Testimonials – Speaking

"Teru's presentation was phenomenal. It was engaging, thought provoking and informative. The audience definitely was captivated by her enthusiasm and she was able to connect on a personal level with everyone in the room. She was able to make a topic exciting and interesting with her anecdotal tales of her personal experiences. She addressed how different cultures valued education, and comparatively how different societies based on their values treat education. She is kind, genuine and this showed through during her presentation. This topic is one that parents, educators, lawmakers/politicians (changemakers) could all benefit from. In fact, everyone can learn something from Teru."

"It was through Teru’s lecture that many of the students finally understood the extent to which culture molds our lives."

"Teru Clavel’s international comparative knowledge of educational systems will open your eyes to the barriers we face in American schooling. Her book questions and challenges the landscape of educational systems and explores the barriers of the mind we face in defining and redefining equity in education. Her book is not only a must read but her passionate delivery of the content and her story will leave you wanting to work to make a difference for our children."

"As the President of my synagogue's Women's Association, I am always looking for unique ways to engage in discussions about meaningful topics. Living in a suburban town of New Jersey which prides itself on a highly ranked school system, I thought Teru's book would be of interest to not only our congregation but to the entire community at large. And so, I hosted a "Conversation with the Author" in my home. Teru was amazing as she facilitated an open dialogue amongst an audience of involved parents of many different cultural backgrounds and which included members of the PTO and Board of Education.
She was so knowledgeable, engaging and passionate as she described her personal experiences. She listened and responded to our questions and comments with empathy and an open-mind. Everyone who attended was impressed with Teru and how she handled any controversy, differences of opinion and frustrating realities with respect and a level head - not to mention a keen sense of humor.

My guests have gone out of their way to thank me for organizing such an enlightening morning and have told me how much they appreciated the many “take-aways” Teru imparted. She gave us tangible advice and tips we can put into practice instantly as well as over the long-term. Any parent and/or educator would benefit from hearing Teru speak."

“Teru was invited to speak about her book World Class in front of the clients of luxury real estate brokers and high net worth financial advisors. During the 15 years of my prior career in public relations, I coached many public speakers. It is rare to see someone who is innately comfortably in front of a large audience. Teru was confident, natural and genuine in sharing her experience Her intelligence, humor, and warmth shined through with ease, captivating everyone.

On the surface, Teru spoke about education through the role of a parent, while conveying a deeper lesson of the power of inclusivity which resonated with me, despite not yet being a parent. Her passion and experience empowers parents to choose the best educational route for their children by encouraging them to use their intuition and not necessarily subscribe to the ‘educational norm’ that the United States puts forth.

‘World Class’ is a beautifully written account, and watching Teru share her ideas in person brings a new dimension to her story. I would go out of my way to hire Teru without hesitation on any topic within her sphere as a journalist. I look forward to seeing more of her work in print and broadcast."

"It was the highlight of my summer to be able to interview Teru in a webinar for our clients, many of whom are grappling with the harsh realities of a global pandemic: balancing working from home, remote education and children out of their social and educational routines. During our preparation for the webinar, our team at Bernstein constantly remarked how challenging it was going to be to keep the webinar to an hour – Teru has an abundance of knowledge and expertise that it’s hard to pull yourself away from the conversation! During the webinar, Teru discussed the disruption we are currently facing in education – and spoke not just to the challenges of COVID-19, but also the stark differences between education systems across the globe. The audience took away key insights – notably that education begins at home and is deeply rooted in values. She also clearly articulated actionable items, including advice on advocating for your child. Not to be diminished was Teru’s presence and gravitas over zoom –after months of zoom fatigue, Teru captivated the audience and questions poured in throughout the webinar. I’m confident we will have Teru back “on stage” to share her valuable insights."

"What's particularly engrossing at [Clavel’s] readings is her ability to report without editorializing -- allowing for thoughtful and engaged conversations on how we put our collective best foot forward. Practical knowledge from around the globe gives Teru a unique voice and her audiences are keen to hear it."