You’re invited: Hear true stories told by local teachers at this storytelling event

woman holds microphone and talks
Makayla Imrie shared her story of surviving her first year of teaching at a story slam hosted by Teachers Lounge Indy and Chalkbeat Indiana in September 2019. The teacher-focused storytelling event will return on Nov. 16 in Indianapolis. (Screenshot Chalkbeat Staff)

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.

The infamous “teacher voice” — we all know it, and now you can hear directly from local educators about the times they may have needed to use it.

Join us for the “Don’t Make Me Use My Teacher Voice” teacher story slam from 6 to 8 p.m Thursday, Nov. 16, at Ash & Elm Cider Company, 1301 E Washington Street in Indianapolis. The event will be hosted by Teachers Lounge Indy along with Chalkbeat Indiana and Indy Kids Winning.

Teachers Lounge Indy was formed to help early-career teachers build community, said organizer Ronak Shah. The group last hosted a story slam in 2019. Since then, many in the group have moved on and are no longer early in their careers.

However, Shah said a current teacher encouraged him to bring the event back, so he revived it.

To attend, register here for a free ticket on Eventbrite: https://ckbe.at/3FSCr6z.

Also, if you’re an educator and want to tell your story, contact: teachersloungeindy@gmail.com.

(Teachers Lounge Indy)

MJ Slaby oversees Chalkbeat Indiana’s coverage as bureau chief. She also covers access to higher education and Warren Township Schools. Contact MJ at mslaby@chalkbeat.org.

The Latest

MSCS officials said Friday that contaminated water sources were shut off before school began. There’s still work ahead to turn fountains back on and keep buildings cool and insect-free.

Colorado annually releases the Return on Investment report in an effort to highlight data that shows whether college is worth a student’s time and money.

An older brother is detained in Newark while two other siblings remain in New York, 'unprotected and traumatized' after arrests at immigration check-in.

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher said the directive from the Trump administration exceeded its authority and instilled fear in many educators.

The state education board certified Newark Public Schools’ compliance with meeting state standards, after two years of dismal student outcomes on standardized tests.

Exercising school choice isn’t just a question of where kids go to school, but how they get there. HopSkipDrive offers rideshares for students, but its cost could give districts pause.