Given how little I advertised this, I’m glad so many of you got to watch this interview of me via C-SPAN’s Wasington Journal with Pedro Echevarria (shout-outs to their team):
A few things to note:
- I was hoping a student would call in, and that’s exactly what happened. The student who called in wrote to me later. I hope to share her e-mail later on this week.
- A few of my friends have commented that I handled the phone questions with calm and cojones. After some of the nonsense I dealt within 24 hours of interview, the phone interviewers were a piece of cake.
- My three-year-old got to see me on TV, and told me as much when I got back home. My heart is warm.
If you escaped what I escaped, you’d be on C-SPAN getting mic’d up too. Teach so hard.
Let me know what you think below.
Can’t let it go, but can’t join the conversation. Sad.
Yaaayyy! When only 9% of panelists on education are teachers, we finally get an actual, able, articulate PUBLIC middle school teacher for 42 minutes on CNN! Thanks for repping us so well, Jose, bravo!
Thank you so much Jose for continuing to bring into light what it is that we do and what it is that our kids are dealing with. The first caller brought tears to my eyes because his story is the same story many of my students are living right now. There is such diversity in the students we teach and much of it depends on what school they go to and where they live. My kindergarten students come to school not knowing how to write their names or access to rich literature, but they bring with them other gifts, that are not always valued. Just across town, the kindergarten students come in already reading and writing, and have access to updated technology and with parents that are home and can work with them each day. It’s not a leveled playing field and it will never be, but as teachers we need to understand and know who are students are and meet them where they are, no matter where it is. One size testing and curriculum does not meet where my students are. I would appreciate the support from administration, district, and the public to allow me to give my students what they need.
BTW: You are such a gifted communicator, so articulate and clearly able to express your thoughts even on the fly! I see public office in your future! Thanks again for being an educator and representing what teachers should all strive to be.
I’m Liz Beil, and I approve this message. ;)
I hope your school year is going well, thus far! I’m somewhat jealous. *Sigh.* I miss school…