“Children are like popcorn. Some pop early and some pop late.” Principals widely tweeted and retweeted these words, spoken at the 2012 NAESP Annual Conference & Expo in March by Yong Zhao, an author and thought leader in global education.   Zhao went on to say that educators should provide opportunities for students to “pop” at different speeds and in multiple areas rather than based on standardized tests.

Zhao has followed up these thoughts with World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, a joint NAESP-Corwin publication that in the words of Diane Ravitch “demonstrates persuasively that the race for higher test scores is harmful to our society. What is needed most now, he reminds us, is freedom to think, freedom to invent, and freedom to differ from bureaucratically devised norms.”

In the book, Zhao unlocks the secrets to cultivating independent thinkers who are willing and able to use their learning differently to create jobs and contribute positively to global society. He presents concepts that principals, teachers, and even parents can implement immediately, including how to understand and harness the entrepreneurial spirit; foster student autonomy and leadership; champion inventive learners; and develop global partners and resources. This book provides deeper understanding of the relationship between practical skills, creativity, and technology in preparing students for an entrepreneurial world.

Click here to order this important new book from NAESP.