Lately, teachers seem to be getting a bad rap. We’ve seen a year-long wave of teacher strikes provoked by deep budget cuts, punctuated by a nationally publicized comment from the president’s son about “loser teachers.”
In the face of such hostility, what can teachers do? Here’s one solution: Tell our stories.
Why? Because, as any English teacher can tell you, stories help us to understand each other. From a psychological perspective, the parts of the brain involved in story comprehension overlap with those involved in theory of mind (the ability to infer and understand that others can think differently than we do). In fact, studies have found that listening to one person’s story can enhance our empathy, give us a greater sense of purpose and connection, and even inspire compassionate action.
Teachers of Oakland, an organization challenging the broader narrative about our educational system, zooms in on the vivid personal stories of teachers in a way that humanizes them and inspires community support. Highlighting several teachers’ stories per week on social media, Teachers of Oakland offers community members the opportunity to share their appreciation for featured teachers through a “#RaiseYourHand” campaign.