EDUCATI N
The magazine of the Virginia Education Association
Educators Speak Out!
INSIDE
• Let’s have an honest conversation. u pg.14
• Union 101. u pg.16
• Walking through Middle East conflict together. u pg.18
VEA member-leaders speak out publicly for students and educators.
UPFRONT
4-7 This month: Words to the cyber-wise, compliments to the chef, the power of music, and more.
FEATURES
13 Doing Work That Matters Educators, organizations to be honored with VEA awards.
14 Let’s Talk Let’s have an honest conversation about what’s best for schools.
16 Union 101 It’s not “them.” It’s “us.”
18 Building a Bridge Walking through conflict in the Middle East with students.
DEPARTMENTS
20 Membership Matters Big breakthroughs in Charlottesville and Fairfax, VEA’s 2025 Legislative Agenda.
24 Insight on Instruction Dealing with challenging parents.
30 First Person Show students your human side.
Editor
Tom Allen
VEA President
Carol Bauer
Interim VEA Executive Director
Dr. Earl Wiman
Communications Director
Kevin J. Rogers
Graphic Designer
Lisa Sale
Editorial Assistant/Advertising Representative
Kate O’Grady
Contributors
Jeff Keller
Cheryl Zapien
Bruce Ingram
Olivia Geho
Vol. 117, No.3
Copyright © 2024 by the Virginia Education Association
The Virginia Journal of Education (ISSN 0270-837X) is published six times a year (October, November, December, February, April and June) by the Virginia Education Association, 8001 Franklin Farms Drive, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23229.
Scott
“The highlighted ones are the projects due tomorrow that I need your help on.”
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Article proposals, comments or questions may be sent to the editor at tallen@veanea.org or Tom Allen, 8001 Franklin Farms Drive, Suite 200 Richmond VA 23229 800-552-9554.
Member: State Education Association Communicators
VEA Vision:
A great public school for every child in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
VEA Mission:
The mission of the Virginia Education Association is to unite our members and local communities across the Commonwealth in fulfilling the promise of a high quality public education that successfully prepares every single student to realize his or her full potential. We believe this can be accomplished by advocating for students, education professionals, and support professionals.
“He doesn’t know my name, but he’s got facial recognition software!”
Words to the Cyber-Wise
Some thoughts on educator use of social media, from Michael Nitti, a longtime educator and current superintendent of the Bristol Township (PA) School District:
• Educators can be active, visible and accessible with their private life on social media but it’s kind of like Chris Rock says: “You can also drive a car with your feet, but that doesn’t make it a darn good idea.”
• If you are a teacher of elementary students, the parents will track down and scrutinize your digital footprint, because they want to know all about the person who will be taking care of their babies. By the time kids get to high school and parents just want these darn teenagers out of their house, it’s the students who will investigate your internet presence.
• Dance like nobody is watching. Email like it one day may be subpoenaed and read in court. Emails live forever on some server somewhere. If global nuclear Armageddon ever occurs, the only things left will be cockroaches and that inappropriate joke you never should have forwarded.l
Great in the Classroom, So-So on
The High Costs of ‘Culture Wars’
“When I look at public opinion polls, Americans, particularly those who have either gone through public education or currently have kids in schools, have faith in public schools and confidence in teachers. But there’s a disconnect in media portray- als, which tend to be bipolar— teachers as heroes or losers.”l
— Larry Cuban, an education professor emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Education
Should We Suspend Suspensions?
“There is little evidence that zero-tolerance school exclusion policies make schools safer or deter misbehavior, but they do create significant harms for the individual child’s mental and physical health. Schools are responsible for providing a safe learning environment for all students but it’s difficult for students to learn if they aren’t in the classroom. We know from research that Black children and adolescents are among those students most severely affected by expulsion and suspension. When students are not in school, they are more likely to use recreational drugs, engage in fights, and carry a weapon, with potential for increased contact with the juvenile justice system. The school-to-prison pipeline places these children at increased risk of a cycle of incarceration.”l
While citizens involved in local school board races have spent time debating controversial issues like banning books, what should be taught in the community’s classrooms, and LGBTQ+ rights, school systems have spent lots of extra money. According to “The Costs of Conflict,” a study done at UCLA that surveyed 467 school superintendents nationwide, two-thirds of school districts are experiencing moderate to high levels of controversy-driven conflict that is “disrupting school districts, negatively impacting schools and classrooms, and needlessly costing schools millions of dollars.”
Based on survey responses, researchers estimate that U.S. school districts have spent some $3.2 billion on items such as extra security, extra staff time responding to public record requests, and staff turnover. Districts with high conflict levels spent three times more than low-conflict districts.l
The Hills We Climb
— Susanna K. Jain, MD, co-author of an American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement on school suspensions and expulsions
Today’s changing student population presents public schools with unique challenges. As an example, in Arlington Public Schools, according to APS data, students come from 149 different countries and every continent except Antarctica. In student homes, nearly 90 different languages are spoken. The leading countries of origin for the English Language Learners in the county are El Salvador, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Mongolia, and Bolivia.l
“I had a hot mic moment while doing today’s morning announcements.”
Can We Just Take a Breath?
“Air is tricky. You can choose to not partake of the water or the snacks on the table, but you can’t just abstain from breathing.”l
— Gigi Gronvall, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an author of a 2021 report on the benefits of improving ventilation in schools
This Probably Isn’t the Way it Should Be
When the world gets uncomfortably controversial, many schools react by de-emphasizing civics education instead of increasing it, according to research from the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute. Researchers there examined civic education in our public schools and saw that this trend became evident in the 1960s, when the U.S. was a hotbed of civic issues, and schools opted to avoid conflict in classrooms. In the Institute’s policy brief, “When and Why Did America Stop Teaching Civics?”, those researchers express concern that today’s difficult political atmosphere may be causing the same thing to happen. You can read the brief at oconnorinstitute.org/ research/research2024/.l
If Only...
Some excerpts from the Parade magazine article, “The 13 Things School Teachers *Absolutely* Wish All Parents Knew”:
• We’re on the Same Team. Children have the best chance to thrive when teachers, parents and other caretakers work together.
• Books are Powerful. Technology has provided ways to stay in touch and entertained, but educators share that reading hard copies of books is still essential.
• Speak Positively. You may have heard negative opinions about a teacher, or perhaps the educator rubbed you the wrong way at a parent-teacher conference. A filter is your best friend.
• Follow the Chain. If your child is struggling, including with a relationship with a teacher, don’t go straight to the top.
• Two Words: Sugar and Sleep. If your child is struggling in the classroom or behaviorally, you may want to consider evaluating lifestyle, mainly sugar intake and sleep.
If Only... Part Two
“I’ve never had a student stand up and say, ‘Hey, this person’s getting bullied.’ It’s always the victim coming forward.”
— Brandon Thornton, an Illinois high school teacherl
“My mom puts all my stuff on the fridge.”
‘My Compliments to the Chef’
It was an excellent day for grazing at Independence High School in October when students, parents, and other community members were recently invited to a first in Loudoun County: a “Food Show” put on the by school system. If you showed up, you were able to taste-test a wide variety of foods being considered for school menus next year, including everything from Hawaiian-style hamburgers to Thai, Indian, and Peruvian dishes. Needless to say, it was a popular event.
There was excitement and rave reviews across the board, as attendees were asked to rate foods as part of the process of picking which items would make it onto future school menus. One elementary student, though, after tasting a chicken dish, told a reporter at the event that while it was “very good,” he would only give it a 7 out of 10 because “this thing is spicy!”l
“Do my credits from Zumba class transfer?”
RAISING OUR
VOICES
VEA member-leaders speak out publicly for students and educators.
If you want positive change, if you need something for your colleagues, your students, and yourself, you have to let people know. The chances of educators’ issues being addressed to everyone’s satisfaction without our intervention are somewhere between nil and zip. Across the Commonwealth, VEA members are being proactive—speaking up in public forums, like before school boards and other governing bodies, in media interviews, and in conversations in their communities. Here’s a look at some of what your fellow members are doing. What needs to be said in your locality?
Safety: It May Not Be in the Bag
A little background on the issue being discussed here:
In an attempt to make the city’s school buildings safer, Richmond Public Schools rolled out a policy this school year that requires all students to use clear bookbags. While well-intentioned, there have been some problems with the policy and the Richmond Education Association brought them before the school board.
The clear bookbags are already breaking and are expensive and wasteful to replace. What’s our longterm plan for the use of these bags? One of my students very correctly pointed out that plastic production and waste is bad for the planet and so he doesn’t understand why he has to use one. Further, athletic bags don’t have to follow this policy, and I’m not saying they should. Our students already walk through metal detectors. If we are serious about safety, we have to start at the root of the problem: relationships. We continue to see student conflicts treated like criminal investigations, with students writing statements and being given talking to’s in private, away from the peer they have a conflict with. We need real conflict mediation, real restorative justice. Expressing harm done, admitting harm caused, looking someone in the eye and apologizing, and a handshake or a dap goes a long way to restoring each other’s humanity.
Anne Forrester, Richmond Education Association
Pay Us What You Promised!
I represent the dedicated educators who serve the children and families of our community every day, and I am here to address a matter of urgency and fairness – the release of the retention bonuses that have been promised to us.
Our educators have worked tirelessly, often going above and beyond what is required, to ensure that our students receive the best possible education despite numerous challenges. These bonuses were intended to acknowledge and reward that dedication, yet we find ourselves in a situation where these funds are at risk of being delayed.
Delaying the release of these bonuses sends the wrong message to our educators – the very people who keep our schools running and our students learning. We have upheld our commitment to the community and are asking the City Council to uphold theirs. These retention bonuses are not just a monetary reward; they are a symbol of appreciation for the countless hours and efforts our teachers, support staff, and educators invest in our schools. The decision to delay these payments would erode trust and create additional stress for individuals who are already stretched thin in their duties.
I respectfully urge this Council to prioritize the immediate release of these funds. Our educators should not have to wait any longer for what was promised to them. They have earned this compensation, and they need to see that the City of Portsmouth values their hard work and commitment. This is not just a financial issue – it is about showing our educators that we recognize their value and their essential role in the future of Portsmouth. We cannot afford to delay any further. We
ask you to honor your commitment and release the retention bonuses without any further delay. Our schools, our students, and our entire community are counting on you to do the right thing.
Laura Hamilton, Portsmouth Education Association
‘This Process will Make the Division a Better Place for Everyone’ I am speaking tonight on behalf of the Albemarle Education Association, to express our excitement and hopefulness as we begin a new era at ACPS with the passage of tonight’s [collective bargaining] resolution. Collective bargaining means that employees in every area of our schools: classrooms, cafeterias, buses, offices, and more will now have a real voice when it comes to our pay, benefits and working conditions. I can tell you as someone who taught for 17 years in a collective bargaining state before moving to Virginia that having a multi-year contract that provides guarantees that employees help negotiate will make a huge difference for us, in terms of tangible benefits as well as in overall morale. Collective bargaining is the best system this country has figured out in order to get workers in education to feel valued and to reach their highest potential. That in turn helps create the best possible conditions for our students’ learning and growth. It’s not a coincidence that the strongest performing states in K-12 education also happen to have strong collective bargaining practices in their schools. The partnership that AEA and ACPS will forge through this process will make the division a better
place for everyone associated with it. Already other divisions in the Commonwealth who have adopted collective bargaining have achieved significant victories related to pay, leave policies, and more. It’s been a long, difficult road to get to this point, both for Virginia and for ACPS. But we know that the road doesn’t end here. We still have an authorization card campaign and an election to conduct before we can get to the actual collective bargaining process: That’s when the real work of negotiating a contract begins. However, the knowledge of the work ahead is now accompanied by the faith that we have a collaborative relationship with ACPS and that together we can help make our schools the best they can be.
Tim Klobuchar, Albemarle Education Association (since he delivered this message, AEA has won an election to represent county school employees in contract negotiations)
Harrisonburg Members Appear on Local Media Collective bargaining means that we are working together to bargain for dialogue about our working conditions. We’re trying to create healthier working conditions for staff and educators, which then means that we are healthier when we educate or teach, which creates a better, healthier environment for the children. There’s so much that’s involved in educating and teaching and there’s so much expected of educators and we want to help others understand how we can try to make that more reasonable or more
healthy for everybody involved.
Glenda Leonard of the Harrisonburg Education Association, in an interview with a local television station prior to a school board meeting at which collective bargaining was to be discussed
We are feeling good about the energy right now. think we have a lot of good school board members who are trying their best to help us. They are trying to do what they can.
Cody Polk, Harrisonburg Education Association president, quoted on a local news website, adding that members turned out for the school board meeting, many dressed in red, to show “positivity and support” for a newly-proposed collective bargaining resolution to replace an initial one passed last year
Let Experts Do What They Know to Do
Nearly a year ago, this body established a policy that notifies parents of what and when their children check out books from the library, allows parents to restrict their own children’s access to certain portions of the collection, and allows for the reexamination, restriction, or removal of materials deemed to have no educational value. This is sound practice, thorough in its scope and reflecting deep commitment to parents’ rights.
And yet, here we are again, this time hearing from the same voices that the policy doesn’t go far enough to suit them. They now want the power to make that same decision for everyone’s children, in the form of a library selection parent committee. So what’s wrong with that?
For starters, they’re lay people. Media specialists are professionals who undergo years of study in media science, literature, the science of reading, child and adolescent development, gifted education, special needs populations, adult literacy, and so on. They are tasked with selecting books and materials that are age-appropriate, timely, accurate, accessible, and reflect a wide variety of perspectives and experiences, and to constantly be mindful of the diverse populations they serve.
Nor do they make these decisions alone. They review professional publications for reviews and suggestions, consult with other specialists to monitor trends and learn more about new authors and titles, and consult teachers and students regarding topics of interest and areas of study. So, what happens when we give the final say-so over those decisions to a committee of untrained, potentially highly biased citizens with no oversight? Well, it means that this board effectively turns over taxpayer dollars to support private citizens’ personal agendas within the schools. And if that’s not illegal, it’s at the very least an interesting lawsuit waiting to happen.
This has all the earmarks of a solution in search of a problem, at the expense of the problems we really have.
There is a small but loud faction in this county who believe they should be able to tell the rest of us what our children can and cannot read, can and cannot know, and even can and cannot be. And we have a word for that. It’s indoctrination. And we all agree, it has no place in our school system, or our libraries. You have good policies in place,
Graduate Students at Virginia Tech Speak Up, Too
In 2023, graduate student workers at Virginia Tech, dissatisfied with discrepancies between their stipends and the local cost of living, organized the VT Graduate Labor Union, which became an affiliate of the Virginia Education Association. The stress grad student staffers were under was not only negatively affecting their well-being, but also their ability to conduct their research, teaching, coursework and outreach, all of which help drive the university.
While a report put together by a Graduate Student Assistantship Support Task Force created by Virginia Tech in 2022 offered some helpful recommendations and progress is being made in some working conditions, pay has still not caught up with what’s necessary to live in the Blacksburg area.
In response, VT GLU has launched a Living Wage Campaign, after spending a year identifying effective leadership, recruiting new members, and developing comprehensive organizing plans. Members are currently circulating a petition aimed at building the kind of support that will cause VT administrators to make a genuine commitment to paying grad student workers fairly.
The petition states, in part, “We call on Virginia Tech to formally commit by Fall 2025 to (1) raising the minimum graduate stipend to a living wage, (2) providing 12-month contracts, and (3) ongoing evaluation and adjustment of stipends to meet the rising cost of living and match inflation rates. All graduate students deserve 12-month contracts, a stipend we can comfortably live off of, and support to pay our rising comprehensive fees… Virginia Tech, it is time to prove that you value graduate students. Honor your commitment to affordability and accessibility by paying all graduate workers enough to live now and in years to come!”
You can support VT GLU members by signing the petition here: https://vea.link/ LivingWage l
and they work. Let them do their job. While we’re at it, let’s let parents do their job and you do yours. And let’s all get back to the real issues facing this division.
Shannon Brooks, Franklin County Education Association
Act Now on Behalf of Students and Educators in Special Education!
I’m here as a special education teacher and a proud member of the Virginia Education Association, representing tens of thousands of school staff statewide. Today, I’m asking you to act on JLARC’s nearterm recommendations to address our urgent funding needs—changes that can’t wait.
Since the pandemic, our classrooms have seen an exodus of qualified professionals, especially in schools where students need us most. Special education is one of the hardest-hit areas, with teacher shortages so severe that classrooms are often led by substitutes or adults with no training in education—in many schools, this is more than half of the classrooms. Imagine being a student with unique learning needs, rotating through multiple teachers in one year, never getting the consistency or attention you deserve.
I know you may be considering long-term reforms, including shifting to a student-weighted funding model. But while those conversations are critical, they don’t address our immediate needs. I urge this committee to advance JLARC’s near-term recommendations for the 2025 session, especially lifting the Support Cap and adjusting the Linear Weighted Average that artificially lowers our state’s investment in teacher salaries. These
changes alone would bring us much closer to addressing the needs of our highest-need schools right now.
The JLARC report shows we’re only funding one-seventh of special education aide positions and should double state funding for these students as a starting point to meet current division staffing standards. This underfunding leaves teachers like me with impossible caseloads. I see students waiting weeks for the support they need to keep up, often falling further behind.
And while the costs may seem steep, I’m asking you to think about the costs of inaction. Each day, students are slipping through the cracks. I’ve seen children with disabilities struggling without consistent support, becoming frustrated, and losing confidence. I’ve watched talented teachers leave because they feel they can’t give students the help they need under current conditions. And we’re at risk of failing a generation if we let these patterns continue.
So, I am asking for this committee’s leadership. Endorse these nearterm recommendations to stabilize and rebuild our teaching force, especially for special education. We have the expertise and commitment in our schools to ensure students succeed. Now we need the resources to match.
Terry Jones, Henrico County Education Association, speaking to members of the General Assembly’s Joint Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education Funding
Speechifying about Speech and Debate
I know this will come as a shock, but I am not here as a representative of our awesome union, AEA.
Instead, I am here as the head coach for the Speech and Debate team at Yorktown High School. I want to take a moment to celebrate our captains who spoke before me, Hunter and Daisy. As you saw, speech and debate teaches great skills.
This year our program nearly doubled, reaching about 75 members. Sadly, our funding did not keep pace. We still get the same amount we’ve received for the nearly 10 years I’ve been coaching: Just over $1000 for an almost year-round activity.
While I am excited about the growth that my team and I have worked hard to achieve, I am saddened and frustrated that the opportunities I can offer these talented students have not grown as well. We cannot compete at a higher level, and we do not have a class, which I argue would be as challenging as AP seminar and research, but with the added bonus of being able to test the skills learned in a real-life arena. According to The Wall Street Journal state and national speech and debate award winners have a 22 to 30 percent higher acceptance rate at top-tier colleges, and even speech and debate students who don’t win such awards still have an above average acceptance rate when compared to their peers.
Obviously, speech and debate helps students gain skills such as effective reading and research, but also these students do for fun what many other people fear more than death! When you are preparing the FY26 APS budget, please give a thought to support for our speech and debate teams at a level commensurate with the skills these students gain.
Dani Jones, Arlington Education Associationl
Doing Work that Matters: Educators, Organizations to be Honored with VEA Awards
• VEA Fund Award for Political Activism. Honors VEA locals for outstanding achievement in political organizing and activism. Nomination deadline: January 17, 2025.
• Robley S. Jones Political Activist Award: Honors individuals for their contributions to education legislation or policy, or to the election of public education-friendly candidates. Nomination deadline: January 17, 2025.
Association members, other individuals, and lots of organizations are going above and beyond on behalf of public schools, students, and educators, and the VEA believes such effort should not go unnoticed or unrewarded. To be sure it doesn’t, VEA’s annual awards program honors efforts made on behalf of our young people and our schools, and so nominations are now open for the following VEA awards:
• Friend of Education Award. VEA’s highest honor recognizes an individual or organization whose leadership, acts or support has significantly benefited education, education employees or students in Virginia. Nomination deadline: January 3, 2025
• Fitz Turner Award: Honors outstanding contributions in inter-
group relations and the enhancement of respect for human and civil rights. Nomination deadline: January 17, 2025
• Mary Hatwood Futrell Award: Honors leadership in fostering equality in educational opportunity and promoting equity and excellence in public education. Nomination deadline: January 17, 2025.
• Barbara Johns Youth Award: Honors a student or student organization whose activities promote the dignity and esteem of others.
Nomination deadline: January 17, 2025.
• Award for Teaching Excellence: The highest honor VEA gives for creativity and excellence in the classroom. Nomination deadline December 31, 2024.
• Education Support Professional of the Year: Honors the contributions of an ESP to his or her school, community and profession. Nomination deadline: January 8, 2025.
• Martha Wood Distinguished Service Award: Honors a retired educator who has made significant contributions to the growth of the active and retired Association, the promotion of public education, and the welfare of public educators. Nomination deadline: January 8, 2025.
• A+ Award for Membership Growth: Honors local Associations for growth, given in three size categories.
For more information, contact your local UniServ office.l
Let’s Talk— Really Talk— About What’s Best for Kids and Schools
By Jeff Keller
Teaching sure can feel like an impossible job sometimes. Faculty meetings, new initiatives, changing technology: I’m tired just thinking about it all. It can be tempting–especially for somebody who has been in this work for a while now–to close our door, focus on our individual classroom, ignore new initiatives, and do what we’ve always done. For some of our colleagues, it can be even more tempting to just quit. Teacher turnover over the past few years has been significant. I’ve found myself nodding along at more than a few of those “teacher quits” videos that are all over social media. I get it. I really do. So many times, the phrase “let’s do right for kids” can be turned against teachers who push back or challenge unrealistic expectations. When we hear things like, “If you just build a stronger relationship with your students” or “If you just
do this one extra thing, it’ll solve the problem,” it can be so frustrating. While staying positive is important, we also need to make space for honest discussions about the challenges we face.
Honest, Open Conversation
So, what’s a teacher to do? A few colleagues and I interviewed numerous teachers, students, and administrators for a book project, and one thing we heard repeatedly was a real desire for more conversation–more honest, open conversation–between all key stakeholders: Administrators, teachers, students, parents, community members, and all those who care about public education.
I think that’s what we miss so often: real conversation, where we listen to understand rather than to respond. If a veteran teacher dismisses a young, energetic teacher’s sense of optimism with accusations of “toxic positivity” or of being “young and naive,” that veteran teacher misses an opportunity to learn something new, to create a meaningful relationship, to be reinvigorated by working with a passionate and energetic teacher, and to mentor a new teacher. Veteran teachers: ask yourself, how can you ensure you’re welcoming new teachers who bring fresh energy to the profession?
By the same token, new teachers risk missing out, too. When a new teacher dismisses somebody who is experienced and who has been engaged in this work for a long time as cynical or set in their ways, that new teacher may well be closing themselves off from a person who has navigated so many changes and challenges, who has political capital to lend, and who can be a power-
ful ally and advocate in your early career. New teachers: Ask yourself, what could you gain by partnering with a veteran teacher, listening to why they feel the way they do, and letting them help you understand how education initiatives ebb and flow and how to navigate those changing currents?
Listen: I’m no Pollyanna. I’ve been in this game for 17 years. I’ve seen initiatives come and go. I’ve seen my school go from one where it was incredibly rare for there to be any openings to one where we routinely have turnover in the middle of the year. I can be as negative as anybody when I feel overwhelmed, and when the work just seems insurmountable. But I keep coming back because I continue to believe in the power of public education. I’m energized by young teachers who race up the steps in the morning. I’m inspired by a fresh perspective that asks why we are doing something the way we’ve always done and then offers a brand-new way that kids immediately buy into.
Finding the Middle
There has to be a middle way, a “yes and” approach:
• “This job asks too much of me.” Yes! And we can help each other find balance and prioritize what has to be done, what can wait until tomorrow, and what we will just have to set aside.
• “My students come to me less prepared than they’ve ever been.” Yes! And that makes it all the more important that we help them grow as much as we can, celebrate that growth as success, and recognize that they’ll need
more help next year, too! So, let’s start advocating for that reading specialist position right now.
• “I was here when we did this approach 15 years ago. These trends come and go.” Yes! And that means you are well positioned to help your less experienced colleagues navigate those challenges and learn from your past mistakes and successes.
• “My team leader uses the same old lessons he’s used for 20 years.” Yes! And perhaps there are parts of those lessons that really work. What can you borrow? What can you adapt? What can you abandon? And how can you help him try something new?
Friends, the stakes are just too high to allow ourselves to be consumed by either constant negativity or by toxic positivity. So, let’s find that yes and…mentality. Let’s talk. Let’s work together to support each other.l
Jeff Keller, a member of the Winchester Education Association and a high school history teacher, is the 2024 Virginia Teacher of the Year. Along with Meagan Call-Cummings and Kristien Zenkov, he is the coauthor of the forthcoming book Talking Equity in Polarized Times: Stories and Strategies from Teachers and Students. This article is adapted from an article originally written for Beyond the Bell, the blog of 2025 Teacher of the Year Avanti Yamamoto of Hanover County (beyondthebell2025.wordpress.com).
Winchester Education Association member Jeff Keller, a history teacher at Handley High School, is congratulated by Kent C. Dickey, deputy superintendent at the Virginia Department of Education after he was named Virginia’s 2024 Region IV Teacher of the Year. Keller went on to be named Virginia’s 2024 Teacher of the Year.
T hanks to the Virginia legislature’s ending of the more-than40-year-ban on public employee bargaining in our state, you may be new to the idea of thinking of your VEA membership as being part of a union—or, if you’ve joined since, new to being in a union. As a member, you belong to your local VEA affiliate; your state affiliate, the VEA; and our nationwide affiliate, the National Education Association, whose 3 million members make it the largest labor union in America. Here’s some information on unions and their members we hope you’ll find helpful.
ABy Olivia Geho
s a union, it is our mission to create the public schools that our students deserve. We believe that the best way to do that is by improving the working conditions for public school employees, because our working conditions are also students’ learning conditions. When we have the resources we need, students have better schools. When there is less turnover, students benefit. When we can afford to live in the school divisions where we teach, our communities are stronger. We do this work because we are passionate about helping young people. We wouldn’t tolerate our incredibly difficult working conditions if we weren’t dedicated to our students. Because of our deep passion for this work, it’s easy for many of us to get caught up in the idea that we should sacrifice more and avoid rocking the boat because we do it out of a sense of duty, not because of the money. But as a union, we remind workers that we have value not because we take care of children, but because we are people, too. We deserve healthcare
and lunch breaks because we are human beings, not just because it benefits students to have teachers who are healthy and not hungry. We deserve wages that let us thrive, not just survive. We deserve dignity and respect. We can make this a reality by working together to build power and win better contracts.
Collective bargaining is a process in which employees who are represented by a union sit down with their employer to negotiate a contract (referred to as the collective bargaining agreement or CBA). At the bargaining table, workers can negotiate for higher wages, better benefits, improvements to working conditions, and more. Collective bargaining is becoming a standard practice in more school divisions around Virginia. If yours is one, read your contract, become familiar with it, and then seek out your building representative, local president, or UniServ staff person if you have any questions. Attend your local union meetings so you can learn more about your rights and how you can get more involved in our efforts to improve public schools for everyone.
Understandably, many Virginians believe that because Virginia is a Right to Work state, and public sector employees cannot legally go on strike, unions have no power. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A union’s power doesn’t come from its tactics, but from how active and engaged its members are. Public school employees across Virginia have been organizing rallies, creating letter and email campaigns, attending school board meetings en masse, standing up to abusive bosses, enforcing their rights, showing solidarity by wearing union swag, winning contracts, winning union elections, and changing
people’s minds about what it means to be part of a union. When you get involved in these actions, you are directly making a difference.
The union is you and your colleagues. You have the power to change things when you organize with your co-workers. Being part of a union isn’t about paying for a service, it’s about taking action to make your workplace better for everyone.
education. We have to save it ourselves. That’s why, as union members, we are part of a movement for economic justice. We are part of a movement that says, “enough is enough.” We need to invest in our public schools. Nothing will change unless we make it happen. As a statewide and national union, we accomplish things together that one educator, or even one district, can’t. If you want to change something at your school, in your division, in your state, or even nationally, your union is your way to make that change a reality. Never forget that the union is not an outside organization that comes in and solves your problems. The union is you and your colleagues. You have the power to change things when you organize with your co-workers. Being part of a union isn’t about paying for a service, it’s about taking action to make your workplace better for everyone Learn more by talking with your local union leaders, colleagues, and UniServ Director.l
Olivia Geho, a communications specialist at VEA, holds a master’s degree in union studies from the UMass Amherst Labor Center.
We all know that being a public school employee is more challenging now than ever. Many live paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes our working conditions can become hostile. For those of us in less affluent areas of the Commonwealth, our schools are literally falling down around (and sometimes on top of) us. No one is coming to save public
Building a Bridge
A Prince William County teacher and her young students walk through the horrors of conflict in the Middle East together.
By Cheryl Zapien
The ancient curse, “May you live in interesting times,” certainly applied to me this past school year. I teach English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students and I primarily work with second- and third-graders. I truly love this age group. They are fun, loving, and at times, hysterically funny. The world is their oyster. After 20 years of teaching, most years are at least somewhat predictable, but last year…not so much.
As a rule, I’m transparent with my students. I share who I am, what I like,
what my family is like, and some of my struggles. I believe that it’s good for students to see my truest and best self. Last year, however, was a challenge. Whatever your view, the events in Israel and Gaza following last October 7th have created enormous angst and great division. Everyone has an opinion, and often an extremely strong one. This was particularly true for me. I’m Jewish and have strong beliefs regarding the State of Israel. Many of my students are Muslim and, naturally, their families shared their thoughts about what
was happening. The children, being third-graders, shared their feelings— with each other and, indirectly, with me. One was quite brutally honest. It was difficult hearing their opinions. They felt very one-sided. I frequently wanted to say, “But there’s another viewpoint here…” Tempting as it was, I didn’t. I really wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. Nothing in my education or experience had prepared me for handling the cultural morass in which I found myself. Remember, not only did they have strong emotions; I did as well. Balanc-
ing those emotions was challenging, to say the least.
I racked my brain for ways to find middle ground. My young students were being exposed to some rough TV footage, which was troubling to them. Then one day, I brought them to my trailer, sat them down, and we talked. I said, “I’m sure we can all agree that it’s awful to see mommies and children and babies hurt.” I didn’t say who or where, but it opened a floodgate of conversation. The kids shared their thoughts, both Hispanic students as well as Muslim students. As it turned out, they were all troubled by the information they were exposed to. I had taken my first tentative step towards meeting my students where they were.
As the year moved forward, we settled into a routine. Near Ramadan in the spring, students began sharing how they’d fast this year. Like Jewish children, my Muslim students were beginning to take on the obligations of their faith. I encouraged them and told them I understood, as my culture did the same kind of thing. As we moved into Ramadan, they shared some of their experiences with me. I praised their efforts and tried to let them know that it was going to be okay.
One day during this period, one of my students came in wearing a Kufi. I asked about it because it looked a lot like a Jewish kippah or yarmulke. He told me all about it—and that’s when the magic happened. We totally went off script. The kids wanted to share about Ramadan and Eid. They told us their customs, their favorite foods, and how they pray. They even wanted to demonstrate what the prayer looked like. They were enormously endearing.
An idea popped into my head. asked my students if they would like
to read about Ramadan and Eid. They all loved the idea. All I have to say is, “Thank heaven for Diffit.” That little AI program made the activity possible. This was easily the absolute best group of lessons I have ever shared with students. We read, summarized, evaluated, and discussed the text. The discussions helped us work toward an understanding of positive Muslim values, and students shared much of their collective culture. At the same time, I was able to share mine with them where there was overlap between both Jewish and Muslim practices.
Naturally, my Hispanic students wanted their day in the sun, too. At the end of it all, we studied Passover and Easter, too. This was such an incredible bonding experience and I would love to do it again. Each child became our best expert about his or her culture. Through the experience of honoring each other, we were able to begin building bridges across an impossibly wide cultural divide.
As teachers, we need to be our best and truest selves. We cannot simply focus on our students as they are now, but as they will someday be. In time, some of them may be in positions that will affect the world. I would like it to be for good.
The only way I know to do this is to build bridges by honoring my students so that someday, when I am no longer there to guide them, they will remember that the “other” is not so very different from themselves. In this way, it is my deepest hope that they will choose unity and peace instead of strife, making the world a much, much better place.l
Cheryl Zapien, a member of the Prince William Education Association, teaches at McAuliffe Elementary School.
Talking with Young People after Traumatic Events
Children and teens need reassurance when something goes terribly wrong. Be there for them. Encourage them to express their emotions through conversation, artwork, or writing. Here are some additional helpful ideas from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
• Provide children with opportunities to talk about what they are seeing on television and to ask questions.
• Do not be afraid to admit that you cannot answer all of their questions.
• Answer questions at a level the child can understand.
• Provide ongoing opportunities for children to talk. They’ll have more questions as time goes on.
• Allow children to discuss other fears and concerns about unrelated issues. This is a good opportunity to explore these issues also.
• Try to maintain a regular classroom routine.
• Help children understand that there are no bad emotions and that a wide range of reactions is normal. Encourage children to express their feelings to adults (including teachers and parents) who can help them understand their sometimes strong emotions.
• Be careful not to scapegoat or generalize about any particular cultural or ethnic group. Try not to focus on blame.
• In addition to the tragic things they see, help children identify good things, such as heroic actions, families who unite and share support, and the assistance offered by people throughout the community.
• Acknowledge that you, too, may have reactions associated with a traumatic event, and take steps to promote your own physical and emotional healing.l
Photo by iStock
The Latest from VEA’s Learning Portal Bargaining Update
Four new courses for members have recently gone live on VEA’s Learning Portal, bringing the total number to more than 70. The Portal is a great way to direct your own professional growth, as the courses are self-directed and can be tailored to your schedule. They’re also free and each one offers a certificate and professional development points toward licensure recertification. You can get started at veaportal.learnupon.com. The latest offerings :
• Education Support Professionals
o ESPs: Our Jobs are Important
o I Matter Too: ESP Voices
• Expanding Professional Learning
o Graphic Design for Educators
• Instructional Practice
o Leaders Lead
Learning Portal classes are free and each one offers a certificate and professional development points toward licensure recertification. You can get started at veaportal.learnupon. com l
Charlottesville, Fairfax Members Reach Tentative Agreements
• The latest bargaining breakthroughs have been made by members of the Charlottesville Education Association and Fairfax Education Unions, as both unions came to tentative agreements with their school systems. Charlottesville’s agreement is for licensed personnel; Fairfax hammered out TAs for both its instructional and operational units. Pending ratification in both localities, the contracts will run for three years. Because that process has not been completed yet, some of the details aren’t public yet, but many congratulations to the hard-working, committed CEA and FEU members who made it happen!
• The Harrisonburg Education Association kept up its campaign for a fair collective bargaining resolution for more than a year—and succeeded. In November, the city’s school board passed a new version, which HEA calls “much more comprehensive.”
• Loudoun Education Association members are preparing for an election to be the exclusive bargaining agent for Loudoun County Public Schools employees while waiting for the Labor Relations Neutral to certify that they have enough cards to trigger the election.
• The Petersburg Education Association is focused on electing pro-union school board candidates after the current school board voted down collective bargaining.
• In Williamsburg-James City, members continue to put pressure on their school board for a resolution allowing collective bargaining. Though WJCEA submitted authorization cards from a majority of teachers, the school board has declined to issue a resolution.
• Support staff members in the Montgomery County Education Association and Charlottesville Education Association are preparing to go to the bargaining table.
• Members in Newport News, Stafford, Roanoke City, Chesterfield, and Henrico are continuing to collect authorization cards.l
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
VEA
Has Your Back on Instruction!
— Carol Bauer
As the calendar year winds down, it’s exciting to think about the fresh start that 2025 offers us. As president, my goal is to take care of members, so members can take care of students. I want to provide opportunities that allow you to find joy and satisfaction in your professional life and to celebrate the many accomplishments you, your students, and your local work towards every day.
Time in the classroom has always been close to my heart, and in the new year I want to spread the word on how our Union is the place to turn to for instructional expertise. VEA has always been ready and able to help you become the kind of professional you want to be. We hold an Instruction and Professional Development conference, offering the kind of training you’ve asked for, not the kind you get when someone else decides you want or need it. We will offer focused training for ESPs; we have an online Learning Portal, where you can find the training you need when you need it; we publish a monthly “Teaching & Learning Today” newsletter; and we offer support for Praxis testing and for aspiring educators. VEA workshops are created and facilitated primarily by members, colleagues who do this work every day in Virginia schools. I
can speak from experience, too, as the Union supported me as I became a National Board Certified Teacher, which greatly enhanced my practice.
I have dreams this new year for us in the legislature and in local decision-making, too. January will bring the General Assembly, where VEA members and staff will be hard at work lobbying for improved working conditions, increased compensation, and standing up for students and schools around the state. Mark your calendars now for January 31 for VEA Lobby Day, where you will have the opportunity to share your stories with legislators.
Spring also brings NEA’s Read Across America, a celebration of diverse books and the joy of reading. I always welcomed community members to my classroom to read with students, and I am open to invitations to come to your classes. I encourage educators at all levels to plan for an RAA event this spring. See NEA’s website for ideas at nea.org/ readacross.
It’s always been about what’s best for our students for VEA members. Let’s keep leading the way!l
VRS Counseling Center Moves to Henrico County
The VRS Retirement Counseling Center has recently moved from downtown Richmond to the Reynolds Building at 6641 W. Broad St. in Henrico County. The new space offers meetings with a financial counselor and parking, allowing VRS to better serve you. The VRS administrative and investment offices will remain in downtown Richmond.
Be sure to stay informed on your VRS benefits by checking in at varetire. org, where you can access your personal myVRS account and more. If you need additional assistance, consider one of these services: Live and recorded webinars. VRS offers these on a wide variety of topics. Visit varetire.org/education to register for an upcoming session or look for a recorded webinar to view at your convenience.
One-on-one counseling appointments. Meet with a counselor to discuss your VRS benefits, distribution options when you retire, how to apply for retirement, and more. Schedule an appointment at varetire.org/education Counseling hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and can be held virtually or in-person. Assistance by phone or email. Contact VRS by email or by phone at 888-827-3847. If you need assistance with your VRS Defined Contribution Plans, including understanding your investment options, managing your contributions, or developing a retirement savings strategy, call 877-327-5261. Visit varetire.org/ contact for details.l
2025 Legislative Agenda
VEA WILL INITIATE LEGISLATION AND BUDGET ITEMS TO:
• Fully implement and fund the top remaining recommendations and policy options from the 2023 JLARC report on the Standards of Quality.
• Scale the initial and continuing state supplement for National Board Certification Incentive Awards and cover fees for educators seeking certification to encourage highquality professional development.
• More adequately fund and support special education services and expand the flexibility of state support.
• Increase the fairness and effort of funding for schools with a high share of students living in households experiencing poverty.
• Provide funding to ensure teacher salaries are at or above the national average, school employees earn a living wage, and that compensation is provided to student teachers.
• Provide targeted supplemental funding for educators at schools with the highest vacancy rates.
• Protect school staff from counter productive and unreasonable liabilities that limit their autonomy, rights, and safety.
• Expand Medicaid reimbursement for school-based medical and mental health services.
• Strengthen and protect fair labor practices and the right of public employees to organize and collectively bargain.
• Increase state revenue to more adequately support school systems.
• Improve air quality and safety standards in school buildings.
• Expand support for mathematics education opportunities and services for students.
• Require state collection of Education Support Professional salary data from all school divisions.
VEA SUPPORTS LEGISLATION AND BUDGET ITEMS THAT:
• Provide ongoing state support to establish and sustain community school models.
• Ensure that all earned income by school employees is counted towards creditable compensation.
• Address evolving facets of school safety concerns for staff and students.
• Require school divisions to provide parental leave and short-term disability, and to fairly compensate employees for unused accrued sick leave upon voluntary separation from employment with the division.
• Guarantee elementary teachers 60 minutes of unencumbered planning time per day.
• Increase funding for mechanisms to support school construction and modernization.
• Promote safe, just, and equitable schools that are welcoming for all students and staff, discriminatory toward none, and integrate the social, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual needs of the whole student.
• Reduce and mitigate child poverty, including through policies that strengthen affordable housing access, food security, comprehensive health coverage, targeted refundable tax credits, childcare and early childhood education, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, and public transportation.
• Promote common sense gun reforms and the implementation of evidence-based policies to prevent gun violence in our schools and communities proactively.
• Attract and retain high-quality teachers and school support professionals, and improve professional development opportunities.
• Strengthen the teacher pipeline by investing in more inaccessible pathways to becoming a certified teacher, while protecting rigorous standards for the profession that include the concepts of high academic performance, extensive clinical practice and field experience, and demonstrated knowledge of subject matter, pedagogy, child development, and learning acquisition.
• Support the unique needs and challenges in Virginia’s small and rural school divisions.
• Reform Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments to both reduce the total testing time for students annually and offer formative results to inform instructional practice.
• Improve, implement, and fund professional development for educators that incorporates culturally responsive and trauma-informed restorative justice practices, and addresses implicit bias.
• Improve equitable access to highspeed Internet and appropriate technology for all students, communities, and school staff.
• Maintain and improve responsible school operational plans that support and protect the safety, mental health, and social and emotional learning of our students, communities, and school staff.
• Disallow the supplanting of state lottery proceeds being supplanted within the education budget for general fund uses.
• Offer resources and state guidance for a play-based curriculum.
• Review the feasibility of a statewide health insurance option for school employees.
• Fair compensation for classroom coverage due to the absence of the regular teacher.
• Offers duty-free lunch for all school employees that does not infringe on planning time.
• Provide a minimum of 20 minutes of recess for all middle school students.
• Ensure superintendent candidates all have backgrounds in education and experience.
• Require all school buses to have signs in Spanish and English.
• All classrooms and buses must not be allowed to exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit when staff and students are present.
VEA OPPOSES LEGISLATION AND BUDGET ITEMS THAT:
• Undermine public-sector labor rights, including collective bargaining rights.
• Create any new requirements for our public schools without the appropriate state share of funding to implement them.
• Threaten public school funding or provide public dollars to unaccountable private and religious schools.
• Transfer the authority for granting charter schools or similar non-traditional public schools away from the local school board.
• Undermine or reduce the health or retirement benefits of school personnel.
• Allow for the arming of school personnel with firearms or repeal/ alter any law, rule, or regulation designating school property as a gun-free zone.
• Seek to repeal or restrict the rights and well-being of marginalized groups.
• Disenfranchise Virginia residents from democratic and civic engagement with state government.
• Supplant any re-benchmarking costs for required technical updates.
When They’re Hot
Under the Collar : Dealing with Challenging Parents.
The stakes are high for everyone involved in the life of a classroom, and that certainly includes your students’ parents, who want only the best for their children. Because of this, emotions can easily bubble to the surface and, at some point, you’re going to have to deal with a parent who is upset or angry about something that went on in school. Here’s some advice, adapted from materials created by the National Education Association: If a parent is angry, don’t ignore him or her. It can be at least nerve-wracking, if not very upsetting, to receive an angry email from a parent, but never ignore it. What you notice first in a note like that is that they’re upset, but often what they’re really looking for is your side of the story. Don’t take their feedback personally, and try to provide information or context that they may not have had initially as quickly as you can—what they’ve heard from their child isn’t always entirely accurate. The longer you ignore it, however, the more upset the parent may become—and could potentially notify administration that you’re being unresponsive.
Don’t make promises. When a parent gets upset about something, it may be tempting to promise that things will be fixed quickly. But no matter how much you try or want things to make this happen, some things may
simply be beyond your control. Let the parent know that you will find out what can be done to remedy the situation. This way you are not “breaking” a promise. Be careful what you put in writing. In today’s world, anything you put into an email or other written communication lasts forever. When responding to angry parents, keep it cordial and brief. Always offer to meet in person to discuss further. If such a meeting happens, follow up afterward with a recap of the discussion and provide the agreed-upon next steps.
Come to meetings prepared. When meetings are necessary, come prepared with objectives, as well as documentation about what’s going on. This can include email conversations with the parent, their child’s grades, work samples, etc. But don’t stop there. Also prepare suggestions to improve the situation to ensure a productive meeting that will leave the parent feeling optimistic.
Show you care. When emotions are at or near the surface, and amidst all of the emails and documentation, it can become easy to forget why the parent is upset in the first place—it’s because they care about their child. Remind them that you care too, and that you want to be on the same team.
Don’t get defensive. It’s not difficult, when dealing with an angry parent, to misunderstand where he or she is coming from and become defensive. Try to see the situation from their perspective, and explain your point of view or approach rather than trying to defend the outcomes.
Listen first, talk second. If a parent is angry, always let them speak first in the meeting. If you listen, you will often find out what’s really wrong, which can save time going back-and-forth trying to solve an issue. You may think you know why a parent is angry, but your assumptions could be wrong.
If the meeting is not productive, end it. There will be meetings where it’s clear the issue isn’t going to be resolved. If emotions are running too high, politely tell the parent that you will have to reschedule the meeting in order to have a productive session. For the next meeting, bring in a third party, such as an administrator, to facilitate the conversation.l
A Panel of Local Experts A Better Way to ‘Navigate’ Student Mental Health Issues?
In an era of increased attention on the mental health of our young people, three groups have collaborated to create a web-based resource that will help school leaders choose appropriate technological interventions to help students. It’s called the K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator, and it can help determine both what your students need and how a school division might pay for it if such an option isn’t currently available.
The mental health organizations behind the creation of the Navigator are Headstream, which focuses on adolescent well-being, the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit working on youth mental health and suicide prevention, and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, which works in the areas of health policies and programs.
To learn more, visit www.k12mentalhealthtech.org/ l
If you’re a veteran teacher who sometimes feels overwhelmed by all the technology options out there for classroom use (or a newbie who feels the same way), here’s a piece of advice from Tech & Learning (techlearning. com):
Learn with your students. Instead of struggling alone or deciding to forfeit the use of new and exciting technology platforms, create a collaborative space for your students to contribute to your learning. You can turn your own training into an opportunity for students to build their agency, get hands-on experience, and to continue their own learning. Students will also see you are a human who makes mistakes, takes risks, and is not afraid to utilize their community for support. By learning with your students and letting them lead in this way, they may feel more valued, and will be encouraged to reach out to you as well when they are stuck, instead of not saying anything.l
Sanctuaries?
Libraries are one of the last non-commercial spaces we have where everyone is welcome. They strike me as a little glimpse of how we could live if we chose to be a generous society rather than a fearful one.l
— Author Jenny Offill
A Museum—and a State—On the Move
Looking for a unique way to bring information on Virginia history and culture to your students? You may be able to bring the VA250 Mobile Museum to town. Created four years ago as part of Virginia’s celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence, the Mobile Museum offers an interactive, immersive “museum on wheels” focused on a theme of Out of Many, One. It’s housed in a quad-expandable tractor trailer that begins traveling around the state and beyond shortly.
To learn more, visit www.va250.org/ mobile-museum l
Most Folks Get It
They see and understand:
• Two-thirds of U.S. adults say being a public K-12 teacher is harder than most other jobs, with 33% saying it’s a lot harder.
• About three-quarters of Americans (74%) say teachers should be paid more than they are now, including 39% who say teachers should be paid a lot more.l
Source: Pew Research Center
Yes, You DO Need Math in Everyday Life
“Math anxiety” (and its consequence, innumeracy) has serious social and political consequences. In personal finance, Americans typically struggle to scale expenditures with income, then accept the nonsensical argument that an avocado toast habit excluded millennials from the housing market. More dangerously, innumerate people may become data-avoidant, assessing risk and quality of arguments based on “gut feelings” rather than numerical facts. But regardless of our emotional stance on an issue, or politicians’ wordsmithing, guns in homes are more likely to kill someone who lives in that home than an intruder. The year 2023 was the hottest on record. COVID-19 vaccines remain safe and effective at reducing severe illness and hospitalization.
— Holly V. Moeller, Associate Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology at the University of California Santa Barbara
Federal Government Releases Cybersecurity Resource Guide
It’s an Emergency; Let’s Treat it that Way
We can’t simply discipline our way out of this crisis. Instead, we need a comprehensive strategy that addresses the complex roots of absenteeism – from persistent health issues to limited transportation access, from heightened stress to trauma. Imagine if schools treated chronic absenteeism with the same urgency and collaboration used during the COVID-19 pandemic. We mobilized resources to fight a global crisis, and we can apply that same level of commitment to ensuring every child attends school regularly.l
— Kara Stern, PhD, who advocates addressing chronic absenteeism as a public health crisis and a call to action. She’s a former teacher and principal now serving as director of education and engagement at SchoolStatus (schoolstatus.com), a K-12 company focusing on communication, attendance, and educator success.
An Award from the President
Looking for ways to ensure safety on your school’s broadband network? The Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Education have jointly created a resource guide to help schools and libraries evaluate their cybersecurity risks and identify the most effective cybersecurity solutions. The guide provides cybersecurity guidance and recommended resources and, because of the budget and resource constraints facing schools and libraries, it highlights free and low-cost options. In addition, it recognizes that specific cybersecurity needs may vary and provides a framework for schools and libraries to identify solutions that meet their unique needs.
The guide can also help interested school apply for the FCC’s Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program. For more information, visit www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/Cybersecurity-ResourceRecommendations.pdf.l
The 2024-25 cycle for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teach- ing (PAEMST) is now open, so you can nominate someone you think is deserving of the highest honor given by the federal government to K-12 STEM teachers. Each year, up to 110 outstanding educators from across the country may be recognized by the White House for their passion, dedication, and impact in the classroom. The PAEMST rotates years between elementary and secondary teachers, so for 2024-25, any teacher of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics as part of their contracted teaching responsibilities at the 7-12 grade level is eligible.
Learn more at www.paemst.nsf.gov Deadline for applications is February 6, 2025.l
It Ain’t Always a Bed of Roses: Show Your Human Side to Students
One of the most important things we can do as teachers, believe, is to show students our human side – that we are flawed, often struggle, and make errors, just as they do, but that key is to make the effort to improve, to learn from our mistakes, and to follow our dreams and hearts.
Last school year, for example, received a complimentary email from a parent who said her son, who is lacking in self-confidence, loved having me as a teacher. She added that he especially enjoyed the stories I told about my many failures and poor grades in life and in school, as my narratives gave him hope that he, too, could overcome the blues and angst of high school and eventually succeed in this world. The woman revealed that her boy especially liked the “Christmas Treeing the Math Competency Test” story.
Ah, yes, the Christmas Treeing tale. I transferred from Bridgewater College to Roanoke College midway through my sophomore year. Before second semester was to begin, Roanoke’s admission office announced that I would have to take a “Math Survey” test so the institution would know which math class would best be suited for “my skills.” Having spent two summers retaking Algebra and Geometry and not being allowed to take Calculus or Trigonometry, I felt crushed when
the survey’s initial questions were on the latter two subjects. Seeing no logical reason to continue with the utter futility of it all, quickly Christmas treed the entire test, turned it in, and waited for the inevitable bad news. A few days later, the college’s math department chairman summoned me and informed that no one had ever scored so high on the competency test, that he wanted me to switch my major from English to math, that he wanted to hire me to be an instructor in the school’s math lab and, finally and most importantly, was exempt from taking any math classes during my studies at Roanoke.
Stunned, I told the man to just send a note to admissions that I was an arithmetic prodigy and that I was exempt from all further math classes, so I could continue to be an English major. When my English 10 Honors students complain that I give too many essay tests and analytical papers, I tell that anecdote and rail against “multiple guess tests.” My students always laugh at my math miseries, but think they understand my point about how real learning can be measured and why, more importantly, many things in life are a struggle.
On the first day of school in English 10 Honors, we always read, “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant,” a coming-of-age story about a young boy narrating his yearning for an older girl…who, inevitably, humiliates him. Partway through the story, have the class stop reading and tell them that I sympathize with the male character, that I was shy in high school like the narrator, that I only had four dates with four different girls the entire four years, and no member of that quartet would go out with me again. “Pathetic, right?” ask the class, and many of the boys laugh and many of the girls smile.
Next, I relate that in my early 20s met what I thought was the perfect woman, was too intimidated by her for three years to ask her out, and then when I finally summoned the courage to do so, she turned me down the first five times asked. I then ask my students whether should have followed my heart concerning that female or given up and looked for another potential wife. The unanimous answer is always the latter option.
I follow up by saying that I asked that girl out for a sixth time, and she condescended to what was basically a “pity date.” I go on to tell the class that on our fifth date, she announced that she was in love with me, which resulted in me promptly asking her to marry me.
“She said ‘yes,’ and for 46 years we’ve been happily married. Follow your dreams, folks,” conclude.
All of us teachers have experienced the vicissitudes of life. Consider sharing some of your down times and struggles with your young people and weaving them in with lessons. I bet they’ll respect you for doing so.l
Bruce Ingram (bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com), a member of the Botetourt Education Association and a veteran educator, teaches English and Creative Writing at Lord Botetourt High School. He’s also the author of more than 2,800 magazine articles and 11 books.
— Bruce Ingram
