Tough, New York Times Magazine editor and author of the new book, Whatever it Takes.

…

Join us for an exciting conversation with Paul Tough on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 from 11:45am – 1:30pm at Perspectives/IIT Math & Science Academy, 3663 S. Wabash Avenue.  This event is free.  Please RSVP to Rachel Green at rgreen@rsfchicago.org

San Francisco/Berkeley

A reminder: Tonight (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. I’ll be reading and discussing Whatever It Takes at the Books Inc. at Opera Plaza in San Francisco. And tomorrow (Wednesday), at 12:30 p.m., I’ll be giving a talk about the book and my reporting in Harlem at the U.C. Berkeley journalism school, an event hosted by Michael Pollan and David Kirp. Please come by!

Berkeley September 24

If you live anywhere near Berkeley, California, come on out to a brown-bag lunch next Wednesday, September 24, at 12:30 p.m., at the North Gate Library on the U.C. Berkeley campus.

I’ll read from Whatever It Takes and answer some questions. The lunch will be hosted by Berkeley professors Michael Pollan and David Kirp.

Brooklyn today!

Sunday morning at 11 a.m., Geoffrey Canada and I will be appearing together at the Brooklyn Book Festival, talking about “Whatever It Takes.” Please join us. Here are directions. We’ll be in the Borough Hall Courtroom at 209 Joralemon Street. Apparently tickets are required, but they’re free. Details here.

Obama on the Harlem Children’s Zone

Here’s video of the speech I mentioned in today’s Times Magazine article, the speech in which Barack Obama explains his plans to replicate the Harlem Children’s Zone in 20 cities across the country. The full text of Obama’s address is here.