In case you missed the intervention of President Obama and how his stimulus plan will affect Education, what follows is the excerpt from his address about the third topic he will push to get American economy going: ....The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America. In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a pre-requisite. Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish. This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education – from the day they are born to the day they begin a career. Already, we have made an historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We have dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We have made college affordable for nearly seven million more students. And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children’s progress. But we know that our schools don’t just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance; pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We’ll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will expand our commitment to charter schools. It is our responsibility as lawmakers

One of my favorite podcasts is the TED Talks podcast which features hundreds of keynotes by great thinkers, movers and shakers from across a host of industries. Last week TED featured a talk by Barry Schwartz who studies the link between economics and psychology, offering startling insights into modern life. Lately, working with Ken Sharpe, he's studying wisdom. Although his thesis is broad, there are some examples that resonate within our discussions. Last night we briefly touched on SOPs (standard operating procedures). I'm generally a fan of having a clear path and knowing what is expected of me. Organizations need to have SOPs in many instances. But, what happens when procedures conflict with our ethical or common sense instincts? I found myself challenging standardization as I listened to Barry's examples. In particular, I found his discussion of scripted curriculum and the father whose innocent mistake led to his family being (albeit temporarily) broken apart to be very convincing.