Rank and File Leadership Program
(Rank-and-File: Individual members of an organization, exclusive of its leadership)
In several U.S. cities, teachers committed to social justice have mobilized to strengthen their unions. Teachers Unite seeks to support public school educators to practice social justice unionism to effectively advocate for educational equity. Participants in this program will learn grassroots and labor organizing methods to mobilize rank-and-file union members and practices to better collaborate with parents, youth and community allies.
Organizing Trainings for School Chapters and Borough Organizing Trainings
Teachers Unite members and staff regularly offer organizing trainings and workshops for union members who are interested in the nuts and bolts of how to increase union members' participation in their local school chapter, bring a social justice lens to their chapter work, and collaborate with parents and stuents at their school. If you are interested in an organizing workshop or 2 day training for your chapter or a group of teachers at your school, contact info@teachersunite.net.
Annual Summer Organizing Institute
August 26-29th, 2011, Teachers Unite sponsored what we believe was a historic first: an Organizing Institute reaching 25 NYC public school teachers and 20 youth leaders of the Urban Youth Collaborative! Teachers were thrilled to learn alongside our youth allies in the Dignity in Schools Campaign.
Participants learned models of campaign organizing (transactional vs. transformative), and examples of student/teacher/parent collaboration at the school site and the existing power structures to support such collaborations in school leadership.
One teacher participant commented: "The joint student-teacher interaction opened up the enormous potential of working with students."
Workshops at the Organizing Institute included:
- How to Conduct an Organizing Conversation;
- School Staff Organizing with Parents and Youth at the School SiteIntro to School Leadership Teams;
- How to Plan Creative Actions;
- How to Plan a Media Campaign
One teacher commented: "I learned a lot about how to listen to others and understand their needs...Much of my work with Teachers Unite has changed much of the frame I work from and this was just an intensive three day experience."
Teachers Unite members are entitled to ask TU for support with further trainings on how to organize, develop strategic campaigns and transform existing power structures. To get involved, come to our monthly Member Meetings, open to educators, parents, youth and community members.
Past Leadership Development Sessions
Janurary 29, 2011: Organizing Your School Community
Strategies to Inform, Engage and Mobilize Your Colleagues
Teachers with experience organizing their chapters will respond to the questions of colleagues just starting out with chapter organizing.
Lois Weiner will be facilitating and will be incorporating stories/experiences into a teacher-organizing handbook she's working on with Teachers Unite. She will give credit in the publication to those teachers participating. See Photos!
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December 8, 2010: UFT and Unionism 101
What is the structure of the UFT? How does it work? If it's democratic, what do we need to know about how it functions? UFT veterans show us the ropes! Brong your questions about UFT decision-making. Get ongoing support with organizing your chapter.
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November 13, 2010: Rank and File Organizing For Leadership
Jen Johnson and Al Ramirez from CORE
What can we learn from Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators or CORE? This new caucus won leadership of Chicago Teachers Union through grassroots organizing, and citywide mobilization. Learn from CORE leaders some keys to their organizing success, and their vision for a new kind of teacher unionism. See
photos!
