Tag Archives: Teacher Authors

Acclaimed author William H. Armstrong was also 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.

Margaret McCulloch: Teacher, author, activist, and philanthropist

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Many excellent classroom teachers work diligently to better the lives of others in their community. One of these was Margaret McCulloch, a New Jersey teacher who earned a name for herself as an author, activist, and philanthropist.

Margaret was born on Jan. 16, 1901, in Orange, New Jersey. As a teenager, she graduated from the Beard School, which is known today as the Morristown-Beard School. That was in 1919. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, in 1923. While there, she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest honor society in the United States. She earned her Master’s degree in History from the University of North Carolina. She also completed graduate courses at Columbia Teachers College. and the University of Virginia.

Once she earned her degrees, Margaret launched her career as an educator by returning to her alma mater, the Beard School, where she taught for two years. For the next nine years, she taught at the Penn School, a Quaker school for African American students located on St. Helena Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Then she accepted a position as a professor of history and sociology at LeMoyne College, a historical Black college. She also taught at Fisk University, another historically Black college located in Nashville, Tennessee. While at Fisk, Margaret assisted socialist Charles S. Johnson publish an important study on racial integration.

Margaret wrote several scholarly books and articles on race relations and segregation. Her most well-known books include Segregation, a Challenge to Democracy and Integration: Promise, Process, Problems. She also wrote two biographies. The first was The Work of Dorothea Lynde Dix for the Insane, 1841-1861, published in 1933. The second was Fearless Advocate of the Right: The Life of Francis Julius Lemoyne, M.D. (1798-1879), published in 1941.

In 1948, Margaret moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where she immersed herself in trying to improve the lives of African American residents. She was active in the Community Council of the Memphis Welfare Federation Memphis and the first Black chapter of the League of Women Voters.

In Nov., 1962, Margaret addressed the South Carolina Council on Human Relations. In her speech, she talked about segregation and desegregation, offering causes and solutions to the ongoing racial problems in the South and imploring her audience to understand the complexities that race relations entail. Later she worked for the Department of Race Relations of the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries, and she founded the Opportunity Foundation Corporation, which provided financial support to educational, health, and social services in Memphis.

Sadly, Margaret passed away on March 8, 1996. She was 95 years old. Her papers, including articles, speeches, and correspondences, are housed at the The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

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.

 

Former Special Ed teacher, curriculum consultant, and author Janet Hale

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Former Special Education teacher Janet Hale now works as a consultant in curriculum design. Photo credit: Documenting Learning

Many excellent classroom teachers go on to become successful educational consultants. One of these is Janet Hale, a former special education teacher who earns a living   as a curriculum consultant and author.

In her current work, Janet specializes in curriculum mapping; standards literacy and alignment; and documenting learning to assist schools, districts, higher-ed programs, and educational organizations with their curriculum, instruction, and assessment needs and improvement plans. In addition, Janet has written professional books  that focus on curriculum mapping, upgrading units of study, and documenting learning.

This accomplished educator earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Development from the same university.

Janet inaugurated her career as an educator at Sunnyside High School in Tucson, Arizona. She has taught students at several grade levels, which she asserts worked to her advantage. “Being the ‘last hired’ caused me to teach in a variety of grade levels and schools during my first few years, which proved invaluable because it caused me to learn how to adapt quickly to a new environment,” she says. “Likewise, changing grade levels from high school to middle grades to the first grade provided me with a unique insight into the need for a systemic mindset when considering students’ learning experiences during his or her academic years, which is a passion of mine to this day,” she explains.

Janet has published three books for professional educators: A Guide to Curriculum Mapping: Planning, Implementing, and Sustaining the Process (Corwin Press); An Educational Leader’s Guide to Curriculum Mapping: Creating and Sustaining Collaborative Cultures (Corwin Press); and Upgrade Your Curriculum: Practical Ways to Transform Units and Engage Students (ASCD).

To learn more about Janet Hale, click on this link to her website Curriculum Decisions.

 

Former science teacher Lisa Niver to release her book, Brave-ish

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Lisa Niver, a former junior high school science teacher from Los Angeles, California, is a podcaster, sought-after motivational speaker, travel agent, and travel writer. In fact, she has been recognized as one of the top five female travel bloggers. And now, the former teacher is a published author. Her new book, entitled Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless after Fifty, is due to be released on Sept 19, 2023, and is currently on pre-order. To view a five-minute video with Lisa where she discusses her book, click on this link: https://fox5dc.com/video/1265427

Brave-ish chronicles Lisa’s expeditions to far-flung corners of the world, including Vanuatu, Nepal, Myanmar, Cuba, Morocco, Kenya, and Mongolia. But her book is more than a travelogue. Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Brave-ish inspires readers to nourish big dreams, take risks, and embrace the unknown in order to create an exciting and wonder-filled life, even when courage seems elusive.

Lisa has published many articles in online and in print magazines, including National Geographic, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, and The Jewish Journal. She was a 2012 nominee for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. In 2018, she was nominated in three categories of the Southern California Journalism Awards: Science/Technology Reporting; Travel Reporting; and Personality Profile. To learn more about unique travel experiences, check out Lisa’s website at We Said Go Travel.

As for Lisa’s former career as an educator, she is well-known in science teacher circles for her instructional strategies that emphasize the use of technology in the classroom. She’s also noted for using students’ real world connections to explore their passions, and for teaching them to work towards solving today’s most complex issues. In 2009, Lisa founded the Los Angeles Science Teachers Network (LASTN),  a professional development network that by May, 2012, involved over 70 teachers and 40 schools. The effort was praised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.