Sharing stories about outstanding teachers

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Super Teacher!I love to tell stories about talented, outstanding teachers. There are so many phenomenal stories that could be told! I believe that teachers represent the best our country has to offer, and, as a group, they are among the most dedicated, hardworking, and talented individuals anyone can know. It fills me with joy to be able to describe myself as an educator.  I love to share these inspirational stories in my blog, on my website, and in my books. These are stories of truly amazing individuals who have made significant contributions to the lives of so many, and it fills me with pride to know that, every day, talented educators all over the country are continuing to influence the lives of their students in such positive ways.

To read inspirational stories about outstanding teachers, subscribe to this blog. IN addition, you can purchase my first book, Chalkboard Champions: Twelve Remarkable Teachers who Educated America’s Disenfranchised Students, at amazon.com at this link:  Chalkboard Champions. You can purchase my second book,Chalkboard Heroes: Twelve Courageous Teachers and their Deeds Valor, at amazon.com at this link: Chalkboard Heroes. Both books are available in ebook and print versions.

Enjoy!

Teacher Larry Proffitt runs for Tennessee State House of Reps

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Larry Proffitt

Middle school teacher Larry Proffitt runs for a seat in the Tennessee State House of Representatives.

Today, more than ever, the American political environment offers opportunities for dedicated educators to step into elected public office as they attempt to achieve positive social change in their communities. One of these educators is Larry Proffitt, a junior high school history teacher who is running for a seat in the Tennessee State House of Representatives.

Larry’s career as an educator spans 13 years. He currently works as an eighth grade history teacher at Dickson Middle School. Larry says he believes in community schools throughout his home state. He declares he wants every child to have a great public education like the one he received, and he believes that a quality education is the foundation of our republic and its democratic ideals. But, he asserts, there is definitely work that needs to be done. “We need to get a hold on things and go back to developing relationships with our children,” declares Larry, “teaching our children to grow up and be socially responsible and teaching them in depth in the things we do.”

Larry is running on the Democratic ticket unopposed. His goal is to represent Tennessee’s District 66, which covers Robertson County. In order to learn as much about his state government as possible, Larry says he spends every snow day at the General Assembly speaking to legislators about improving schools in his state in every way possible.

To learn more about this chalkboard champion, visit his campaign website at Larry for Rep.

Educator Sherrie Conley runs for seat in Oklahoma House of Representatives

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Sherrie Conley

In November’s election, educator Sherrie Conley is running for a seat in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives.

In today’s politically charged environment, many talented educators have decided to step up to the plate and run for public office. One of these is Sherrie Conley, a educator from Oklahoma who is running for a seat in her state’s House of Representatives.

Sherrie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1994. She completed the requirements for her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2016. The chalkboard champion inaugurated her fifteen-year career as an elementary school teacher in the Oklahoma City Public School District. She currently works as an Assistant Principal.

Sherrie, who is hoping to represent District 20, is running on the Republican ticket. “Yes, I’m a Republican, but I have (had) an opportunity to see what happens to our people when core services are cut and when we don’t take care of our families,” explained Sherrie. During a recent budget crisis in her state, her home-town school district was forced to cut down to a four-day week.

In the primary election, Sherrie beat out three-term incumbent state lawmaker Bobby Cleveland in a primary runoff election. She will face Democrat Steve Jarman of Pauls Valley in the general election in November.

John Dewey: Teacher and influential educational reformer

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John Dewey

Teacher and influential educational reformer John Dewey

One of the most influential educators of all time was John Dewey, a visionary, social reformer, psychologist, and philosopher. This chalkboard champion was one of the most influential voices for change in the classroom during the Progressive Movement of the early 19th century. The Progressive Movement emphasizes the importance of student participation, experiential learning, and meaningful activity in the classroom. This approach was in stark contrast to the practices of rote memorization and discipline that were so prevalent in his day.

John Dewey was born to parents of humble means on October 20, 1959, in Burlington, Vermont. As a young man, he attended the University of Vermont. After his college graduation, John inaugurated his career in education as a high school classroom teacher in Oil City, Pennsylvania, where he taught for two years. After earning his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, John became a university professor at the University of Michigan, where he taught for ten years. In 1894 he transferred to the University of Chicago, where he founded the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. During this time, he wrote his landmark book School and Society, where he argued the importance of collaborative experimentation in the classroom. He also emphasized practical skills and learning by doing.

Later, John relocated to New York City, where he joined the faculty of Columbia University. There he founded the New School for Social Research, a group that advocated for democracy as the foundation of a free and enlightened society.

Over the course of his long and distinguished career, this extremely influential educator published 40 books and 700 articles covering a wide variety of topics. He influenced classrooms throughout America with his meaning-oriented, democratic approach to teaching and learning. John Dewey died from complications of pneumonia on June 1, 1952. He was 92 years old.