Write to Benefit Teachers and
NAME
Inspired by a discussion on the NAME ListServ started by Gina Boltz of Native
Village, we are volunteering our time to publish an inspirational book that will
help both teachers and the National Association for Multicultural Education. The
discussion centered on the struggles of P-12 teachers in the era of No Child
Left Behind. Increasing demands on teachers coupled with low teacher salaries
have left many educators demoralized. Teachers are leaving the profession in
alarming numbers. Within the next 5-10 years the profession will lose a
significant percentage of teachers to retirement. We want to help revitalize the
teaching profession and remind ourselves and the general public of the great
power in teaching to change the lives of our young people. We are all former and
current classroom teachers who believe passionately that a sound, equitable
education enriches us all and contributes to creating that just society we all
struggle to achieve. We will not give up. We will not lose hope. Please join us
in our efforts by contributing a personal story.
Gina Boltz,
Director of Native Village -
http://www.nativevillage.org/ (Winner of
the 2002 Multicultural Media Award from NAME and former elementary teacher),
Toledo, Ohio
Bill Howe,
Past-President of NAME, Connecticut State Department of Education,
Joanna Teodosio,
Kindergarten Teacher, Milford, CT
Basanti Chakraborty,
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, New Jersey City University
Call for Articles: Short stories are now being accepted for the book "Why
Us," (working title), a compilation of
writings by Pre-K-grade 12 teachers and educators that inform, enlighten, and
celebrate experiences within the PreK-12 classroom. Proceeds from the sale of
this book will go to the National Association for Multicultural Education to
provide scholarships for students and teachers to attend NAME conferences. A
possible next version might focus on the higher education experience.
Deadline:
Deadline
extended to August 1, 2006
Description: To express the personal
touches PreK-12 teachers bring to their students and classroom when dealing with
difficulties faced in the teaching profession. Especially welcomed are
experiences regarding diversity. We are looking for submissions about people and
personalities that are reader friendly and inspiring.
Audience: Parents, students, teachers, general public
Format: 250-1,000 words; Poetry, prose, anecdotes, first person essays,
and tributes to others about successful experiences within the PreK-12
classroom; Writing style aimed for the general public; Submit stories edited and
spell-checked; Short (brief paragraph, maximum 50 words) biography of author at
end of article. Each written piece should have a short title.
Inquiries regarding these article should be e-mailed to:
billhowe@nameorg.org
Submissions should be emailed to:
whyus@nameorg.org
NOTE: Authors must verify that permission must be obtained from the
subject, if real names are used. Authors must understand that once accepted,
the story becomes the property of NAME. Further, authors must understand that
this work is given to NAME at no charge, with no expectation of payment or
royalties, for non-profit usage.
Story Example:
THE CONSPIRACY
From: "Becoming a Multicultural Educator: Awareness to Application:
by William A. Howe and Penelope L. Lisi,
to be published by McGraw-Hill
My visit to the small alternative program of twenty students was routine. In my
position as a school monitor, I regularly scheduled site visits to urban schools
to assess progress being made in implementation of school improvement
activities. Located in a community center in a poor section of the city, the
school was a last resort for high school students on the verge of dropping out.
Classes were taught by a man and a woman team - Jamal, an African American
teacher and Maria, who was Hispanic, both who seemed eager to show off the
accomplishments of their students, but modest about their own hard work at
making the program a success.
Touring through the school I could not help but notice the abundance of
beautiful needle-point, macramé and other craftwork done by the students. When
questioned about this, Jamal and Maria replied that they felt it important to
give students creative experiences to balance the strict regiment of academics.
Knowing that the school system was in a perpetual budget crisis, I asked how
they managed to get time for an arts teacher in the budget. The reply that I got
was “we have been fortunate.” My suspicious nature caused me to ask several more
times about how they found funds in the budget and approval to bring in someone
to teach the students.
Each payday, these two dedicated teachers met in their tiny office and put money
from their own paychecks into an envelope. This they used to quietly pay an
elderly retiree to come in twice a week to give classes to the students in order
to supplement her meager pension. The students called her “Grandma” and showered
her with affection each time she came. Everyone in the community knew what was
going on and they approved. It was a wonderful thing they were doing – wonderful
for the students, the retiree and the community.
Reflecting back on what I saw in this school, I was struck in particular by how
the basic and firmly held beliefs of these two very giving teachers about
learning, teaching, and students informed their instructional practice, even
when it meant personal sacrifice. Jamal and Maria clearly understood that
education that meets the needs of diverse learners must be rich in sensory
experiences, must engage student emotions, and must provide opportunities for
personal connections between teachers and students. What these teachers did
exemplified the essence of multicultural education.
[Bill Howe has been an educator for 30 years and currently works for the State
Department of Education in Hartford, CT. He is Past President of the National
Association for Multicultural Education.]
Stories will be evaluated using this
RUBRIC.
