This week, The Great American Teach-In returned to Tampa Bay area schools. Held annually, the Teach-In had to revert to a virtual platform last year. This year, participants were allowed back on campuses to participate in person.
The event is part of American Education Week, which is held annually the week before Thanksgiving. It celebrates the public school community across the country and honors those who work in our nation’s public schools. During the Teach-In, participants are encouraged to visit classrooms, from kindergarten through 12th grade, to talk about their careers or hobbies. Over the years, thousands of volunteers have visited local schools to share their careers and passions. “It’s the perfect opportunity for parents, business leaders, and community members to share information with students about careers, hobbies, sports, etc.,” said first-grade teacher, Stacy Kelley. “Our kids thoroughly enjoy the day learning about the big world!” For many students, it often gives them insight to future opportunities that they may have never thought to consider.
I had the opportunity to speak at a few local schools about what it’s like to write for Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine, and what goes into writing for print and online. Two second grade classes at Westchase Elementary helped me write for our website, while two first grade classes at Mary Bryant Elementary got to design their own magazines using inspiration from past issues of our publication.
The rest of this article was written with assistance by Mrs. Komarek and Mrs. Garcia’s second grade classes during my visit!
What’s So Cool About School?
My favorite things about my school are science, field trips, recess, making projects, math, everything, STEM, art, PE, reading, music, and writing.
In second grade, I love new nice teachers, that you can do different activities, you get to switch classes, you get to use computers, learn new things, make new different friends, doing Prodigy, reading lots of new books, practicing for the fire drill.
What makes me happy at school is seeing friends, seeing your teachers, getting reward coupons, learning new things, having fun, disguising turkeys, building with marshmallows and toothpicks, playing Halloween bingo with candy and eating cupcakes, doing Candyland, Rock your School Day, character parade, getting to do things you didn’t get to do before in first grade, and going on field trips.
School is important because we need to learn, we need to get to college, we need to use our brains, we need to be smart, do hard work and focus, and you need to learn what you want to be when you grow up.
When I grow up, I want to be a teacher, an artist, a designer, paleontologist, marine biologist, a builder, a soccer player, professional baseball player, firefighter, Roblox gamer, YouTuber, veterinarian, doctor, scientist, crossing guard, zookeeper, dancer, army man, Chick Fil A worker, a comic artist, a PE teacher, an astronaut, a break dance teacher, gymnastics coach, an NFL football player, hockey player, and a nurse.
THANK YOU to all the volunteers who made a difference and participated in The Great American Teach-In!
*All pictures posted with permission
