"Three Cups of Tea" Follow-Up and a Book Survey

Greg Mortenson, a humanitarian and co-author of the best-selling book Three Cups of Tea, has a surprising new job without pay: advising the US military on how to fight Islamic extremism. That is according to a Wall Street Journal story Friday. Click here to read the original story and here to read an abstract of the same on Greg Mortenson's blog.

If you recall, last summer, I urged you all to read Three Cups of Tea on our old dept. blog because "you have to read it" as Greg Mortenson represents the best of America.

Incidentally, Larry Ferlazzo, an ESL teacher in Sacramento and an avid blogger of  his unique best lists, is compiling a list of the best education-related books read by educators in 2008. I intend to reply to him with the title of Three Cups of Tea. Although the book is not overtly about a learning theory or best classroom practices, it is connected with education in that it exemplifies the principle that a general education of the marginalized people is the best way to turn them away from poverty and extremism. This has implications for our work of teaching language literacy and basic skills to migrant workers and needy residents in our community. Besides, the book also touches on how Greg motivates the students at the beginning of a semester. 

If you wish to participate in Larry Ferlazzo's book list, here's his emailed call:

On my blog, I’d like to compile a list of The Best Education-Related Books That Have Been Read In 2008. If you'd like to share your picks, you can email me directly at LaFerlazzo@aol.com. It seems to me that many might find this useful.

In my thinking about this list, the books could have been published earlier.  The only requirement would be that you’ve read them sometime this year.  They might not be obviously connected to education — just briefly explain how it is connected in your mind.

If you'd like to contribute (and wouldn't mind me giving you "credit" on my blog post), it would be great if you could leave the title of the book; author’s name; why you like the book (or books) so much — please keep the explanation to no more than two or three sentences.

Thanks!

Larry Ferlazzo
Luther Burbank High School
Sacramento, CA