SALT- Support A Local Teacher

Dreaming Big at Big Dream Gathering

We have a dream.                           

A BIG Dream.

And this week, we're going to join others at the Big Dream Gathering to share, inspire, brainstorm, and support Big Dreams.

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Who's We:  Angela Maiers and Mike Sansone -- and Mitch Matthews in a Big (Dreamy) Way.
What's What: Support a Local Teacher - an organization being designed to bridge gaps between business, education, and workforce and professional development.
Where & When: Big Dream Gathering, Tuesday, May 13th. 6:30 - 10:00pm at Polk County Convention Ctr (map)
Here's How: We'll download the Big Dream sheet and post it on the wall during the gathering. You can join in the dreaming by grabbing your own Big Dream Worksheet (pdf)

Listen to some other Big Dreamers on Mitch's podccasts...then join us at the Big Dream Gathering

(this post cross-posted at Support a Local Teacher, ConverStations, and Maiers Educational Svcs)

A Work in Progress: S.A.L.T. Manifesto

      Support a Local Teacher       
      (S.A.L.T.)    

  Manifesto

Nothing will change or improve in education without teacher support and support of teachers.  It is the goal of Support A Local Teacher (S.A.L.T) to find funding to further the professional development of local teachers. This is the working start of our manifesto:

1. Smart teachers will produce smart kids.  Teacher expertise matters

2. Ensure excellence in learning by ensuring excellence in teaching first.

3. Create a bridge between the language and practice gaps of business and education

4. Find funding resources for teachers seeking professional development from seminars, workshops, books or other materials.

5. Motivate companies to finance their local educators in professional development needs outside of and in addition to the normal state or school funded development.

6. Help foster continuing relationships between these companies and local educators.

7. Promote and evangelize professional development processes geared towards developing a 21st century learning environment and critical thinking.

8. Foster a learning environment to produce critical thinkers, informed citizenry and a better democratic, independent, collaborative society.

7. Smart teachers will produce smart kids.  Teacher expertise matters

8. Ensure excellence in learning by ensuring excellence in teaching first.

Thanks to Matthew Needleman at Creating Lifelong Learners for the great video.

Once Upon a School: TED Talk with Dave Eggers

Great Inspiration (and collaboration) is often found outside of the classroom. Here's TED Prize Winner Dave Eggers, founder of Once Upon a School.

Wow! There's gotta be an idea we can all use or build off of into something for our area. If not, you can also create and submit an idea -- maybe even find a sponsor. These stories are all about local. Locally sponsored, locally built, locally funded.

Great Stories.  The goal?  Simply this - 1000 inspiring stories and examples of transformative partnerships. They're up to 28. Watch the video, create something spectacular, share your story.

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• Dave Eggers' TED Talk [via Zemanta]

Just Getting Started

The idea of Support A Local Teacher (S.A.L.T.) came about in a discussion between Angela Maiers and Mike Sansone in preparation for a meeting with a large manufacturer in Iowa about professional development of local teachers.

The genesis of the idea was born due to some response by a few teachers wanting to attend Angela's Midwest Literacy Workshop, but not having the funds to attend. Mike thought this was ridiculous. Not that teachers wouldn't pay, but that they couldn't get corporate sponsorships from area businesses.

For years, the business community has cried out how education is not preparing the right kind of workforce necessary. Here, we have teachers willing to learn -- and it's our hope that an organization like S.A.L.T. can bridge the gap between business and education.

More to come...

Support a Local Teacher

If businesses want help from teachers to prepare students for the workforce, help teachers by sponsoring their professional development needs.