Meet Library Teacher Josh Zelesnick

PFT: What compelled you to become a teacher and/or to work in education? 

Josh: When I was growing up, my Mom had her own business — a daycare and pre-school — so even at a young age I was teaching kids, mostly helping with crafts, outside play, and lunch.

When I got older, during college and before graduate school, I ran the pre-school for a few years. In a way, I was kind of raised into the profession. I also feel like kids always gravitated towards me. I’ve always been able to connect with kids.

I remember kids coming up to me at the grocery store like I was some kind of colorful sugary box of cereal — like, I don’t know, maybe somehow I’ve always had a trusting, playful kind of energy that kids felt comfortable around. Teaching found me, I would say.

PFT: What do you like best about your career choice and job? 

Josh: I like that I’m teaching for a public school with a diverse population of kids. I like exploring and choosing books to read where the characters represent this diverse population of kids.

I think too many times in the history of this country (and it’s still being done today), kids don’t see themselves represented in the stories (the curriculum) that is being taught to them — and this has been a great injustice.

So, being culturally responsive in the classroom is important and a social justice issue, I think. Kids for example often know who Amelia Earhart is — and there is nothing wrong with learning about her — but what about Betsy Coleman, Hazel Ying Lee, and other groundbreaking pilots of that era?

PFT: Where/what school(s) did you pursue higher education? 

Josh:  
West Chester University – Degrees in Finance and English Literature
University of Pittsburgh – Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing/Poetry
University of Pittsburgh – 7-12 ELA Teaching Certification
Developing Leader’s Academy for Library Science partnered with Univ. of Pittsburgh

PFT: In your opinion, what are the greatest challenges faced by educators today? Students?  School districts? Any challenges specific to your subject matter expertise?

Josh:

Some challenges:

1) Teacher autonomy over their classroom environments.

2) Way too much emphasis on Data and Testing (especially PSSAs and Keystones)

3) Always a systematic move by corporations toward cutting labor costs, so moves toward itinerant work (short-term contracts or hourly work with low pay and no benefits).

4) State failure of vision for public schools in the country to educate kids in more fun, effective, and creative ways. Look at the Waldorf model, for example (like we need more outside time!); get rid of the testing; more support for teachers in the classroom; more training for teachers to learn effective SEL strategies; Less Administrator oversight and more trust for teachers.

5) Because of lack of vision, charter schools (that really aren’t better) siphon funds away from public schools and parents who can afford to, send their kids to private schools.

6) There should be at least one certified Librarian (Master’s in Library Science preferred) in every school, dedicated to that one school (not half time between two schools).

PFT: When did you join the union?  Do you participate in any committees or hold any leadership positions? Ever taken any coursework or continuing education?

Josh: As soon as I joined the district, I sought out my building reps, and joined the union (first day). Currently, I am a one of three building reps my school, Colfax K-8.

PFT: In your own words, why is having union representation important?  What’s the best thing about being in a union, whether you are an active or more passive participant?

Josh: Being in a union means you have a seat at the table to negotiate, rather than taking whatever the company is willing to give you. A union is only as strong as its members, and we all have to get involved if we want things to change.

I’ve been more passive than active because I have small children I have to care for (this has been my excuse), but really, I need to become more active. I have this year, stepping up to positions where they (Librarians) either have to go between schools or teach two or more different subjects. They are also not given seniority rights, so they have been getting displaced from their buildings.

This is something I want to help change as a more active member in the union.

PFT: Do you have a mentor that introduced you to the PFT/Union? Please share who—and what that person meant to you and to your member development.

Josh: Yes, Brittany Shoup has been my mentor this year. She has boundless energy, is patient, and is calming for all of us at Colfax. We are so lucky to have her. (PFT NOTE: See Brittany’s dynamic duo profile with Sarah Mueller here.)

FINAL NOTES and Lightning Round:

People are surprised to learn...

… That I’m a poet and play ice hockey.

I published a chapbook of poems called Cherub Poems a few years ago. My full book, Insert Coin, has been a finalist for a number of prizes. I ‘m working hard to get it published right now.

I played hockey up through college, and even played professional inline hockey for a couple of years. Now I play in adult leagues in my older age.

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Josh’s favorite…
Movie:  Too hard, but okay, The Princess Bride
Book: Also too hard, but for now, The Trial by Franz Kafka
Author: Too hard, but I’ll name two living poets I love: Lisa Robertson and Ben Lerner
Singer: Pearl Jam (ever since I was a teenager), Neil Young, Sharon Jones!
Song: Too Many, but I’ll give one I love from Pearl Jam: “In My Tree”
Color: Green
Food: Tom Ka Soup
Time of year: Fall

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Quote to live by:
World-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as a tragedy, the second as farce.”
Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte