Community Cultivators Archives - Page 2 of 4

Make. Learning. Relevant.

Dean Kamen’s Vision for Building Community

Mark Swartz·Jul 1, 2019·5 min read

Imagine a world where baseball is a subject taught in school. Just one thing is missing from this imaginary curriculum: the students never actually get to play the game. In September, they open their textbooks and read about the origins and rules of baseball. After winter break they take tests on pitching and hitting records set by the greatest players. By the spring, classes delve into the nuances of base stealing and bunting. So what if they never swing a bat themselves or catch a line drive, right? It’s not like any of them are going to become professional ballplayers, right? To Dean Kamen, this scenario is no more absurd than the way math and science have been taught traditionally.

Liz Ogbu’s Joyful Euphoria

Mark Swartz·Apr 6, 2023·5 min read

This is the way Liz Ogbu describes herself as a child: “I was the weird one in my family who drew.” But she didn’t become an artist.

Thirty Years after Her Gold, Kristi Yamaguchi Reflects on Parenthood, Competition and Kindness

Mark Swartz·Feb 15, 2022·6 min read

Just as Early Learning Nation showcases the ways families, researchers and grassroots nonprofits and organizations are building an early learning...

A Stronger and Kinder Culture: Exploring the World and the Stage with Ping Chong

Mark Swartz·Jun 17, 2021·4 min read

Ping Chong grew up in the 1950s in New York City’s Chinatown, which is right next to Little Italy, and his middle school was nearly half and half. So who became his best friend?

Wes Moore’s Tale of Two Cities

Fate and Faith in Baltimore, New York City and Beyond

Mark Swartz·Nov 11, 2020·5 min read

Just as Early Learning Nation showcases the ways families, researchers and grassroots nonprofits and organizations are building an early learning...

The Songs That Saved Mary Gauthier

A New Memoir, Plus Songwriting with Soldiers

Mark Swartz·Jul 20, 2021·6 min read

“Music is very, very important for brain development,” Mary Gauthier states. “Especially when you sing together.”

First and Goal: How Malcolm Mitchell Unleashes the Potential of Early Literacy

Mark Swartz·Nov 4, 2021·5 min read

“Some of this stuff doesn't even make sense,” marvels Malcolm Mitchell, children’s author and executive director of the Share the Magic Foundation. “I'm actually sometimes taken aback by it, because I don't really know how it all transpired. Talking through it kind of helps.”

Oskar Eustis: Welcoming America Onstage

Mark Swartz·Mar 30, 2021·7 min read

Just as Early Learning Nation showcases the ways families, researchers and grassroots nonprofits and organizations are building an early learning...

Cash Transfers: A Proven Strategy to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families

The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center conducted an analysis on how cash transfers impact young children and their families. Here’s what it revealed.

K.C. Compton·Feb 27, 2025·6 min read

Research has shown that birth through age 3 is the period of a child’s most rapid and sensitive development, and...

Weavers: Geniuses at Connecting & Building Community

David Brooks’s Search for Everyday Heroes

Mark Swartz·Oct 15, 2019·5 min read

From where David Brooks stands, the State of the Union is a long, long way from sound. The author and...

Sal Khan and His Planet-Saving Academy

Mark Swartz·Jul 28, 2022·4 min read

As founder of the organization and its nonprofit offshoots Schoolhouse.world, Khan Lab School and Khan World School, he has built a planet-changing education powerhouse that touches millions.