Saturday, October 20, 2012

Part 2: Open Letter to Authors of books for teachers


This is a letter to Dennis Littky and Elliot Washor

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Elliot Washor
Dennis Littky
Big Picture Company October 17, 2012
Providence RI


Sirs,

I am a grad student at Nova University. As shown in Dennis’ book, The Big Picture, behind a big idea are many stories. I’d like to tell you three stories to provide background to my request.

About Dr. Fischler
In 2009 I approached Dr. Fischler and asked him if he had heard of Big Picture. He had not and he showed me his blog abe.TheStudentistheClass.com. I worked with him to create a book based on the blog and that’s what is enclosed. The more I read about Fischler’s ideas, the more I see some overlap with your efforts. So I have been recommending to principals who are interested in Fischler’s program that they contact Big Picture Learning.



About Isa Greppi (a mother in Bologna)
I met Isa through a friend from high school. Isa has a son, Matteo, who texted her the following message around 4 pm: “Another six hours of my life wasted” referring to the day at school. That’s what motivates me to “get out there.” I spent an initial 20 minutes by skype with some of Matteo’s teachers and we plan more interactions. Their questions centered on “How do you as a teacher connect with each student?” I’ve sent them some translations of transcriptions of Ken Robinson’s TED talks, but they need more.

About Enrique Gonzalez
I had not paid much attention to Eliot Levine’s book until Enrique (former principal of Frida Kahlo High in L.A.) pointed out the importance of the personalized curriculum. He recommended to Ugur Demiray, a professor of education in Eskisehir, Turkey, that a course about the transformation of education should include three books:
(Goal:  contact these three authors -- how about giving each book a hit on Amazon?)

That’s when I realized that I really needed to get permission to translate at least significant portions of OKAAT (if not the whole book). Eliot Levine reports that the book is available in Korean and Hebrew.

However, you guys have the experience of watching “what works” in moving people away from lectures and traditional school structures. What documents, printouts, pamphlets have been most helpful in transforming schools? I imagine that significant parts of your websites metcenter.org and bigpicture.org are helpful, but I also know from experience that the NPR interview of 2005 and the book Big Picture are what got me to make the shift to the personalized curriculum. I wonder if I’m going in a wrong direction if I try to get the entire books translated when in fact only 40 pages are needed to reach 80 percent of the audience.

I like introducing people to the following pieces of Big Picture

Chapter 1
p. 34 for the Robert Reich quote
p. 66-70 for school size
p. 154-166 to get grades and narratives, tests and exhibitions

I’m sure more is needed but that usually gets half of the questions answered.

So, what I’m after is actually two steps:

  1. permission to translate and distribute that translation of 40 pages of materials.
  2. The translation of the full book. (eventually perhaps 2015)

I could guess about what stories in Big Picture and One Kids At A Time are most effective. Can you identify the materials that you want to see translated? Then I can put my corps of volunteers to work. My hope is that these translations can aid your organization to spread its work.

Where I can’t find a volunteer, I can justify paying a translator because I plan to use these materials as part of a workshop.

I don’t plan to charge for the materials (I’d like to distribute the translations as ebooks, free) except for the cost of printing (such as Dr. Fischler’s book is $6 for printing.)

I see my role as a teacher trainer as a support of Big Picture. I assume that you expect that some people will “get it” and start transforming their schools after reading your materials. Others will sign up to attend Big Picture Learning seminars. Still others might want to set up Big Picture schools.


I see Dr. Fischler’s work as part of the process that can lead principals and teachers to the materials of the Big Picture. I’m writing to find out if you can give me permission (so I don’t need to contact the publishers).

I have enclosed what I’ve received so far from ASCD.
I would like permission to get some of these materials translated. I’ve contacted ASCD and they want some significant dollars up front, so I’m writing to you to ask if you can
a) identify 40 or so pages of materials that are the heart of your system
b) give permission to me to translate these materials (if the materials have not yet been translated).

Thanks for your time.


Steve McCrea
2314 Desota Drive
Fort Lauderdale FL 33301

USE OF THE TRANSLATIONS
  1. I’d like to post the translations on websites and distribute them free as ebooks
  2. I’d like to give you access to the translations and you would be owners of the translations, with me holding a license to use the translation that expires in 2040 (when I’m 83 I figure I will be working on other projects).

BONUS:  Video by Dennis Yuzenas
Dennis was a featured teacher in a video I did after I visited his school in 2009.





One page summary


I’m a trainer of teachers.
I recommend your book Big Picture and your websites metcenter.org and bigpicture.org to my clients.

Some of my clients would prefer to have your book and websites translated.

I would like permission to get some of these materials translated. I’ve contacted ASCD and they want some significant dollars up front, so I’m writing to you to ask if you can
a) identify 35 or 40 pages of materials that are the heart of your system
b) give permission to me to translate these materials (*if the materials have not yet been translated).

That’s the essence of this letter. Do I need to contact ASCD if I’m interested in permission to translate and distribute only portions of your book?

(at some point in the future, non-exclusive full translations can be organized. I just need about 40 pages for the initial outreach).






See also the previous post
Part 1:  Open Letter to Authors of books for teachers

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