This past Sunday, Katy Klassman and Gabrielle Liberman from Vosges Haut Chocolat visited from Chicago to recreate a ‘Travel the World through Chocolate,’ workshop at TED’s office in New York. Katy Klassman, Vosges’ Director of Sales, was inspired by Dave’s wish at this past TED and worked with 826CHI to develop the workshop that she’s hosted on several weekends over the past year.

Twelve 4th-8th graders learned that they could travel the world without ever leaving home. Through their senses of taste, smell, hearing, they could go anywhere they wanted to go. Katy designed the workshop to explore new landscapes, cultures and people by eating lots of chocolate with the hopes of opening their horizons and filling their bellies!  She wanted them to learn about the history of chocolate, how to make chocolate, the proper way to eat chocolate and ultimately write a guidebook about chocolate.  It was a delicious adventure.

Director Lee Hirsch filmed the project for a short documentary piece we’re including as part of the retooled, snazzier version OnceUponASchool.org launching next week.

Visit www.OnceUponASchool.org to see more creative manifestations of Dave’s wish in the world.   And maybe just get inspired to create your own.

In June, I posted a talk Malcolm Gladwell presented at the New Yorker conference why a “mismatch problem in the workplace” is so common and how it relates to finding good teachers. This week, his article on the same topic came out in the magazine.

Teaching should be open to anyone with a pulse and a college degree—and teachers should be judged after they have started their jobs, not before. That means that the profession needs to start the equivalent of [a] training camp. It needs an apprenticeship system that allows candidates to be rigorously evaluated…given the enormous differences between the top and the bottom of the profession, you’d probably have to try out four candidates to find one good teacher. That means tenure can’t be routinely awarded, the way it is now. Currently, the salary structure of the teaching profession is highly rigid, and that would also have to change in a world where we want to rate teachers on their actual performance. An apprentice should get apprentice wages. But if we find eighty-fifth-percentile teachers who can teach a year and a half’s material in one year, we’re going to have to pay them a lot—both because we want them to stay and because the only way to get people to try out for what will suddenly be a high-risk profession is to offer those who survive the winnowing a healthy reward.

If you are in New York this week, make your way down to the Jen Bekman Gallery where a four day, no holds barred draw-a-thon is happening to benefit our friends at 826NYC.  Artists Jane Mount and Jason Polan will be in the gallery from noon - 6pm each day through December 6th drawing continuously (or almost). Everyone who stops by can draw as well.  If you aren’t able to go, follow the action on their blog.

On Monday, December 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the gallery will host a reception and sale to benefit 826NYC. Work will be available to take right off the wall at affordable prices from $50 to $1,000.

On Tuesday, December 9, 2008 @ 2PM, a unique 20×200 edition will be released exclusively to 20×200 mailing list subscribers. (Collectors can sign up here.) The edition will feature a blind selection of 222 original drawings created by the artists and special celebrity guests, hand-picked by Ms. Bekman and priced at $20, $200 + $2000 each.

In Spetember 2008, Macmillan published The Autobiographer’s Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir. (HT Janice Erlbaum)  The book features well-known memoirists, including Nick Hornby, Elizabeth Gilbert, David Rakoff, and Tobias Wolff, sharing tips of the trade on topics ranging from “where to start your story, how to find your narrative arc, and the art and science of getting published.”

The handbook is only $15 and all proceeds go to 826 National. So pick up a copy both for yourself and for the children.

As Dave Eggers puts it, “The reasons for writing a memoir are many, but…I want to talk about one reason in particular…You should write your story because you will someday die, and without your story on paper, most of it will be forgotten.”

Dave Eggers’ TED Talk in 4 minutes. Bite size inspiration.

Ready to engage? Check out Once Upon a School.

Not sure how I missed this video on 826Michigan’s Liberty Street Robot Supply and Repair shop when it came out in August, but it is definitely worth a look.

by Stefanie Murray at the Ann Arbor News

When Dave Eggers announced his wish, a lot of people told us they were interested in starting a tutoring center like 826 in their home towns. For those of you still looking to set one up, you should look into attending the full day National Seminar being held this February in San Francisco.

Here are the details you need to know:

Friday, February 6, 2009 from 9am-5pm
@ 826 Valencia in San Francisco
fee is $300, and includes breakfast and lunch

The one-day seminar is packed with information about 826. You’ll learn details about the programs on offer, gain inside information into 826 operations, tour the writing center, and have the opportunity to meet and chat with 826 Valencia and 826 National co-founder Nínive Clements Calegari.

Sign up here.

And for those of ou who want to work with public school children but don’t want to start a tutoring center, don’t forget to check out Once Upon a School to help make Dave’s wish come true.

Don’t you love it when you can buy a cool product and support a good cause. Personally, I love posters and 826 stores have some of the best. I wrote about one being sold in support of 826NYC and others being sold by 826LA.  Now Design*Sponge tipped me off to a set of 4 posters being sold at 826 Valencia.

Offering guidance and advice on subjects ranging from the proper compensation for a lost limb to the best order for plundering and pillaging. Designed by Office, these spectacular posters are 20×26 inches, and silk-screened on really nice black paper. Be sure to get yours before the ship sails.

Price: $20 each or all four for $70

Well priced and extremely hip. Never too soon to think about holiday gifts.

Tomorrow night at 8pm make your way to Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street) in Manhattan to see “a show ridiculously overstuffed with famous people!” (Thanks to Ira Glass and This American Life for the great description.)  826NYC is hosting their annual show, REVENGE OF THE BOOK EATERS.  This event, named after a story by an 826NYC student, started in 2006. This year’s show promises to extend that tradition, focusing on unique, memorable performances, all raising money for 826NYC’s free programming for children.

Here is the star-studded lineup:

A story from IRA GLASS.
New songs by DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES (members of Grizzly Bear).
Talking from DAVE EGGERS and KYP MALONE.
A new play by JONATHAN FRANZEN*, read by BOBBY CANNAVALE, PATRICIA CLARKSON, PARKER POSEY, TUNDE ADEBIMPE, and the author.
A duet with THAO NGUYEN and ZACH ROGUE.
Jokes by host (and Daily Show correspondent) JOHN OLIVER.
And a very special appearance by PAUL SIMON.

*Play is from State By State: A Panoramic Portrait of America, a new book edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey.

Tickets at all prices are still available.  Purchase them here.

More info here.

As today is the first day of October, I just wanted to remind everyone that the deadline for the TED Challenge on Dave Eggers’ wish is October 31.  Learn more below and on Once Upon a School.

The challenge

Design and implement a new and innovative project for local public school students. Collaborate with a dynamic teacher or school to determine the best use of your skills and passion. There are no limitations to what is possible.

Participate by telling your project story

Tell us the general idea of your project, how you shared and employed your particular expertise and creativity. Discuss how you planned and executed your project. Describe the results, how your efforts made a teacher’s life easier. Please include photos or video!

TED project evaluation

The TED community will review your project story and evaluate on the basis of:

Innovation:
Did you use a new model? Is your approach creative? Did you provide students access to something new?

Collaboration:
How well were you able work with the teacher and/or school? Did you address a challenge facing the students?

Impact:
What changed in the life of the students, teacher, school, community? Did your work inspire other private citizens?