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 >>

Dr. Ivory Toldson, author of No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing They Hear about Black People, shared this profound statement at the talk hosted by D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice and  Eaton DC. on Wednesday, April 24.  Read more >>

By Ashley Chu.

One of the earliest stories children hear is the familiar tale of Cinderella. While there are hundreds of Cinderella narratives from dozens of cultures, the most common one in American households is the version that traces its origins to French author Charles Perrault’s 1967 Histoires ou contes du temps passé, Cendrillonin… Read more >>

On March 20th, 2019 the District of Columbia State Board of Education ceremonial resolution was officially passed, recognizing the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, CR19-6. The resolution proposed by Ward 8 member and Vice President of the State Board of Education, Markus Batchelor, received unanimous consent for the resolution.

On Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, teacher artist Alex Huttinger offered a workshop for 20 D.C. area teachers as part of Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. Read more >>

On Thursday, Feb. 7th, Center for Inspired Teaching held their second annual Intergenerational Speak Truth for the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. Students and community members from across the DC metro area gathered at Dunbar High School (DCPS) to engage in conversation focused on current social justice issues. 

In this new school year, we express our profound appreciation to Faye Colon for her work with Teaching for Change where she was the founding coordinator for the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice. We also welcome new staff members Rosalie Reyes and Rachel Mehl. Read more >>

More than 70 Alexandria City Public School (ACPS) administrators gathered at the Lee Community & Senior Center on April 24 for a workshop on culturally relevant curriculum facilitated by Teaching for Change staff Faye Colon and Deborah Menkart. Read more >>

Teaching for Change partnered with Filmfest DC: The Washington, DC International Film Festival for a seventh year to spread the word about the international film festival and to bring filmmakers into D.C. classrooms. Filmmakers from Queens in Training, Puerto Rico: Citizens in Peril, and The Foreigners' Home visited four classrooms. Students learned a lot from viewing the documentaries, preparing questions, and interacting with the filmmakers. Read more >>