In 1888, Lucy Wheelock established the first Kindergarten teacher preparation program in the city of Boston. At its core was the belief that opportunities for early learning are integral to the lifelong wellness of children, families and communities. Now, 125 years later, the early childhood education program and its philosophy...

I am deeply saddened by the senseless Patriot's Day Boston Marathon attacks on my beloved city and community. A day of celebration for so many became a day now forged in my memory with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three innocent bystanders and an MIT police officer, and...

Imagine the excitement of an eight-year-old girl coming to the United States from her native Ecuador to visit Disney World for the first time and, with her father and brother, begin to establish a good life here. Imagine her exhilaration turning to confusion and anxiety when she is told she...

I applaud President Barack Obama on his strong and forceful commitment to early education during his State of the Union Address. Thousands of early childhood practitioners and professionals across the country are gratified that the President is putting the weight of his office behind this important issue with his words:...

On Monday, we celebrate the birth of our esteemed Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King whose life, like the 26 children, teachers and school administrators in Newtown, CT, was cut short by senseless gun violence. Had Dr. King lived, he would have celebrated his 84th birthday on January 15th. I often...

The world is in mourning from the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. and the 27 innocent lives lost. As the investigators work to piece together the motivation of the young gunman, the country and the world remain in shock over our failure to protect our young children. We also stand inspired...

In November, Massachusetts voters delivered a strong message to Washington on the importance of maintaining vital social service programs with the "Budget for All" ballot question passing by a three to one margin. Ninety-one cities and towns across the state supported the referendum, initiated by over eighty groups...

Last Tuesday's election showed us how the face of our country is changing. We saw the most diverse electorate in the history of the country with increases in the Latino and Asian American vote, and the African American vote at 13 percent -- the same high level as in the...

The first presidential debate moved me to reflect upon how we evaluate our leaders based upon who and what we see, which sometimes can be vastly different from what they say. Beyond politicians, instances of what we see mismatching who we are or what we do are widespread. Do any...

A few weeks ago, during a conversation with a journalist from a major U.S. newspaper, our discussion steered to the issue of the dwindling readership of newspapers and magazines. We commiserated over the fate of printed news and the real potential that our news industry, print and online, might become...

A few weeks ago I was privileged to speak in Malatya, Turkey on higher education in the United States. I began by sharing my definition of the purpose of higher education: to provide opportunity. It is with this deeply held conviction I made this very personal statement, education has made...