Because these are prepared remarks by the speakers, I will not try to provide an abbreviation of words and pauses specifically chosen for effect. I have chosen a couple of “golden lines’ for each- standout quotes.
Video of the full panel will be made available by Representative Hughes after the conference is over.
TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
Photo Credit: Darein Spann.
(From Left to Right: Mary Margaret King, Anna Morris, Ginger Tedder, Erica Avent, Stacey Jackson Todd, Darein Spann, Amanda Koonlaba.)
AMANDA KOONLABA
“Pay attention. Show up. Use your voice.”
“We cannot continue to wait. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
DAREIN SPANN
“If not us, then who? Who will speak for the students? This is our profession. These are our students.”
“At this time, our voices have to be consistent, loud, strong, united. Go forth and speak up!”
STACEY JACKSON TODD
“We have fabulous educators in Mississippi. But that’s not what makes the news.”
“As educators we have a huge voice. We need to use it. That’s what will make the difference.”
ERICA AVENT
“I don’t ‘just teach.’ I transform.”
“As a superhero you have a superpower your voice is your superpower.”
GINGER TEDDER
“Step out of your classroom. Find a meaningful task. Get involved.”
“We are the change agents. We are the experts. We are the professionals.”
ANNA MORRIS
“Public schools are for everyone. No matter who comes through those doors, the public school says, ‘we have a place for you.'”
“Legislative bills have numbers. But for teachers they have a name. They have backpacks. They have faces.”
MARY MARGARET KING
“To engage with policy makers, you don’t have to know everything about policy, because you know about education. YOU’RE the education expert.”
“Our education policies have to enhance and support what we do in the classroom.”
Photo Credit: Darein Spann.
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
Photo Credit: AnaMaria Rosato.
SHANNON EUBANKS
“If there’s a choice between doing right by your students and scoring high on a test, do right by your students. To hell with the test.”
“Love your students. If you do nothing else, love your students and take a chance on them.”
Photo Credit: AnaMaria Rosato.
RANA MITCHELL
“If you don’t tell your story, somebody else will tell it. And odds are you won’t like their version.”
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Can we be squeaky? That should be a hashtag!”
Photo Credit: Lundy Brantley.
LUNDY BRANTLEY
“If your students had to interview you to hire their own teacher, what would you tell them?”
“The times they are a-changing. And we’d better change with them.”