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May 2010
“Well, all I know,” said Shirley, “is that I save the world every day in my classroom.” I wanted to stand up and cheer. There was not a hint of grandiosity in that statement — just a simple truth. We only save the world one child at a time, one day at a time. And Shirley — like tens of thousands of teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians, administrators, bus drivers and cafeteria workers — was doing her part. Somebody needs to speak up for people like that. Somebody needs to represent the tens of thousands of teachers who care deeply about each child they teach. Somebody needs to remind the cynics that teaching is a noble calling, a vocation in every sense of the word. Well, somebody is. Friends of Texas Public Schools (FOTPS) recently completed its first Ambassador Training Academy, preparing 50 — count ’em, 50 — educators to serve as “ambassadors” for public education.
The Ambassador Training Academy takes place in four two-hour sessions, spread out over the school year. Birdville ISD identified potential ambassadors from each of its campuses and each of its administrative departments and sent the 50 chosen ones to the training. Leslie points out that educators could learn a lot from other service professionals — such as firefighters. “Firefighters are united,” she says. “They watch each other’s backs. And, most importantly, they tell people they have a cool job, that they love what they do. Our actions as educators are often just the opposite.” It’s probably easier for firefighters to maintain positive PR than it is for educators. Firefighters have a common enemy — the fire — and all of us want to see the firefighters win that battle. Firefighters don’t have to choose cheerleaders, inform parents that their kids are not reading well, or assign kids to the DAEP. Firefighters don’t have to give TAKS tests. So, it is no doubt harder to maintain positive PR in the public school environment. But that’s all the more reason for good ambassadors. An ambassador loses credibility if she denies that problems exist. A good ambassador addresses problems thoughtfully and intelligently. Moreover, a good ambassador provides balance in a world where the negative draws so much more attention than the positive. There is a huge industry just waiting for someone in your school district to make a mistake. One stupid decision by a school principal can produce a week’s worth of one-liners for the late-night comedians. Bloggers need material, and there are few things juicier than a public school scandal. Public education is a humongous enterprise full of flawed human beings who will sometimes behave badly. We can be sure that someone out there is eager to report on any mistakes we make. The Ambassador Training Academy won’t make those problems go away, but it will give your district some key communicators who can carry the message about the many good things happening in public education that too often go unnoticed. Here’s hoping more districts follow Birdville ISD’s lead and develop a cadre of ambassadors. For more information about this innovative program, visit www.fotps.org. JIM WALSH is editor in chief of Texas School Business. Also a school attorney, he co-founded the firm of Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos & Green, P.C. He can be reached at jwalsh@wabsa.com or by visiting www.walshanderson.com. |
My sister-in-law is now retired from a long career teaching music to middle school kids in various school districts in Texas. I vividly remember her comment one day at a family gathering when the subject turned to public education and its many problems.
You know about FOTPS. The brainchild of Scott and Leslie Milder, FOTPS is probably best known for those colorful billboards that you are certain to pass if you drive on our major highways. FOTPS, like this magazine, is a counterweight to the negative publicity that draws a disproportionate amount of media attention. And now FOTPS has gone into the people-training business. Birdville ISD was the inaugural class in the first-ever Ambassador Training Academy.