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
Let’s Continue to TALK about Equity!
TL;DR: Teach lessons that encourage a growth mindset. Definitions give us working knowledge to understand more about equity and anti-racism. Be an anti-racist educator! “Equity and Inclusion Just Got Better” Journaling/Reflection Questions What is a lesson idea that involves teaching about a topic that matters to your students? Write down a time you didn’t advocate for change with something that … Read More
Is Talking About Traumatic Topics Doing More Harm Than Good?
In today’s episode, I am diving into the most common questions I get from educators developing a curriculum for justice- When do I start? When do I have enough skills so my work doesn’t cause more harm than good? Will talking about race issues create more racism or increase trauma in my students? I also share a few … Read More
The Role of the Perpetrator, Victim, Bystander, and Upstander
TL;DR: Teachers and administrators make multiple decisions each day. These decisions can have a long-lasting impact on a student. When making decisions as an administrator or school team, they should ask three questions about access, inclusion, and equity. There needs to be a sense of urgency to ensure we prepare each learner for the next level. We need to be … Read More
Take Ownership: It’s Leadership!
TL;DR: Take ownership to speak up when there is injustice and make a difference. Equitable practices in education mean change sparked by reflection. Consider our biases and use picture books to introduce the 7 “isms” to start the conversation: ableism, classism, ageism, religion as an ism, racism, homophobia/heterosexism, and sexism. Take ownership: It’s leadership! Leaders speak up when there is … Read More