A compelling, heartwarming case for teachers as global changemakers in everyone’s backyard - nothing short of a lesson plan for hope.
A compelling, heartwarming case for teachers as global changemakers in everyone’s backyard - nothing short of a lesson plan for hope.
Educators, Leadership, Non-formal education
As the largest professionally trained group in the world, teachers know who is sick, missing, orphaned by disasters, and at risk for human trafficking. They are the glue that holds society together, and a development army in everyone's backyard. Teachers are not the problem. They are the solution. Their voices must be heard.
In the Small Places is a testament to teacher changemakers for our world’s intractable challenges: education in emergencies, corruption, racism, war, human rights, and girls’ education.
Eleanor Roosevelt once asked, "Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.” In the Small Places is about teacher agency in those small places - writ large.
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We awarded the Luxembourg Peace Prize to Teachers Without Borders for its work in fostering peace through teachers. The stories and essays in "In the Small Places" show how support for teachers is an investment in a sustainable future. It was refreshing to read a work that addresses the world’s most pressing issues without reverting to the mean-spirited ideological intoxication that has infected civic discourse. These teachers’ eyes are fixed on the prize of human welfare. ~ THE SCHENGEN PEACE FOUNDATION and WORLD PEACE FORUM
His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) awarded Dr. Fred Mednick, founder of Teachers Without Borders, with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace in recognition of his efforts to provide unfettered access to education to some of the most neglected parts of the world. "In the Small Places" illustrates the power of individual will to promote peace, consistent with the tenets of Islam.” ~ AHMAD MAHMOOD KHAN, National Spokesperson for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA
As we pick up the pieces of the education calamity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and face the growing challenges of climate change, democratic backsliding, and growing bigotry and violence, the urgency of a new social contract for education is crystal clear. Teachers, those who create opportunities for human flourishing in every classroom around the world, are the foundation of this new social contract. Fred Mednick's book, "In the Small Places: Stories of Teachers Changemakers and the Power of Human Agency," is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary impact of teachers, everywhere, in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future. ~ FERNANDO M. REIMERS, Ph.D., Ford Foundation Professor of the Practice of International Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Accessible, clever, deeply felt stories and essays on teaching, education, leadership, and social change. In the Small Places is a testament to the grit, character, and threshold for failure necessary to teach, serve one's community, and maintain one’s sanity at the same time. ~ BORGEN PROJECT
Teachers hold all our futures in their hands. Their tireless work in often the most difficult circumstances not only equips the next generation to fulfill their full potential but also empowers them to tackle the greatest challenges our societies face, from inequality to environmental destruction and rapid technological change. These changemakers have been unsung heroes for too long. "In the Small Places" is a timely and beautiful reminder of the vital contribution teachers make to our society. ~ VIKAS POTA, Founder and CEO, T4 Education
Leveraging the power of the people to preserve peace and stability is a goal the NATO Innovation Hub has pursued since its creation. Mednick’s "In the Small Places" makes a compelling case for the classroom as the ideal laboratory for fostering democracy. This book strengthens and fosters a pedagogy of peace. ~ SERGE DA DEPPO, Innovation Hub NATO Transformation Command
From the intimate details of the lives of extraordinary individuals to their inspiring stories of resilience, "In the Small Places" is an inspiration to young changemakers in Africa and around the world. ~ ALL AFRICA STUDENT UNION
A society is only as good as its teachers. Fred Mednick’s authentic book embodies the spirit and power of teachers. Teachers are change makers in everyone's backyard. Brava for uplifting this often-overlooked profession! ~ CHERYL HOLCOMB-McCOY, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Education and Distinguished Professor at American University
Tagore once wrote that “the danger lies in this, that organized ugliness storms the mind and carries the day by its mass, by its aggressive persistence, by its power of mockery directed against the deeper sentiments of the heart.” In the Small Places is an essential reminder that teaching is, by nature, an act of restorative justice and civility. In my own work building a global literacy movement for the world’s poor, these qualities of character—abundant in these stories—drive progress and inspire me to keep going. This book restores my faith in human agency. ~ SUNITA GANDHI, Ph.D., Former Economist (World Bank), Founder of The Council of Global Education
Mednick’s "In the Small Places" won me over in his opening lines: ‘The world can feel like a real cesspool, but I’m convinced it’s filled with generous people. Some of the most generous of all—the ones that carry the world on their shoulders—teach.’ By the time I finished the book, I was reminded that our current climate of demonization and sanctimony will do nothing to help the world be cleaner, safer, kinder, or more equitable. He helped pioneer the idea of teachers as “a development army” for goodness and sustainability. This powerful book dignifies the profession and a must-read primer for changemakers! ~ LIEVE VAN DEN BRANDE, Ph.D., Former Senior Policy Administrator (European Commission)
True teacher-led, grassroots change versus vague theories about large-scale development, corporate philanthropy, and drive-by humanitarianism. ~ W. JOSEPH KING, Ph.D., Author
Teachers Without Borders gives me hope! ~ Jane Goodall Ph.D., Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots
In the Small Places reminds us just how much teachers matter in our lives and in the world. This touching tribute shows their dedication and the big role they play in creating a better future for everyone. ~ Agustin Porres, Regional Director, LATAM Varkey Foundation: Sponsor of the Global Teacher Prize
