- [Justin Lee] My biggest teaching challenge
is the oversized classroom, because I want
to create genuine relationships with my students.
I love teaching, especially music,
because I get to share my passion with my students,
in the hopes it'll inspire them to find what
they're passionate about and to follow their dreams.
(audience applauds)
- Welcome back, that was Justin Lee,
an orchestra and band teacher at Mark Keppel High school
in Alhambra, California.
He's one of dozens of teachers
in our audience, joining us on World Teachers Day.
He's with us, along with the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden.
Give it up!
So, by a show of hands, who believes teaching
has never been more challenging than right now.
Yeah. Oh my god, we got a wave.
(laughs)
She was like, "Help!" (laughs)
That was awesome.
It was more than just a hand raise. I see you.
So, last month I visited Uvalde, Texas.
I'm a Texas girl, and 19 students and 2 teachers
were gunned down at Rob Elementary School.
You visited Uvalde as well.
- [Dr. Jill Biden] Yes.
[Kelly] So, how did it impact you as a teacher?
Cuz as a mother- a teacher and a mother, but like,
how does it impact you specifically, though, as a teacher?
- Oh my gosh. It was devastating.
It was so devastating when Joe and I, you know,
got out of the car and there were those 19 crosses
for the children with their pictures.
And Joe and I went up and put our hands
on each and every one, to know-
the parents know that we saw their children.
And you know, having lost a child myself,
I mean it was, it was just devastating when we met
with all those families and the teachers' families.
And so we know we've gotta do more. We've gotta do more.
We must ban assault weapons.
- Shortly after the Uvalde shooting,
an Aurora, Colorado English teacher
posted this very powerful video on TikTok.
- [Taylor Mora] The reality of being a teacher
is making sure your door can quickly lock
in case there's an active threat.
It's having a window cover you can quickly pull down.
Loving natural sunlight, but having to pull
down your window cover so no one can see
inside your classroom.
Making sure your safe place is always clear and accessible,
in the case an active threat happens
during your conference or lunch.
- We have that teacher with us, right now.
Please welcome Taylor Mora,
who teaches eighth grade in Aurora, Colorado.
(audience applauds)
- [Kelly] So, hello. Welcome to the show.
- [Taylor Mora] Thank you. Thanks for having me.
- [Kelly] It was so powerful. Like-
I just, I was telling you on the break,
I was like, "I remember worrying about tornado drills
as a kid, not these kinds of things."
Like, is that why you made this video?
Cuz it's so insane?
Like what you're having to deal with?
- Yes. I made this video because I wanted
to show the daily reality that teachers,
we have to go through and the things
that we have to think of. - [Kelly] Yeah.
- I hate that I have to think before leaving my husband
in the morning, you know, is this gonna be
the last time I'm gonna see you?
Is this gonna be the last time I'm gonna kiss you?
But that's something that I have to think of.
My previous school, we had active shooter drills,
probably about three times a year.
But that drill that I did in the video,
that's something I do every single day.
I don't allow my students to see me do that
because I don't wanna terrify them.
I want them to be focused on learning.
Even though doing that drill, you know, it terrifies me
because what if, you know, that day I have to implement it.
I made that TikTok because I want it to spark conversation,
and I want it to spark change.
Because, absolutely, enough is enough.
- Mhmm. Absolutely.
(audience applauds)
- [Kelly] How do we come together and stop these tragedies?
I know you were talking about assault weapons,
but do you also feel like, I mean,
every time I hear about the tragedy of the lost students,
I always think about the shooter, too.
Cuz I'm like, what is happening in that person's head?
Like, what is going on in their world
that that's where they went.
Like, we have also failed them. You know?
And it's- I mean, I don't know.
I don't know how this gets fixed, you know?
- Well, you know, I think there's several things, Kelly.
Like you said, I did this exact same thing
in my classroom, last week.
I said to my students, "You have to have a plan in your head
if there's an active shooter on campus."
And so, I did exactly what you do.
But you know, we did give more money for mental health,
so hopefully it'll help kids in the schools
that are dealing with problems, like the shooter.
And I think that we just have to, to come together
and have common sense gun laws, and pass them.
(audience applauds)
- We are back with First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden!
So, let's talk to more of the educators in our audience.
Tyson Jones is a teacher and principal
from my home state of Texas.
What's your question, Mr. Jones?
- Hi, Kelly. Hi, Dr. Biden. First of all,
what an honor to be talking to you both.
You could say some people wait a lifetime for-
- [Kelly] Oh, you did it! Ah, you did it.
(audience applauds and laughs)
- So, I've been in education for 14 years.
I taught second grade, I taught fourth grade,
and now I'm the proud principal
at Sigler Elementary School in Plano,
home of the Sigler Stars. Woo-woo!
- [Kelly] Yeah!
(audience applauds)
- [Tyson Jones] So our teachers-
I'm blessed. I have phenomenal teachers at my campus.
And I've noticed though, just as a nation
over the past few years, especially,
it seems like there's a growing amount
of distrust between schools and parents and communities.
Whether that's how we are choosing
to solve a discipline situation,
or how we're addressing Social Emotional Learning.
So, how would you suggest that we, as educators,
can start to rebuild that trust with us and our communities?
- [Dr. Biden] Well, you know, during the pandemic,
I actually saw the reverse. I saw where parents were saying,
"Wow, this job is hard. Thank goodness for what you do."
And I felt that parents were really thankful
to all of the teachers.
But I think, you know, we love, we love our students,
just like their parents do. And I think maybe
it just comes down to dialoguing with the parents.
And I don't know whether other teachers here
have other suggestions, but-
just this communication, open communication
with our student- to bring everyone together,
to be on the same page.
- I also think too, it's like-
it's like, one of my kids was held back.
And I think I get what you're saying, too, though,
because they - the teachers and the principal -
they were afraid, almost, to tell me
and my husband at the time
that we were gonna have to hold back one of our kids.
And we were like, "Okay."
But they were like, "Oh my God, that never happens.
Usually, parents get so frustrated that we-"
And we were like, well no, we recognize that,
you know, she kind of is having a hard time
and we can't figure out what it is.
She's too young to test. Like we can't-
We're like, "Totally cool."
- Yeah.
- But most of the time, it was like they've been battered.
Like, they were- like, literally they were just like
they get beat up anytime they come to parents.
And parents, you gotta know, like,
all kids learn at different times. Like, you know,
they grow differently. - [Dr. Biden] We know that.
Right? - Yeah.
But I think the thing is that parents should know that too.
Parents, I think you expect everything, and it's like,
just how I grew up and I didn't have to repeat a grade,
but so what? One of my kids does, and that's-
and now she's better, more prepared, you know?
Read "The Tipping Point."
Anyway. (Dr. Biden laughs)
So, thank you so much, Mr. Jones, for joining us.
- [Dr. Biden] Thank you.
(audience applauds)
- [Kelly] Next, I agree, though, I guess.
Communication between teachers and parents-
it's so important that you have that relationship.
Next is Ericca Dent, a second grade teacher
at Joaquin Miller Elementary in Burbank, California.
Hello. How are you doing today?
- Good, thank you. Thank you.
- [Kelly] So, what's your question?
- Well, hi Kelly. Hi, Dr. Biden.
- Hello.
- [Ericca Dent] I absolutely love teaching.
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to teach,
when I thought passing out papers was
the coolest thing you could do. And then, as I grew older,
I knew I wanted to help shape lives.
And it wasn't until my ninth grade year
that I had my first teacher of Color.
So, I know the importance of representation.
But I am concerned. I know that I feel,
and I'm pretty sure other educators in the room feel,
that teaching is getting harder.
I know not many people are entering the profession
and so many teachers are considering quitting.
What do you think we should do to be able
to keep this diverse group of teachers,
and then also help feel supported?
- [Dr. Biden] So I think, you know,
we are our own best advocates, I think, for the profession.
We know how much we love teaching. It's who we are, right?
And so, I think we are the ones.
We have to be the messengers that go out
and spread the word. Like, if you're in some job
that you don't like, come and teach.
Because you'll find meaning every day.
You'll find that you can change someone's life.
And what our administration is doing, which I love,
is that they are now paying for apprenticeships.
We're gonna pay you
until you get your teaching certification.
So now these teaching apprenticeships
are one of the things that we're aiming for.
Plus, we must have more teachers of Color.
- [Kelly] And I know that you said it was important for you
to see someone that maybe looked like you,
when you were a kid, but it's also important for my kid
to see all different walks of life.
- [Dr. Biden] Yeah.
- [Kelly] Like that's, I think that's just as important.
Like, representation isn't just for one type of person.
It's for everyone to see everything.
(audience applauds) That's the important part.
- [Dr. Biden] Yeah. - [Kelly] Yeah.
Thank you so much, Ms. Dent!