Why Our Work Together Matters
Like many of the students you may know, my parents were immigrants to the United States. I grew up in a loving, structured, and very disciplined home. You may think that I could have succeeded without nurturing care from teachers, coaches, and administrators at school. But nothing could be further from the truth––my teachers, coaches, and administrators contributed greatly to the person I am today.
When I reflect on the most profound educational experiences of my life, I see that they occurred when I was allowed to be me; when I was allowed to explain and articulate why I felt the way I felt. We don’t learn in spite of our personal and collective experiences, we learn in the context of them.
I went into teaching with the goal of creating learning environments where young people felt empowered, as I often did––where their voices would be heard, and where everyone felt a sense of belonging. Especially now, you may feel there is never enough time to give every student what they need. I remember my days as a secondary school teacher when I would often see hundreds of students in classes each day. Even with these challenges, I found that if I combined proven pedagogy and prioritized relationship building with and among my students, I was a more effective and impactful teacher.
When you use Facing History resources you are not only bringing engaging social studies, language arts, or civics lessons to your students, you are helping them to understand a subject more deeply and draw their own conclusions. Using primary sources and essential questions, our pedagogy fosters empathy, builds community, and inspires civic engagement in the process.
Countless teachers and school administrators––perhaps you are among them––have shared how our professional learning and curriculum leaves a lasting impact. They have described how Facing History changed the way they approach teaching and reminded them of why they chose this profession. The resources and tools we offer not only help teachers to bring academic rigor and relevant curriculum to their students––they also prompt teachers to recommit to their calling.
Central to fulfilling our mission is serving school teachers and leaders, and the needs of educators are becoming more complex than ever. I am committed to bringing my firsthand experience as a career educator to solutions for our vibrant educator network. I look forward to collaborating with you and doing this vital work together––for our children, our communities, and our future.
