NBC has a new section of their Education Nation website asking people to their negative experiences about schooling. This lacks journalistic integrity in my opinion. The typical person when faced with a bunch of negative stories will assume that there are many other negative stories just like the above. The effect of this collection of negative stories by NBC will be to demonize teachers and school administrators and portray all schools as failing when in fact most educators work extremely hard and the majority of schools are successful.

So I ask you to stand up to the NBC manipulation of the public and share your positive stories about school. Things you know would not have happened without the assistance of a kind teacher, or an excellent administrator. Share your stories of schools where the kids are excited to learn and where you have seen good things happen.

I'll start the ball rolling.

I went to a medium sized public middle school in Courtenay, BC. One of the things that school had was an excellent arts and drama program. I was lucky enough to be part of the musical theatre course. All through my schooling I learned about how to perform in front of crowds, how to be part of a theatrical team, and how to project self-confidence. Without this training, I would not have the self-confidence that I do today, in fact I probably wouldn't have become a teacher.

What's your positive story?

• David Wees's blog

About David

David is a mathematics teacher and a learning specialist for technology at Stratford Hall in Vancouver, BC. He has been teaching since 2002, and has worked in Brooklyn, London, and Bangkok before moving back to Canada. He has his Masters degree in Educational Technology from UBC, and is the co-author of a mathematics textbook. He has been published in ISTE's Leading and Learning, Educational Technology Solutions, The Software Developers Journal, The Bangkok Post and Edutopia. He blogs with the Cooperative Catalyst, and is the Assessment group facilitator for Edutopia. He has also helped organize the first Edcamp in Canada, and TEDxKIDS@BC.