Small Talks, No. 43
January 21, 2022
Dear Small Talker,
Welcome to the forty third edition of Small Talks. Every Friday, I highlight 6 areas of weekly joys and reflections in early childhood and the whole family. Small Talks leverages my experience at the intersection of education, philanthropy, and impact investing. Enjoy!
What I’m celebrating -
The Harvard Center on the Developing Child published a landmark paper visioning early childhood development 2.0. It takes into account the broader environment, structural racism, and connects body, heart & mind.
We hear a lot about the Metaverse… what about “MetaCaring” - a concept of childhood development that takes into account the child, the family, but also the community and broader environment? Read more in this beautiful piece by early childhood expert Joan Lombardi.
Early Learning Nation published an opinion piece from me on an alarming trend: cognitive skills in babies born during the pandemic are declining. The magnitude is particularly concerning: 70 years of IQ gains lost in the past 2 years. Good news is that early interventions can revert those trends.
Amazing non-profits continue getting resources to grow their impact:
Kaboom! is on a path to raise $250m to end playspace inequity
15 inspiring winners of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship 2022 award. In particular, I would like to highlight:
RLabs working on community-based social innovations, including home-based child care, in the poorest slums in Cape Town in South Africa. Their slogan: Make HOPE contagious (I had the opportunity to visit multiple times).
We Love Reading, an organization that fosters a love of reading in children. Based in Jordan, the organization is led by Dr. Rana Dajani, who is also working on leading-edge intergenerational epigenetic research in humans.
What I’m listening to -
NPR had a 7-min morning edition on the child care crisis with great interviews by Anya Kamenetz of child care providers, including All Our Kin, and parents. This twitter thread is also a good summary.
I really enjoyed this podcast by Ken Stern on why residents of Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood enjoy a life expectancy of 90, while just 8 miles away, those in the Englewood neighborhood have a life expectancy of only 60.
Thank you Devin Thorpe for interviewing me on the podcast Superpowers for Good. Of course, we discussed about…early childhood education (and a bit about generosity & leadership).
What I’m reading -
Who Owns Poverty? by Martin Burt, founder of Fundación Paraguaya, is a thought provoking book that asks critical questions about what poverty is and who owns it, and recommends to elevate the real experts: families living in poverty. It reminded me of another excellent book “The Alternative: Most of What You Believe About Poverty Is Wrong” by Mauricio Miller.
What I’m watching -
The “IN UTERO” documentary by Stephen Gyllenhaal highlights the latest science on the human experience from conception to birth.
What I’m learning and exploring more deeply -
In this important opinion piece, Wendy Kopp, CEO of Teach For All & founder of Teach for America, suggests rethinking the very purpose of education.
Excellent piece in the Diplomatic Courier summarizing global education trends elevated at the WISE conference.
Good summary of edtech investing by Trace Urdan, including early childhood. Will all this financial activity turn into impact?
Study by Dr. Darcia Navaez finds that supportive early childhood environments can help decrease effects of trauma.
Quote I am pondering -
Feedback is a gift. Which part above is your favorite? What did I miss? What do you want more or less of? Other recommendations? Please kindly let me know. Thank to all of you who are sending me amazing suggestions.
If you enjoy this newsletter, please help spread the word by sharing with your friends, colleagues, and networks.
Have a wonderful week. Please stay safe and care for each other.
Isabelle
I love that Pooh quote! A sweeter version of seize the day! More thought provoking than live in the moment.