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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.
“I missed some questions on the test because no one likes a know-it-all.”
LGBTQ+ Protections Spelled Out in Law
What laws protect LGBTQ+ people in schools from discrimination?
The most inclusive protections for LGBTQ+ people in schools include federal nondiscrimination laws. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in all schools that receive federal funding, providing protections for both students and educators. Title VII provides employment-based protections for educators who are facing discrimination in schools. LGBTQ+ people can also assert rights under the U.S. Constitution, including the Equal Protection Clause and the First Amendment’s free speech clause.
State governments may add to - but cannot fall short of - federal protections. Whereas some states have passed specific state laws recognizing LGBTQ+ protections in schools even beyond what is outlined in federal policy, other states have expanded protections through more broadly applicable public accommodations, human rights, or public services laws. Even if a state has enacted openly hostile policies, LGBTQ+ people can still assert their rights under federal law and the U.S. Constitution.l
Source: GLSEN.org
The Great Outdoors and Your Students
Five important reasons your students should get some time playing outside, from Harvard Medical School:
1. Exercise. Children should be active for an hour every day, and getting outside to play is one way to be sure that happens. Sending them outdoors — especially with something like a ball or a bike — encourages active play, which is really the best exercise for children.
2. Executive function. These are the skills that help us plan, prioritize, troubleshoot, negotiate, and multitask; they are crucial for our success. To learn and practice such skills, children need time alone and with other children, and to be allowed to make up their own games, figure things out, and amuse themselves.
3. Taking risks. Children need to take some risks. If we keep them in bubbles and never let them do that, they won’t know what they can do—and they may not have the confidence and bravery to face life’s inevitable risks.
4. Socialization. Children need to learn how to work together. If they only interact in very structured settings, such as school or sports teams, they can’t learn everything they need to know.
5. Appreciation of nature. So much of our world is changing, and not for the better. If a child grows up never walking in the woods, digging in soil, seeing animals in their habitat, climbing a mountain, playing in a stream, or staring at the endless horizon of an ocean, they may never really understand what there is to be lost.l
TOUCHING BASE WITH…
TIFFANY
KOPCAK STAFFORD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION INNOVATIVE LEARNING COACH
What do you like about your job?
My favorite part is getting to work with all of the different educators in the building. They are all so different, but share a common drive to do everything they can for their students. I love when they get reenergized by a new idea, approach, or solution to a challenge. Teaching is exhausting, so the best part of my job is when I get to be a part of fueling the fire for a fantastic educator.
How has being a union member helped you?
When I stand, and speak, or shout, I don’t do so alone: I’m part of a team. My brothers and sisters are always there. And when I need to rest and step back, they are there to carry the torch. My union has advocated for equity, equality, and the quality of life for all educators – from teachers to bus drivers, admin assistants, and janitorial staff. All are welcome. All are valuable. They set the tone of our community. My union, our union, doesn’t speak for me, it speaks for us. It does the research, collects the data, and shows up at the table. It makes me proud to be an educator. l
Photos by iStock
Schools Reaching Out to Hungry Students
Eight states in the U.S.—California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Vermont—have now started their own permanent universal school meal programs, according to the School Nutrition Association. That number could soon rise, too, as other state legislatures are considering such programs this year. Virginia won’t add to that total, though, as the 2025 General Assembly couldn’t find funding for a bill that would have provided free breakfasts for public school students.l
“We
can’t swing a teaching assistant this semester, but, if you’re willing, we can clone you.”
Students Weigh In
“But you get mad when we sleep in class.”
Student, after teacher encouraged her to follow her dreams
“Her words, not mine.”
Student, explaining that his teacher had accused him of plagiarism
“I’ll never forget when my teacher asked if any of us knew any French.”
Student, reminiscing about being raised by parents who always said, “Pardon my French” after swearing
“The appeal.”
Student, when asked what comes at the end of a sentence
“Have you tried bribing it?
Student, when told by his teacher that the file he’d sent him was corrupt and he couldn’t open it
“The fear of warrior princesses?”
Student, when asked to define “xenophobia”
“They’re, there, their.”
Student, comforting her grammar teacherl
Biking around Absentee-
“We reviewed the chronic absentee list and the chronic tardy list. And so we ID’ed students who were within the 2-mile range because we know a bike would help them get to school and get them to school on time. We teach students at Blue Lake that they have one job, and that one job is to be at school every day and learn on time.”l
— Holly Bailey, principal of a Florida elementary school, on a partnership with a local health system that provides bicycles and helmets to some students who live within two miles of school and therefore don’t qualify for busing.
Lunch Matters!
Taking a break in the middle of the workday to have lunch meets more than just your nutritional needs, according to business coaching firm Deliberate Directions. Stopping for lunch helps you to reset and can help lead to:
Improved productivity. Stepping away from work allows your brain to rest and recharge, so you return to tasks with renewed focus and creativity. Studies show that even a 20-minute break can boost cognitive performance by up to 20%, proving that pausing can actually enhance productivity.
Better decision-making. Taking a break helps clear mental clutter, enabling you to make more thoughtful and strategic decisions in the afternoon.
Enhanced well-being. Eating mindfully, even for just 20 minutes, improves digestion and provides the energy you need to power through the rest of the day l
Look It in the Eye
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”l
— James Baldwin, American writer and civil rights activist
“I think it’s some kind of escape hatch.”
‘Performing’ is Part of Many Fields
In my view, the performing arts have enormous value in ways we don’t often think of or even expect. Storytelling… helps students to organize their thoughts, to understand the elements necessary to keep people engaged in a journey.
How many of us have had to stand up in a classroom or a conference room to hold or persuade an audience? It’s all storytelling. Understanding what makes a story work, how to perform it, how to capture your audience and get them to care about what you are saying are skills that can be taught and learned. These skills matter whether you’re hoping to score an A on a research presentation, perform a soliloquy or secure funding from a venture capitalist.
Mastering artistic skills can make the difference between success and failure in so many contexts, both personal and professional.l
David Klein, senior executive vice president at the New York Film Academy, writing in The Hechinger Report
Hang ‘Em Up, But First…
Cell phone policies in schools will only work if they’re done right.
By Tim Pressley and David T. Marshall
Students in today’s schools only know a world in which cell phone use is ubiquitous. They’re accustomed to using those phones to access information, contact a friend or family member instantly, play games, and a myriad of other things. There are undeniable benefits, but research has also documented concerning trends in cell phone use among young people. Youth and adolescent mental health were trending downward prior to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, and those trends were only exacerbated by the pandemic. Research from NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, San Diego State psychology pro-
fessor Jean Twenge, and others have observed that the downward trends began around the time cell phone and social media use became commonplace among children and teenagers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent survey of youth and adolescents found that more than three-quarters of students reported frequent social media use, which has been linked to students reporting feelings of sadness and hopelessness, as well as an increased risk of suicide. The pandemic also significantly contributed to a decline in academic success. Cell phones likely played a part, too, as noted in a study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which found
that excessive cell phone use in classrooms leads to increased distractions, reduced attention spans, and lower student engagement. All of that negatively affects academic performance, and none of it come as a surprise to educators. These findings align with the latest NAEP results, revealing that students continue to struggle in reading and math, emphasizing the urgent need for policies that minimize distractions and refocus students on learning.
Last July, in an effort to promote more focused and distraction-free learning environments, Governor Youngkin issued an executive order directing school divisions
to craft and implement policies banning cell phone use at school from bell to bell (see “The Executive Order” on page 10). As students and educators returned to the classroom in January, the new policy went into effect for all Virginia schools and, while some schools began new cell phone policies last fall, this was new for many others. To learn more about how teachers felt about cell phone bans in their classrooms, we partnered with a Virginia school division to study its impact, asking middle and high school teachers’ perspectives on the executive order and how it may impact their classrooms. The information we gathered, we believe, provides valuable insights from teachers on what they need for cell phone policies to be effective and how they might inform future decisions regarding the use of technology in educational settings.
Virginia is not the first state to take such steps; others have adopted similar policies, with positive results. Early evidence from schools in places like New York City suggests that policies banning cell phones work: student academics improved to pre-pandemic levels, and student engagement and mental health also improved. Though the policies were limited to in-school time, a charter school in New York City found that
after-school extracurricular activity and high school sports attendance were also up 50 percent. Likewise, several school districts in California and Massachusetts have implemented bans, with teachers and administrators noting improvements in classroom behavior and overall learning environments. These success stories suggest that limiting cell phone use in schools can have widespread benefits, reinforcing the potential impact of Virginia’s policy.
Cell phone policies have also polled well with teachers. According to a 2024 National Education Association survey of its members, 90 percent of teachers supported prohibiting cell phones during instructional time, while 83 percent supported banning cell phones for the entire day. However, at the same time, a November 2024 EdChoice/Morning Consult poll found that 67 percent of parents believed children should be allowed to have cell phones in school. Those viewpoints, which put educators and parents at odds, can potentially undermine the success of cell phone policies. As a case in point,
a school in Gary, Indiana banned phones last year, initially only during instructional time. Though there was some marginal improvement in the classroom, the fact that phones were still prevalent in school meant that online drama continued to negatively affect school climate. A few weeks later, school leaders revisited the policy and extended the ban to encompass the entire school day. This move yielded positive results for students’ academics, social and emotional well-being, and for the climate of the school overall.
Virginia Teachers Weigh In: Yes, But…
Last November, we partnered with a Virginia school division, inviting all its middle and high school teachers to complete a survey to serve as baseline data before a cell phone policy went into effect. The sample included 124 teachers, representing four middle and three high schools. Three of the schools (two middle and one high school) had already implemented cell phone policies. However, these policies were not as strict as those described in Executive Order 33. Among the teachers we surveyed, 78 percent shared that cell phones are distractions in their classroom and 84 percent believed the new cell phone policy would be appropriate for their school. In short, most teachers see the need for cell phone measures to be taken and approve their school’s plan to do so. While the data show that teachers support their school division’s plan, they also shared a central concern: if these policies are not implemented and enforced consistently, with clearly communicated consequences, they will fail.
The Executive Order
Executive Order 33, issued by Governor Youngkin last July, required the state’s K-12 public schools to begin work on curbing students’ use of cell phones. Here’s the way the order begins; to read the entire text, go to vea.link/VTH.
By virtue of the authority vested in me as the Governor of the Commonwealth, I hereby issue this Executive Order directing the Secretary of Education, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Virginia Department of Education, and the State Health Commissioner to heed the call of parents, public health professionals, educators, and other stakeholders across the Commonwealth and take immediate actions to protect the health and safety of students in Virginia’s K-12 public schools by issuing guidance on the establishment of cell phone-free education policies and procedures.
Survey respondents were concerned that insufficient backing from school leaders could lead to difficulties following through on cell phone policies in the classroom. A middle school teacher said, “Weak administrative support for enforcement of the cell phone policy will only lead to more issues and additional work for teachers.” Similarly, a high school teacher expressed concerns about enforcing the executive order due to the current climate of student and parent involvement in school: “I am mostly concerned about student and parent pushback. Students are generally more argumentative now than they used to be, so enforcing the policy will likely be difficult.”
Teachers also had concerns about the effective implementation of the policy, particularly regarding communication and conse -
quences. One high school teacher said, “I believe we need a discipline expectation. What will happen after a violation? A second? A third? This needs to be [universally understood] and explicit.”
A small minority of teachers were concerned about the ban hindering their ability to use technology effectively in their instruction. A high school teacher said, “I don’t have issues with cell phones in my classes... my biggest concern is that many times their school-issued devices are blocked by IT [regarding what sites can be accessed, and this leads to] activities I have planned for class [not working].” Additionally, a small number of high school teachers believed that students need to learn how to self-regulate cell phone use as such devices are a constant distraction in the real world and that a policy ban-
like to see the implementation of consequences for breaking the policy. This includes students but also accountability for teachers. It would be helpful if the administrators could set the tone in the hallways and take phones, too.”
Between a Rock and a Hard Place?
ning such devices wouldn’t benefit students in that sense.
What Has to Happen
While cell phone usage policies had overall support from teachers, they spelled out caveats, among them the need for explicit guidelines for the consequences of violating the policy. They want a clear, consistently applied disciplinary framework. Further, ongoing communication between school leaders and students and parents about the policy’s importance is essential to getting buy-in from everyone, given the level of parental questions. As a middle school teacher put it, “It is vital that teachers have strong administrative support and sufficient administrative consequences in place for students who violate the policy.” A high school teacher had similar thoughts: “I would
Another high school teacher added, “I have concerns regarding the effective implementation of the state-mandated cell phone policy. I believe that if the administration and the district take a proactive approach by thoroughly informing parents about the policy and emphasizing its importance to students, this will significantly enhance compliance.” This teacher went on to share the importance of students hearing the message from school administrators: “When students receive clear communication from the administration regarding the seriousness of the policy, they are more likely to understand and adhere to the new regulations. Currently, it can be quite stressful for teachers when students question the policy, especially if they have not received adequate information from the administration or district. As educators, we are often left to enforce rules without the necessary support or backing from school leadership.”
In addition to support from school administrators, teachers shared that they also want it from their colleagues. They want other teachers in the school to buy into the consequences of the cell phone ban, not see it as a mandate adding another responsibility to their plate, which could lead to inconsistent enforcement.
Others expressed concerns about losing the ability to leverage technology to support learning. One high school teacher shared with
One Virginia educator, who requested anonymity, supports cell phone policies in schools but is also concerned about potential dilemmas facing staff members because of such policies: It seems clear that students shouldn’t be allowed to have cell phones in schools: Such devices get in the way of learning and keep children from performing at their best. Some parents/guardians argue that students need their phones for emergencies or to protect themselves from adults in the building (even encouraging their children to video staff members). But it’s not a child’s job to police educators. It’s a job for school policies, which protect students and hold educators accountable. Removing phones from schools removes barriers to education. That said, there are also serious challenges presented by nophone policies. Teachers aren’t looking to police their students, either. Some may hesitate to confiscate phones because they don’t want to be the only ones following the rules and become “the bad guy,” or because they don’t want to complicate relationships with both students and parents/guardians—many of whom want their children to have access to phones. It’s going to be a fine line for teachers to walk, particularly if they don’t get strong, consistent support from administrators.
us, “My only concern [with the policy] is the lack of technology we have to support student learning. While I support the cell phone ban, I believe we must have adequate, state-of-the-art devices to fill the void banning cell phone use for instructional purposes will create.” [emphasis in original]
These insights underscore that while most think cell phone policies are a step in the right direction, their success hinges on thoughtful, consistent implementation and robust support structures. The concerns voiced by teachers provide a roadmap for addressing potential pitfalls and ensuring the policy
achieves the intended outcomes. As a high school teacher noted, “There needs to be widespread support [of] teachers for this policy. While I am so excited about what this means for getting learning back on the right track, I’m very concerned that teachers will be too tired to buy in. As in any new mandate, all the onus falls on the teacher. If we don’t have the complete support of the administration, security, school resource officers, and all adults in the division, this new policy will leave the teachers to battle with students on cell phones singularly.”
Removing cell phones from the classroom has the potential to make
Nuances: Some Quick Cell Phone Thoughts from Experts
the learning environment more focused, engaged, and academically productive. That’s just on paper, however: Making cell phone policies work will come down to how they are implemented, communicated, encouraged, and enforced.l
Tim Pressley is an associate professor of psychology at Christopher Newport University. David T. Marshall is an associate professor in the College of Education at Auburn University and has earned degrees from Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Protect Your Union Membership by Switching to Autopay
Payroll deduction is no longer your best bet for privacy and stability.
By Olivia Geho
N“As a society, we’re losing our capacity to say that the time spent at school is sacred for learning because we’ve disrupted it with constant images, sounds, and actions that detract and distract from the day-to-day mission of instruction.” — Annette C. Anderson, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Safe and Healthy Schools
“The human brain is incapable of thinking more than one thing at a time. And so what we think of as multitasking is actually rapid-switch-tasking. And the problem with that is that switch-tasking may cover a lot of ground in terms of different subjects, but it doesn’t go deeply into any of them.” — Michael O. Rich, pediatrician and founder of the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders
“I would like to see both schools and families be more assertive about this. But also to work together. If the parents are anti-smartphone policy, it doesn’t matter if the school is pro-policy. If there is a war between parents and schools, am not sure much will happen. Some kind of intervention and restriction is better than just ripping it away from kids.” — Joelle Renstrom, a senior lecturer at Boston University and cell phone use researcher
“If you think about it, from a school’s perspective, if a cellphone ban can improve student learning, that’s a great low-cost intervention with a favorable benefit-cost ratio. However, from a parent’s perspective, the calculus is a bit different, and the cost of not being able to get a hold of their kid(s) may outweigh any potential benefit accrued from the ban.” — Dylan Lukes, Vice President, Statistics & Data Management, Bright Research
“We’ve heard over the last two to three years how hard it is for educators, that, ‘We did not choose to give your child a phone and we’re now in position of having to be the arbiter and manage it.’ Because of that, a top-down policy can feel to some teachers like a huge relief because they aren’t having to make decisions at the classroom level.”
— Emily Weinstein, co-founder and executive director of Harvard’s Center for Digital Thriving
o matter the political landscape, switching your dues payment to autopay ensures your membership continues and removes any risk caused by anti-union politicians eliminating payroll deduction.
Autopay simply means paying your union dues with a credit or debit card or bank draft. While union members have historically fought hard for the right to have their dues deducted from their paychecks, nowadays it is actually more advantageous to use autopay. Here are four reasons why:
1. If the federal government passes a law or if an executive order is enacted banning public sector workers from deducting their union dues from their paychecks, you will lose your union membership if you do not switch to autopay ahead of time.
2. When we use payroll deduction, we give up information to the school division. Right now, any school administrator can find out which employees are members or non-members simply by look-
ing at the payroll deduction list. While we think everyone should take pride in their union membership, there are advantages to keeping our specific member roster and total membership numbers to ourselves.
3. In the past, members who paid their dues via credit or debit card or bank draft would be required to rejoin every year. This is no longer the case. With autopay, your membership will now be continuous, giving you more control over your membership.
4. Autopay is safe, simple, and secure. VEA does not store your credit or debit card information; instead, NEA keeps that data secure on dedicated servers.
The vast majority of VEA members currently pay their dues via payroll deduction, and if that option is eliminated, our membership numbers would drop significantly, leaving us to have to scramble to re-sign each member who lost that option. The more members we have, the more effective our collective action is, allowing us to do things like lobby for important steps forward, such as lifting the support cap (a
recent General Assembly victory); like holding webinars to discuss best practices for protecting students and staff from ICE raids; and like hosting workshops to help the next generation of teachers pass the Praxis exam. Collectively, we’re much better at advocating for members or coordinating efforts across the state to save and improve public education. The best defense is a good offense. That’s why being proactive to protect your membership by switching to autopay is a smart move.
Frequently
Asked Questions
1. How do I switch? Call VEA at 804-775-8307.
2. Can I use a debit card instead of a credit card? Yes. You can use either a credit or a debit card. It doesn’t matter which one you choose.
3. How long will it take to switch? In most cases, we are able to switch your membership in less than 5 minutes.
4. Is there a deadline to switch? Right now, there is no hard deadline. We don’t know when or if payroll deduction will be eliminated at the federal level. However, we don’t want to be caught off guard. Make the switch today!
5. Does it cost more to use autopay? No! The dues amounts are the same no matter how you pay. There is no credit card fee for using autopay.
6. Still have questions? No problem: give us a call at 804-775-8307. We would be happy to talk to you about the switch l
Olivia Geho is a VEA digital communications and organizing specialist.
‘Rava’
and Me
An elementary student and her teacher change each other’s lives.
By Annwyn Long
I’ll never forget the moment I first met Rava. was in the cafeteria of the Title One school where I taught, and she was lying on the floor, kicking and screaming because she hadn’t gotten the food she wanted. She was a kindergartener; I was teaching first grade. remember watching her and thinking, I hope she grows out of these tantrums before she gets to my class.
A year later I received my roster and, sure enough, it included a feisty little girl named Rava (all names have been changed). She was a dark-haired, browneyed waif of a girl, but had a will of iron.
I knew from the moment she walked through my door that she was going to challenge me, but what I didn’t know was that both of our lives would be changed forever.
The first week was incredibly challenging. Rava sat under her table, refusing to sit in her chair, and everything felt like a battle. She couldn’t hold a pencil properly, she couldn’t write her name, and she had no number sense. Most of all, she was determined that she didn’t want to learn. I found myself wondering, Where do I even start with her?
I’ve always believed that every child deserves a chance to succeed, and I spend countless hours figuring out how to reach each one, whether they are excelling or struggling. With Rava, I knew it had to start with building trust and showing her love and attention. No matter how small, I praised everything she did, hoping that, somehow, it would start to make a difference. I’ve learned that when children feel a genuine connection with you, the magic begins.
By the second week, Rava had begun inching closer to me on the carpet. The third week was a breakthrough—she sat in front of me, clinging to my leg. It was a simple gesture, but it meant the world to me. After a month of working with her, I knew it was time to understand what was
happening at home.
A conversation with her caregiver revealed that Rava’s story was even more heartbreaking than I’d imagined. She was born to a drug-addicted mother, who died during childbirth, and had to be weaned off drugs as a baby. Her father, who has a disability, sent her to live with his sister in Virginia. All the pieces started to fall into place, and I realized that Rava’s classroom struggles were part of a much bigger, much harder picture. My heart ached for her, and was more determined than ever to help her succeed.
The real turning point came when her caregivers, who were struggling with their own challenges, realized giving Rava the support she needed meant finding her a more stable home situation. That’s when they found Dr. V, a wonderful, retired educator, who welcomed Rava into her care. From there, everything started to fall into place. I can’t stress enough how vital the home-school connection is, and having open communication with Rava’s caregivers made such a difference.
Dr. V and I worked closely, and tailored my teaching to meet Rava’s needs, ensuring that she was in my small reading group, where I could provide targeted support. Knowing she was a visual and kinesthetic learner, I filled the classroom with directed learning games and songs she adored. also created hands-on math centers to strengthnumber sense included her in all small-group interventions for both math and literacy. Our classroom was supercharged for learning, and I saw first
hand how these strategies fostered a growth mindset for success.
Slowly but surely, Rava began to change. She learned to hold a pencil properly, mastered her letters and sounds, and even started blending words and reading. It was incredible to see her confidence grow and to see her begin believing in herself, which showed how she answered questions in class.
I gave Rava responsibilities that made her proud of her progress. She loved earning rewards, especially little trinkets from the treasure box, and those small victories kept her pushing forward. Watching her shine, and seeing the joy on her face when she realized she was achieving something, gave me moments I’ll never forget.
Looking back on that year, I still can’t believe how much Rava grew. A particular moment stands out in my mind. One evening, I went to my child’s basketball game and, to my surprise, saw Rava with Dr. V, who was playing. The three of us—Rava, my child, and I—cheered loudly, jumping up when Dr. V scored. It was a small but powerful moment, deeply personal. That night was another turning point, as Rava began to understand love was unconditional.
By year’s end, she had transformed. She eagerly took books home and soon was reading non-stop. As the year ended, she scored above grade level on her state language
assessments and the county math assessment.
All Rava needed was one person to believe in her, someone to cheer her on. Once that happened, everything fell into place.
The little girl who had begun the year avoiding participation and resisting every effort to learn had become a confident, successful student. watched her grow into someone not only academically strong, but also full of kindness and joy. She had become someone ready to change the world.
As a teacher, we always strive to make a difference, but with Rava, felt that difference in my own heart. She gave me love and trust, and poured everything I could into helping her succeed. We both grew so much that year. I had to find new ways to connect with her and that challenge made me better at my job. It also gave me a deeper understanding of how important it is to see the potential in every child. Every student deserves to succeed.
A classroom is like a bank vault filled with boxes, each holding incredible potential waiting to be discovered. As a teacher, I see myself as the key holder, responsible for unlocking each student’s unique abilities. Some students respond easily, like boxes with well-oiled keys that fit perfectly, while others need extra patience, care, and attention to open. I’ve learned that with the right “key” to learning, every student can succeed, and it’s my passion to find that key for each of them.l
Photo left: The author, doing some early morning preparation for the arrival of her students.
Can AI Help Defeat Teacher Burnout?
By now, everyone knows that burnout is an enormous issue for public school teachers. In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, workloads have increased and staff shortages have grown. That’s not a helpful combination for educators or their students. Here’s the way it plays out in real life: According to a study from the American Educational Research Association, U.S. teachers are 40 percent more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety in comparison with healthcare workers and 20 percent more likely to than office workers.
NEA President Becky Pringle, an experienced classroom teacher, called the situation a “five-alarm crisis,” before going on to say, “We are
facing an exodus as more than half of our nation’s teachers and other school staff are now indicating they will be leaving education sooner than planned.”
Might artificial intelligence offer a way to effectively reduce the burnout issue?
If done carefully, maybe. Here are some thoughts from Eric Stano, a vice president at Magic EdTech, which originally appeared on eSchoolNews.com
AI brings a new level of potential to the table–a leap beyond past solutions. Instead of just saving time, AI aims to reshape how teachers manage their classrooms, offering a way to automate the administrative load, personalize student support, and free up teachers to focus on
what they do best: teaching. However, as with any powerful tool, the benefits AI brings come with caveats.
THE PROMISE OF AI: SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND ALLEVIATING BURNOUT
Automating administrative tasks:
A major cause of burnout is the unrelenting administrative work that consumes a teacher’s day–taking attendance, grading, inputting data, and creating detailed lesson plans. AI holds the promise of handling these time-consuming tasks, giving teachers back precious hours to focus on teaching. By offloading repetitive tasks to AI, teachers could see real relief, freed from administrative chores that don’t require their expertise. Personalizing student support: A personalized education for every student is the dream, but for teachers, it’s often impossible to customize lessons within a busy classroom. AI can make this dream achievable, using data to understand each student’s progress and needs and adjusting the curriculum accordingly. Teachers could focus their attention on areas where it’s needed most, providing support that goes beyond the basics and allows each student to thrive.
Extending learning outside the classroom: Many students need extra support, and historically, this demand has often fallen on teachers during off-hours. AI offers the potential for virtual tutoring, a helper that can answer students’ questions, guide them through assignments, and provide targeted feedback without requiring the teacher’s constant input. This extension of the classroom into the digital realm could lighten the load on teachers, reducing the number
of after-hours questions and giving students access to support when they need it.
Enhanced classroom management: AI can also assist in managing the classroom, discreetly monitoring behavior and detecting signs of disengagement or disruption. Instead of teachers needing to be disciplinarians and enforcers, they could rely on AI’s gentle guidance to help maintain order, allowing them to focus more on engagement and less on managing distractions.
Relieving the data burden: For teachers, data analysis is both crucial and time-consuming. Gathering insights from student assessments or engagement patterns often feels like a second job. AI could take on this data-heavy work, presenting insights with clarity and speed. Teachers would receive actionable information without the hours of sifting through raw data, which could make a real difference in their ability to track and support students effectively.
THE POTENTIAL DOWNSIDES OF AI IN THE CLASSROOM
While AI offers clear advantages, it’s not without potential downsides that need to be addressed thoughtfully if it’s to play a supportive role without adding stress.
Increased surveillance and pressure: Some AI tools come with a degree of oversight, creating a feeling that both teachers and students are under constant watch. The risk is that teachers could feel scrutinized rather than supported,
making the AI feel more like an auditor than an assistant. It’s essential to ensure that AI enhances teachers’ autonomy and not erode it.
Training and adaptation time: AI’s promise of simplicity often requires upfront learning, a demand for training that can add to teachers’ already-full plates. This adaptation period could feel like an extra burden, with teachers spending valuable time learning yet another system. Ensuring that AI solutions are user-friendly and come with robust support will be key to avoiding this pitfall.
Balancing technology with human connection: Teaching is deeply personal; there’s no substitute for the empathy and intuition a teacher brings to a classroom.
Over-reliance on AI risks diluting this connection. If too many tasks shift to machines, the risk is that teaching itself becomes depersonalized, with AI tools working at the expense of the relationships that are the heart of education.
Privacy and ethical considerations: Data-driven insights are useful, but they raise questions about privacy and ethical responsibility. Teachers shouldn’t have to worry about safeguarding the sensitive data AI systems generate. As these tools become more inte -
grated, it’s crucial to establish clear policies that protect both teachers and students.
Maintaining teacher professionalism: There is a danger that AI could unintentionally undermine teachers’ expertise, suggesting that certain aspects of their role could be handled by automation. Teachers bring irreplaceable knowledge and skill, and AI should support–not replace–the professionalism that makes them essential.
STRIKING A BALANCE: AI AS A TOOL, NOT A REPLACEMENT
The key to successful AI integration is balance. AI has the potential to alleviate burnout and improve the teaching experience, but only if used thoughtfully as a tool, not a replacement. By automating routine tasks, personalizing learning, and managing classroom dynamics, AI could relieve many of the pressures driving teachers from the profession. But for AI to serve as a true ally, its implementation must preserve what is human in education: the relationships, the intuition, and the art of teaching itself.
In the end, the goal isn’t for AI to take over teaching, but to give teachers the time and energy they need to do what they do best. Thoughtfully deployed, AI can transform education, supporting teachers and elevating the classroom experience. True progress lies not in outsourcing education to machines but in empowering educators to lead classrooms where every student–and every teacher–can thrive.
To read the entire article, visit https://vea.link/FfO l
A Strong Foundation
In an organization the size and scope of the VEA, legal and governing documents provide a solid foundation, establishing ground rules, spelling out procedures, and laying out the beliefs that guide our members and our actions. These guiding documents are member-driven and they establish a contract between our members and the Union.
In reviewing VEA’s documents, leaders and members found that, in some places, they were inconsistent, sometimes containing confusing or conflicting information. Labor law and IRS information (including aligning VEA with 501(c) (5) tax-exempt status, allowing it to accept property and grants) was missing, as well as language to match changes in the revised Code of Virginia. Because of this, and because members have increasingly and intentionally been moving the Union to focus on collective bargaining and labor rights, last spring VEA’s Board of Directors approved a move to undertake a comprehensive revision of our governing documents.
“Because these documents had not been updated in some time, we found that there was information missing in some cases, and in others, unnecessary information was included,” says VEA President Carol Bauer. “We needed to get our house in order, to be sure that we have everything we need and that it’s all current and consistent.”
To oversee this process, called Project Solidarity, a committee of VEA members was carefully selected to represent a wide range of experience, geographic areas and job classifications, with the support of VEA Legal, our parliamentarian, and Dr. Earl Wiman, VEA’s interim Executive Director. Committee members researched, reviewed and recommended improvements to VEA’s documents, and VEA’s Legal Advocacy Department also created recommendations for model governing documents, which are currently available to locals.
The historical backdrop to all this is the founding of the VEA in 1863 and the founding of the Virginia Teachers Association in 1887. Since the two
groups’ historic merger in 1967, VEA members have worked to provide a unified voice, supported by official governing documents. Each document has its own purpose:
• Articles of Incorporation (also called Charter) are our legal, public-facing documents, listing our name, purpose, membership, and governance authority.
• The Constitution is a policy statement, spelling out our broad principles of membership, officers, board of directors, delegate assembly, and parliamentary authority.
• The Bylaws clarify and provide details concerning VEA membership, elections, dues, officers, board of directors, committees and commissions, and provide the language needed to carry out our operations.
An important point: No language of intent has been deleted from any of our documents; some has been moved to a more appropriate one. And, because the process of creating or revising our documents always includes member input, we’ve made the changes available for review over the past year at events like Legislative Open Hearings, committee meetings, the UniServ Standards Advisory Committee, and Board of Directors meetings. All will be voted on by delegates to the VEA’s annual convention. The Articles of Incorporation and the Constitution require a 2/3 majority vote to amend; the bylaws a simple majority. Delegates to VEA’s 2025 convention in Abingdon will be voting on the Project Solidarity revisions, considering each document individually.l
How to Bring SROs,Students Together
VEA’s Fitz Turner Commission for Human and Civil Rights recognizes the critical need in Virginia for a universal plan to cultivate positive, engaging relationships between School Resource Officers (SROs) and students and staff. Promoting collaborative relationships between law enforcement and schools is a significant opportunity to address student behavior and enhance school safety.
The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments emphasizes that positive relationships between students, adults, and peers are crucial in creating social interaction, trust, and support. Students who feel connected to their school community do better in school, have fewer attendance problems, and feel safer reporting incidents that affect safety. Building these relationships necessitates adopting perspectives that value positive attitudes, cultural competence, and a deep understanding of student needs.
The Fitz Turner Commission’s Subcommittee on Police in Schools developed the Law Enforcement in Schools One-Pager as a practical guide for VEA
locals to engage in constructive dialogue with school leaders. It’s our hope that it will equip members to advocate for SRO programs that:
• Prioritize positive relationships: The One-Pager emphasizes the importance of building rapport between SROs and students.
• Offer proactive engagement: It provides examples of opportunities for SROs to interact with students in positive ways, fostering a sense of community.
• Align with educational goals: Activities aligned with VDOE standards, ensuring SROs are integrated into the educational environment.
The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments be found at safesupportivelearning.ed.gov.l
Age-Appropriate Activity
K Visit the local police department to learn the importance of knowing your parents’ phone numbers and what to do if lost.
1 Invite SRO to the classroom to read a story about how police are here to help you and your community.
2 Have a police officer eat lunch with students monthly.
3 Students thank and celebrate officers during National Police Week: banners, cards, etc.
4 Cops in the Community: Students visit either somewhere on school grounds or a place in the community with police officers to see how they do their jobs. Integrated studies with math, science and English Language Arts.
5 D.A.R.E program: Taught by officers; builds communication and relationships, supports good decision-making, builds self-esteem and advocacy skills, provides alternatives to substance abuse.
6 Cops in the Community: Family engagement basketball game.
7 Student teams will work with school resource officers to create organized stations about various law enforcement careers: FBI, CIA, dispatch, forensics, bike police, cybercrimes, fingerprinting, advocates against violent crime.
8 Physical science teachers invite SROs to present on the physics behind lidar and force and motion when driving.
9 Cyber Crimes: sexting, bullying, social media and the law.
10 Driver education teacher will invite the school resource officer to present twice each quarter on topics in the following areas: texting and driving; how to respond if police pull you over; DUI.
11 What can you be charged with as a minor? Digital safety lessons required by VDOE in Personal Finance and Economics class for graduation requirement.
12 Government teachers can invite the SRO to present on turning 18 and the implications of being a legal adult.
The authors are VEA members of the Fitz Turner Commission’s Subcommittee on Police in Schools.
By Christina Schmitt, Anthony Swann, Andrea Trotter, Tammy DeHaven, Shaniqua Williams, and Charisse Woodward
Fitz Turner Commission Law Enforcement in Schools One-Pager
Grade
VEA’s Project Solidarity seeks to update our union’s governing documents.
Class in Session at Capitol on Lobby Day
Legislators all around the General Assembly Building got the scoop firsthand on VEA’s 2025 Lobby Day, as VEA members from across the state made the trek to Richmond to tell public education’s stories in the halls of power.
In Delegate Amy Laufer’s office, Albemarle Education Association member Julie Weed spoke of the revenue surplus Virginia has as budgets are being drawn up, urging her to support multiyear funding commitments to address important issues, like removing the support staff cap and raising Virginia educator salaries to “something that’s not embarrassing.”
Charlottesville Education Association member Ernest Chambers added that many of the behavior problems at his school could be handled “if we were able to have more support staff,” educators who could pull a child with behavior problems out of class and address his or her issues.
In Delegate Joshua Cole’s office, Matthew Lentz of the Stafford Education Association talked about the long-term impact of skimpy paychecks. “We really must raise salaries for teachers and staff,” he said. “It’s hurting our kids, the next generation. It’s sad that Virginia ranks 48th in the nation in teacher pay when you compare it to the salaries of workers with a similar education.”
He also urged support for VEA’s proposal for $10,000 in supplemental pay for teachers in schools with the highest vacancy rates, adding that he’s a 30-year classroom veteran and he’s never seen so many of his colleagues leaving the profession.
Members shared success stories with their elected leaders. Manassas City Education Association member Brandon Fincham told Delegate Michelle Maldonado about how well evening school was working for at-risk students there, noting “we got 12 students through to graduation this year that would have been dropouts.”
Fellow MCEA member Shaniqua Williams added that the free breakfast and lunch program was a big success.
“Kids love it and use it,” she said. “State funds are being used well.”
MCEA President Anna Demeria also told Del. Maldanado that MEA will be starting the process to gain collective bargaining rights for the city’s school employees soon. The Delegate’s response? “Let me know what I can do to help.”ll
Bargaining Update
Prince William Members Negotiate New Salary Package
Prince William EA members negotiated an impressive salary package in a contract reopener. Here’s some of what their new agreement with the school system includes: more than $160 million in raises over the next two years; improvements to the salary scale that will help staff members be placed on the steps that accurately reflect their years of service; and significant increases in starting teacher salaries. PWEA President Maggie Hansford calls the agreement “a pivotal step forward for our staff and for the quality of education in our community.”
Elsewhere in the state:
• Collective bargaining agreements negotiated by both the Fairfax Education Unions and the Charlottesville Education Association are on their way to taking effect. In Fairfax, both parties have ratified; in Charlottesville, the process in underway.
• The Loudoun Education Association won its representation election and LEA members are now preparing to go to the bargaining table.
• Harrisonburg Education Association members are preparing for their election to be the exclusive bargaining agent for Harrisonburg City Public Schools employees.
• Members of the Williamsburg/James City Education Association, Waynesboro Education Association, and Henrico Education Association have been actively keeping collective bargaining in front of their localities’ school boards as they seek bargaining resolutions.l
VEA Staffer Co-Authors New Book
VEA digital media and organizing specialist Olivia Geho is co-author of a new book titled What the Boss Doesn’t Want Us to Know: Discovering Power and Winning Campaigns. Its focus is on teaching union members how to conduct opposition research and use what they find to create strategic, effective campaigns. There’s a growing movement among American union members to organize and fight to better their working lives, and the lessons in this book offer great promise in adding to the success of that movement.
To learn more and to pre-order the book, visit https://vea.link/lSp l
Prince William’s bargaining team.
Telling Our Stories at the Capitol: VEA members from Loudoun County (clockwise from top), Fairfax County, Chesapeake, Manassas City, and Albemarle County meet with elected officials on 2025 Lobby Day.
Union Efforts Win Federal Benefits Boost for Retirees
Before leaving office, President Joe Biden signed an important piece of legislation that will benefit educators and succeeded, in large part, because of the efforts of NEA and VEA lobbying efforts. It’s called the Social Security Fairness Act and if affects nearly 3 million who get pensions after their careers as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public service occupations. They’ll see an income boost because the new law repeals the punitive and discriminatory Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset laws, which slashed Social Security, pension and other retirement benefits.
“These unjust Social Security penalties have robbed public service workers of their hard-earned benefits for far too long,” says NEA President Becky Pringle. “They’ve hurt educators and their families—and damaged the education profession, making it harder to attract and retain educators. And that means students are impacted, too.”
NEA members sent nearly a half-million calls and emails to members of Congress, demanding the repeal of the old laws, and a delegation was on hand at the White House for the official signing of the bill.l
VRS: 3 Easy Steps for Investing in Your Future
If you’re in a VRS Defined Contribution Plan, you control how your money is invested. To make informed decisions about your investments in the defined contribution component of the Hybrid Retirement Plan and the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, learn some basics with three easy steps outlined in the DCP Investment Guide at dcp.varetire.org/investments
Step 1: Familiarize yourself with investment basics and plan options.
• To begin, you’ll want to determine your savings goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. Start with DCP resources from Voya Financial, the plan record keeper, to help build your knowledge.
• Advisory Services: Voya Retirement Advisors offer professional investment advice and portfolio management services.
• DCP webinars: Learn more by joining a live webinar hosted by Voya Financial.
• One-on-one consultations: For personalized support, register for a seminar or schedule a consultation with a DCP Education Specialist.
• Financial planning: Meet with a professional from Voya’s Be Ready team for a wholistic view of your finances and how to align them with your investment strategy. All VRS members. Visit dcp.varetire.org/education for more information, registration and online scheduling.
Step 2: Make investment selections that align with your goals.
VRS defined contribution plan investment options are organized into three paths for your convenience:
• Do-It-For-Me Path: Includes a series of target date funds that are premixed and already diversified. You select a fund based on your projected retirement date and individual needs.
• Help-Me-Do-It Path: Features a carefully selected menu of funds if you prefer to take a slightly more active role in investing.
• Do-It-Myself Path: Offers a self-directed brokerage account, allowing you to invest in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and individual securities if you believe you are skilled and knowledgeable to manage investments without assistance. The path approach is flexible; you can mix and match within each one to fit your objectives, risk tolerance and investing style.
Step 3: Review your account.
To view and manage your investment options, log in to your DCP Account at varetire.org/dcp-login.
Note: Hybrid plan members, you now have greater flexibility with voluntary contributions. Previously limited to quarterly changes, you can now adjust your contributions monthly. To do so, update contributions in your DCP Account before 4 p.m. on the last business day of the month. Changes will take effect in the next month’s pay cycle, allowing your contributions to start growing sooner.l
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
What Solidarity Means to Me
Solidarity is a word we use a lot in our union, and it’s becoming more meaningful to me all the time. It’s the VEA’s lifeblood, and it’s the right thing to do. Solidarity is the community we form, the cooperation we build, and the unity we find our power in. It’s a noun, but I like thinking of it as a verb. When we join together, we multiply ourselves and take on the power to create real change—not just in our schools, but in our communities, too. When we share our struggles with each other and with other workers, and organize to do something about them, we move steadily toward a more just nation.
And that’s another great thing about acting collectively: We can promote justice. Solidarity enables us to form ranks around our students, families, immigrant members of our communities, and other vulnerable groups. Being able to stand up for people who need to be supported is an enormous opportunity—and there is no shortage, in today’s world, of folks who need and deserve support.
Some educators are uncomfortable being identified as “workers” and “union members.” But, while we certainly are professionals, well-educated and well-trained, no one can deny that we work harder—and often longer—than just about anyone. And, like workers throughout history, we are often the
victims of injustice, usually at the hands of the rich and powerful.
Lest you think that solidarity is really only important for the supposedly downtrodden, let me point out that the players in the National Football League were being taken advantage of by their management, too—until they formed the NFL Players Association. Today they bargain contracts with team owners and their safety, working lives, health care, and retirement are much better for it.
Being VEA members means that we’re also part of the National Education Association, which happens to be America’s largest union, made up of nearly 3 million educator-members. And, while this isn’t just about the math, we know our greatest strength happens when there are more of us. More members give us the ability to make more of a difference.
So, let’s build our numbers but even more important, let’s build our solidarity. We’re far more capable and more effective when we stand as one. Let’s make meaningful change, together!l
Two VEA Members Earn Presidential Teaching Awards
Two VEA members earned the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, which is widely considered the nation’s top honor for K-12 STEM teachers. The Presidential Award honors both extensive content knowledge and the ability to motivate and enable students to succeed. Virginia’s honorees include Sarah Flippen of the Caroline Education Association, who teaches at Madison Elementary School, and Geraldine Maskelony of the Arlington Education Association, who teaches at the Arlington Career Center.
Teresa Chambers of the Stafford Education Association, a school counselor at Colonial Forge High School, has received a 2024 Yale Educator Award. It’s presented by the Yale University Office of Undergraduate Admissions each year to recognize educators from around the world who support and inspire their students to be high achievers. Incoming Yale freshmen can nominate high school educators, and winners are chosen by admissions officers. The following VEA members have recently been named their school division’s Teacher of the Year:
• Chris Caldwell of the Botetourt Education Association, an instrumental music teacher at Lord Botetourt High School.
• Mary Cate Cornish of the Winchester Education Association, an English for speakers of other languages teacher at Daniel Morgan Middle School.
• Melissa Edwards of the Southampton Education Association, a teacher of graphic design, AP art photography and design multimedia and web technology at Southampton High School.
• Tracy Hammond of the Manassas Education Association, a special education teacher at Haydon Elementary School.
• Brittany Irvin of the Danville Education Association, a math teacher and department chair at Westwood Middle School.l
— Carol Bauer
What Makes a Teacher Great?
By Zayd Waghid
Excellent teachers can change our lives, and encourage us to think critically, reflect, and learn across disciplines. Those who stand out are devoted, imaginative, motivated and motivating, and eager to overcome challenging conditions to make a positive difference in the lives of young people.
Great teachers also have a wealth of knowledge and experience and are eager to learn from their learners. But what is it that makes a great teacher? Here are five key lessons I have learned that I believe are crucial for excellent teaching.
Find your teaching philosophy
Coming up with a teaching philosophy is important and is unique to each person. It is what your teaching is based on; central ideas, beliefs, values, and goals.
For instance, a teaching philosophy could be influenced by the Brazilian philosopher of education Paulo Freire’s approach, based on the idea that students should not be perceived as passive recipients of knowledge, but part of the knowledge-making process.
Be the student
It’s important for a teacher to put themselves in a student’s position. A teacher may declare, for instance, that a student is being disruptive in class. It is essential to attempt to discover why the student is behaving that way. I often discuss the necessity of defamiliarization: the method of looking at something familiar through a different lens. I’ve also found that having students draw pictures of their lives or watch interesting films in class that put them in new situations helps me understand them — particularly when I ask them to connect the stories of these films to their situations.
Cultivate a classroom community
Classroom community nurtures academic and emotional growth by providing a cooperative, supportive environment. Research shows that building community in a classroom requires three types of presences: teaching (promoting a supportive, engaging learning environment), social (the capacity of learners and teachers to communicate meaningfully and collaboratively), and cognitive (how much students can build meaning and knowledge through critical thinking and reflection).
Let students choose the technology
Although exceptional teachers are efficient at integrating digital tools with instructional techniques and subject matter, it’s also crucial that students be offered a variety of tools to choose from, giving them more freedom in their learning. This is one way of disrupting teaching and learning practices: knowing when to give up control over things like the choice of technology.
This could mean using a low-tech teaching tool like Plickers to test students’ knowledge using cards, or gamification software like Kahoot. Learners who prefer to play games in class or take quizzes from home could choose Kahoot. Plickers is a valuable tool for those who want to be more formally tested in class because it lets
teachers quickly and easily see if a student understands subject matter. Get feedback: even great teachers can be better Your students are the best judges of how well you teach. So, it is essential to have ways for them to give you feedback on how you’re performing.
A great teacher should be authentic about what they do and acknowledge what worked and what did not, as well as what needs to happen for improvement.
There is no such thing as a perfect teacher. There must be a way to unlearn bad habits and learn new ways to do things.l
Dr. Zayd Waghid is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa and the co-author of four books on education. Reprinted with the permission of The Conversation (theconversation.com).
USDOE Book Ban Position Eliminated
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has eliminated the position of book ban coordinator, a job created by the Biden administration in 2023. The coordinator’s mission was to oversee the development of new training for American public schools about how book bans targeting specific communities and driving “hostile school environments” may violate federal civil rights laws.
Under the Trump administration, the decision was made that book bans were misnomers for “commonsense processes” used by community members to assess and remove materials they deemed to be not age-appropriate, the department said.l
Creates Catalog for Learning Portal
You can now peruse an online catalog of the courses available on VEA’s Learning Portal, which allows both members and potential members to view the wide variety of professional learning opportunities available through the Portal without having to log in. All courses on the Learning Portal are asynchronous, unless otherwise noted.
Give it a look today by visiting vea. link/UZd l
Grappling with Reading
“It’s a cheat skill that I have as a teacher. You give them something they are interested in and get them hooked so they can learn from it. Being an English Language Arts teacher, I have to teach kids how to look at characters and conflicts. How does one respond to a conflict and what lessons did they learn? What theme can you apply to your life about the wrestler’s response to a conflict? On Saturday and Sunday, I spend about two to four hours finding and watching matches because I have to make sure what I’m watching is appropriate and it has a story that I think the kids will understand.”l
Thinking about Rewards
CTE’s Wide-Ranging Impacts
According to the Virginia Department of Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs serve over 670,000 Virginia students in grades 6-12 in at least one course. Here are some CTE facts, compiled by the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC), a research partnership between Richmond-area school divisions and Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Education:
• CTE participation can significantly benefit students from low-socioeconomic households, by increasing innovative career driven academic experiences that lead to credit completion and positive graduation outcomes.
• When CTE programs focus on both academic and technical skills, it leads to higher student engagement, better school attendance, and higher academic achievement (specifically as it relates to math and reading scores).
• CTE courses are also associated with higher high school graduation rates, increased enrollment in a two-year colleges, and higher income attainment one year after high school, demonstrating stronger educational and occupational outcomes.
Why to Have Guest Speakers in Your Classroom
Four positive impacts such speakers can have with your students:
1. Expertise shared with students and teachers: The teacher can’t be an expert on all content.
2. Career exposure: Maybe some students will learn about a career field they’ve never heard of.
3. An experience to remember: No matter how engaging a teacher is, students will give their attention to a new and novel presenter.
4. Authentic: Speakers share their own stories that students might personally connect with.l
Victor Taylor Perry, a New York middle school teacher, who has incorporated professional wrestling into daily lunchtime reading instruction, a program recently covered by ESPN and often creates lively discussion about the match’s protagonist, antagonist, inciting action, conflict, and the resolution they had just witnessed inside the squared circle.
Tangible rewards, ranging from dollar bills to marshmallows, undercut intrinsic motivation, even when offered to students as signals of competence. However, intrinsic motivation is not affected when a reward is unanticipated or not dependent on task performance. For example, if you consistently reward correct answers with stickers, students may focus more on the sticker than on engaging with the content. But if you give every learner a surprise sticker on Friday for demonstrating effort or participation throughout the week, they‘ll be more inclined to remain motivated by the joy of learning. Since they weren’t expecting the reward and it’s not tied to a specific performance, the sticker remains a pleasant, positive reinforcement rather than a controlling reward.l
— Carl Slater, a learning specialist and subject-matter expert in curriculum development, place-based solutions, and practitioner professional development, based in Brooklyn, NY
• A 2021 study found that 30 percent of high school students enrolled in a CTE program opted for a CTE-to-work pathway, which provided training, skills, and knowledge to equip students for gainful employment upon completion of their high school curriculum.
• Participation in CTE coursework allows students to develop critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. These skills are transferable to both workplace and postsecondary educational settings. They are also consistent with the VDOE’s profile of a Virginia high school graduate who is equipped to be successful in the workforce and/or college.
• When surveyed in 2022, CTE students overwhelmingly reported that they felt they could achieve their goals and succeed in most endeavors. This finding was true in all fields of CTE course.
To read MERC’s full research brief, “Career and Technical Education: Historical Insights, Current Impacts, and Policy Implications,” go to vea. link/WMX.l
Source: Researchers Lauren Hudson and Monika Pelz,
on Edutopia. org.
cited
A Good Story Makes a ‘Peach’ of a Connection with Students
No matter what class or grade you teach, telling stories about the subjects and topics you cover can help your young people better understand the concepts you’re striving for them to learn. As a high school English and Creative Writing teacher, I’ve found this to be especially true.
For example, one of the classics I cover is John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, which is set in the Great Depression. The main characters, George and Lennie, are itinerant workers, traveling from farm to farm searching for menial jobs. Lennie is a bear of a man in both height and weight who is very much mentally challenged. Lennie is virtually incapable of independent thought and often says and does things that are not socially acceptable, causing him and George to be fired. Another of his qualities is that he takes everything literally and doesn’t understand language nuances.
To help the students better understand Lennie’s characterization, tell the story of Bill, a giant of a 12-year-old boy who I met one summer while I was a proctor in charge of a cabin at Camp Easter Seal. After the youngster’s parents left, the first thing Bill told me as were strolling back to the cabin was “I’m
going to beat you up tomorrow morning.”
“Bill, you don’t know me yet,” I replied, more than a little worried that the two of us were not starting our relationship well. “Once you get to know me better, I think you won’t want to beat me up.”
“No,” Bill boldly declared. “I’m going to beat you up tomorrow morning and every morning.”
After Bill and the other campers were settled for the evening, I called a meeting of my counselors and explained that we had a budding crisis with Bill as he was a good six inches and 60 pounds bigger than me. My co-workers proclaimed they would “pull him off of me” when he attacked.
The next morning over an hour before dawn and time to rise, was awoken to bam, bam, bam sounds at the door to the counselors and my bedroom. Then Bill burst in and shouted, “I beat you up this morning,” with a huge grin on his face.
“That,” I tell my students,” is something Lennie would do.”
Perhaps the story my tenth-graders enjoy the most is the “I Hate Delmonte Cling Peaches in Heavy Syrup” tale. Every year, we do a 1960s unit, studying and creating PowerPoints on the many historical events of that decade, among them, of course, the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, which nearly led to World War III between the United States and the Soviet Union.
To better help my young people understand the fear that rippled through this country, tell how my mother went to a Salem grocery and panic bought, over numerous excursions, hundreds and hundreds of cans of Delmonte Cling Peaches in Heavy Syrup. Mom’s premise was that peaches were the perfect survival food. “We can drink the syrup and eat the peaches,” she explained. Of course, in a fortnight or so, the crisis was over, but the grocery store refused to let Mom return the peaches.
“For the next seven years, until I was about to graduate from high school,” I explain, “We ate Delmonte Cling Peaches almost every meal. Peaches in cereal, peaches in oatmeal for breakfast. A cup of peaches or peaches in Jello in my school lunchbox. At dinner, peach cobbler, peach pie, more peach Jello, or maybe peaches as a side dish next to the green beans.”
By this point of the story, the students are laughing at me, but the worst of the narrative is to come.
“After a few months, I started trying to sell, then give away the peaches. It came to a point that no one would sit near me because I was ‘the little peach boy.’ Things got so bad that on days when we had a trash pick-up at our house, I would get up early and sneak out three or four cans of Delmonte Cling Peaches and bury them at the bottom of the trash can. hate Delmonte peaches and haven’t eaten any since 1969.”
Consider weaving in stories with the lessons you teach and enjoy the connections made.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 2,700 magazine article and 11 books.
