Kids Can Be Sociolinguists, Too!

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TL;DR: A little metalinguistic awareness can go a long way towards creating a safe space for bilingual children in the classroom. Sociolinguistic awareness, coupled with the gumption to tackle these issues with children, will go a long way towards the larger enterprise of designing pedagogy that is culturally (and linguistically) focused. Consider designing curricula that builds sociolinguistic awareness. This post … Read More

ISJ and ISNB Introduction

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 TL;DR: Science is a messy process that leads to understanding. Students need to learn and appreciate the messy process in addition to the end result. Interactive science journals (ISJ) and interactive science notebooks (ISNB) are tools that will help students understand the difference between the process and the end result. “Take chances, make mistakes, get MESSY!” – Ms. Frizzle, The … Read More

I Am Not Your Hero

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TL;DR: Teachers are whole people who oftentimes surrender themselves to this profession. The idea that teaching is an extension of mothering began during industrialization and continues to this day, creating the perception that teachers should put the needs of students before themselves. Comparing teachers to superheroes is problematic because it’s a thinly veiled manipulation that justifies the injustice and minimizes … Read More

Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month: Celebrating All Year

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TL;DR: Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th-October 15th. The terms Hispanic and Latino have different origins and cultural and political meanings. Hispanic primarily refers to individuals who come from Spanish-speaking nations. Latinx offers a more ethnic and geographic understanding and includes individuals who come from non-Spanish-speaking countries. Latine and Latinx are gender-neutral forms of Latino. Latinx and Hispanic … Read More

What Educators Can Learn from Choose Your Own Adventure Books

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Originally published at ASCD.com: https://www.ascd.org/blogs/what-educators-can-learn-from-choose-your-own-adventure-books This post was co-authored by Greg Bagby. TL;DR: Choose Your Own Adventure books provide lessons we can apply to the educational world. Learning and trying new things can be complicated and messy, but it is worth the journey. Everything doesn’t always go the way you intend, but you learn from all of your experiences. Having … Read More