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students, they are randomly assigned by lottery. And the HVA receives less funding per student
than the typical public school in New York. HVA works because they have figured out how to
create a workplace culture that attracts the most talented teachers, fosters a culture of ownership,
freedom and accountability, and then relentlessly transfers this passion to their students.
Maestro Ben Zander talks about the transformation that happens when a kid actually learns to
love music. For one year, two years, even three years, the kid trudges along. He hits every pulse,
pounds every note and sweats the whole thing out.
Then he quits.
Except a few. The few with passion. The few who care.
Those kids lean forward and begin to play. They play as if they care, because they do. And as
they lean forward, as they connect, they lift themselves off the piano seat, suddenly becoming,
as Ben calls them, one-buttock players.
Playing as if it matters.
Colleges are fighting to recruit the kids who graduate from Deborah’s school and I have no
doubt that we’ll soon be hearing of the leadership and contribution of the HVA alumni—onebuttock
players who care about learning and giving. Because it matters.
2. A few notes about this manifesto
I’ve numbered the sections because it’s entirely possible you’ll be reading it with a different
layout than others will. The numbers make it easy to argue about particular sections.
It’s written as a series of essays or blog posts, partly because that’s how I write now, and partly
because I’m hoping that one or more of them will spur you to share or rewrite or criticize a
point I’m making. One side effect is that there’s some redundancy. I hope you can forgive me
for that. I won’t mind if you skip around.
This isn’t a prescription. It’s not a manual. It’s a series of provocations, ones that might resonate
and that I hope will provoke conversation.
None of this writing is worth the effort if the ideas aren’t shared. Feel free to email or reprint
this manifesto, but please don’t change it or charge for it. If you’d like to tweet, the hashtag is
#stopstealingdreams. You can find a page for comments at http://www.stopstealingdreams.com
Most of all, go do something. Write your own manifesto. Send this one to the teachers at your
kid’s school. Ask hard questions at a board meeting. Start your own school. Post a video lecture
or two. But don’t settle.
Thanks for reading and sharing.
Stop Stealing Dreams Free Printable Edition 6