Back to school: Listen to the teachers

It’s that time of year—Back to School!  A time of great possibility and excitement for students and their families. Beginning this week and extending through mid-September, students across the United States will be headed back to school and a new year of opportunity and learning.

At the Foundation, we have a passion for America’s public schools and know that teachers are the experts on teaching—they know the most about what works best in the classroom. There’s no better time of year than now to ask teachers about what they need to succeed for the year ahead and beyond. Bill and Melinda Gates did just that in a series of interviews they conducted in preparation for Back to School.

Check out the GatesNotes blog to read and watch what happens when teachers get to take the lead. Follow the conversation on Facebook and Twitter for exciting new stories and opportunities.

“…If more of us entered into conversations with teachers and got to hear them talk about what’s possible for our kids and our classrooms, we’d be a lot more optimistic about education. I know I am.” – Melinda Gates

Infectious enthusiasm

“Teaching is about relationships”

Read Bill Gate’s account of meeting Lyon Terry, the 2015 Teacher of the Year, the value of mistakes, and the importance of listening to teachers.

Teachers who tweet

There are 3 million teachers in the United States, and they do almost all of their work on their own—teaching students, preparing lessons, solving problems—because their colleagues are down the hall in their own classrooms, doing the same thing. Read about how social media is breaking down silos then watch Melinda’s conversation with teacher leaders to hear about the tools and resources they need to best support their students.