Why Support Global Education? One Donor's Perspective

Primary Source is thankful for the support of its many individual donors. Thanks to their generous gifts, educators from Massachusetts and across the country can take advantage of free and low-cost global education opportunities to gain the knowledge and tools they need to prepare students for life and work in the 21st century. Who are these generous individuals, and what compels them to support Primary Source and global education? In this new series, you will meet donors from all walks of life who have chosen to support Primary Source.

"Being exposed to global education at an early age really determined the direction my life would take," says Bill Flemer, former Vice President at Eaton Vance Investment Council and currently a member of the Primary Source Executive Board Committee. "I am so grateful that I had that opportunity." Bill has been a Primary Source supporter for three years.

From the Librarian's Desk: Globalize Summer Reading

Are you interested in adding titles about world issues and cultures to the summer reading lists for your school or district? Our new summer reading guide contains highly recommended titles from the Primary Source Library for globalizing summer reading.

A Message from the Executive Director, Julia de la Torre

Join Julia for Coffee at Primary Source on Thursday, January 26th

In 2012, one of my goals is to meet our supporters and learn more about your interest in global education. I would love to update you on the exciting new initiatives Primary Source is undertaking and our vision for the future. Your feedback and observations about global education help inform our work, and I would like to understand what motivates your interest in Primary Source.

Cricket: Teaching About the World Through International Sports

Mary O'Brien is a physical education teacher at the Douglas and Merriam Elementary Schools in Acton, Massachusetts. After attending Primary Source's Asians in the U.S.: Migrations, Challenges and Achievements summer institute, she was inspired to introduce an international element to her 4th through 6th grade classes by teaching her students how to play cricket.

Two New Courses for Educators Offered by Primary Source Last Fall

Last fall, Primary Source offered two new graduate-level seminar series: The Golden Age of the Ottomans: Art, Achievements, and Governance and Social Movements in Modern Latin America.

Staff Highlight: Meet Susan Zeiger, Program Director at Primary Source

Did you know that Susan helped found the Yale Women's Center and Women's Studies program—and that she was in Haiti right after the Duvalier dictatorship collapsed in the 1980s? Read on to learn more about Susan and find out more about her most memorable international experiences.

Technology Connects Author, Schools For Global Conversation

On Thursday, December 1st, over 200 educators, students, and community members joined author Jean Kwok for a live, online discussion of Girl in Translation, the story of a young girl who struggles to fit in after immigrating to New York from Hong Kong. This entirely online discussion featured remarks by Ms. Kwok, who was visible on screen via webcam, and questions from students and educators across the country. Readers of all ages were engaged in thinking about critical global issues such as immigration, child labor, race, and identity. Educators were inspired to consider ways to incorporate Girl in Translation into their curricula in order to foster a deeper understanding of global issues.

Primary Source Leads Sessions at 2011 Global Education Conference

Primary Source staff and participants led multiple sessions last month as part of the 2011 Global Education Conference an entirely online, free conference open to all. This collaborative, world-wide community initiative was designed to increase opportunities for building education-related connections around the globe while supporting cultural awareness and recognition of diversity. Hundreds of sessions took place online in multiple time zones and languages over the five days of the conference.

2011 Gala for Global Education A Great Success

On Friday, October 28th, Primary Source welcomed over 275 guests to the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for an evening of delicious food, inspiring speakers, and fantastic auction items. Through the generosity of individual donors, corporate sponsors, and local businesses, we raised over $100,000 to support global education for teachers and students in the Boston area and beyond.

How Much Do You Know About Afghan Art and Architecture?

This fall, in partnership with the Asia Society, Primary Source conducted the first two in a series of three webinars designed to increase educators' knowledge of Afghanistan. The webinars featured leading scholars as well as relevant videos from the Asia Society's rich new website, Homeland Afghanistan. On October 12th, Professor Thomas Barfield discussed politics and political culture in Afghanistan and Primary Source Program Director Elizabeth Howald directed participants to videos like "A Fragile Nation Divided."