Shanker

have spent almost 40 years as a teacher and a trade unionist majority of those years were spent in
fighting to gain collective bargaining rights for teachers and in using the collective bargaining process to
improve teachers' salaries and working conditions. But during the past decade, I've devoted most of my
time and energy working to professionalize teaching and to restructure our schools. Some of the people
who hear me speak now seem to think this represents an about face on my part

Shanker helped New York City teachers gain collective bargaining rights and achieve the first
contract in any major city in the United States.

Shanker anticipated, analyzed, and advocated major changes in education. Through this forum
and his role as national president of the American Federation of Teachers, Shanker's focus
broadened from improving teachers' working conditions to improving the performance of the
educational system as a whole through sweeping restructuring and reform.

teaching as a profession. He first floats the idea of a rigorous national teachers exam in a speech

His ideas about teacher unionism, improving schools, and the importance
of public education have substantially shaped the perspective of the
modern AFT. 

preserve a system of public education against those who would like to see
it dismantled in favor of a system of private-school vouchers." Explaining
his plan to defend public education by improving it,

He redefined the role of union leader to include advocacy of education

reform, and was constantly trying out thoughtful ideas for improvement.
The need to counter bad ideas with good ones is as vital today as it was 10
or 20 years ago. All of us in education still have much to learn from his life.

As head of a union of teachers, Shanker stood at the intersection of the two

great engines for equality in the U.S.—public education and organized
labor.

By the mid 1980s, Shanker was ready to move into high gear with his
agenda to reinvent teacher unionism and promote the professionalization of
teaching. 
Christa McAuliffe was an ordinary teacher chosen to represent
and brighter future for all. She was to be the first civilian in
space, exemplifying the opportunistic values of American
dreamers.
Christa was a genuine hard worker she is heroic; she worked extremely hard to make her dreams come
true. I know that I probably wouldn't want my life to be put in danger, but McAuliffe was okay with that.
She wanted to teach from space, she wanted to succeed. All of her training made her temporarily stop
what she loved, which was teaching. She loved teaching, and it was difficult for her to stop teaching for a
year to accomplish this new dream of hers. Stopping what I love is very difficult for me and I can't imagine
what I would do if I had stop my sports for a year. Only a strong person physically and mentally could do
this and that is what Christa did.

Not only was Christa a hard worker and one to try new activities, but she also inspired others to

do their best, and this is the third reason why she was heroic. Christa McAuliffe said "Well reach for it.

You know, go for it. Push yourself as far as you can, because if I can get this far, you can do it too. Reach

for the stars I'll be there" (Beckman). For her to say this to all of her peers, it is really meaningful. And now

we have the inspiration to go for our dreams. She pushed herself to succeed and she did it. Christa

wanted her students and those around her to do well in their lives. "As teachers we prepare the students

for the future." Christa promised to share her adventure with her students through a journal (Christa). She

wanted her students to do the best that they could, and she wanted to show them that it is possible to

achieve your dreams by teaching from space. With what Christa did in her life she did show that it was

possible to achieve your dreams. Because she inspired many, Christa holds a place in many people's

hearts for what she did.

Looking up in the night sky, at all of the stars, I know that Christa is up there waiting up there for

all of us to reach for the stars and achieve our goals. Christa McAuliffe was a special person. With hard

work and many years of school she became a teacher and then later got the opportunity to teach from

space. After a huge tragedy, she is a now a hero in my eyes. She was a hard worker, she tried something

new, and she inspired others to do their best. With all of these qualities, to me Christa McAuliffe is a hero.
Determined to teach

bringing his students to greatness.

 he gave kids from a bad area a brighter future by teaching them the value of
learning and the benefits of a good education. He encouraged them to work
hard so they could make something great out of their lives. He didn't only
encourage his students to work hard and retake the extremely hard Calculus
test for the benefit of his own reputation, he did it to make them feel good
about themselves - so they would be proud of what they had achieved. His
incredible work touches me. It motivates me to continue to try hard in school so
I can reach my life’s goals and aspirations. He taught me that the sky is the limit
– you can achieve anything with hard work and determination, the same lesson
he taught his students. 

inspire me to become someone great. They inspire me to reach for the stars,
and go for my dreams, without letting anyone bring me down. He is a
motivation to everyone, young and old, because his inspiring words and heroic
actions show people that anything is possible. Jaime Escalante is the true
example of a hero - someone who works to improve the lives of others,
someone who puts others before themselves, and most importantly, someone
who does not expect a reward for their actions. Heroes help others through
kindness in their hearts.

Escalante was far more than a teacher, he was a great hero. He changed his
students’ lives with his encouragement. He saw potential in his students that
they had never seen before and pushed them to amazing heights. Escalante not
only touched his pupils, but he touches everyone who reads his story. In my
mind, he will never be forgotten. I will always remember him as a man with a
most valuable lesson – strive for excellence and never give up on your hopes
and dreams.

 teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight
on the important role teachers play in society.
Jesus Insilada’s approach to teaching is known as culture-based education (CBE), which he models
in his school throughout the curriculum. A proud member of the Indigenous People’s Panay
Bukidnon community, he hopes education throughout his country will become truly inclusive and
culture-sensitive.

With this approach, students become engaged in their education, learning through traditional
dances, songs, epics, local games and crafts that give context to their studies.

foster learning among their students instead of complaining about difficulties in their work and the
things their classrooms lack.

 serves as a role model to all Filipino learners, especially to IP students, and noted
that everyone – even those in the marginalized sector – must not be afraid to reach
their aspirations as opportunities are given not only to those in the urban centers.