Summary: On November 30, 2016, I sat down for a conversation with Oklahoma’s 2016 Teacher of the Year, Shawn Sheehan. <br> That conversation became episode 045 of Principal Matters. In today’s post, I want to replay that conversation.<br> At the time, Shawn had just ended a campaign season in a failed attempt to win a state Senate seat. We talked about lessons in failure, the nobility of teaching, and empowering teachers. This school year, Shawn is a teacher in Lewisville, Texas. The story of <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/former-oklahoma-teacher-of-the-year-who-left-for-texas/article_ec05e18d-ee22-53de-abbd-3170c075c2db.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> his departure for higher pay</a> has been shared on a state and national stage.<br> On March 20, 2018, the New York Times ran the article: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/us/oklahoma-teachers-strike.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Their Pay Has Stood Still. Now Oklahoma Teachers Could Be the Next to Walk</a>.<br> As the nation watches Oklahoma’s response to an impending teacher work-stoppage, I thought it would be helpful to listen to a conversation from the past. Very few people have advocated as much as Shawn Sheehan for support of Oklahoma teachers, and his conversation will remind you of some important takeaways:<br> 1. You cannot let failure define you, and you cannot give up hope on a better tomorrow.<br><br> 2. You cannot let lack of support keep you from encouraging others to love teaching.<br><br> 3. You must wear two hats: the hat of the educator and the hat of the advocate.<br><br> 4. School leaders must empower their teachers by allowing them to take risks and dream big.<br> I hope you enjoy the replay of the conversation. I hope it reminds us all why we must keep fighting to attract and retain quality teachers for our schools.<br> Interview with Shawn Sheehan<br> Shawn is the 2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for National Teacher of the Year. He is an Algebra I teacher from Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma.<br> He is also the founder of the <a href="http://www.teachlikeme.org/" target="_blank">Teach Like Me Campaign</a>, a national movement focused on counteracting negative public perception of teachers and redefining those assumptions through social media campaigns to boost morale among current and future educators.<br> 4 Questions Shawn Answers<br> 1. How has failure pushed you to re-focus on your priorities as an educator and a person?<br><br> 2. Why “Teach Like Me”? Why are you so passionate about redefining the public perception of teaching?<br><br> 3. What advice do you have for educators who are struggling during “tougher” political days ahead for schools?<br><br> 4. What advice do you have for school leaders to better serve their teachers, schools and communities?<br> Teach Like Me Links<br> <a href="http://www.teachlikeme.org/" target="_blank">Teach Like Me</a> –A website celebrating the positives of what teachers do everyday.<br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO_CRy6IuTaA3z3_NnHV2B4Jocpmwj5Mk" target="_blank">Teacher Like Me Teacher Showcase Videos</a><br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtYjQ6dkcA" target="_blank">Teach Like Me –Shawn’s Intro Video</a><br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgs-IzcCcNo" target="_blank">Teach Like Me Video Series 1</a><br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6yFmZepxw8" target="_blank">Teach Like Me Video Promo</a><br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3_TjAvvTg" target="_blank">Teach Like Me Video Showcase 1</a><br><br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyfVeDlOxPU" target="_blank">Teach Like Me Video Showcase 2</a><br><br> <a href="http://shawnsheehan.com/" target="_blank">Shawn’s website and blog</a> <br> Contact: You can find Shawn Sheehan via Twitter at his handle <a href="https://twitte..."></a>
