As part of our rebrand, we will be introducing and explaining some of the concepts and constructs that we know are important in schools. This week, Lauren tackles the topics of school climate and culture.
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.
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 MoreRecently, 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.
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