by Dr. Thomas Jefferson, Superintendent of Schools

Recently I was invited to a screening at the Harvard Graduate School of Education of the documentary film 2 Million Minutes, which included a question-and-answer session with the film’s producer, venture capitalist Robert Compton. The film is an hour-long examination of six high school students and how they spend their two million minutes—the amount of time comprising their four years in high school—and how they conceptualize and plan for their future. The six students reside, two each, in Bangladore, India; Shanghai, China; and Carmel, Indiana, an affluent suburb of Indianapolis. The film provides thought-provoking insight into the societal attitudes and expectations surrounding education in these three 21st-century economic superpowers.

Mr. Compton decided to produce this film as a result of his international work and visits to India and China. He viewed the education of his own daughters as lagging behind their age peers in those countries. His findings, while not prescriptive, somewhat predictably affirm a premise articulated by Thomas Friedman that, unlike a generation ago, today’s youth are competing not only with students in neighboring towns and states, but also with youth worldwide. Further, Compton echoed a sentiment expressed by Bill Gates that American schools aren’t producing nearly enough graduates with the strong backgrounds in math, science, and technology to meet the burgeoning international demands for highly skilled workers in those areas.

On May 7, our Strategic Planning Team is hosting a public forum at 7:30 p.m. at the Bromfield School Media Center to discuss the plan and vision for Harvard’s educational future. Following that meeting, I’d like to invite any interested community members to stay for a viewing and discussion of 2 Million Minutes. I hope many of you are able to attend.