Tag Archives: Teacher Inspiration

How can an English teacher who hates math successfully teach trigonometry?

Posted on by

English teacher Amy Schwarzbach-Kang from Chicago, Illinois, got roped, unwillingly, into teaching a trigonometry class. Over time, the course became her favorite class of the day, she says. Photo Credit: Linked In

Recently I stumbled across an absolutely fascinating story about an English teacher from Chicago, Illinois, who got roped, unwillingly, into teaching a trigonometry class.

“I had always hated math. Now I suddenly found myself teaching trigonometry,” confesses Amy Schwartzbach-Kang. “I was an English teacher in Chicago Public Schools with certification in Special Education, and when my school was facing a shortage of certified Special Education teachers, I was pulled in mid-year to co-teach a junior-level trigonometry class with the math teacher,” she said.

Despite her initial unwillingness, as time passed, trig became her favorite class of the day, Amy reveals. “After spending years teaching English and reading, I was being challenged to move beyond what I had always been doing,” she says. “When you’re new to something, you have a fresh perspective. You’re willing to take risks. You’re willing to try anything because you don’t know how something should be done,” she continued.

So how would an English teacher who hates math overcome her subject-prejudice, successfully teach a course in trigonometry, and even learn to love it? You can discover her ingenious strategy in the article she wrote entitled  Learning Math by Seeing it as a Story. The article was published by Edutopia on March 26, 2019. Check it out!

Inspirational reads before going back to school

Posted on by

The end of summer is fast approaching, and it’s time to start thinking about going back to school. When contemplating how to be the best teacher you can be in the upcoming year, it helps to have some really great role models. There are many gifted educators in our history, and also in our present time, that can serve as excellent examples of the profession. Recognizing and honoring them is what this blog is all about! Each week I endeavor to share stories about wonderful teachers that can serve as a source of ideas, inspiration, and pride for us all.

In addition to reading about exceptional educators on this blog, you can learn more about some remarkable teachers in my books, Chalkboard Champions and Chalkboard Heroes. Each volume is packed with insightful stories about remarkable educators in American history, and the historical implications of their pioneering work. These books make great sources of inspiration for individuals in the teaching profession and those aspiring to become teachers some day. They are also appealing to history buffs and social scientists.

Reading stories about remarkable educators can remind you of why you chose to become a teacher in the first place, affirm your faith in the value of the profession, and ignite your passion for a new school year. Order your copies from amazon.com today! And be sure to subscribe to the blog for your daily dose of inspiration. Above all, have a great year!

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming!

Posted on by

As we all finally emerge from two years of worldwide coronavirus pandemic, and perhaps especially because of it, parents and students all over the country are particularly appreciative of their teachers. We don’t need the upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week to remind us of how wonderful this group of professionals are!

This year, the annual celebration will take place from May 2 to May 8. When thinking about the best way to honor your teacher, or your child’s teacher, or friends and family members that are teachers, or someone you know that is going into the profession, consider gifting them with copies of these two inspirational books, Chalkboard Champions and Chalkboard Heroes. The books make great reading now, while educators are developing additional new and innovative ways to work with their students. They are also appealing to history buffs and social scientists.

Each volume is packed with inspirational stories about remarkable educators in American history and the historical implications of their pioneering work. 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, you’ll find 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 year on Teacher Appreciation Week!