We’ve already said we’re fans of Megan Allen, Hillsborough County fifth grade teacher who has spoken up to Congress and other public officials. Now read her advice on finding your inner teacher leader, your courage to speak up publicly to advance teachers’ voices in public education policy decisions. Ms Allen, it turns out, is active […]

I was half aware of this fresh focus for deeper public understanding of education but now here it is — the film, “Race to Nowhere,” the wide response to it, and the filmmakers’ invitation to hear teachers’ and parents’ stories (Thanks to my TSU partner, Marilyn Hollman, for calling this to my attention). So we’re […]

For the National Writing Project web-based radio program on Thurs. Mar. 14 I had the privilege to preview my Writing Project Urban Sites conference talk. It essentially outlines the position taken by this website, that teachers need to tell their stories to the public. My 15 minutes comes at the end of the one-hour program. […]

More budget cuts coming, school closings in Chicago, teachers recounting to Diane Ravitch about pressures to narrow the curriculum and neglect kids’ real needs. So it becomes still more important to tell the stories of what great teaching can do — both to stress to the public the nature and value of meaningful education, and […]

Megan Allen is an articulate teacher who paints the picture for Congress, to show what support for education means for a struggling student. Watch here to see a clip on YouTube as she brings education alive vividly, to let Representatives know what vital effects it has on children’s lives, and what would be lost if […]

Janet Ilko of the San Diego Writing Project is a teacher doing great things with technology for her students. Here’s her thoughtful post on this, written on the National Writing Project blog after she gave a presentation in Washington D.C. on the national Digital Learning Day. And now watch the video she made, which she […]

Many of us have followed the saga as the Garfield HS teachers speak up in Seattle to oppose use of the MAP test with their students. Here’s a useful summary of the controversy, on the Education Week Teacher website. Actually, it’s pretty balanced, giving space to statements from both supporters of the test and the […]

OK, People. Here’s a potpourri of items on teachers using their voice. There’s actually a lot going on out there, and that’s encouraging. But it’s going to take a lot more. First, read a statement from Cheryl Williams, Exec Director of the Learning First Alliance, on changing the national dialogue on education from “It’s failing” […]

USDOE Teaching Ambassador Fellow, Mike Humphreys, explains how Virginia’s governor is proposing a state teacher cabinet to enable teacher voice in his administration, and says other states are also considering this. (Click here to read his post.) We hope these come to pass. And we hope they don’t just become ineffective, like so many ad-hoc […]

Apropos of all the turmoil over teacher evaluation & union contracts the past week, Kylene Beers wrote a lovely teacher tribute about her daughter’s first-grade teacher, remembered from 21 years ago. Every one of us should write one of these & send it to our local newspaper. And we should press our friends and our […]