In 2018 I launched Teacher Stories to share inspiring stories about teachers and the impact so many of them have on their students and their communities. Too often, I fear, these stories fade into the background of our public consciousness, causing many of us to take for granted the critical role these dedicated people play for all of us. Nearly every one of us has a story about one who made a profound difference in our lives.
Hopefully, our growing collections of stories will serve as a reminder that good teaching matters--especially at a time when our country is struggling to affirm its commitment to basic democratic ideals, which cannot be achieved if all children do not have access to thoughtful, well-prepared, and well-supported teachers.
Our Collection of Stories
- Podcast – Audio episodes are available on the Teacher Stories website and on most podcasting platforms.
- Videocast – Video episodes are available on the Teacher Stories website and on our YouTube channel.
- Other Stories – Inspiring teacher stories from external sources are available on the Teacher Stories website.
Special Story Themes
- What Can Schools Do To Help Save Our Democracy? – Eight audio and video episodes produced in 2021 with a variety of guests, including authors, teacher educators, teachers, school administrators, students, policy makers, and lawyers.
- Teaching During the Pandemic – Teachers and students describe the challenges as well as some unexpected benefits of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Teaching about Racism and The Black Lives Matter Movement – Teachers, professors, students, and education policymakers share their experiences and perspectives.
- Surprise Appreciations – In these highly moving video episodes, students surprise their teachers with words of appreciation.
The Teacher Appreciation Project
In 2021, we launched The Teacher Appreciation Project so that students and parents could publicly thank teachers for their impact on people’s lives. Check it out and see what people are saying about their teachers.
We also provide a free Implementation Guide for schools that want to conduct teacher appreciation campaigns in their schools.
If you enjoy these stories, I hope you will share them with your friends and colleagues. If you have a teacher story that you’d like to share, click here to tell us about it. And if you want to submit a written appreciation for a teacher you can do it here.
Please send comments and questions to me at ken@teacherstories.org.
Ken Futernick, January 2022