Category Archives: Education

Former teacher Dolores Huerta: A formidable civil rights leader

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Former elementary school teacher and formidable civil rights leader Dolores Huerta worked tirelessly to secure better working conditions for migrant farm workers in the 1960’s. Photo credit: Public Domain.

Like many people I have heard of formidable civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. She worked tirelessly to secure better working conditions for migrant farm workers in the 1960’s. But did you know she was also once a teacher?

Dolores was born in Dawson, New Mexico, on April 10, 1930. In fact, she just celebrated her 91st birthday earlier this week. Raised in Stockton, California, Dolores graduated in 1955 with an AA and her teaching credentials from the College of the Pacific. After her college graduation, she accepted a teaching position in a rural Stockton elementary school. She had been teaching for only a short time when she realized she wanted to devote her vast energy to migrant farm workers and their families. “I couldn’t stand seeing farm worker children come to class hungry and in need of shoes,” she once explained. “I thought I could do more by organizing their parents than by trying to teach their hungry children.”

After just one year, Dolores resigned from her teaching position, determined to launch a campaign that would fight the numerous economic injustices faced by migrant agricultural workers. Joining forces with the legendary labor leader Cesar Chavez, the intrepid educator helped organize a large-scale strike against the commercial grape growers of the San Joaquin Valley, an effort which raised national awareness of the abysmal treatment of America’s agricultural workers. She also negotiated contracts which led to their improved working conditions. The rest, as they say, is history.

Although there are several fairly good juvenile biographies of this extraordinary woman, there is no definitive adult biography about her. The closest thing to it is A Dolores Huerta Reader edited by Mario T. Garcia. This book includes an informative biographical introduction by the editor, articles and book excerpts written about her, her own writings and transcripts of her speeches, and an interview with Mario Garcia. You can find A Dolores Huerta Reader on amazon. I have also included a chapter about this remarkable teacher in my second book, entitled Chalkboard Heroes.

New York’s Kay Toliver creates dynamic math programs

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New York educator Kay Toliver  creates innovative and dynamic mathematics programs. Photo credit: The Futures Channel.

Many chalkboard champions have been recognized nationally for creating innovative and dynamic programs in their subject area. One such educator in Kay Toliver of New York City.

Kay was born and raised in East Harlem and the South Bronx. As a youngster, she attended Harriet Beecher Stowe Junior High, Walton High School, and Hunter College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1967 and her Master’s degree in 1971. Additionally, Kay completed graduate work in mathematics at the City College of New York.

For more than 30 years, Kay taught mathematics and communication arts at P.S. 72/East Harlem Tech in Community School District 4. Prior to instructing seventh and eighth grade students, she taught grades one through six for 15 years. “Becoming a teacher was the fulfillment of a childhood dream,” the dedicated educator once said. “My parents always stressed that education was the key to a better life. By becoming a teacher, I hoped to inspire African-American and Hispanic youths to realize their own dreams. I wanted to give something back to the communities I grew up in,” she continued.

At East Harlem Tech, with the support of her principal, Kay established the Challenger program for grades 4-8. The program presents the basics of geometry and algebra within an integrated curriculum. Although the program was designed for gifted students; because of her strong belief that all students can learn, she accepted pupils from all ability levels.

Challenger offers events that are similar to science fairs but involve students in creating and displaying projects related to mathematics. Participants had to be able to explain the mathematical theories and concepts behind their projects, which were placed on display at the school so that students from the lower grades could examine the older students’ research. Students have created mathematics games such as Dunking for Prime Numbers, Fishing for Palindromes, and Black Jack Geometry.

Kay also developed a lesson called the Math Trail to give students an appreciation for the community as well as an opportunity to see mathematics at work. To create a Math Trail, the class must first do some research on the history of the community. Then, they are instructed to plot a course, starting from the school building, that leads the class through the community and back to school, with stops along the way to visit several sites and create math problems about various real-life situations.

To show teachers throughout the country how she creates enthusiasm for mathematics among her students, Kay has worked with the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE) to create a number of educational video products. Most recently, she has worked with The Futures Channel to present staff development institutes and parent engagement events at schools and districts throughout the country. Most recently, Kay has worked with The Futures Channel to present staff development institutes and parent engagement events at schools and districts throughout the country.

For her efforts, Kay has earned many awards, including the Reliance Award for Excellence in Education, Middle School; Outstanding Teacher for Mathematics Instruction, Disney American Teacher Award; the Kilby Award; and the Essence Award.

To learn more about Chalkboard Champion Kay Toliver, see this link to her page at The Futures Channel.

Covid-19 claims Georgia Special Ed teacher Wendi Rhodes

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Special Education teacher Wendi Rhodes of Springfield, Georgia, passed away from Covid-19 on March 9, 2021. She is shown here with her son Davin Rhodes. Photo credit: GoFundMe.

With great sadness, we report that yet another beloved educator has succumbed to Covid 19. Wendi Rhodes, a high school Special Education teacher in Springfield, Georgia, passed away on March 9, 2021. She was only 48 years old.

As a youngster, Wendi attended high school in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. After graduating in 1990, she enrolled at Georgia Southern University located in Statesboro, Georgia. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Special Education in 1995. In 2012, Wendi graduated from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia, with her Master’s Degree in Special Education.

As a neophyte educator, Wendi began her career as a first through third grade self-contained Specific Learning Disability teacher Chatham County, Georgia. Later she moved to Lexington, Kentucky. There she taught high school special education for two years, splitting her time between collaborating in the regular education math classes and working with self-contained students who were learning life skills. She then moved to Manassas, Virginia, and worked as a Transition Coordinator for the Manassas City School System. While there, she assisted with job internship placements and facilitated on-the-job training for students with disabilities.

Upon returning to Georgia in 2001, Wendi has worked with students with disabilities at the high school level at Jenkins High School in Savannah, and at both South Effingham High School and Effingham County High School. Her students were the severe and profoundly intellectually disabled.

During her leisure hours, Wendi enjoyed reading novels, crafting projects, bargain shopping, going to concerts, and traveling, especially to the mountains.

To learn more about Wendi Rhodes, see this brief biography published by Effingham County High School.

Educator, Civil Rights activist Ida B. Kinney honored by NAACP

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California educator Ida B. Kinney and other Civil Rights activists were honored by the NAACP with stamps issued by the US Postal Service. Photo credit: US Postal Service.

Throughout our country’s history, there are many examples of classroom teachers who have also worked tirelessly for the Civil Rights of African Americans. One of these is Ida B. Kinney, a 20th-century educator from Southern California, who was among those who were honored by the NAACP with special stamps issued by the US Postal Service.

Ida was born on May 25, 1904, in Lafayette County, Arkansas. She was raised by her grandparents, who were former slaves. In 1920, when Ida was only 16 years old, she moved to California, where she lived with her mother in Santa Monica. Following her graduation from Santa Monica High School, young Ida returned to Arkansas where she attended Philander Smith College. After one year, she returned to California, where she enrolled in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It was there she met and married Carl Minion. The couple settled in the San Fernando Valley in 1940, where Ida completed the requirements for her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at San Fernando Valley State College. The institution is now known as Cal State Northridge.

Because she was an African American, Ida’s application for her teaching credential was denied. She sent a petition to then California Governor Pat Brown, who ordered a credential be issued to her. She received the coveted document within ten days. Ida inaugurated her career as an educator as a substitute in Kern County. Later she worked in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Ida became dedicated to improving conditions for African Americans. She was influential in securing access to medical treatment for Black women which had been denied them by a hospital in Van Nuys. She inaugurated a local Head Start program for children. She also worked tirelessly to secure the rights for Black workers to join the union at Lockheed Aerospace. During the remainder of her life, she joined such Civil Rights giants as Medger Evers, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to participate in marches, protests, and other activist practices.

After her retirement from the classroom, Ida was appointed to the Commission on Aging for the County of Los Angeles. She served in this position for 12 years. She was also instrumental in establishing a senior center in Pacoima, California. The facility opened in 1971. In addition, Ida played a key role in creating the Pacoima Boys & Girls Club.

On her 100th birthday, Ida B. Kinney was honored with other Civil Rights activists for her work in securing rights for African Americans. When she passed away from natural causes in Lake View Terrace, California, on Jan. 1, 2009, she was 104 years old. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this obituary published by the Los Angeles Times.

 

Maine’s Bill Diamond: Educator and state politician

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Maine’s Bill Diamond: Former teacher, school superintendent, and state politician. Photo credit: The Bridgton news.

Many fine educators have also made a name for themselves in politics. One of these is Bill Diamond, a former teacher who also served in both the Maine State House of Representatives and the Maine State Senate.

Bill was born on Feb. 19, 1945, in Gardiner, Maine. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Gorham State Teacher College in 1968. He earned his first Master’s degree from the University of Main, Port/Gorham in 1972. He earned a second Master’s from the University of New England in 1964, and completed post-Master’s courses at the University of New England in 1998.

Once he earned his degrees, Bill worked for 20 years in the field of education, including in positions as teacher, principal, and superintendent. From 1968 to 1986, Bill taught in Windham Public Schools. He later served as the Superintendent of Public Schools in Raymond, Maine.

Bill was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Maine House of Representatives in 1976, where he served until 1982. That was the year he was elected to the Main State Senate, where he served until 1986. In 1989, he was selected to be Maine’s Secretary of State, and he was re-elected four yeas later. In 2004, the former educator was re-elected to the Maine State Senate. In 2014, he was elected to serve in Maine’s State Senate representing the  26th District in Cumberland County. During his lengthy political career, Bill has served several terms on the Transportation Committee, he was Senate Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee for four years, and he served for two years as Senate Chair of the Appropriations Committee.

For most of his political career, Bill has focused on balancing the state budget and protecting children placed in the care of the state system. His concern for the welfare of children is something he carried from the classroom into the legislature. “We must pass laws to protect our children from sexual and physical abuse, especially children under state care, which includes supporting our foster care program,” declared Bill in a 2020 interview published by Bridgton News.

Bill Diamond: A true Chalkboard Champion.