The final leg of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul's Teacher Solidarity Tour has reached the goal of registering over 10,000 teachers to use the TeachRock Music History Curriculum. The tour, which began last week in association with the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation (RRFF), is still accepting registrations as it continues through December 16.
Stevie Van Zandt, who often refers to educators as the "front line in the war on ignorance," launched the "Teacher Solidarity Tour" to demonstrate his support for teachers throughout the US in a time marked by wage cuts, crumbling school infrastructure, a lack of funding for resources, and widespread teacher strikes. The tour presents a nightly workshop -- a legitimate professional development session in which RRFF staff, and Van Zandt himself, present concepts and content that empower K-12 teachers of all disciplines to use music in their classrooms.
Throughout the tour, teachers and their guests get in free. Doors open early to teachers at 5:15 for snacks and networking, the workshops run from 6-7, and the concert follows. It's an action-packed, hands-on professional development in a different environment, but is nonetheless a legitimate professional experience from which teachers come away with something to use tomorrow as well as with material to plan into future semesters. At many tour stops, the sessions even count toward educators' continuing education licensing hours. As Van Zandt puts it, "This is a little different than the professional development experience you may be used to. This is a rock 'n' roll experience."
There are more than 20 shows left on the tour, and tickets remain for educators at almost each stop. For more info, and to register, head to teachrock.org/tour.
Thus far "solidarity" has been an apt word for the tour, as the workshops have been a unifying force within school districts. Throughout the country, superintendents are signing on, making the workshops "official" professional development opportunities for their teachers, and even adding the events to school calendars. Educator feedback has also been wholly positive.
For more, visit littlesteven.com/on-tour
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL: SOULFIRE TEACHER APPRECIATION TOUR 2018
OCTOBER
31 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
NOVEMBER
2 - Burnsville, MN - Ames Center
3 - Green Bay, WI - Meyer Theatre
5 - Chicago, IL - Center
7 - Tulsa, OK - Brady Theater
9 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Music Hall
10 - Peoria, IL - Monarch Theater
12 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom
14 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
16 - Northfield, OH - Hard Rock Rocksino
17 - Morgantown, WV - Metropolitan Theatre
26 - Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre
28 - Omaha, NE - Holland Performing Arts Center
30 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
DECEMBER
1 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
3 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre
5 - Snoqualmie, WA - Snoqualmie Casino
7 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
8 - Stateline, NV - Harrah's Lake Tahoe
11 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
12 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
14 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
16 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
