In this episode of the EDULearn Ask Me Anything Podcast, we welcome Dr. Rose Wan-Mui Chu, a tireless advocate for the teaching profession and the project lead for Elevate Teaching. With a distinguished career spanning roles as a Professor Emerita of Urban Education, a Bush Fellow, and the founder of Plum Blossom Strategy LLC, Dr. Chu brings a wealth of experience and a systems-change perspective to the conversation. Her work centers on equity, inclusion, and transforming public perceptions of teaching to reflect its profound societal impact.
Dr. Chu discusses the inspiration and mission behind Elevate Teaching, a state-funded movement aimed at shifting the narrative around teaching and inspiring a racially and culturally diverse new generation of educators. Drawing on her years of leadership and advocacy, she shares insights into the challenges facing the teaching profession today—including teacher retention, diversity gaps, and societal misconceptions—and the powerful role of storytelling and community engagement in addressing these issues.
Listeners will be inspired by Dr. Chu’s vision of a teaching profession grounded in respect, inclusion, and cultural relevance. Whether you're an educator, policy-maker, or someone passionate about the future of education, this episode offers a compelling call to action to become a champion for the teaching profession.
Tune in to hear Dr. Chu’s reflections, actionable strategies, and the powerful message that every teacher, every day, has the ability to transform lives. Together, we can reimagine what it means to teach and elevate the profession to the respect it deserves.
Timestamps
[02:45] Dr. Chu introduces herself
[05:30] Societal Perception of Teachers
[07:13] Reimagining How We Relate to the Profession
[09:45] How We Talk About Ourselves (Qualitative Data)
[11:20] The Importance of Community and Belonging
[13:30] The Six Messages in the Elevate Teaching Toolkit
[16:55] Teaching is Evolving
[19:50] Teaching is Opportunity
[24:50] There is a Big World of Education Out There
[27:35] Positive Restarts; Privilege & Opportunity
[31:50] Making the Most of Professional Development Opportunities
[33:50] How is Your Administration Supporting Your Development?
[38:50] Belonging and Attraction of Talent
[42:25] Parents are Are Critical
[45:15] Cultural Celebrations in Community
[49:30] AMA Spitfire
[52:55] Final Thoughts on Teaching Is Legacy
[53:45] How You Can Find Dr. Chu’s Work
Notable Quotes
“[...] teachers don't leave because they don't love their students. Oftentimes it is because they don't feel a sense of belonging, either in their team, or district, or school, or maybe in a community where they feel that the community isn't supportive of something that he or she is doing, or the school is doing right. That sense of belonging is so important.”
“[...] What does it mean for teachers to embrace that we don’t have to be victims of the system while fixing the system?”
“I don't talk about quitting engineering. I talk about moving myself to another environment. You know what I'm saying? It could be a different job that I'm doing [...] What can we do to create another environment for you.”
Let’s Connect
Connect With Dr. Rose Chu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosewchu/
Email:
Website: https://www.elevateteaching.us/
More Resources
Stories from the field. Teachers do incredible things for their students every day; search inspiring vignettes by the six core messages.
Elevate Teaching. Use this messaging toolkit to shift how we view, talk about, and relate to the profession. Together we can share the profound impact teachers have in our society.
Read Dr. Chu’s article, “Elevating the Teaching Profession” and hear how she addresses the image problem in teaching at such a critical time.