Author Archives: Terry Lee Marzell
Fannie Richards: A teacher who worked for social change
Detroit’s Fannie Richards, a dedicated teacher who worked for positive social change.
For me, one of the best characteristics of teachers is their willingness, ability, and dedication towards bringing about positive social change. A wonderful example of this is Fannie Richards. She was a Michigan schoolteacher who worked to desegregate Detroit public schools.
Fannie Richards was born on October 1, 1840, in Fredericksberg, Virginia. Her parents were free African Americans. As a young child, Fannie’s family moved to Toronto, Canada, where Fannie was enrolled in school. When she grew up, Fannie traveled to Germany, where she worked with innovative educator Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel to develop the first kindergartens. When she completed this work, Fannie returned to the United States and settled in Detroit, Michigan.
Always eager to learn new skills, Fannie enrolled at the Teachers Training School in Detroit. After her graduation, she became passionate about educating the African-American community of Detroit. Even decades before the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, Fannie was advocating desegregation in Detroit schools. In 1863, while the Civil War was still raging, she opened a private school for African-American children in Detroit. A few years later, the Detroit Public School system opened a school for Black children, and when Fannie learned the school board planned to open a second school, she applied for a teaching position. In 1869, she was hired to teach in Colored School #2, the first African American teacher to work in Detroit Public Schools.
To Fannie’s delight, in 1871, the Michigan State Supreme Court ordered the integration of Michigan schools. That same year, the school board transferred Fannie to the newly desegregated Everett Elementary School. She taught there for 44 years. Fannie was known for her devotion to the children, using modern pedagogic methods, and maintaining a high standard of scholarship.
Fannie Richards retired in 1922 after more than fifty years as an educator. This chalkboard champion passed away on February 13, 1922, at the age of 81. She is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit.
To learn more about Fannie, click on this link to the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.
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Chalkboard Champion Jami Witherell honored by Good Morning America
I always love to share stories about inspiring teachers who receive accolades for their hard work in the classroom. One of these amazing teachers is Jami Witherell, a fifth-grade teacher from West Springfield, Massachusetts. She was honored today on the national television show Good Morning America.
Jami was recognized for her help in raising money to fund over 100 student projects. As a teacher who works in a district with many low-income families, Jami has made it her mission to ensure every student in her classroom has whatever materials they need to succeed. To this end, she established accounts on Donors Choose to raise the funds needed to purchase those materials. This morning, the talented teacher was presented with $30,000 to help fund even more projects in the future.
“I’m overwhelmed with love, which is the best part of being a teacher,” Jami gushed. “I get to go to work every day and love all of you. So thank you for returning and sharing that love with me,” she declared.
Here’s the video of Jami receiving her honors that was aired by Good Morning America on ABC this morning.
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Have you considered the benefits of a classroom pet?
Have you ever considered getting a pet for your classroom? Did you know that there is an educational grant program that could help you achieve that goal? Pets in the Classroom provides grants to teachers who would like to purchase and maintain small animals in the classroom. The program was established by the Pet Care Trust to provide children with an opportunity to interact with pets, in the belief that when children have positive experiences with animals, this can help to shape their lives for years to come.
Check out this website for more information: Pets in the Classroom. You can also view the YouTube video below to learn more.
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9/11: Honor and Remember
We honor and remember educators who perished in the 9/11 attacks. All four were lost when Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.
Sarah Clark, Backus Middle School, Washington, DC
James Debuneure, Ketcham Elementary School, Washington, DC
Barbara Edwards, Palo Verde High School, Las Vegas, Nevada
Hilda Taylor, Madeleine v. Leckie Elementary, Washington DC
