Read this roundtable discussion of teachers speaking up about how we must join the national discussion on education and inform the public about what our work entails. This is the only way we are going to get smarter policy decisions for our schools. Now check out some strategies on this website to help you, and […]

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 […]

The Chicago strike ends at last, but it has only highlighted the national debate over expectations for what schools can or should accomplish, what teachers can or cannot contribute, and how we meaningfully evaluate that contribution. The commentary has already begun, with raucous voices joining in from all sides. What we want to say at […]

Steve Zemelman and Harry Ross interview Teresa Ramos, a community organizer, on teacher voice. Teresa explains the power of one-on-one discussions with parents and community members to build support for your teaching. Parents and other public voices can in fact be more effective than your own in explaining the value of your work and what […]

When I left a comment on Diane Ravitch’s blog (http://dianeravitch.net) about this website as a support for the teacher voice that she advocated, an angry respondent thought I was blaming teachers for not speaking up. Teachers need to focus on their classrooms with no time for the larger fray, he/she argued. I don’t want to […]

One thing is clear: far too much of the public doesn’t understand the nature and complexity of what we do. As a result, when problematic “reforms” are imposed and teachers oppose them, we are seen as obstructionist, simply protecting our jobs and pay. But when we don’t tell the story of our teaching widely and […]

Our friend out in the Bay Area shared (on the Teachers Speak Up Facebook page) this slam poetry piece by Taylor Mali, “What Teachers Make.” It’s not a practicing teacher speaking, but it’s a great thing to send to any friend who disparages your work at a dinner party.

Many teachers want to speak up about their work but worry about whether it might jeopardize their job. The answer: teachers talk with your principal. And don’t wait until there’s a crisis. Check in regularly, even if only briefly. Describe something cool you’re doing in your class. Find out about his or her professional interests […]

New York Times writer Charles Blow outlined in an Aug. 24th column how the U.S. is failing to support education, and the coming consequences for our country (click on the link here or on the “Be Informed” page on this site). Teachers need to speak up not just for themselves and their jobs, and not […]

I just learned from a very supportive techie about a website called SignOn.org (listed on our “Plan Advocacy” page), which provides a tool for launching web-based petitions. It also offers tips and strategies for how to conduct an effective online advocacy campaign. Such campaigns have been powerful and effective tools for getting powerful organizations (such […]