Bouquet of Stars
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A beautiful anthology of poetry featuring celebrated mystic poet Chelan Harkin alongside selected poet-friends from across the globe.
"Poetry is an invitation for soul liberation. It offers a platform for otherwise disallowed truths to be spoken. I see poetry as perhaps the most effective and radical medium to speak the world we hope to create into being. It communicates its truths in a way that can disarm people and truly impact them rather than create more opinionated walls. I feel poetry to be the most profound gift of my life. It has courted such a deep relationship with my soul." - Chelan Harkin
Featuring poetry from: Chelan Harkin, Tracy Brown, Beverly Frederick, Kristen Guerrero, Susie Rafferty Glad, Michael Harrison, Venka Payne, Charlotte Robertson, Lisa Perskie Rodriguez, Laura Scheele, Paul Senn, Velusia Van Horssen, Elaine M. Watson.
"Bouquet of Stars will enchant you. It offers an aroma of God, Life, and Being that is deeply rich and moving."
David Tensen - Poet and author The Wrestle
International Education Leadership: Stories from Across the Globe
It was an honor to be among the thirteen international directors invited to write a chapter for this book with stories centered on key themes of impact in international education. Each director addressed a different educational topic through the lens of stories and actionable leadership lessons gained through experience.
I wrote Chapter 12 on ‘Equity and Cultural Responsiveness’ and the transformations that occur through learning, friendship, and service among diverse people and groups.
Key points include:
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Equity and diversity: the zeitgeist of the era leading us to shift from ME-centered, competitive, subject-driven education to WE-inclusive, competency-based, collaborative practices.
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Promoting equity and cultural responsiveness is as vital as teaching academic subjects.
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Friendships are at the heart of sustainable practices of equity and cultural responsiveness.
Three excerpts follow:
“On the one hand, our species has been estimated to share 99.9 percent of our DNA (Chou, 2017). According to Bill Nye, the Science Guy, we all come from Africa and are made up of the same stardust. On the other hand, differences in background, gender identity, and cultural customs challenge us in embracing our shared humanity.”
“The oneness and unity of the human family do not mean sameness but rather wholeness and integration.”
“The world is crying for justice, wisdom, and love. Our schools have the opportunity to go beyond teaching subjects to educating students on their roles as citizens and ethical leaders. Students can be informed of social issues and involved in so many constructive ways, primarily through service in other neighborhoods to develop ongoing relationships. At our school, we encourage students’ individual personal growth to be aligned with the development of their moral values and social commitments.”
