AFT-Speeches

Selden talks about how teachers should care enough to strike. He says strikes shouldn't be looked at as bad, but rather as great, because that shows the teachers care enough about their jobs and the students to make improvements in the schools.

In this speech, Shanker starts by talking about the importance of CED reports, which signify the public’s political commitment to schools, education reports and sophisticated analysis that help to develop priorities when it comes to education. He also talks about changes that are happening in Public Education and those that are still needed.

In this speech “A Revolution that is Overdue”, Shanker discusses making the teaching profession more marketable to those who are in the higher grade percentiles in college; attracting excellent candidates as opposed to illiterate ones.

In this speech Shanker addresses restructuring American Education. He talks about creating a new different kind of school. He addresses the issues of teacher salary, reduced class sizes and allowing teachers more time to observe one another. He also talks about creating teams in the classroom to engage students as opposed to having them work alone, this “team spirit” he says will get the kids to want to work.

In this symposium article Shanker speaks about educating students in American Citizenship. He proposes the question of whether or not it is the educators job to adjust the students to the society that we have or prepare them to live in a changed society. There is dialogue on the last few pages from Dr. Stephan Fain, Professor at Florida International University, Simine Heise, Project Manager for Dade County Public Schools and Wilhimenia Tribble, director of Employee Management Development for the Metro-Dade County Government.