Hampton VA

I left relatively early this morning and drove down to Hampton VA to give a presentation at a conference tomorrow. I was encouraged to fly but the idea of flying (especially from LGA to ATL to Hampton) seemed like a form of torture that should be outlawed.

I also knew the drive would be a trip down memory lane since I've done this drive with both my mom and my dad. The ferry ride was uneventful but relaxing despite the best attempts by the dolphins to be adorable and distracting. I always appreciate long, scenic drives and wished that I had time to take pictures and visit with relatives along the way. I arrive in Norfolk around 3:30 only to find Route 64 had turned into a parking lot. Luckily I have a lot of experience getting lost and was able to find an alternate route across the bay to arrive at the hotel at 5:30. The organizer of the conference had graciously offered to take me out to dinner but was offered a ticket to Batman at the Imax so I'm going to enjoy a nice room service dinner, a glass of wine, and some basic cable. This will probably be the least local meal that I have eaten in weeks!

In case you're wondering what my presentation is about I will be talking about the history of STEM education reform in the US. The basic headlines: 1) We have an inherently screwed up system of local control and very little other than federal action will make the resistant nutjob schoolboards raise their standards and care about the underresourced kids (usually the ones who don't look like them) in their communities. 2) We're seriously screwed globally 3) The recommendations that every commission (including my own) has come to and has claimed to be innovative were initially recommended in 1983, so see #1.

It is kind of a daunting presentation challenge. It is inherently boring stuff that requires a lot of context to find interesting or to make jokes about. There is also a ton of information that I'm supposed to impart and I don't know most of it myself so I'm a bit nervous. Finally, its to an audience that has the potential to tell a lot of other people about it so if its good it could help to brand the Museum as a place of expertise. Oh, and my throat is pretty sore.

I'm off to a well deserved dinner and to try and cram more info into my head. I'll post some more pictures from LBI.