What I'm Thinking
Speaking at the annual convention of the American Federation of Teachers recently, Bill talked about the importance of developing more effective ways to measure teaching excellence and share best practices to improve education in the classroom.
Posted 08/06/2010
Join Bill this week as he meets with college students around the country and challenges them to think about how to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Watch live webcasts on Monday and Wednesday from UC Berkeley and Harvard, and participate in the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Posted 04/21/2010
At Microsoft, Bill periodically visited college campuses to talk with students about applying science and technology to drive new waves of innovation. Next week he is headed back to school for a booster shot of youthful energy and ideas, this time as part of his work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Posted 04/13/2010
Every January, Bill writes an Annual Letter, which includes his thoughts on the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and progress it is making toward achieving its goals. Interest in the 2009 Annual Letter was one reason Bill decided to create the Gates Notes website.
Posted 02/01/2010
What I'm Learning
Technology can transform education by simplifying access to great material, providing new approaches to learning, and offering a framework for assessing student progress and teacher effectiveness. A recent book looks at how technology is being used today and the barriers to change in the future.
Posted 08/16/2010
On a family trip to Europe last year, Bill and Melinda spent time tutoring their children on a number of different subjects. Their son Rory recently combined some of his science learning with poetry.
Posted 04/29/2010
This year, Bill is attending the Sundance Film Festival for the first time. While he’s there he’ll see an important new movie about the U.S. education system and meet with Robert Redford, one of his favorite actors and directors.
Posted 03/12/2010
With more than 250 lectures from some of the world’s leading professors, The Teaching Company provides the opportunity to learn from great teachers who are true experts in their fields. Bill offers recommendations for some of the courses that he has enjoyed the most.
Posted 02/05/2010
One of the real challenges in education is finding ways to give more people access to brilliant teachers who inspire and excite with their ability to bring material to life. Today there are some great examples of how technology can enable almost anyone to learn from the world’s greatest minds.
Posted 01/23/2010
Founded in 1994 by Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin, KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) is one of the most promising examples of innovative thinking in American education.
Posted 01/21/2010
Curious Classroom
Science Leadership Academy is an innovative public high school in Philadelphia with a focus on science, technology, mathematics and entrepreneurship. When Bill met with students at the school on April 29, principal Chris Lehmann thanked him “for making being a geek cool.”
Posted 07/12/2010
Casa Familiar Rural makes high school possible for young people on remote farms scattered across a rural region of Bahia, Brazil. Students live at the school one week, then return to their families for two weeks, where they’re visited by school monitors and expected to share what they’ve learned.
Posted 05/05/2010
Secundaria Técnica #12 Hermosillo, Sonora, is a junior high school that offers a rigorous program with a focus on collaborative projects, academic standards review, and integration of special needs students into regular classes. Here are the questions they asked Bill.
Posted 01/21/2010
Parikrma is an innovative school serving elementary and high school students from some of the poorest communities in Bangalore. Parikrma’s goal is to transform lives by providing children with world-class educational opportunities. Here are their questions for Bill.
Posted 01/21/2010
Conversations
In his October appearance on GPS, Fareed Zakaria’s show on CNN, Bill talked about the importance of a strong education system and the challenges we face in efforts to improve education in the U.S.
Posted 01/23/2010
Warren Buffett and Bill talked with journalist and interviewer Charlie Rose about some of the effects that the economic crisis is having on poor countries, international aid, and the value of money.
Posted 01/18/2010
Speaking with Time managing editor Rick Stengel at the Microsoft CEO Summit in May, Bill explained why he believes it will take large R&D investments by hundreds of companies to develop innovative solutions that will pave the way for new approaches to generating energy.
Posted 01/14/2010
