Fall Forum 2016 Remarks and Speeches

We were able to capture and share a few of the millions of words that were exchanged among us at Fall Forum–far too few, but still, quite wonderful ones. Our Saturday morning speakers shared their thoughts from their particular perspectives of student, teacher, and principal. And one of CES’s founders, Nancy Faust Sizer, who was there at the very beginning and every step along the way, told her truth at our closing moments. Here are all of their remarks: → Emily Garlock, School as Family → Benadette Manning, The Truth about Teaching and Learning → Dave Lehman, A Culture of
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The Training Wheels Are Off

Nancy Faust Sizer–author, educator, CES Executive Board Member, and wife and partner of CES founder Ted Sizer–concluded Fall Forum 2016 with these remarks, which we are honored to share with you. I came down here this weekend determined to be brave. I had my “talking points” all ready. First, I planned to note that Ted was an historian: he knew that reform movements don’t last forever, especially those, like ours, which are so dependent on philanthropy. Our ideas, while sensible and popular with many in high and low places, are not locked into law. They are expensive, as innovation always
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A Culture of Caring and Justice

Dave Lehman, who was for many years the principal of Alternative Community School in Ithaca, New York (renamed Lehman Alternative Community School in Dave’s honor when he and his wife Judy, the school’s secretary, retired), joined us at Fall Forum 2016 to share his thoughts about the CES Common Principles in action, concluding a three-part keynote that also included remarks from Emily Garlock, a student at Steller Secondary School and Benadette Manning, a teacher at Fenway High School. We’re honored to share Dave’s remarks here. It began on a fall day early in the 1986-87 school year when our English and drama
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The Truth about Teaching and Learning

Benadette Manning, a math teacher at Fenway High School in Boston, joined us at Fall Forum 2016 to share examples of the power of the Common Principles, joining a three-part keynote that also included remarks from Emily Garlock, a student at Steller Secondary School and Dave Lehman, the long-serving and now retired principal of Lehman Alternative Community School in Ithaca, New York. We’re honored to share Benadette’s remarks here. Good Morning, my name is Michelle Obama…just kidding—I just wanted to get your attention! Good morning, my real name is Benadette Manning. I have been a teacher at Fenway High School in Boston for 15 years. I
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School as Family

Emily Garlock, a senior at Steller Secondary School in Anchorage, Alaska, joined us at Fall Forum 2016 to share her thoughts about life and learning at her school, leading off a three-part keynote that also included remarks from Benadette Manning, a teacher at Fenway High School and Dave Lehman, the long-serving and now retired principal of Lehman Alternative Community School in Ithaca, New York. We’re honored to share Emily’s remarks here. I am a 17-year old student Anchorage, Alaska, which is pretty far, but I wanted to come and share my story with you and why being at a school like mine is
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