ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Whereas colleges throughout the state of Alaska are searching for methods to stretch funding and retain lecturers, one group desires to share tales on a bigger stage.
“Teacher Tales” took to the stage at Beartooth Theatrepub in Anchorage Wednesday evening for most people. The occasion featured seven educators, each present and retired, throughout a present that organizer Sarah Cronick described as “medication.”
“We created this as a result of we’re educators and we all know educators and we love educators,” Cronick stated. “They’re invested in an important factor that we’ve proper now in our society, which is our younger folks, and that is simply an expression of gratitude. The tales that these educators are going to share tonight will knock your socks off.”
Cronick partnered with Matt Sugita, an Anchorage instructor of 31 years, to make the occasion attainable. Cronick stated that the occasion comes at a time when Alaska is going through a “disaster in schooling.”
“There’s loads of low morale, and it’s a approach for us to heal as a neighborhood, as a bunch,” Sugita stated. “And never simply the lecturers, however the college students too, and all people’s mother and father. All people must become involved.”
Sugita and Cronick co-hosted Tuesday’s present, emceeing the tales of the seven different educators on stage.
Among the many seven was Richard Bierer, a math instructor at Anchorage STrEaM Academy, earlier than {that a} instructor at East Anchorage Excessive College, and Newhalen College close to Lake Iliamna.
After working within the school rooms of Anchorage, in addition to a smaller city, Bierer stated what Alaskan lecturers want is assist.
“We’re capable of deal with what’s inside the classroom very effectively,” Bierer stated. “However simply that continued assist of individuals, and human rising, and turning into neighborhood members, and welcoming them in and educating them how you can function exterior of the classroom, I feel could be our greatest assist.”
Present lecturers weren’t the one ones sharing their story both. Retired instructor Tami Phelps taught at Denali Montessori Elementary College up till 2009. Now in her retired life, she is a visible artist, however nonetheless emphasizes the worth of schooling and the Montessori philosophy of “following the kid.”
“Respect for self, for others, and the atmosphere,” Phelps stated. “I actually consider that and that has carried by way of with my art work, and hopefully it did with my educating.”
In search of to broaden the main focus past simply brick and mortar colleges, Instructor Tales additionally invited these exterior of the classroom, however with deep ties to schooling.
“My spouse was a instructor for over 20 years,” stated storyteller Jeffrey Chon. “After which once we began this enterprise six years in the past, we went all in on the enterprise to import espresso and roast to our lovely state.”
Chon and his spouse run Genesis Espresso Lab, which imports and roasts espresso from Ethiopia, the place they’ve additionally invested money and time into growing a neighborhood faculty. That college has grown from 50 college students to over 1000 within the final 20 years, in accordance with Chon.
“An enormous mission of our firm isn’t simply to take espresso and promote it right here,” Chon stated. “However to really give again a share of our earnings again to totally different initiatives and academic initiatives in Ethiopia that we’ve been partnered with for actually twenty years.”
Tuesday was not the primary present for Instructor Tales, they usually hope to develop it additional into others. In the end, Cronick and Sugita hope to create a feature-length documentary with the tales which are shared with them.
“These are among the wisest, most expert folks that must be revered in each attainable approach,” Cronick stated. “As a result of you realize, who’re they caring and tending for? You already know, that’s the longer term, and if we’re not investing all the pieces in these younger ones, what are we doing?”
“I agree,” Sugita stated in response.
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
