5 reasons to try Educator for a Day
11/18/2015
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Most often the best way to really understand education issues is to spend time in schools gaining first-hand knowledge. With that spirit in mind, today's American Education Week special observation is Educator for a Day.
Have you thought about hosting an Educator for a Day? Watch this slideshow for five reasons why it might be right for you.
When we invite an "outsider" to walk a mile in our shoes we help them better understand our challenges, successes and aspirations. This can be the breakthrough that helps us learn and listen in our conversations instead of just talking at each other.
Educators hear a lot about accountability, but what about the lawmakers setting budgets and education policy for the state? Inviting elected officials into the classroom lets them see first-hand how their decisions impact students and educators.
This is a great opportunity to identify allies and make new partners in our effort to make our schools the best they can be. You may just find you have more friends in the community than you realized.
Inviting someone to be an educator for a day helps spread the word about our issues and ideas for solutions, and can result in media coverage. We all have busy lives and need every chance we can get to connect with our community.
The bottom line is our kids deserve excellent schools with excellent educators. Most community's on average have fewer than 20 percent of adults with a school-aged child. This is a chance to show the community what things are like in today's classrooms and what this is all about: the kids.
If you'd like to welcome an individual into your school as an Educator for a Day, be sure to review this toolkit from NEA, which includes:
- Tips for organizing the program
- Suggestions on who you should invite
- Sample invitations and letters for your administrators
- Complete checklists
- Ways to promote your event and more
Posted in: WE Are WEA
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