“You don’t get to tell me how much I care or don’t care, that’s my personal boundary.” - Dawn Matthews-Nichols Share on X
Have you ever wondered if one of your students is capable of murder? Well, what if you knew that your entire class had committed violent crimes,? How would you build a positive classroom culture with that knowledge? Dawn Matthews-Nichols has been teaching since 1987 in a variety of settings with “emotionally disturbed” youth. She’s seen education from the margins and has some powerful advice for mainstream teachers.
Show Notes:
- A call to action for progressive teachers wanting to amplify their impact and challenge the status quo! (1:37)
- Can revolutionary knowledge be held by those benefiting from the current system? (5:23)
- What drew Dawn into education and why she decided to not teach right away so that she could better understand the context of the whole student. (9:25)
- Working with “emotionally disturbed” youth at Project Trust and the Calgary Young Offenders Centre. (16:39)
- The demographics factors of students in the Young Offender’s Center. (32:15)
- Sustaining the work of change through joy, boundaries, and emotional regulation. (35:52)
- Building relationships and trust through classroom expectations. (41:42)
- Exploring the over-representation of BIPOC youth in the jail system. (45:02)
- The advice that Dawn offers to mainstream teachers from her years working in a correctional facility. (49:07)
- The purpose of education. (56:16)
Book a 45-minute meeting with Natalie if you’re a progressive teacher that wants to amplify your impact in the classroom and beyond!
Email the Podcast: [email protected]
Podcast on Twitter: @educrushpod
Natalie on Twitter: @natabasso
Podcast on Instagram: @educrushpod