My friend and colleague Carrie Newcomer has a wonderful song called I Believe, that includes these lines: I believe in socks and gloves knit out of soft grey wool/And that theres a place in heaven for those who teach in public school... Ive heard Carrie perform the song many times, and that second line never fails to elicit mid-song cheers and applause from the audience! I always join in the applause, even when Im onstage with Carrie. Public school teachers are among my culture heroes, the true first responders in our society. Every day they support kids whove been wounded by social problems that we grown-ups lack either the wit or the will to solve. And every day they are criticized by politicians who know only one thing about public education—they can score political points by doing a number on teachers. We the People need to turn the tide toward gratitude in every way we can... During the holidays, do you want a way to say THANK YOU! to a teacher whos been important to you, your children or grandchildren? Click on the image below and consider giving him or her a copy of Teaching with Heart. Written by teachers, for teachers, the book is a collection of great poems that teachers have found inspirational—and each poem comes with a commentary written by the teacher who chose it for inclusion in the book. Its a great read! I had the privilege of writing the Foreword to Teaching with Heart, which was edited by my friends and colleagues, Sam Intrator and Megan Scribner, and helped along by the Center for Courage & Renewal, a nonprofit I founded. A portion of the royalties go to the Center to help them provide more face-to-face programs for teachers. Check it out, and help turn the tide! P.S. Give yourself a gift by going to tiny.cc/3ctaqx to see Carrie perform I Believe, accompanied by the equally great Gary Walters! And if youd like to learn more about the Center, please visit tiny.cc/sytaqx.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:52:57 +0000
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