The people of D.C. are in collective grief and mourning on the death of Washington Teacher Union president Elizabeth “Liz” A. Davis in a car accident on April 4, 2021. She has been a powerful presence in the lives thousands of students, teachers, and families through her unwavering dedication to radical teaching, righteous activism, and grassroots organizing.

Thanks to support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Teaching for Change can schedule artists for remote classroom visits.

Tiffany Mitchell Patterson opened the session, welcoming newcomers, and noting ”It is so important to be in community with each other. I hope everyone can use this time to find inspiration and motivation for the upcoming weeks.” She engaged everyone in a spirited round of people’s history Kahoot. The last question acknowledged the vital role of everyone in the sessions: Which group of people work the hardest and contribute the most to a just future for this country? (a) Politicians (b) Corporate executives (c) City planners (d) Classroom teachers.

By Lila Chafe
On the warm Wednesday evening of March 3, 2021, early childhood educators joined the DCAESJ Anti Bias ECE Working Group’s monthly meeting. As they logged on, participants shared memories from years of collective joy and action, preparing for the departure of the working group’s coordinator, Rosalie Reyes.

We share our best wishes for DC Area Educators for Social Justice (DCAESJ) coordinator Rosalie Reyes who is departing Teaching for Change and stepping into new horizons in their life. As they describe their next pursuits: “I will be diving into early childhood education research, continuing racial justice pursuits through birth-work as a doula, and I will begin Washington State University's Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education doctoral program in the fall.”

On the evening of Tuesday, February 2nd, nearly 70 participants attended a virtual town hall on racial justice held by Glen Haven Elementary School. This was the third Town Hall for Racial Justice held by the school since June 2021.

DC Public Schools has endorsed the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action and sent the following notice and video to all its staff: DCPS is proud to support DC Black Lives Matter at Schools Week of Action, taking place from February 1-5, 2021. This week is a national movement of educators organizing for racial justice in education. The goal is to collectively affirm the lives and uplift the voices of Black students.

Join Salvadoran American journalist Roberto Lovato, author of the new book Unforgetting: A Memoir of Family, Migration, Gangs, and Revolution in the Americas, for a virtual book talk.

Teaching for Change is partnering with Filmfest DC: The Washington, D.C. International Film Festival (Oct 2 - Oct 11) for a ninth year to spread the word about the international film festival and to bring films and filmmakers for films into D.C. virtual classrooms. FilmFest DC is offering tickets for four classes to see specific films during the festival and offering two opportunities for film producers to virtually visit a class.

Teaching for Change stands proudly with the local and national organizers and educators who are calling for Police Free Schools.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and Teaching for Change will host the annual Indigenous People’s Day Teach-In online on Saturday, September 12, 2020. The focus this year is environmental justice, in particular food and climate.

Educators and students everywhere are adjusting to the new reality of teaching from a distance while letting students know they are still a close part of our community. We share below a few resources for teaching in these times.

What are some tough conversations that you’ve had with students about racism, history, activism, and different perspectives on current events? This is one of many questions Teaching for Change staff reflected on with District of Columbia Public Schools 3rd through 5th grade teachers in a professional development workshop on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

On February 19, go-go became the official music of Washington, D.C.! This important legislation requires the mayor’s office to produce, fund, and implement programs that support the preservation and creation of go-go music — and the culture and history it represents. At Teaching for Change, we are honored to partner with D.C. area schools, musicians, and authors on our Teach the Beat project, which provides lessons and facilitates classroom visits.

K-12 teachers are invited to learn about Indigenous knowledge, sustainability practices, and the importance of water. Attend poster or workshop sessions and explore classroom resources from Native Knowledge 360° and the Zinn Education Project’s Teach Climate Justice campaign.

From June 25-27, 2019, just days after the school year officially ended, sixteen dedicated educators gathered in Washington, D.C., for the Tellin’ Stories Race, Equity, and Family Engagement Summer Institute for Teachers and Staff.

Teaching for Change launched its first summer institute focused on principals and school leaders in Washington, D.C., from July 23-25, 2019.

Can you remember your favorite book growing up? Did it introduce you to a new world, either fictional or real? Did it stir you to think about a topic differently? Did you see yourself and your experiences reflected in it? What if that book was banned? Read more >>

As the buzzing energy of a new school year filled the gym at James K. Polk Elementary School, staff arrived for a full-day professional development on Central America. On August 27, 2019, staff engaged in descriptive and informative sessions that detailed the history of Central America to provide background context about many of the students and families they serve, as well as interactive workshops with hands-on activities and strategies to teach Central America through art and children’s literature.

Every seat was full on Tuesday, June 4 for James Loewen’s talk about the new young readers’ edition of Lies My Teacher Told Me. The event, held at Busboys and Poets in Brookland, was co-sponsored by Teaching for Change’s D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice, the Zinn Education Project, and the New Press. Read more >>