The Inspirational Stacy Bess

Here is a teacher who is truly inspirational: Stacey Bess of Salt Lake City, Utah. As a first-year teacher, Stacey landed in a classroom set up in a storage shed in an area homeless shelter. The facility was literally referred to as the School With No Name. As you can imagine, her students wrestled with a variety of issues, including unstable living arrangements, domestic abuse, poverty, and alcohol and drug-abusing parents. Not the most desirable circumstances for learning. But this remarkable teacher created a safe and loving classroom environment for her kids. She went to battle with the local school board for a more suitable teaching space and better resources. And, oh, yeah, she raised her own family and defeated cancer at the same time.

 

You can read the story of the dynamic Stacey Bess in Beyond the Blackboard, available through amazon.com.

Elaine Goodale Eastman: Sister to the Sioux

One of the most fascinating books I have read in recent times was Sister to the Sioux: The Memoirs of Elaine Goodale Eastman (1863-1953). This inspirational teacher was born and raised in New England, but decided to give up all the comforts of home to travel to a South Dakota Indian reservation. She wanted to establish a day school for Sioux Indians because it was her strong belief that it was better to educate Native Americans in their tribal environments rather than follow the alternative practice, which was to take the children out of their homes and send them far away from home and family to Indian boarding schools. Before long, this talented classroom teacher was promoted to the position of Superintendent of Indian Education for the Two Dakotas. While serving in this capacity, Elaine witnessed the Wounded Knee Massacre, and with her fiance, Santee Sioux Indian Dr. Charles "Ohiyesa" Eastman, nursed the Native American survivors back to health. Great story, well worth taking the time to read. You can find this book on amazon.com at the following link:

 

Sister to the Sioux: The Memoirs of Elaine Goodale Eastman

 

If you prefer, you could read a chapter about her in my book, Chalkboard Champions. See the following link to amazon.com:

 

Chalkboard Champions

 

Enjoy!

Chalkboard Champions Has Been Added to Four University Libraries

Have you ever heard of WorldCat? The word stands for "World Catalogue," a web site that offers a truly great service to bibliophiles. If you go to this site and type in the title of a book you are seeking, WorldCat will tell you which libraries possess the book in their catalogue, in geographical order from the library nearest to you to the one that is farthest away. It's a great way to cut down on the time you spend looking up the book in each individual library through their internet catalogues, or even from having to drive around town from library to library. Once you have determined where the title can be found, you can click on a link to that library to discover how you can check it out. I have even found some things I've been looking for available in ebook versions available to the public. Those I simply opened up and read right there online. If no library close to you owns the book, WorldCat will tell you where the volume can be purchased and the price you can expect to pay.

Through WorldCat, I discovered something that gave me a personal thrill. My book, Chalkboard Champions, has been added to the library catalogues of four prestigious colleges. They are: The University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA; the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey; and Salem State College Library in Salem, Massachusetts.

Teacher Charlotte Forten Grimke: A True Champion

One of the most heroic teachers I have ever heard of is an African American woman named Charlotte Forten Grimke. This amazing woman, who was born a free black in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 17, 1837, became a teacher of newly emancipated slaves in Port Royal, South Carolina, during the Civil War. After the Union Army pushed through the area, freeing the slaves, the government recognized that these citizens desperately needed assistance in basic literacy skills and vocational training on how to take care of themselves. Grimke agreed to travel to the South, despite the high risk to her own personal freedom and her rather delicate health. While the war raged on around them, she set up a school and diligently held classes for students who ranged in age from kinders to grandparents. When the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, an all-black regiment, suffered high casualties at Fort Wagner on July18, 1863, Grimke left her classroom with a substitute teacher and went to the soldiers' aid as a nurse and letter writer at the nearby hospital where the injured had been taken.

 

You can read her fascinating story in her own words through her very copious journals, The Journals of Charlotte Forten Grimke, or you can read a shorter chapter about her life in my book, Chalkboard Champions. Either way, the story is a good read.

Anne Sullivan Macy: Beyond the Miracle Worker

The Miracle Worker by William Gibson is an iconic piece of American literature that is frequently taught in public schools.
Exploring the extraordinary work of teacher Anne Sullivan Macy and her work with deaf /blind student Helen Keller, this award-winning play depicts the exact moment at which, due to Anne's intensive instructional efforts, Helen was able to grasp the concept of language. This knowledge unlocked a world of isolation for the little girl, allowing her to connect with her fellow human beings, and making it possible for her to earn a university degree
at a time when educating women was rare. The scene is sweet. Yet the fifty-year relationship between the teacher and her student was riddled with ambiguity and complexity, as author Kim E. Nielsen demonstrates in her in-depth biography of Anne, Beyond the Miracle Worker: The Remarkable Life of Anne Sullivan Macy and Her Extraordinary Friendship with Helen Keller, published in 2009. The book is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to know more about this remarkable teacher and the instructional strategies she used that were so unique. You can discover more about this book on amazon.com at the following link:

Beyond the Miracle Worker

I have also included an abbreviated but concise biography of this amazing teacher in my book, Chalkboard Champions, which can also be found at amazon.com at the following link:

Chalkboard Champions

Chalkboard Champions Mentioned in University of Arizona Web Site

Here is some exciting news! Stuart Glogoff of the University of Arizona has mentioned Chalkboard Champions in his blog on the web site Through Our Parents' Eyes. The reference is related to educator Eulalia Bourne, a remarkable teacher who worked with Native American and Mexican American youngsters in mining camps and cattle ranches in various Arizona schools. Her fascinating life story is described at length in Chalkboard Champions in Chapter 7. You can read Stuart Glogoff's post by simply clicking on the following link:

www.parentseyes.sites.arizona.edu

Julia Richman: A Champion for Jewish Immigrants

Julia Richman (1855-1912) was a truly remarkable educator. The daughter of Jewish immigrant parents, Julia declared at a surprisingly early age that she would reject the traditional role of wife and mother and opt for a career in teaching instead. At 15, she enrolled in college courses at New York City's Female Normal College, the precursor to Hunter College, graduating fourth in her class in 1872. She then devoted the next forty years of her life to teaching and improving the lives of the Jewish immigrant students who were entrusted to her care, first as their teacher, later as a principal, and finally as a district superintendent. During her tenure, she pioneered innovative programs for handicapped students, English-language learners, and troubled youth, and she instituted vocational education programs, and much-needed courses in health and hygiene. Many of her innovations are common practice in schools throughout the country today. In addition to her work in the schools, Julia worked indefatigably to better the lives of New York's Eastern European immigrants through the Educational Alliance, the most important Jewish charitable organization located in Manhattan's Lower East Side. A wonderful book about Julia Richman was recently published by scholar Selma Cantor Berrol; the book is entitled Julia Richman: A Notable Woman. You can find this book on the web site for Barnes and Noble and also on amazon.com. I have also devoted a chapter of my book, Chalkboard Champions, to this most extraordinary educator. My book can be found at amazon.com at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/Chalkboard-Champions.