Teacher Appreciation Week begins on May 6!
I was in Los Angeles for the historic teachers’ strike of 2019.
I marched with Stevie Van Zandt, who is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
His stage name is Little Steven; he played in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street band and has received many honors.
As a musician and artist, he took the lead in creating Artists United Against Apartheid.
He made this fabulous video to honor teachers around the world.
Enjoy it and share it!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I just sent this video to friends in the US, Australia, Bolivia and Malaysia. SOLIDARITY! [and proper funding]
Van Zandt also spearheaded the Rock & Roll Forever Foundation that developed the TeachRock curriculum (the history of Rock & Roll). I participated in the curriculum development in its early stages. It’s a magnificent program.
https://teachrock.org/
Mission: “To empower teachers and engage students by using popular music to create interdisciplinary, culturally responsive education materials for all 21st century classrooms.
Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock project brings rich, multimedia educational materials to teachers and students everywhere–at no cost. The lesson plan collections and resources at teachrock.org help teachers engage students by connecting the history of popular music to classroom work across the disciplines. From social studies and language arts to geography, media studies, science, general music, and more: TeachRock has engaging and meaningful arts integration materials for every classroom.”
Jeanie,
Thank you for explaining TeachRock. Steve is a very generous, big hearted guy. Making this video was his idea. He had the song and the technicians to make the video. He needed visuals. I put him in touch with Angelo Gavrielatos, the head of Education International, which supports teacher unionism around the world. Angelo had videos of teachers around the world. It is what you call synergy.
He’s a great supporter of teachers! It’s wonderful to have him in our corner. And you as well! Thanks for all you do.
I needed that. Solidarity!
Here’s a great article from an Indianapolis sportswriter thanking his teachers (one in particular):
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2019/05/02/doyel-dont-do-what-did-take-time-thank-teacher-week-teacher-appreciation-week/3549380002/
It is a great solidarity video that shows the global activism against destructive GERM around the world.
Inoculation Against GERM!
Oh my Lord. Magnificent. Inoculate against GERM!
THANK YOU, Diane, NPE, and all you wonderful advocates for Public Schools!
Without our public schools and public school teachers this (below) would never have happened. Take a look and be in awe.
Incredible!
Solidarity is the key.
The French Revolution was successful because of SOLIDARITY.
The American Revolution was successful because of SOLIDARITY.
Gandy was successful because of SOLIDARITY.
Dearest Dr. Ravitch and your solidarity forum of Public Education:
I was in hospital since Monday, March 19, 2019 due to a mild stroke (TIA – transient ischemic attack)
I was discharged on Tuesday, April 30th, 2019. I really miss you and this blog. I still vividly
remember how determination teacher Vivian was during her sufferance of terminal illness.
I was lucky to be able to read, to understand and to communicate in typing. Yes, I am very weak, slow and cannot talk properly yet.
My only wish and pray God to bless you, your NPE, all teachers and your entire solidarity forum of contributors with health, happiness and success in protecting Public Education.
Respectfully yours,
May, your faithful and trusting reader to you forever
May, you are a beautiful women. I also wish you health, happiness and success in protecting Public Education.
May you continue to improve. I always look forward to hearing from you and reading what you have to say.
Amen to a great day and better things to come.
Hi carolmalaysia:
Thank you very much to your lovely wish, I do not know for sure my deepest dream which can be true.
IMHO, on this school of Earth, everything happens like a lesson for everyone to retrain. Nobody is perfect. No single family is harmonious. No country can avoid catastrophe. In short, in being human – regardless of how well we do in whatever areas we value – we all end up six feet and under.
However, we should strive to live in the best of our abilities and we should not be envious of others’ lives. We never know the full picture of what they’re experiencing.
In short, I must admit that I only dream that people will realize their happiness is in their own bodies of experience, knowledge, and wisdom derived from thousands of years of human history that confirm certain humanitarian principles.Love you, May
May, if everyone had the knowledge and love that you have the horrors that now are on earth would disappear. You have learned So much.
My belief is, “Love yourself as much as possible and then love others a wee bit more.” If everyone did that the planet would no longer have war and the poor would be taken care of.
Love you too, my dear.
Dearest May,
Please know that everyone who has followed you on this blog wishes you a speedy return to good health.
Diane
Dearest Dr. Ravitch:
Thank you for your heartfelt dedication to maintain and to support American Public Education from K – 12 to University level.
You are on Earth for this sole mission. There are uncountable American Educators together with numerous conscientious foreign educators who truly connected with you and your NPE association.
Once, your previous wonderful list of 8 GUIDE LINES for American Education is in the heart of your entire solidarity contributors or all veterans educators and in all leaders in education = your mission is just beginning to help USA to be leader of the world in the field of education.
I hope that Canada and all other countries can successfully apply your wonderful guide line. I sincerely appreciate your best wish to my recovery. May God, all unseen Saints and Angels will bless you with health, happiness and success in your mission for America Public Education.
Respectfully yours,
May, your faithful and trusting reader to you forever.
Thank you, May.
What a great opening for the next NPE convention!
We may have LittleSteven at the next NPE convention. Philadelphia, March 28, 2020.
Here is the wonderful GUIDE LINE from Dr.Ravitch. I copy to help some readers who missed reading it in the past.
Regardless how integrity of a leader can be, you need to be neutral in judgment and in strict rule or regulation. Regarding this aspect, I completely agree with Dr. Ravitch’s suggestion of her viewpoint.
I love to repeat clearly Dr. Ravitch’s list of her suggestions as follows:
The charter sector is not going away; but it should play by:
1) the same academic, ethical, professional, and financial rules as public schools,
2) and it should not drain resources away from the public schools.
3) Charters should be audited and monitored to the same extent as public schools.
4) Certification requirements for charter teachers and principals and superintendents should be no less than for public schools.
5) Only educators, not entrepreneurs, should be allowed to operate charters.
6) Charters should open only in districts that approve them and need them, and when they close, their students and property should revert to the public schools.
7) Charters should enroll the same demographic as the district in which they are located.
8) If I had my druthers, charter chains would be banned, as would charters managed by foreign entities. That’s my view. I pledged to Tony that I would withhold judgment and see what his task force produces.
In short, you should believe that Educators always have their integrity and conscience
except the FAKE educators WITHOUT NATIONAL CERTIFICATION and WITHOUT directly TEACHING K-12 minimum 20 years EXPERIENCES. Back2basic.
Still appreciating this song of appreciation!