Articles

Everyone is born with “an affinity for mathematics,” according to EDC’s Wayne Harvey. “But people typically underestimate their mathematical abilities,” he says. What turns many of us off is not mathematics itself, but what Harvey calls “school mathematics” or “textbook mathematics,” which he feels amounts to little more than learning the results of someone else’s work.

Unemployment and HIV and AIDS have converged in Africa to create economic and social havoc. The population of young people 15–24 is growing, jobs are scarce, and HIV and AIDS are rampant.

Preschoolers in West Virginia are reaping the benefits of an EDC program that offers professional development and mentoring to their teachers.

For the thousands of foreign workers employed as domestics in countries around the world, jobs often carry unanticipated dangers. Recruited by international agents who promise lucrative jobs in exchange for a large fee, these workers often discoverthat legal protections from exploitation or abuse are all but nonexistent. With no recourse, some are forced into virtual slavery or resort to crime and prostitution to survive.

Bogged down by rote-memorization drills and predictable homework exercises, EDC’s Al Cuoco was frustrated teaching math in the 1970’s. “Like many math teachers, I was always dissatisfied with most of the commercially available curricula I had.” Over the past five years, he has been working on behalf of today’s teachers “to create the texts I always yearned for.” As principal designer of a major mathematics textbook initiative, the CME Project, he says he is nearing his goal.

The last time Inez had a head cold, she reached for three different remedies—a nasal decongestant, something for her sore throat, and a syrup for her cough. In her quest for relief, she failed to notice that all three contained acetaminophen, and each featured a warning about the dangers of multiple doses of the drug.

At a community center in Bangkok, small-business owners are logging on to the Internet for the first time, using Microsoft Word, Excel spreadsheets, and other business software. These local entrepreneurs—including fruit sellers, garment makers, and artisans—are learning their technology skills courtesy of the multinational computer firm, Hewlett Packard (HP).

Most of us can remember that one adult—a teacher, parent, or neighbor—who made our transition from adolescence into adulthood a little easier. But for young people in the juvenile justice or foster care system, finding adults who can provide ongoing support and understand the unique challenges these youth face can be a difficult and sometimes impossible task. And while numerous agencies help connect young people to mentors, very few are equipped to assist these at-risk youth, leaving many without the guidance they so desperately need.

Over the past 25 years, the number of school-age children in the U.S. who speak a language other than English at home has increased from 3.8 to 9.9 million. These students often lag behind their peers academically and schools are struggling to find ways to increase their level of achievement. The challenges in mathematics class are especially difficult.

Larry Lewis rarely appears in the limelight. Sometimes he gets written up in a local Michigan newspaper, but he certainly doesn’t seek it out. Ask him about his work, and he’ll tell you that the truly inspiring work is being done by his wife, who has been a clinician for as long as he’s been a community organizer. Try to steer him back to his work, and he names everyone on his team and describes them all as indispensable.

From dropout to vagrant to teen mother, 19-year-old Manoucheka Lizaire’s life quickly unraveled as she followed a path familiar to girls living in poverty. In Haiti alone, thousands of teens are like Manoucheka—out of school and living on the streets, in domestic servitude, or with families too poor to provide them with an education.

Keeping young people in school longer and improving teacher quality are two top challenges facing educators in Yemen today. Leaders from public and private sectors as well as members of the international donor community and the Ministry of Education met recently to focus on ways to propel Yemen’s education system forward through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). The summit was convened by the Ministry and EDC.

A lush mangrove forest with its wealth of tropical plants, animals, and sea organisms, one of the most biodiverse wetland habitats on the planet, thrives just off the coast of Colombia. For children in a local neighborhood, the mangroves are a gateway to discovering ecology—and computer software.

This spring, Arab young people joined their contemporaries from around the world at a national service-learning conference held in New Mexico. At a panel called “Youth Leadership in the Arab World Post 9/11,” the participants countered negative stereotypes of Muslim youth today and shared their values, accomplishments, and aspirations for their region and the world. The conference drew nearly 3,000 participants.