One of the great things about summer is that teachers have the time and the opportunity to become active learners by catching up on reading.  Unfortunately, all too often, teachers don’t see themselves as learners…but that is not what this post is about.

Every teacher who cares about understanding the world we are preparing our kids for should try and understand the little we do know about the future.  After all, how do we begin to prepare students to be active and productive 21st century global citizens if we don’t care to know about the new global community ourselves?

There are two books (neither of them specifically about education) that I encourage teachers to read. The first is A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink, the second is Thomas Friedman’s landmark The World is Flat.

In his work, Friedman documents the shifting nature of the global economic, cultural and political communities, pointing to ten “flatteners” that have helped create a flat world where geography is becoming less and less a factor in participation in a global, connected community.

Now comes word that consumers can have access to TWIF for free…in audio form.  According to his website, readers (listeners?) can begin to receive audio downloads from the book beginning July 25th.  In addition, we can also receive excerpts from hiss new book Hot, Flat and Crowded.

With such a reluctance by teachers to read for learning – sound familiar? – maybe they would be more open to listening instead?  Let’s hope.  I’ve signed up!

tags: technology, education, whipple, learning, theworldisflat, thomas friedman