EdLeader Episode 21 - A Shelter from the Storm

Dedicated to teachers everywhere, for the 21st episode of EdLeader, Dr. Jackson sits down with Regional Teacher of the Year Julie Pittman to discuss the importance of teachers giving students a space to feel safe, a space to learn, and a shelter from the storm. This is a time of great unrest in our country as the fear and worry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing protests against racism and the excessive use of police force leave our children scared and confused as chaos swirls around them. For students, though, there is a shelter from the storm, our teachers and EdLeaders who shine a light of hope, of strength, of safety, and of belief.

Julie Pittman was called to be an educator and community builder. She is a proud public school graduate, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Speech Communications, as well as a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2003, she joined Rutherford County Schools as a high school English teacher at R-S Central High School, and was named the NC Western Region Teacher of the Year. Outside of school, Julie is a wife and a mother of twin daughters, and is also a member of several civic and community groups in Western NC and across the state that support education, women, children, and communities. She thrives on motivating students to find their own voices and roles as citizens of this world, as well as inspiring fellow teachers to grow their skills by expanding their classrooms into the global community. Ultimately, she believes each of us shares a role in supporting and nurturing all students, and thus shaping our collective future.


Julie Pittman - @twinologist