Episode 33: From Washington Teacher of the Year to Abu Dhabi, UAE
I’ll share a short story about why this week’s guest on the podcast is significant. On April 24, 2019, at least three of my MinneSNOWtan friends sent text messages and emails to me about a recently released video from PBS News Hour. The title was about teachers on the brink. Now, what’s interesting is that my dissertation research focuses on AA teachers who left the US K-12 schools for educational opportunities in K-12 schools in the UAE so when my friends heard Nathan’s discussion during this interview, they instantly reached out to me with an urgency to listen. When I listened to this interview, the part that struck me most is basically what you’ll hear me discuss with Nathan Gibbs-Bowling, the guest on this week’s episode.
My personal reasons for wanting to connect with Nathan do not come close to describing the complexity of his career as an educator and educator advocate. Not only is Nathan the 2016 Washington State Teacher of the Year Recipient, one of four finalists for the 2016 National Teacher of the Year competition and co-founder of Teachers United, he has also been published in the Washington Post, Seattle Times, Huffington Post, and US Department of Ed Website.
Although the basis of the PBS News hour interview was about teacher attrition and factors that negatively impact teachers to leave US K-12 schools, Nathan announced his decision to leave the school he had been in for over a decade for a school in the UAE. After I listened to the interview, I reached out to Nathan on FB and informed him that I would be in the UAE and would love to connect with him once there. It was that connection that led to this amazing interview. Without further delay, here is my conversation with Nathan Gibbs Bowling.
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Twitter: @nate_bowling
https://www.natebowling.com
www.nerdfarmpod.com
Teachers United: http://teachersunitedwa.org/about
Teachers on the Brink PBS NewsHour: https://www.pbs.org/video/teachers-on-the-brink-1556064755/
(A)Broad in Education is produced by Tiffany Lachelle Smith, Music by Reallionaire Jream. You can access Lady Justice on his Post Cards Album on Sound Cloud. Royalty Free Music from Bensound
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