Tag Archives: African American Teachers

Georgia’s Vanessa Ellis: Outstanding Social Studies teacher

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Middle school teacher Vanessa Ellis of Georgia is an outstanding educator. Photo credit: All On Georgia

I always enjoy sharing the story of an outstanding educator. Today, I am sharing the story of Vanessa Ellis, a middle school Social Studies teacher and Department Chair from Covington, Georgia.

Vanessa teaches at Veterans Memorial Middle School in Covington. She instructs courses in World Studies to seventh graders and Georgia Studies to eighth graders. The World Studies course includes geography, history, economics, and government of Africa and Asia. The Georgia Studies course includes geography, history, economics, and government of the state of Georgia. She also teaches her students a unit on personal money management choices with regards to income, spending, credit, saving, and investing. “This is a great way to introduce students to future financial responsibility,” Vanessa asserts.

This Chalkboard Champion says that becoming a teacher has always been her passion. “Someone once told me that the measure of a true educator is the impact that they have on students,” Vanessa says. “Years from now, I would hope that my students would say, first and foremost, that I loved them. That I honored their humanity—that even though they were kids, I treated them with kindness, dignity, and respect,” she continues. “I would also hope that they would say I believed in them—that I showed up for them, and I cared for them, not only as students, but as individuals. I challenge them and I push them to discover their capacity to learn is far greater than they ever can imagine,” she concludes.

For her work in the classroom, Vanessa has earned many accolades. In 2022, she was named the Muscogee County Teacher of the Year. In 2021, she garnered a competition for having the best Canvas course for students in Muscogee County. In 2018, she was named a Harvard Fellow and studied researched-based practices for a week at Project Zero Classroom. And in 2017, she was honored as Georgia Economics Teacher of the Year by the Georgia Council on Economic Education.

Vanessa was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in both Sarasota, Florida, and Columbus, Georgia. Vanessa earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education in 2011 and her Master’s degree in Secondary Social Sciences in 2019, both from Columbus State University.

 

Teacher Mary Burrell worked tirelessly for women’s rights, prison reform, and civil rights

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Public school teacher Mary Burrell also worked as a suffragist and social reformer in the early 19th century. Photo credit: Newark Women

I have always believed that teachers are among the most active social reformers in our nation’s history. As an example, I offer Mary Burrell, a public school teacher who worked tirelessly as a suffragist, political organizer, and reformer.

Mary Burrell was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1866. to Lucy Cary. When she was a youngster, Mary attended public schools in Richmond up to the eighth grade. She graduated in 1883 from the Richmond Colored Normal School.

After her graduation, Mary worked as a public school teacher for two years, until her marriage in 1885 to William Patrick Burrell. To this union were born two sons, William Jr. and John Mercer. In 1913, the family moved to Essex County, New Jersey.

Mary had a reputation for being an outstanding pubic speaker. She worked diligently for such causes as women’s suffrage, holding meetings in her home, organizing political rallys, and canvassing door-to-door to earn votes for the cause. She also prison reform, fighting against race and sex discrimination. In addition, she founded the Richmond Hospital, organized Rosebud youth groups, and served as Chair of the Women’s Auxiliary and Secretary of the Virginia State Federation of Colored Women.

The former teacher worked with Assemblyman Dr. Walter Alexander to draft several pieces of legislation, including prison reform and civil rights bills that passed both the State Assembly and State Senate over the Democratic governor’s veto. In fact, because of her effectiveness as a lobbyist, the state legislature granted her floor privileges for an entire term.

In addition to this work, Mary Burrell held positions in national and state level inter-racial and civic and political organizations, including the National League of Republican Colored Women, the State Colored Republican Conference, the inter-racial National Republican Conference, the inter-racial Newark NAACP, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, and the (NJ) State Migrant Commission. She remained an honored reformer and political organizer in the state of New Jersey until her passing in 1949.

 

NC educator Michelle Pierce teaches computer science courses

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Middle school teacher Michelle Pierce of Charlotte, North Carolina, helps her students gain skills needed for success in the 21st century. Photo credit: Computer Science Teachers Association

Our nation’s students are fortunate to have excellent educator who help them develop skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. One of these is Michelle Pierce, a middle school computer science teacher from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Michelle teaches at Mallard Creek STEM (Science, Engineering, Engineering, ad Mathematics) Academy in Charlotte, where she was recently selected as their 2022-2023 Middle School Teacher of the Year. She also teaches Digital Citizenship lessons to every K-8 student in the school. And she leads an after school Girls Who Code Club to help close the gender gap in technology. As if all that were not enough, she also serves as a Team Lead and Teacher Mentor.

Michelle is passionate about using her voice to advocate for diversity and equity in Computer Science. In the classroom, she works to present Computer Science in relatable, yet fun ways while at the same time using course materials that help diversity students see themselves represented. In April, 2023, Michelle hosted a school-wide Hackathon event where over 100 families participated in hands-on activities to learn more about different areas of the computer science field.

In 2021, Michelle was one of ten educators recognized as an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year for her work in helping students in underserved and under-represented communities explore possibilities of studying computer science. As a result of that recognition, she was selected to represent the Amazon Future Engineer program at the 2022 CSTA National Conference.

Michelle earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from North Carolina Central University in 2005. In addition, shas completed the requirements to be certified as a Common Sense Educator and Google Certified Educator, Level 2. She is an active member of the North Carolina CSTA chapter, CSTA Black Affinity Group, and ISTE. She is also a founding member of the Charlotte Women in Tech for Good.

Joyce Abbott: The teacher who inspired Quinta Brunson

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Philadelphia teacher Joyce Abbot with her sixth grade student, Quinta Brunson. When Quinta grew up, she modeled her character, Janine Teagues, on the award-winning television show Abbott Elementary, in part on her inspirational teacher. Photo credit: University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

There are many praiseworthy educators in classrooms all around our country, but not all of them receive the praise they are due. One of these teachers, though, has received more praise than she could ever have imagined. She is Joyce Abbott, a retired elementary teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joyce is, in part, the inspiration for a character on the award-winning television show, Abbot Elementary. She was the teacher of sixth grader Quinta Brunson. When Quinta grew up, she became the creator and star of the show, and while writing the show, she didn’t forget her former teacher.

Abbott Elementary highlights the difficulties faced by an inner-city school staff as they teach their young students. Those difficulties include substandard facilities, underfunding, lack of educational resources, and, in some cases, poor leadership.

The show has garnered an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2022, a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy in 2022, and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2023.

Joyce taught for 27 years in inner-city schools within the Philadelphia School District. Most recently, she served as a climate manager at Andrew Hamilton Elementary, a K-8 school located in West Philadelphia. In this role, she ensures the campus environment is safe and conducive to learning.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Joyce is also a veteran of the US Army, where she attained the rank of staff sergeant. She spent ten years in the military, including a ten-month tour of the Person Gulf during the Persian Gulf War.

Joyce has admitted publicly that it wasn’t always easy for her to succeed in the classroom. “At the onset of my journey, it was very difficult. I had 36 students my first year, very limited textbooks, several behavior problems, and in addition to several students academically challenged,” Joyce recalls. But she says that it was her passion that kept her in the classroom.

Joyce admits that teachers in the classroom today continue to face obstacles in their profession. “It’s difficult with the many outside challenges that teachers are facing today,” she asserts. But she encourages them to keep up the good work. “Know that you can do it, believe in yourself, and believe in that child. They need you, sometimes you’re their only hope,” Joyce says. “Just know that every day that you’re going in, even though every day may not be great, you are making a difference,” she concludes.

This Chalkboard Champion earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, in 1983, and her Master’s degree in Education from Cheyney University. She is listed in the Who’s Who Among America’s Finest Teachers.

Pres. Obama visits South Shore pre-kindergarten classroom

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President Barack Obama visited a pre-kindergarten class in South Shore, Illinois, on Dec. 12, 2023. He read a book to the children, and then distributed toys and winter accessories to each child. Photo credit: Chicago Sun Times

A Chalkboard Champion can appear in many forms. To about 20 children in a pre-kindergarten class in South Shore, Illinois, he appeared in the form of President Barack Obama!

The former president was smiling as he entered the classroom at Parkside Community Academy, located at 6938 S. East End Ave. in South Shore, a suburb of Chicago. He smiled and greeted the children as he entered the room—wearing a Santa cap and hauling a red sack full of gifts slung over his shoulder. Obama made the surprise holiday visit just before winter break as a way of spreading holiday cheer in the community.

Obama has always been a huge supporter of public education. In fact, he has experience as a former college professor. So he shared his passion for learning by first reading a holiday story to the children. His selection? Santa’s Gotta Go by Derrick Barnes. As he read, he cracked jokes that made the children and the teachers laugh. “He called Mrs. Claus babe!” Obama quipped after reading a portion of the book. After he concluded the reading, he distributed toys and winter accessories to each student in the classroom.

“For him to take the time to come here out of his busy schedule to read a book, it just shows that he is still a leader,” asserted teacher Debra Gardner, who has taught at Parkside for nearly three decades.

Fifth grade teacher Ashley Barrett agreed. “I just thought it was so great that they were able to listen to a story from him, and they were interactive,” she said. “When they grow up, they can do something great [like] be a president.”

The visitation occurred on Tues., Dec. 12, 2023.