Educator & Student Voices

“When I discovered Inspired Teaching, I realized it was completely aligned with what I think a teacher should be.” 2018 Inspired Teaching Fellow, Asha Diggs, reflects on her summer experience and what brought her to Inspired Teaching.

“It’s important to teach activism to students, young students, so they can think about how they truly can make a difference. Instead of thinking they need to accept society, I wanted to teach activism because my students are imaginative and can really envision themselves as activists.” Read more from Inspired Teacher Asia Jones (’16).

At the DC National History Day this year, three Real World History students won awards for their outstanding projects. Dimilah Jones from Ballou High School won first place for her individual exhibit about DC drug lord, Rayful Edmond; Maya Woods-Arthur from Washington...

This Spring, Inspired Teaching spoke with Bill Stevens, History teacher at The SEED School who was awarded National History Day Teacher of the Year in DC for his work making National History Day an integral part of the SEED experience. Stevens participated...

“The students create and vote on the classroom rules. And I ask them ‘how does that make you feel’ and I constantly make sure they are given the tools to solve their own problems. I emphasize the importance of confidence, honesty, and integrity.” Read more Inspired Teaching Fellow Richelle (’15).

“The classroom should sound like students having dialogue around the topic of study and the teacher facilitating and pushing their thinking. It should feel like productive struggle on the part of the student, struggle and success, while the teacher provides feedback in the moment.” Read more from Inspired Teacher Leader Patricia Odom (’14) and her experience beginning the school year as an Assistant Principal.

“I used to think that successful classroom management meant that students were quiet, sitting and working. That does not have to be what learning looks like. This professional development challenged what I consider to be typical, good classroom management to describe an environment where groups of kids can be scattered, autonomous, loud, collaborative, and independent.” Read more from Philippa Palmer, a 2017 Teacher Leader and Montgomery County Public School teacher.

“Even when it is hard and frustrating, we encourage our students to work with their hands and innovate. Our class mantra is a call and response: I say, ‘If it doesn’t work this time, what do we do?’ The students answer: ‘We try, try, try.'” Read more from 2016 Fellow Sandra.

“Now, the program continues to push my ideals—some have changed, some have been strengthened. We touch on a lot of issues that could be divisive and controversial, so having the space to talk about what we feel and hear from people from different backgrounds lets me learn about my own prejudices and beliefs.” Read more from Inspired Teaching Fellow Raven.

“Becoming an Inspired Teacher has shaped the way I see children and how much they are capable of doing. Their thoughts are valid and meaningful and can contribute powerfully to the classroom.” Read more from Lisa Brosnan, a 2014 Inspired Teaching Fellow and kindergarten teacher in DC Public Schools.