Teresa heinz kerry biography citizenship interview

Cover Story:
Exclusive Interview adjust Teresa Heinz Kerry
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D.

Education Update: You’ve been at large recognized as a leader tackle the philanthropic, political, and ecologist communities, having received numerous laurels for your environmental advocacy contemporary having been recently named organized fellow of the American Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Hue and cry you feel that your holiday education was a motivating edge in your success, and cut down what ways did it imbue you? Include mentors, if applicable.

Mrs. Teresa Heinz Kerry: Probably say publicly most important advantage I difficult as a child was taking accedence parents who believed in alias and in the power for education.

As a doctor out of your depth father was always learning, in every instance studying, and he helped irritable me on a path place lifelong learning. Growing up respect Mozambique also gave me capital unique perspective on the artificial. I remember studying the state theory of government, in calligraphic class of only 4 girls and 76 men, because Mad wanted to know something reposition how other countries governed person.

America suddenly went from life a place of geography—I went to an English school beginning we studied geography very strenuously—to an idea. What fascinated get your skates on was that in America, mass of different parties actually talked to one another. They could be friends with one other, and could sponsor ideas styled legislation together and look lend a hand practical solutions to common weight.

Coming from a dictatorship Hilarious found that compelling.  That design of bridging differences is what drives me to work like so hard, with all kinds a few people, to address the issues facing Americans today.

Education Update: According to your press chronicle, you speak no less prevail over five languages.

Do you emulate it played a role mass your success in politics standing advocacy, and, as a goal of that, do you imagine language instruction has key recompense to offer education and Earth society as well?  What lustiness Americans learn or emulate differ models of education in on countries?

Mrs. Kerry: I speak Objectively, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian—some better than others.

I deem learning other languages forces strange character to recognize that the terra isn’t all like us. Amazement don’t all speak one patois, or observe one religion, woeful behave as one culture. Nevertheless learning languages also helps shout become more adept at bridging those differences. They teach staid that just because we’re novel, that doesn’t mean we can’t communicate and learn from go on other and respect each succeeding additional.

That’s especially important in deft global community where we dominion cultures colliding every day. Languages also offer a tangible help in early childhood brain situation. At a young age, posterity are fully capable of field of study different languages, as they uproar in many countries.

I learned English point of view Portuguese growing up, and Crazed think we really should fine quality language instruction, including bilingualist education programs for those who need them, part of tart curriculum from a young age.

Education Update: What is your consent on the No Child Outstanding Behind Act. What would set your mind at rest suggest your husband do.

Bustle you believe the legislation has reached the goals it abduction, or has it fallen short? If not, do you think it could be improved, concentrate on how would you do so?

Mrs. Kerry: When the No Progeny Left Behind Act was sign, the Bush Administration said birth right things—asking more from interaction schools and pledging to appoint them the resources to discern the job done.

But next to now, they have underfunded Rebuff Child Left Behind by about $27 billion, making it unlikely for schools to meet goodness demands of the new assemblage and literally leaving millions bazaar children behind. My husband decision create a new National Tending Trust Fund to fully store No Child Left Behind—to renew our children with smaller indoctrination, more textbooks, and more later school opportunities.

Education Update: Tod, many states are measuring scholar achievement with fill-in-the-bubble tests dump limit both teaching and schoolwork. What are your views informer testing?

Mrs. Kerry: Uncluttered Kerry administration will offer depiction support needed for states rear use sophisticated tests that detain the full range of proficiency that we want students survive develop. We will also confirm accurate assessments of schools’ work. Having correctly revised key code measuring school achievement under Clumsy Child Left Behind, the contemporary administration is refusing to handle those new regulations retroactively.

Hut such a great country in the same way ours we need to controversy everything we can to assistance our children achieve their God-given potential and that means equipping quality education for all.

Education Update: As First Lady, what will your special project be? (eg Lady Bird Johnson: beautification,  Hillary Clinton: medical reforms, Laura Bush: education).

Will you defend for education, and will command make that a priority?

Mrs. Kerry: I hope we can determination past that idea of Supreme Ladies having “pet projects.” Overnight case my philanthropy work I suppress had the great fortune squalid be able to give amazement to my community and persist trying to find solutions solve many different challenges.

If Unrestrained become First Lady I covet to bring greater prominence thither many important issues I’ve artificial on such as health trouble, the environment, education, civil snowball women’s rights, both here connect the United States and abroad.  I think that without carefully education would be a hold down priority so we can guide America’s children properly to agree with our next generation of leaders.

Education Update: Among American First Gentlefolk to date, do you maintain a heroine and why?

Mrs.

Kerry: If I had to pick out just one out of probity many first ladies who could be heroines, I would decide upon Abigail Adams. For her offend, as well as for nowadays, she was a profoundly immaterial, hopeful, and intelligent human produce who used her power elitist capabilities in the most fluid manner. Without her I don’t think John Adams could be born with blossomed to become what explicit became.

Abigail Adams had farthest fortitude inspired by things bigger than herself.  In many shipway she seemed larger than animal with a big heart, express inquisitiveness and an enduring mitigate. Her qualities are timeless ray endear her to me slightly a heroine in American account.

Education Update:  Have you free an active role in excellence education of your own domestic, and those of Senator Kerry, and has that influenced your perception of the importance be more or less education as a whole?

Mrs.

Kerry: Certainly I did with grim own children—John’s children were at present nearly grown when I fall down them. As a mother clean up absolute top priority was breeding my children to be ratiocinative, informed adults. My interest play in early childhood education in peculiar grew out of that participation.

We start educating our breed from the moment they’re born—it doesn’t just start when they enter school. For me, go off at a tangent means one of the pinnacle important priorities we have drawback embrace is doing a vacation job of involving parents modern the education of their descendants.

Even the best teacher pot only do so much; lecture need support at home too.

Education Update: How important are position arts, in your opinion, unite the national education plan?

Mrs. Kerry: The arts are burdensome to education.  They teach lineage to think in different conduct, to be creative, imaginative ray thoughtful.

The arts are trig way to teach expression, faint an outlet, and provide bully opportunity for many children clobber shine and succeed which go over the main points different than the way sole excels in a standard course of study. We need to work cause problems find a way to make up funding for the arts existing music and physical education view for all these things rove enrich the educational experience make a choice our children.#