The conference and a great fall read

Throughout my presidential year, I will maintain a blog that will examine ideas, social studies education, issues that we deal with, conferences that I will attend as president, people that I meet, and whatever else moves me at any given time.

The planning for the Fall conference proceeeds apace, and Houston will be incredible!!

We have an excellent and diverse group of speakers, some amazing vital issues panels, we will be screening new documentaries, we have hundreds of excellent sessions, and, of course, the largest exhibition of social studies materials, technologies, and opportunities to be found anywhere!!

Three special highlights that I would like to point out are our International Visitors initiative “Canada Comes to NCSS,” the screening of the new WGBH program “We Shall Remain” as well as our “conference registration scholarships” (see the link on the home page).

I will be discussing aspects of the conference in upcoming blogs, but for now I would like to leave you with a wonderful book from one of our speakers. It is the remarkably funny, touching, collection of short reminiscences of life in America by Iranian born Firoozeh Dumas. You will love it. The book is “Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America.”

Firoozeh Dumas was born in Abadan Iran, moved to Whittier California at seven, back to Abadan, then Tehran, then moved back to Whittier in her early teens. She grew up listening to her father, a former Fulbright Scholar, tell wonderful, colorful stories of his life, and, in 2001, with no prior writing experience, decided to write her own stories as a gift for her children. The result was “Funny in Farsi” published by Random House.

Jimmy Carter called Funny in Farsi, “A humorous and introspective chronicle of a life filled with love—of family, country and heritage.” I cound not agree more. Often I found myself laughing out loud when I read Firoozeh’s stories. They are funny, touching, and brimming over with humanity. I cannot wait to read her second book “Laughing Without an Accent!”

Not only is this a great read for adults, it would be excellent in the classroom (in fact, she often speaks at schools). Firoozeh is our Saturday keynote speaker in Houston.

I first “met” Firoozeh online this fall, when a former NCSS employee put us in touch with one another. Last spring I had the pleasure of attending a dinner event held on the UW Madison campus for Firoozeh. We met early in the day at her hotel, left to Madison’s famous State Street where we ate, talked, and hung out, and finally met up with another guest she had invited to attend her dinner talk. The guest turned out to be Kathryn Koob, former American hostage held in Iranian for 444 days.!! It was an incredible day!!!!

Firoozeh will be our Saturday, November 15, keynote in Houston, and that morning we will hold a special “Breakfast with Firoozeh” (you must sign up on the conference registration form)!

You will love Firoozeh (and her Dad)!!

Mike