TL;DR: Begin the year by designing multi-ethnic units and teach them year round, not only during Black History month. Build a more inclusive and diverse literature classroom to develop a greater appreciation for it. Take time to locate literature that reveals the joy and beauty of the Black experience in this country and abroad and not only share stories about … Read More
The Standards of Our Schools
TL;DR: The curriculum should be the product of our process and not the driver of it. Our students are the standards of our schools. We cannot begin to write a curriculum if we do not first know how to take care of those that it will impact the most. If you have been in education for more than 5 minutes, … Read More
Black History Is American History
TL;DR: We need to push for the continued recognition and celebration of Black contributions to culture, science, history, math, the arts, and more. Black history is American history; we need to move along Bloom’s taxonomy from “identify” to “create,” and do more than just recognize systemic racism. Reframe your mindset from being “called out” to being “called in.” View this … Read More
When You Are at a Crossroad, Mindset Matters
TL;DR: As we continue to adjust to the ever-changing world, it is important for us to work towards achieving synchronization and focus on intentionality. In your pursuit of achieving harmony and flow, use petite purpose, prioritize your time, and routinely give grace. As I sit on this rainy afternoon trying to decide what to write about for this month’s Better … Read More
Rethinking Class Participation
TL;DR: Remote and hybrid learning environments demand that we reconsider our understanding and perspective of class participation. There are many different ways students can participate, a number of which that don’t involve verbal interactions. Participation is shown through volunteering answers, asking questions, following the teacher’s instructions, completing work in a timely manner, helping others, actively listening, coming to class with … Read More