They have been called a political odd couple ... but for the last two years, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton have been talking about working together on education reform.    Today, that vision became a reality.

The unlikely duo, along with Arne Duncan, the nation's Secretary of Education kicked off a tour called "Listening and Learning", which brought them to two schools in Philadelphia where they interacted with students, teachers, and some parents about educational programs that work, and those that don't.

The idea to visit schools came about during a meeting earlier this year with President Barack Obama to help figure out ways to help American school children become more economically and intellectually competitive.   Gingrich, Sharpton and Duncan first walked the halls and talked to students at the Mastery Charter School in Philadelphia, a campus once known as one of the city's most violent in the district.  After restructuring the campus, revamping the school's curriculum and changing the discipline practices, violent incidents have decreased 85%, and 8th graders now outperform the region's most affluent suburban districts in math, according to a campus press release.    It's a model Gingrich, Sharpton and Duncan said they were interested in checking out first hand, to see how the school's plan can work in other troubled schools.  When Duncan asked students at Mastery Charter School what percentage of them will graduate and go on to college, they all raised their hand, and shouted "100 percent".

The Listen and Learning tour will continue in November with stops in  New Orleans and Baltimore.