Eggers to Give Teachers a Voice

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Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 6/2/2008 12:51:00 PM

One writer, a pirate-supply shop, and a video diary about teachers just might help change our educational system. At least that’s the hope of acclaimed author Dave Eggers, who this fall plans to start shooting a documentary that will illustrate a year in the life of teachers—and hopefully school the public on the challenges educators face.
The idea grew from Eggers’ project, 826 National, a writing and tutoring center he dreamt of while finishing one of his books. The first 826 outpost in San Francisco originally housed his publishing arm, McSweeney’s, along with a tutoring site and a retail shop that caters to pirate supplies. 
Eggers, author of What Is the What (McSweeney’s, 2006) spoke about 826 National, which has since opened in six other cities, and the documentary project with the Learning First Alliance (LFA) last week. 
“How do we keep the best teachers teaching?” Eggers asks during the conversation with LFA. It’s a concern that grew as he watched some of San Francisco’s best teachers leave for jobs in real estate and even software programming just to earn a salary that could support their families. 
Eggers has long championed the educational system, and as one of the 2008 TED (Technology, Education, Design) Prize winners, Eggers made his wish at the TED conference that 1,000 of the TED attendees participate in another one of his projects, OnceUponASchool.org, by creating their own projects with a local school, and then sharing the results on the site.
To date, 61 projects have been recorded. Here’s hoping his wish comes true.