As IDRA celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, we re-released this popular memoir (that is now out of print) by our founder.

Description: In a way, this small, 134-page book complements Dr. José Cárdenas’ larger Mulitcultural Education: A Generation of Advocacy published by Simon and Schuster. The multicultural education book is an anthology of 92 professional articles resulting from his 45 years as a professional educator. All Pianos Have Keys represents the lighter side of these 45 years.

“The seriousness of my professional life has been paralleled by extensive humor in my personal life. I enjoy a funny story and a good joke,” writes Cárdenas in the preface.

The first eight articles deal with the lighter side of his life. They include personal anecdotes from childhood to adulthood. The second section consists of 12 anecdotes where humor and professional seriousness have intersected. The last section consists of nine articles on a variety of professional topics addressed in a lighter context than is possible in professional publications.


All Pianos Have Keys and Other Stories

By José A. Cárdenas, Ed.D., Summer 1994

Full book (PDF)

Table of Contents

Preface

Personal Stories

All Pianos Have Keys

Missing the Bus

Typing for Bill Crane

The Rules of Golf

Mister Roebuck

Lana Turner in South Texas

The Rebirth of Bustamante

El Tumio Tobin

Professional Anecdotes

Silence of the Lambs

The Epidemic that Never Was

Jesus Christ Was Not Bilingual

The Shape of the World

My Mother Went to Town

One Minute of Silence

Bilingual Onions

My Side of the Story

The Molly Bee Syndrome

The Verbs

A Measure of Progress

The Dining Room Table

Educational Topics

My School: Budget Monitoring At Its Best

The Road to Indio

King Antonio’s Exile

Fiesta San Antonio And Human Rights

The Fifty Most Memorable Quotes in School Finance

My Magnificent Twenty

Mike the Knife

The Analogy of the Amoeba

Basics of Motivation

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