Tag Archives: Teacher Authors

CA teacher Alex Friedrichs publishes award-winning children’s book

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Elementary school teacher Alex Friedrichs of California has written a children’s book that has garnered a Parents’ Pick Award. Photo credit: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Many outstanding classroom teachers achieve success as authors. One of these is Alex Friedrichs, an elementary school teacher from Menifee, California. He has written and published a children’s book that has garnered a Parents’ Pick Award!

Alex’s book, entitled Sweet Rescue, is a story about a caterpillar named Hungry Joe. When the caterpillar falls into a pie, his sister, Becky Butterfly, spearheads a major rescue effort. Once he is safe, Hungry Joe declares that he’s still hungry. The tale was was inspired by Alex’s experience competing with his former students on the game show Play-Doh Squished. A former instructional aide at the school, Kayne Carter, illustrated the volume. Sweet Rescue, recommended for children between the ages of 3 and 6, can be purchased on amazon.com.

Sweet Rescue earned the Parents’ Pick Award for 2025 because of its high entertainment value and its universal themes about teamwork and sibling love. The Parents’ Picks Award is the leading national program recognizing products approved by parents.

Alex teaches third graders at Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary School. He has worked as an educator for the past 31 years. He is unusual among elementary school teachers: he is a man. In fact, in 2025, CareerExplorer reported that only 13% of elementary school teachers nationwide are male. Alex also uses unconventional instructional strategies. “My classroom is very unique,” he asserts. “It is extremely competitive, and we have competitive games going on throughout the day to keep the kids’ interest and attention,” he continues. “I tell parents every year that I have to compete with You Tube and Tic Tok, so my classroom is extremely interactive.”

Alex, now age 55, was raised in Riverside, California, where he attended schools in the Alford Unified School District. He earned his degrees from California Baptist University, a private school which he attended on a baseball scholarship.

 

Teacher Annie Brown Leslie became one of the country’s first advice columnists

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Teacher Annie Brown Leslie was among the first advice columnists in the country. Thoughout the Great Depression, her readers chipped in thousands of dollars to finance philanthropic endeavors she supported. Photo credit: The Detroit News

Many fine classroom teachers are also successful journalists. One of these was Annie Brown Leslie, a teacher from Maine who earned acclaim as one of the country’s first advice columnists.

Annie was born on Dec. 11, 1870, in Perry, Maine, the daughter of a farmer and Civil War veteran. As a young girl, she attended high school in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Upon her graduation in 1888, she enrolled at Mount Holyoke College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in 1892.

After earning her degree, Annie inaugurated her career as a schoolteacher. Over the course of ten years, she taught in schools in Rockville, Connecticut; White River Junction, Vermont; and Mount Clemens, Michigan.

On Sept. 19, 1904, Annie married journalist and editor James Edward Leslie. After he died in 1917, she took over his position as the drama editor for the Pittsburgh Dispatch. Before long, using the pen name “Nancy Brown,” Annie began to publish an advice column entitled “Experience” for The Detroit News. The column ran from 1917 to 1942. In fact, she was among the first advice columnists in the country. Because of her common-sense philosophy, the former teacher won respect and widespread readership, and her column grew to be immensely influential. In 1929, her readers donated substantial funds to plant trees in a clearcut forest in Northern Michigan. At her suggestion, her readers contributed to a fundraising campaign in 1930 to purchase artwork for the Detroit Institute of Arts. They also funded a concert series by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Thoughout the Great Depression, thousands of readers chipped in pennies or a dollar, or two, or five, for philanthropic endeavors supported by “Nancy Brown.”

Sadly, Annie Brown Leslie passed away on Oct. 7, 1948. She was 77 years old. To read more about this amazing educator and journalist, see this article about her published by The Detroit News.

Author William H. Armstrong was a distinguished educator

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Distinguished educator William H. Armstrong earned acclaim as an author of novels for young adults, including the novel Sounder, and numerous study guides and self-help books. Photo credit: Godine Publishing

Many teachers are familiar with the classic young adult novel Sounder, and William H. Armstrong, the author of this long-time favorite. But did you know that he also had a long and distinguished career as a teacher?

William was born on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley in Lexington, Virginia, on Sept. 14, 1911. He had a difficult time in school as a youngster, since he was small for his age, wore glasses, stuttered, and suffered from asthma. As a teenager, he attended Augusta Military Academy in Fort Defiance, Virginia. After his high school graduation in 1932, William enrolled at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, where he wrote for the school newspaper and edited the literary magazine. He graduated cum laude in 1936, and then completed graduate courses at the University of Virginia.

Once his education was complete, William moved to Kent, Connecticut, where he established himself as a farmer, carpenter, and stonemason. In 1945 he accepted a position as a teacher at the prestigious Kent School, a private, co-ed, college prep boarding school. There he taught courses in the classics, ancient history, and general studies to high school freshmen. His career as an educator spanned 52 years.

William inaugurated his career as an author in 1956 when he published his first study guides. In the years that followed, he published numerous self-help books for students. His books were so highly regarded, that in 1963 he garnered the National School Bell Award from the National Association of School Administrators for his distinguished service in the interpretation of education. In 1986, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from his alma mater, Hampden-Sydney College.

In 1969, William published his first young adult novel, Sounder, a story about an African-American family of sharecroppers. Praised by critics, Sounder won the John Newberry Medal and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1970, and was adapted into a major motion picture in 1972 starring Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield. Over the course of his writing career, he published 14 more novels for adult and young adult audiences.

Sadly, William Armstrong passed away on April 11, 1999, at his home in Kent. He was 87 years old.

Jazzmyne Townsend named DC’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

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Elementary Special Education teacher Jazzmyne Townsend has been recognized as Washington DC’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, and one of four finalists for the title of 2025 National Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: Jazzmyne Townsend

There are many outstanding educators working today in America’s public schools. Some of them have been singled out for special recognition. One of these is Jazzmyne Townsend, an elementary teacher from Washington DC. She has been named the District’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. She has also been named one of four national finalists for the title of 2025 National Teacher of the Year.

Jazzmyne teaches second and third grade Special Education at Stanton Elementary School. Prior to teaching at Stanton, she taught pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade at Randle Highlands Elementary School from 2013—2023 and preschool and pre-K at Friendship Public Charter School’s Chamberlain Campus from 2010—2013. So far, Jazzmyne’s career as an educator spans 16 years. 

In her classroom, Jazzmyne employs research-based and developmentally appropriate strategies to meet the diverse needs of her learners. Her proficiency in integrating culturally responsive pedagogy has increased academic achievement and fostered a sense of belonging among her students. And because she recognizes the unique challenges faced by youngsters in urban settings, Jazzmyne has been a steadfast advocate for resources that support the children from this environment.

Jazzmyne’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. For example, when she noticed many girls who were struggling with challenges both inside and outside the classroom, she started “My Sister’s Keeper,” a group to serve as a safe place for the girls to form friendships, ask questions, be vulnerable, and develop as young women.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Jazzmyne is also a published author. She has written a book for children entitled Hattie Leads the Way. The volume, published in 2023, can be found on amazon.

Jazzmyne earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Howard University in 2009. She earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the American College of Education (ACS) in 2013. Currently, she is working on her PhD.

Author Terry Lee Marzell presents her books at 2025 CalRTA convention

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Author Terry Lee Marzell was invited to present her two books about remarkable teachers at the 2025 Annual Delegate Assembly and Convention for the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA). Photo credit: Hal Marzell

Author Terry Lee Marzell was invited to present her two books about remarkable teachers at the 2025 Annual Delegate Assembly and Convention held by the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) in Los Angeles on May 14—16. She was part of a panel of three authors who spoke about their books, their inspiration for writing, and their experiences with the writing process.

In addition to her presentation, Terry represented CalRTA Division 80, which serves retired teachers in the cities of Corona, Norco, and Eastvale in Southern California. She currently fills the role of President of that Division, and editor of their monthly newsletter, and was also selected to serve as a delegate for the division at the convention.

CalRTA is a statewide organization in California that advocates for the protection of retirement benefits for retired teachers, supports active teachers and public education through classroom teacher grants, and assists future teachers with scholarships.

One of the other two authors were fellow CalRTA member and retired teacher Antonio Duarte, who spoke about the two volumes of poems that he has published. His books are Vida! Life’s Moments and Memories and Pensamientos: Life’s Emotions and Dreams. (Both volumes are available on amazon.com at the links provided above.) His poems cover topics such as relationships, family, love, and philosophical topics. Antonio, who prefers to be called “Tony,” was a teacher in Santa Ana, California, for 38 years. As a member of CalRTA, Tony serves as the Director for Area VIII, and also as a member of the IDEA Committee (Involvement, Democracy Engagement, and Awareness).

The third member of the panel was journalist Paul Gullixon, one of two authors of the nonfiction book Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country’s Deadliest Firestorm. (The other was Anne E. Belden.) The book tells the dramatic story of hundreds of senior citizens who were left without help in the path of a killer firestorm. The volume details the search for accountability and reveals the increasing risks to one of America’s most vulnerable populations. This volume, too, is available on amazon.com.