Ninive Calegari founded and serves as president of The Teacher Salary Project, a non-profit designed to build the political will necessary to transform how US society values effective teachers.
The Teacher Salary Project‘s film, American Teacher, held its first preview screening in May 2011 at the San Francisco International Film Festival and was officially released in major US cities in the Fall of 2011. The movie was created to address the urgent need to change how the teaching profession is valued in the USA. Ultimately, the mission of the work is to honor teachers and to demonstrate that they are critical to the viability of democracy and economy. The goal is to propel teaching into the prestigious, desirable, and financially viable profession that it deserves to be.
What motivates you?
I’ve had different motivations at different stages of my career. I realized early on that teaching was a way to change lives – more effective than politics. But good teachers make the job look easy, and few people realize the amount of work and preparation that goes into teaching. The teaching profession should be valued and respected, and I don’t believe many Americans feel that way.
What is your hope for the future of education?
My hope is that college students aspire to be teachers, not just doctors and lawyers.
Right now, I think the interest is there, but the students aren’t willing to take a vow of poverty to pursue the profession.
What are your hopes for American Teacher, now showing in communities around the U.S.?
When we wrote the book, it was meant for a wide audience, but was mostly read by teachers. Our hope for the film is that it sparks a broader public conversation about the crisis facing education today. With millions of teachers leaving the profession in the next few years, it’s critical that we honor teachers as professionals and provide them with the resources they need.
What’s next for you?
I’m optimistic that the current budget crisis will prompt a sober conversation about the state of education and the teaching profession. It could be the pivot point to move us in the right direction. I don’t know what I’ll do next, but I have dreams of being a 2nd grade teacher, making another film and starting a teacher training school. I was lucky to have support, mentorship and trust when I was training as an educator, and I think all teachers deserve that.
Does the teaching profession face the same challenges in other countries? And what else can be done to ensure teachers get the support and respect they deserve?
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About Ninive Calegari
Ninive Calegari is a veteran teacher with almost ten years’ experience in the classroom. She is the cofounder and former executive director of 826 Valencia, and most recently served as the CEO of 826 National. She is also a co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teachers.
Birthplace: San Francisco, Califorinia, USA
Current Residence: San Francisco, California, USA
Education: Master’s Degree in Education in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education
Favorite Books: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers (Calegari’s collaborator) and Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
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From a joint statement by UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, ILO and Education International on the oocsaicn of W If we want to give equal opportunities to our daughters and sons to realize their full potential and claim their rights, we must devise policies and strategies that attract and motivate capable women and men to teach, while also enabling them to create gender-equal learning environments. More and better education for all requires good teachers and incentives to encourage male and female teachers into all areas and levels of teaching. This will ensure that boys and girls have appropriate role models throughout their schooling.