TL;DR: Diversity, equity, and inclusion must also include justice. Schools are smaller microcosms of our world, and include power dynamics that communities need to make sense of in order to shift from diversity and inclusion to equity and justice. This past week’s Daily Drop In theme was equity and inclusion. This is a topic close to my heart and even … Read More
Ten Books About Mental Health for Your Classroom
TL;DR: Talking about mental health is important all year beyond Mental Health Awareness Month in May. Hearing people share their own voice about their personal experiences may be hard to find but there are sources out there. In this post, you will discover 10 books about mental health for your classroom. Consider content warnings and avoiding tropes and stereotypes. Consider … Read More
Season 4, Episode 2: Interview with Cait O’Connor (part 2)
Welcome to the Counter Narrative Podcast, a show designed to change the way we talk, and think, about education. By sharing stories of successes and triumphs, we aim to challenge the dominant narrative that often negatively portrays our disenfranchised populations. I’m your host, Charles Williams. An urban educator for more than 15 years, a current school principal in Chicago, an … Read More
Celebrate Poetry: What Will Your Verse Be?
TL;DR: Poetry offers students an access point into language. Spoken and written word have the power to foster conversation, liberation, and increase student voice. Poetry instruction that is multimodal (spoken word, video, and audio) increases engagement and can be a great way to delve into social justice topics in the classroom. It’s OK to just celebrate poetry without feeling intimidated … Read More
