"Genius is contagious," writes author Eric Weiner- an idea which proved true as we listened and learned from a group of Arlington Heights School District 25 teachers who gathered earlier today to discuss The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places, from Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley, the selected title for this year's One Book, One Village community read. Representing three area elementary schools - Greenbrier, Windsor and Olive-Mary Stitt- the teachers had carved out time over the summer to read The Geography of Genius and were eager to be the first in Arlington Heights to share their insights about the book and specifically how its many themes relate to their roles as educators. Here is a snapshot of what they had to say:
"I appreciated the book and found myself taking lots of notes."
"We need to give our kids a broader perspective. Test scores don't tell the whole story."
"When you're moving, you're thinking."
"Too many choices can prevent you from being creative."
"It's important to allow kids to think about things in a different way."
"Just as we need a peaceful world for creativity and genius, we need peaceful, welcoming classrooms where kids can be creative and thrive."
Learn more about One Book, One Village. Get a copy of The Geography of Genius and join the conversation.