I’m going to be honest, when I started thinking about ways to talk to teachers about self-care, my first thought was “stop.” Stop talking to teachers about self-care, especially in May. I can feel my school’s social emotional learning (SEL) committee and my colleagues who put affirmations in the bathroom disagreeing with me already. But hear me out here before you decide that I’m wrong.
Read MoreCheck back here for twice-monthly updates from AEC! We will provide you with content about current events, tips and resources, and new strategies to try in your districts, schools, and classrooms. To view ongoing and past blog series, click on the links below.
Recently, there was an Opinion piece in the New York Times in which a former employee talked about how the creation of a “family” culture in her job at Google made her feel like it was unsafe and unwise to report issues of harassment. This got me thinking a lot about the number of times that so many teachers this year have been exhorted to think of their schools like their family and to “do it for the kids.” Y’all, we’ve got to talk about why this metaphor is dysfunctional in schools and why continuing to use it leads to lots of terrible behaviors, including shaming, intimidation, and the creation of a culture of toxic positivity.
Read MoreNow that we are a few months into 2021, a year that we are desperately hoping will be better than that year that came before this, which shall not be named, I thought that it was time to bring back one of my favorite topics: what I think is great and what I’m mad about. So join me this week for a few rants and raves.
Read MoreThe last few weeks of national discourse around race, policing, and protest have been both heartbreaking and inspiring. If you are like me, you have seen many of your friends and relatives speaking out through social media platforms about needed reforms, the scourge of racism, and the incredible amounts of privilege enjoyed by so many in this country. You may also have seen posts that make you infuriated. I certainly have.
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I’m going to be honest with you, dear reader, I think that we are all exhausted. So this week, I am going to share with you some of my thoughts about what we should keep and what we should get rid of during our #saferathome time. It is a kind of new take on my past Rants and Raves columns.
Read MoreThis week, I was going to write about outer space. There was an awesome all-female space walk and I was excited to write about why it took so long and how cool it was. But then, one of my dear friends sent me something from HuffPost. As I read it, my jaw dropping and my brain spinning, I knew that I had to share it with you and to ponder with you the same question that I always have when I read stories like this -- how in the world does this keep happening?
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