In communities across the country, teachers are organizing “teacher parades,” where they drive slowly through the neighborhoods where their students live, honking and waving as their students jump up and down with excitement.
Where did it start? This one was in Springfield, but I have heard that the first one was in Lawrence, Kansas.
Do you know?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
They did it in Princeton, NJ.
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So freaking awesome!!!
I heart teachers!!!
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I think it was in Bellmore NY. It was a combined effort of the teachers, PTA. And the administration. See today’s Newsday!
On Sun, Mar 29, 2020 at 2:45 PM Diane Ravitch’s blog wrote:
> dianeravitch posted: ” In communities across the country, teachers are > organizing “teacher parades,” where they drive slowly through the > neighborhoods where their students live, honking and waving as their > students jump up and down with excitement. Where did it start? Thi” >
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Not sure where the first one was. I have seen some that cause me great concern, however. I have seen some with multiple teachers in a car (obviously not modeling the 6-feet social distancing). Where I am we are under a stay-home order (school districts are exempt though.) I’ve heard from some teachers that kids and their families come running out of their houses or apartments and then congregate with neighbors while the teachers are going by. Also, a problem because they are not practicing social distancing. Love the idea if people can just find a way to do it safely
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The teacher parades I have seen on Twitter had one teacher in each car.
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What a wonderful idea! Far superior to giving students worksheets and grades.
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The tiny district of Rollinsford NH had one that was well-received!
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It is a beautiful thing to see a Teacher Parade.
It is impossible in cities that have endorsed choice policies because there are no neighborhood schools. Children travel all over the city to attend public and charter schools.
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Which Springfield? LOL
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Our town [central NJ pop 30k] — or at least [& perhaps only] our local elemsch– ran one yesterday [3-31] at 5pm. We were emailed the route a day ahead by a nbr [the one who spearheads block-parties, & helps us spread block news the rest of the yr]. We’re just 3 blocks from the school. It’s a tight-knit nbhd due to 6-decades’ tradition of parent-written/ performed annual play/ fund-raiser for elemsch. And more so for us, as my husband was pressed into play’s music directorship long after our kids had left for midsch/ hisch. So it was lovely to see & brought tears to many eyes, & joy to the children (who’d decorated front yards with rainbows & balloons) as their teachers emerged from the windows & sunroofs of poster-plastered cars…
But it was a gathering. Block residents stayed on porches, but other-block nbrs not on parade route were on sidewalks, & friends/ family groups inevitably converged. Today our mayor [on town website] rued it: elemsch did it ad hoc w/o consulting her so no chance for her even to post some rules of order… SOP for our current principal who’s long been tenured in distr & not a team player… In same post, [outraged] mayor set down some stringent new rules about use of parks/ closing park pkg-lots….
Something like this needs to be carefully planned; touch all bases w/officials: balance emotional needs of kids w/commonsense health precautions.
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Oscar Wilde said yoinks ago, Those who can do, those that can’t – teach. Stuff history. Those who can could not do without teachers. There is no better time to stand on the plate and Pay teachers their worth for improving the wealth of all nations.
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