We were saddened to learn of the death of lifelong activist and freedom fighter Lawrence Guyot, who died on November 23, 2012. Born in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Guyot dedicated his life to the fight for voting rights, first with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) and then for decades in Washington, DC. We …
Posted: February 1, 2013 by Teaching for Change
The Secrets to Great Parent Meetings
The cornerstone of an effective parent engagement strategy is building relationships between parents, teachers, and administrators—but schools are becoming increasingly aware that traditional conferences and meetings with parents are not exactly engaging. “How to Have Better Parent Meetings,” Teaching for Change’s third Cross-City Parent Coordinator Training of the school year, detailed the essentials for a …
Posted: December 28, 2012 by Teaching for Change
2012 Teaching for Change Staff Favorites
Here are some of our favorite children’s and young adult titles from 2012. Please read and share. Elementary Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, E.B. Lewis Elementary Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe …
Posted: December 19, 2012 by Teaching for Change
Independent Publishers Take Lead on Latino Literature
Publishers Weekly responded to the Dec. 4, 2012 New York Times article on the lack of classroom books written by and featuring Latinos. While the scarcity is a big problem, the New York Times left out the independent publishers who have taken the lead in trying to fill that gap for many years including our friends at Arte Público Press, Cinco Puntos Press, Lee …
Posted: December 14, 2012 by Teaching for Change
How to Build a Better Parent-Teacher Night
For many schools, parent-teacher conferences, back-to-school night, and report card day are the only attempts to bring parents and teachers together. Typically, these meetings do little to foster sustainable parental engagement and sometimes the format even hinders meaningful collaboration. Teaching for Change’s Tellin’ Stories initiative offers a powerful alternative with its signature activity, parent-teacher grade …
Posted: November 26, 2012 by Teaching for Change
Lawrence Guyot, ¡Presente!
We were saddened to learn of the death of lifelong activist and freedom fighter Lawrence Guyot, who died on November 23, 2012. Born in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Guyot dedicated his life to the fight for voting rights, first with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) and then for decades in Washington, DC. We …
Posted: November 21, 2012 by Teaching for Change
Testifying Against D.C. Public School Closures
Sign the petition, and for updates on the fight against D.C. school closures visit Empower DC’s education blog. The following testimony was given Thursday, November 15, 2012 by Teaching for Change’s Associate Director, Allyson Criner Brown, before the D.C. Council to oppose Bill 19-734, the School Closures and School Boundary Review Act of …
Posted: October 18, 2012 by Teaching for Change
Sarah Markes Visiting to Discuss and Sign New Book, Street Level
Teaching for Change welcomes Sarah Markes to discuss and sign her new book, Street Level: A Collection of Drawings and Creative Writing Inspired by Dar es Salaam Thursday, November 1, 2012 6:30 – 8:00 PM at Busboys and Poets (14th and V) Street Level was selected as 2012 Honor Book for Older Readers by the Children’s …
Posted: October 17, 2012 by Teaching for Change
“Mix It Up at Lunch Day” – Has Your School Signed Up?
Since 2001, schools across the country (and in fact the world) sign up for the annual national Mix It Up at Lunch Day campaign launched by Teaching Tolerance. The goal is to “encourage students to identify, question and cross social boundaries.” As Teaching Tolerance explains, It’s a simple act with profound implications. Studies have shown …
Posted: October 15, 2012 by Teaching for Change
Planet Maud Vintage & Co. Trunk Show Benefiting Teaching for Change
Planet Maud Vintage & Co. donated proceeds from its 2012 winter and fall trunk shows to Teaching for Change. The D.C.-based fashion line features “out of this world vintage, pre-loved, and indie designed delights from around the world” with an “eco-fly consciousness.” “Thank you for being incredible pillars in the community,” wrote Jo-Ann Enwezor, Planet …
Posted: October 10, 2012 by Teaching for Change
Pearson Erases Paul Robeson from History: Students Write 100 Letters to Challenge Omission
By Ken Giles For the past several years, I have been the music teacher at Shepherd Elementary School in Washington, D.C. This has given me the chance to combine two passions: music and social justice activism. I teach students the civil rights songs, peace songs, and union songs that I learned throughout my life. And …