Understanding Education

The framework of this book is a dialogue between an American educator and his French colleague exploring the journey the American took to discover the true meaning of the educational experience. It covers his history in the New York City school system and throughout Europe. On this journey he he comes across many fascinating people and enlightening experiences that deepened his understanding of the true role of the teacher and student in the process. In order to make these observations more animated he has illustrated them with his drawings, watercolors, paintings and photographs.

The book covers his experiences in a NYC High School called Washington Irving, an all girls school, including founding an alternative school site for potential dropouts, his work at the central Board of Education and with an alternative high school called City as School (CAS) where he ended his active career as Assistant Principal. He also helped to created an International organization to spread the concept overseas (The International Network of European Productive Schools -INEPS for short). He recounts his observations abroad all over Europe. (France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Finland, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Spain) He also taught in Graduate School training supervisors as an adjunct professor at Pace and Fordham Universities.

Bret Schlesinger was born in 1936 in Manhattan and grew up on the upper westside where he attended public school, including Music and Art High School as an art major. He spent a year and a half at Michigan State University before transferring to Brandeis University. Upon graduation he spent 6 months in the US Army before spending the rest of his military service in military intelligence (including being recalled during the Berlin Crisis of 1961). During most of his summers he attended Camp Greylock, an all boys camp in the Berkshires, first as a camper then as a counsellor directing coed musicals for many years. When he returned to NYC he took a substitute job in a NYC High School called Washington Irving, an all girls school, and spent 16 interesting years there including founding an alternative school site for potential dropouts. He then went to work at the central Board of Education which introduced him with an alternative high school called City as School (CAS) where he ended his active career as Assistant Principal. Because of its innovative approach to education it attracted a group of Europeans in the 1980's who created an International organization to spread the concept overseas (The International Network of European Productive Schools -INEPS for short). As an American representative Bret travelled all over Europe to their conferences helping to promote the new ideas. Upon retirement he teamed up with a college professor training supervisors as an adjunct professor at Pace and Fordham Universities. After retiring he also married a woman who had worked for years at CBS and has 4 boys. As a result he inherited a lively and wonderful family. They shared the same interests and a love of travel which has continued to this day. They currently live in Mamaroneck pursuing their lives. Throughout his life fascinating people have continually crossed his path and being able to share their lives has enriched him greatly providing him with countless stories. There is an anecdote about Douglas Fairbanks Jr who was quoted saying … "As I was saying to the Queen the other day I hate people who drop names." Bret unfortunately does not share that feeling.