Native American teacher Nicole Williams mentors her tribe’s young people

Posted on by

Native American teacher Nicole Williams returned to her home school, Calcedeaver Elementary School in rural Alabama. There she teaches her tribe’s culture, language, dance, and history to a community with a large Choctaw Indian population. On the way, she mentors many of those students through high school.

Approximately 90 per cent of the students who attend Calcedeaver are Choctaw. Most of them live in poverty. Until recently, they had to trudge through raw sewage to get to class when rains were heavy. Most qualify for free or reduced lunch.

In a career that has spanned 15 years, Nicole has devoted herself to overcoming those obstacles. As one of many dedicated teachers, administrators, and support persons, she has helped turn things around at the school. And the efforts are paying off. The state math and reading test scores for Chalcedeaver students outpace those of their fellow students in Mobile County and across Alabama year after year.

In addition, high school graduation rates are up dramatically. When Nicole inaugurated her mentoring program, the high school graduation rate for Native American students who were elementary students at Calcedeaver was only about 50 per cent. Now, the high school boasts a 91 per cent Native American student graduation rate. That’s one of the highest in the state. “I try to ensure the community and students are getting my best and they’re giving me their best,” Nicole remarked. In fact, among her classmates, Nicole was the first, and one of only a few, who went on to college and earned a degree.

To read more about the work of this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link: Education Week.

Marzell recommends sharing “Harriet” with your US History students

Posted on by

Last weekend I viewed the movie Harriet, a historical fiction version of the life of Harriet Tubman. Harriet was born into slavery, but she was determined to be free. I loved this film! I would highly recommend that US History teachers share it with their students. The film goes a long way towards helping students better understand this remarkable woman’s life. It also leads to increased knowledge of the workings of the Underground Railroad.

The story line follows the heroine who was faced with her impending sale as a slave, separating her from husband and family. To avoid this, she made a daring and harrowing escape North to freedom. She had some help from the Underground Railroad, but traversed the better part of 100 miles to freedom all on her own. Once she tasted freedom, Harriet determined to lead members of her family and other slaves to freedom, too. Despite the danger of capture and return to slavery, not to mention beatings and other reprisals, this intrepid woman ventured back into the South to accomplish her goal. The movie credits her with engineering and executing the escapes of at least 70 slaves, but I have read historical accounts that place the number closer to 300. The effort earned her the epithet “The Moses of her People.” In fact, Harriet Tubman became one of the most important and most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad.

The production was released by Focus Features on November 1, 2019. Cynthia Erivo stars in the title role. Leslie Odom, Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monae perform in supporting roles. The film is rated PG-13, and there are no scenes that I would say are unacceptable for classroom viewing. The movie’s length spans 2 hours, 5 minutes, which is a bit long for classroom purposes. However, I would be hard pressed to suggest which scenes could be cut. I think it would be best to show the film in its entirety.

The trailer above serves as a teaser. You can watch the movie yourself and come to your own conclusions. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Order these great holiday gifts for the teachers you love!

Posted on by

This season, when you’re contemplating just the right holiday present to buy for your friends and family, consider gifting copies of Chalkboard Champions and Chalkboard Heroes. Each volume is packed with inspirational stories about remarkable educators in American history, and the historical implications of their pioneering work. These books make great gifts for individuals in the teaching profession and those aspiring to become teachers some day. They are also appealing to history buffs and social scientists.

Among the captivating stories in Chalkboard Champions is the story of Charlotte Forten Grimke, an African American born into freedom who volunteered to teach emancipated slaves as the Civil War raged around her. Read the eyewitness account of the Wounded Knee massacre through the eyes of teacher Elaine Goodale Eastman, and educator Mary Tsukamoto, imprisoned in a WWII Japanese internment camp. Read about Mississippi Freedom Summer teacher Sandra Adickes who, together with her students, defied Jim Crow laws to integrate the Hattiesburg Public Library. Marvel at the pioneering work of Anne Sullivan Macy, the teacher of Helen Keller, the efforts of teacher Clara Comstock to find homes for thousands of Orphan Train riders, and the dedication of Jaime Escalante, the East LA educator who proved to that inner city Latino youths could successfully meet the demands of a rigorous curriculum.

In Chalkboard Heroes, read about dedicated educators who were heroes both inside and outside of the classroom, including WWI veteran Henry Alvin Cameron and Civil War veteran Francis Wayland Parker. Learn about teachers who were social reformers such as Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights activist Robert Parris Moses, suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt, and Native American rights advocate Zitkala-Sa, all of whom put themselves at risk to fight for improved conditions for disenfranchised citizens. Discover brave pioneers who took great risks to blaze a trail for others to follow such as Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space; Willa Brown Chappell, the aviatrix who taught Tuskegee airmen to fly; Etta Schureman Jones, the Alaskan teacher who was interned in a POW camp in Japan during WWII; and Olive Mann Isbell, who established the first English school in California while the Mexican american War raged around her.

All these remarkable stories and more can be shared with someone you know this season. Happy holidays to you and yours!