This week, I had dinner with a friend, Benjamin Breault, a teacher’s aid at the Faulk School in Buffalo.  Although Ben is currently working towards his Masters to teach social studies, he found himself in an English Language classroom, where he introduces the kids to literature with a strong social, cultural and geographic focus.

Ben is a passionate individual, always coming up with new approaches to teaching, and an avid traveler.  Through attendance at the National Conference for the Social Studies, Ben came across a unique opportunity to travel to Turkey with a group of social studies educators.  In Turkey, he went off on his own to experience the desert and ended up staying with an elderly man who’s home is in a mountain cave.

At dinner, I told Ben about my experience with this training, why I am taking the training, and my dreams to start a high school in Buffalo.  He insisted that I read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.  Ben recently saw Greg Mortenson speak at that same social studies conference.  From what Ben was saying, Greg sounds like the kind of person we need educating.  He established schools in Pakistan (through a request of the Pakistani village elders), which focus on the education of young girls.  Mortenson’s commitment to children, peace, and social justice resonates with the type of educator Maria Montessori envisioned; the educator necessary for the reform of schools.

I’m excited to read the book.