About Me

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I have been an elementary and secondary school teacher and administrator. Currently, I am a faculty member in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. My M.Ed. and Ph.D. had a focus on the educational and linguistic experiences of children who moved from other countries to Canada.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Education Beyond Borders: TED Talk Sept. 22 Oakville

I'll be the lead speaker at the Sept. 22 TEDx Talk in Oakville. My topic is education beyond borders with the focus on the Digital Mentoring Project in Haiti. If your're not familiar with TED Talks, these are 15 minute inspirational/informational presentations done around the world at special TED events.  Check out one of my favourite talks by Temple Grandin:

http://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html

I've had lots of opportunity to speak to groups about the DMP, as well as my other work in Haiti, but it will be great to be part of a larger conversation on "re-imagining" education in different contexts. The talk I will give will be grounded in a book chapter I wrote this summer. The book considered innovative ways in which education is making a difference in the alleviation of poverty in contexts around the world.

We tend to think of contexts such as Haiti in carte blanche frameworks ... all educational efforts are impoverished ... when, in reality, there are many innovative things being done. Usually in these cases, change is being led by a person (or group) with a vision. Other people come alongside the visionary and change starts to happen. I see my job as providing support to these people and helping others to catch a vision for what might be. This is where "education beyond borders" starts to take shape ... educators helping educators within and across national boundaries.

It is my understanding that the TEDx Talk in Oakville will be videotaped and archived by TED. However, if you are interested in attending, please email me (ssider@wlu.ca).

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