New Book, Chalkboard Heroes, Has Been Published!

I am happy to announce that my second book, Chalkboard Heroes: Twelve Courageous Teachers and their Deeds Valor, has just been released. This new volume presents inspirational life stories about some of America's most amazing teachers. These educators were not only talented teachers, but they were also pioneers, trailblazers, and social reformers influential in America's history.

I love to tell stories about outstanding teachers. There are so many phenomenal stories that could be told! I believe that teachers represent the best our country has to offer, and, as a group, they are among the most dedicated, hardworking, and talented people anyone can know. It fills me with joy to be able to share the stories of just a few of the amazing individuals who have made such significant contributions to the lives of so many. And it fills me with pride to know that, every day, talented educators all over the country are making significant contributions to the lives of their students.

You can order Chalkboard Heroes from amazon in print now. Simply click on this link be taken to the page where you can order. The e-book versions will be ready, I am told, in about three weeks. Enjoy!

Ohio Educator and Legislator Emma M. Cramer

Often talented educators make their mark in the political arena as well as in professional teachers circles. Such was the case of Emma M. Cramer, a public high school teacher who was also a member of the House of Representatives for her home state of Ohio.

Emma was born on June 21, 1859, the daughter of Albert C. and Louise (Crone) Cramer. Born and educated in Portsmouth, she later went on to teach at Portsmouth High School. She attended college during the summers, earning degrees from both the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Chicago. She began her teacher at the age of 20, and her career spanned 54 years, until her retirement in 1933. Her students described her as thorough and exacting, but also patient, persevering, and sympathetic.

During her teaching career, Emma was also involved in many civic organizations. She was a member of the Portsmouth City Council (1912-1925), Chairperson of the Republican Women of Scioto County (1922-26), and member of the Portsmouth Board of Education (1934-37). After she was elected to the state House, she continued to teach while occupying her seat in the legislature. Her colleagues often said she was an individual of stalwart character and tireless in her efforts to serve others.

Emma donated her time and energy not only to the legislature and to education, but also to other organizations, including the Ohio League of Women Voters, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Portsmouth Public Library Board of Trustees, the Ohio Library, the National Municipal League, the State and National Education Associations, the Council of Republican Women of Ohio, the Women's City Club, and the Business and Professional Women's Club.

This remarkable educator passed away on June 15, 1952, at the age of 92.

Alaska's Chalkboard Champion Ticasuk Brown

There are many examples of talented educators who have advanced the cause of multicultural understanding and racial equality. This is certainly the case with Emily Ticasuk Brown, an Alaska Native who was also an elementary school teacher, poet, and writer.

Emily Ticasuk Brown was born in 1904 in Unlakleet, Alaska. Her Inupiaq name, Ticasuk, translated into English means "where the four winds gather their treasures from all parts of the world...the greatest of which is knowledge." Ticasuk came into the world an Alaska Native with blended heritage. Her grandfather, Sergei Ivanoff, was Russian, and her grandmother, Chikuk, was Yupik Native. Ticasuk's parents were Stephen Ivanoff and Malquay.

As a young girl, Ticasuk attended elementary school in Shaktoolik, Alaska, a village co-founded by her father. After her graduation from high school, she earned her teaching credential in Oregon, and then she returned to Alaska where she accepted her first teaching position at an elementary school in Kotzebue. The course of her life quickly changed, however, after she witnessed the numerous health hazards in her village. To address this concern, she moved to Washington to study nursing. There she met her husband and married. Later Ticasuk and her husband returned to Alaska, where she taught for two years, until his early death. She returned to college in 1959, earning two bachelor's degrees from the University of Alaska, and then her master's degree in 1974. Her master's thesis, Grandfather of Unalakleet, was republished as The Roots of Ticasuk: An Eskimo Woman's Family Story in 1981.

As an Inpiaq educator and supporter of bi-lingual education, Ticasuk created a curriculum based on her native tongue. She also worked extensively on the creation of an encyclopedia of the Inupiaq language. She is widely recognized by Alaska Native people as a writer of articles that further understanding about Eskimo cultures and education. In addition, this talented teacher organized the Alaska Heritage Writers Association.

For her efforts, Ticasuk was given a Presidential Commission by President Richard Nixon, and she was in line to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Alaska. Unfortunately, in 1982 Ticasuk passed away before the honor could be conferred. She was 78 years old. In 2009, this talented educator and writer was inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame.

Ticasuk Brown: a true chalkboard champion.

High School History Teacher, Historian, and Former Mayer Elmer C. "Mike" Alft

There are many examples of talented teachers who win acclaim in professions other than teaching. This is the case with Elmer C. "Mike" Alft, a retired high school history teacher who is also recognized as an American historian and the former mayor of Elgin, Illinois. He is pictured here, on the right, with a relative.

Mike was born in 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell College in 1949. Founded in 1846, Grinnell College is a private, co-ed, residential liberal arts and sciences college located in Grinnell, Iowa. In 1950, Mike earned a master's degree from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

Mike's long career as a teacher at Elgin High School spanned four decades. While teaching, he also served as a city councilman, mayor, and secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Gail Borden Public Library District. Mike was first elected to the Elgin City Council in April, 1963. Four years later he was elected the mayor of Elgin. As was the custom at the time, the distinguished educator did not seek re-election when his four-year term expired in 1971. The dedicated educator also taught part-time at Elgin Community College.

Mike is probably best-known as the historian of his home town of Elgin. He has published numerous books on the history of Elgin and the surrounding area, in addition to hundreds of articles for the local newspaper, the Elgin Daily Courier-News. He currently writes a bi-weekly column on Elgin's history.

Want Clues About How Children Succeed? Read this Best-Selling Book by Paul Tough

As professional educators, teachers often seek to understand why some students excel in class while others do not. In his 2012 New York Times bestseller How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, author Paul Tough offers valuable insights for why this may be so.

Tough makes a convincing case that it’s not test scores or IQ that makes the difference for who will succeed in the classroom and who will not. He argues that the qualities that matter most have more to do with character—skills such as curiosity, perseverance, optimism, self-control, and resilience. And these are skills that can be taught.

The volume offers an engaging look at why some students can triumph over their obstacles and others can’t. Tough also provides interesting insights about how to help students who have grown up in poverty. The author’s claims are not just suppositions. He cites several recent studies in brain research, and he combines the findings of these studies with his own first-hand observations on the front lines in school reform. This thought-provoking book makes fascinating reading.

Pro Wrestler and Physical Education Teacher Angelo Poffo

There are many talented educators who have earned accolades in fields other than education. This is the case with Angelo Poffo, a physical education teacher from Chicago, Illinois, who had already established a reputation as a professional wrestler.

Angelo was born April 10, 1925, in Downers Grove, Illinois, the son of Italian immigrants. When he first started school, Angelo spoke no English. "I remember, my first day, it got to be around noon, and I didn't know what was going on, so I went home," he once said. "That didn't go over real well." At school, young Angelo got tough in a hurry, learning to defend himself from kids who picked on him. But his immigrant parents were strict and overprotective. They insisted that he stay at home to study and do chores, and forbade him from working out in the high school gym or playing sports.

After his high school graduation, Angelo enrolled at DePaul University in Chicago. As a young man, he thought that baseball was going to be his ticket to success. He earned a spot on the university baseball team as a catcher. "My catching was good and everything, but my hitting was bad. So I had to give it up," recalled Angelo. At DePaul, Angelo studied physical education and played competitive chess. Before being hit by a baseball and getting plate-shy, he played ball with George Mikan, who would later become the first big NBA star. DePaul is also where Angelo met his wife, Judy Sverdlin. The pair married on June 6, 1949, and had two sons, Randy and Lanny. Both of Angelo's sons also became professional wrestlers.

During World War II, Angelo served his country in the US Navy. The first time he saw the weight room, he remembered, he felt like a kid again. "I thought I was in heaven," he once said. As a 24-year-old pharmacist mate, his unit was stationed at the Naval Destroyer Base in San Diego. Angelo hit the gym for hours on end, sculpting his 6-foot, 200-pound physique. On July 4, 1945, the young sailor set a world record of 6,033 sit-ups in four hours, ten minutes. "Somebody did about 5,000 and his abdominal aorta broke and he died. So I did 6,000 and I was so happy that I was still alive, I did 33 more sit-ups, one for each year of Jesus Christ's life,"Angelo once recalled. He became an instant celebrity on the base, and word soon spread beyond the Navy. Ripley's Believe It Or Not showcased his achievement in their newspaper strip and presented him with a gold belt emblazoned with his record.

After his discharge from the Navy, Angelo launched a 35-year career as a professional wrestler. He was strong and determined, and it turned out he was a natural. First came billings at small events and carnivals. During the 1950's, his fights were televised on the DuMont network, but much of his time was spent on dreary long-distance drives. On one trip, he drove former boxing champ Joe Louis, who had become a wrestling referee, to a match in Minnesota. They stopped at a restaurant, but Louis was refused service because he was black. Angelo brought dinner back to the car so Louis could eat. But as a pro wrestler, Angelo's crowning achievement came December 27, 1958, when he dethroned Wilbur Snyder for the U.S. TV Title in Cincinnati.

When Angelo decided to retire from professional wrestling, he accepted a position as a physical education teacher and wrestling coach in Chicago.  "I was just getting older," he admitted. "I saved all my money and I was happy with the money I got," he recalled. "Then I started teaching school in Chicago, physical education."

In 1995, Angelo Poffo was inducted into the World Championship Wrestling Hall of Fame. On March 4, 2010, this dedicated educator, talented athlete, and US veteran passed away at the age of 84.

Farmers Insurance 2015 Rose Parade Float "Thanks a Million Teachers"

Like millions of people around the globe, I enjoy watching the annual Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1 every year. This year I was particularly inspired by one special float in the parade, the Dream Big: World of Possibility, sponsored by Farmers Insurance. The purpose of this float was to honor teachers from all over the country who, on a daily basis, inspire endless dreams and possibilities within their students. Created by Phoenix Decorating, the float won the Tournament Special: Exceptional Merit in Multiple Classifications Award.

Aboard the float were five winners of the Thank a Million Teachers Dream Big Teacher Challenge sponsored by Farmers Insurance. In addition, riding the float was actor Jack Black, accompanied by his longtime mentor and former teacher, Debbie Devine, of the 24th Street Theatre. "My middle school teacher, Debbie Devine, had a profound impact on my life that I could never forget to this day," Black said. "I walked into her classroom and was immediately transported into a world where learning was celebrated and it became clear that the world really was (and still is) my oyster. I am thrilled to be here with Farmers to celebrate Debbie and other teachers who inspire kids, showing them that there really are no limits on the possibilities around us."

In early 2014, Farmers launched the Thank A Million Teachers program, inviting America to say thank you to teachers across the country for their tireless work and dedication in the classroom. In return, Farmers committed up to $1 million in funding for educators in 2014. Black helped Farmers launch the program by nominating his teacher, Debbie Devine, and sharing the profound impact she made on his life. He credits her influence for ultimately shaping who he is today.

"To date we've given hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money to help better classrooms across the country," said Erin Freeman, Chief Communications Officer for Farmers Insurance. "Farmers is a company that believes in smart – but more importantly, we believe that teachers have the power and ability to transform the learning experience by showing their students the world of possibilities that exist around them, and we are thrilled to celebrate teachers for that reason."

For more about this program, click on this link: Thank a Million Teachers.