Following directions and listening were so hard for him. The Romeros were relieved to rule out a physical cause but were still concerned. Her techniques, based on ideas developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky , gave Albert the tools he needed to settle down, focus and regulate himself so he could be open to learning. Impressed that US teachers had found a way to apply Vygotsky's techniques on a large scale, Best Practices in Education decided to support the endeavor, joining the college and other funders to help get the project off the ground. Modest amounts, perhaps, but enough to make or break a dream.
Small amounts can have tremendous leverage.
Kiser is head of Washington-based Kiser Research Inc., which specializes in brokering technology between the United States and Eastern Europe and Russia. It didn't take much talking for the two to realize their common bonds, and it was only a small leap to suggest that what was good for business might be good for education. Moxhay and Kiser started speculating about why Russia, for example, consistently produces great mathematicians and physicists. To answer that question, they organized a November 1994 workshop for Russian and American math teachers at Columbia University in New York. The point was to bring together great minds to share ideas, with the focus on what US teachers could gain from the dialogue.