Teach Like Me

Schools across the country have been adversely affected by the

extreme teacher shortage.  The shortage isn't new, it's just that we're 

really starting to feel it now.  That's why in October of 2013, while

participating in the OKMath and OKScience Leadership Group, I

created theTeach Like Me Campaign.  

 

The Teach Like Me Campaign's main goal is to improve teacher recruitment and retention by redefining and professionalizing the teaching profession.  I recognized that teachers need to do a better job of speaking positively about our job.  It's easy to focus on all the negative things that surround education, so I asked teachers to come together and start sharing the good things about why we love teaching.  

 

The campaign gained momentum on May 6th, 2013, when the first Teach Like Me Day was held.  We asked teachers everywhere to post on social media what they teach and why they love teaching it.  The result was amazing and news feeds on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter filled up with teachers posting positively about our career.  Teachers were asked to include the hashtag #TeachLikeMe with their posts in hopes it would trend on social media sites.

 

Today, Teach Like Me is still growing and is now a non-profit organization, officially known as Teach Like Me Inc.!  With school districts facing increasing budget cuts, we believe there is an opportunity for Teach Like Me Inc. to step in and provide engaging, responsive professional learning opportunties that will strengthen educators and the students and communities they serve.

 

As we move forward, we will continue to produce short videos intended for social media sites that remind the public how challenging and rewarding the profession of teaching can be.  We want to keep balancing the negativity with positive messages and we want to make sure teachers are in control of the teacher narrative.  We're also trying to secure bigger teacher discounts at popular retailers and businesses.  If we can get businesses to invest in educators by helping them keep more money in their pockets, we'll really give a much-needed morale boost to educators!

 

We encourage teachers everywhere to keep finding ways to share your love and passion for this profession with everyone around you. Keep sharing all the positive moments and inspirations of teaching on social media sites and to keep using the hashtag #TeachLikeMe. Don't let the negativity weigh you down.  There's a reason why you love your job.  Share that reason with your friends, family, children and students.  Soon, it will be clear that teaching is the best job in the world because WE say it is!

 

-Shawn Sheehan

  2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year

  Teach Like Me, Inc. Founder