2011 was great - 2012 will be better!

2011 was an incredible year for us!  We found ourselves suddenly thrust into the international/global community.  The people we met, the schools we visited, the students we met, and the incredible hospitality we received in so many countries was fabulous.

In addition to meeting people on the streets and in shops and schools, we were very honored to have met and dined several times with very high level representatives of the government, education associations, university presidents and more!  We probably spent more time outside the USA than in the USA this year.  Our professional engagements ranged from keynotes at international conferences, to a country-wide needs assessment of schools, to teacher workshops!  Best of all we had an opportunity to visit many schools, and observe classrooms, in each country!

Turkey   -  Malaysia   -   India   -    Vietnam   -  and more on the schedule!

Ankara, Turkey, May 1, 2011 -  Anne Shaw presents her keynote at the International Innovation in Education Forum II.  The entire presentation may be viewed here.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Here Anne Shaw is enjoying a fine dinner and enjoyable conversation after her presentation to the Director General of the Ministry of Education (right) and Dr. Kamal Jit Singh, CEO of Agensi Innovasi Malaysia of the Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The presentation was a  report back on the extensive tour of Malaysian classrooms and schools, a preliminary Needs Assessment of Malaysian education.

On the tour we visited 17 schools, observed 59 lessons and interviewed small groups of students, teachers and parents.

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We visited many schools and observed many classrooms in Malaysia.  The hospitality was phenomenal, and the children were a delight!

We visited three basic types of schools - Muslim, Tamil (Hindu) and Chinese!  

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I was very honored to be allowed to video a special prayer ceremony taking place at one Tamil school.  The sixth graders were preparing for the test of their lives.  Please see the video below.

A not-so-brief side trip to see India!

Anne Shaw conducting workshop with teachers, principals AND students from The Galaxy Education System in Rajkot, Gujarat, India. . We also were conducted on tours of many wonderful sites, including the Taj Majal and the Riki Ram Music Store

Penny Honeycutt and Anne Shaw are trying to figure out how to put on their saris for the Navratri Festival.

Touring the Taj Mahal

The Navratri Festival was a spectacular life experience!

Hanoi, Vietnam, December 2011

Anne Shaw is a keynote speaker at the International Conference on Textbooks for the 21st Century. Hanoi, Vietnam, December 2011

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Let us share with you some delightful moments from our visits to other countries!

Beypazari, Turkey - Call to Prayer.  This was an amazing experience listening to the beautiful call to prayer from the top of the hill!

Ankara, Turkey

Meeting Students in Ankara, Turkey

Jerry Self, of 21st Century Schools., meets some very friendly (and funny) students from Suleyman Uyar Elementary in Ankara, Turkey.

Somewhere in Malaysia!  Here I was amazed, delighted, and honored to be able to observe and photograph this Hindu prayer ceremony. This was a special ceremony for the 6th graders who would be taking their most important exams next week!

Somewhere between Agra and New Delhi - This is my friend Penney Honeycutt, Principal at Inner Harbour, a fabulous school in Douglasville, Georgia (USA).

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These are students at The Galaxy Education System in Rajkot, Gujarat, India.  They are celebrating Navratri.