Creating Brave Spaces

Hey teachers!

How has your class attendance been so far this school year?

By now, students have already decided what their favorite classes/teachers are and what their least favorites are and may start cutting classes due to the latter.

But there may be other reasons for students not attending class.

Perhaps they don’t have access to clean clothing, they are food insecure and lack the energy to come to school let alone concentrate in class, or perhaps they have their period and feel ill or insecure.

Maybe they are struggling with violence in their home or with thoughts of self-harm.

Taking the time to connect with them often will continue to build trust so that you can ensure they are healthy in all areas of their life.

When students are healthy, they are free to learn and grow.

Hey teachers!

What is your grading system like?

Is it the traditional 0-100 scale?
A = 90-100 (10 points)
B = 80-89 (9 points)
C = 70-79 (9 points)
D = 65-69 (4 points??)
F = 0-65 (65 points!!!)

As you can see, a grading system that gives more value to an F is NOT equitable.

It is also demoralizing and can turn students off to learning.

It can also brand students as having a certain level of intelligence which then makes them vulnerable to the school-to-prison pipeline, especially our most marginalized students.

Do you take points off assignments for lateness?
Do you give retests on assessments so students can learn from their mistakes?
What is “class participation” and how does it factor into student learning and grades?

We need to rethink our grading systems so that grades provide accurate data of student learning rather than act as a record of punishments for not being perfect, not having access to extra support, or needing more processing time for the content.

How can we ensure that students grades truly reflect their knowledge, their learning, and the acquirement of new skills?

Privilege (Part 2)

Hey teachers!

Do you know what “privilege” looks like in the classroom?

When we don’t consider the disadvantages of our students, then we can’t design our classrooms, lessons, assignments, tests, and due dates with their best interests in mind.

And if their needs are not considered in the classroom, then how are they to learn?

Privilege (Part 1)

Hey teachers!

How would you define “privilege”?

Privilege can be strong word.

But instead of allowing it to upset you, make it empower you - to help others, especially your students. Especially your most marginalized students.

We all have some type of privilege. Are you white (aka European American)? Are you male? Are you cisgender? Are you heterosexual? Do you have health insurance? Do you have an advanced degree? Do you own your own home? Do you speak the dominant language of your area? (Without an accent?) The list goes on. (Special thanks to the brilliant
for the above examples!)

How does your privilege(s) give you an advantage over others? Have you thought about it? Why or why not?

What feelings are coming up for you now as you read this post? What questions will you ask yourself about those feelings?

When we reflect on ourselves and our privilege(s) we have an opportunity to bring positive change to our communities and especially to our classrooms where kids need it the most.

How will you leverage your privilege to empower those without it?

Hey teachers!

Did you know Microaggressions cause BOTH mental AND physical harm to students?

When someone’s identity is devalued by an unintentional comment, joke, or action, their body responds by entering Fight/Flight/Freeze mode. Just as if they were being attacked by a lion or a bear.

The blood pressure and heart rate increase. Muscles tense up. Breathing is labored. And stress hormones soar. This is because the sympathetic nervous system has been engaged.

When someone, especially a child, is in Fight/Flight/Freeze mode, their only focus is self-preservation - NOT learning!

Immediately calling out Microaggressions, allows the harmed student to begin to feel protected and defended. Once a student knows they are being protected, their bodies can begin to calm down as the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in.

Once a student feels safe again, their blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and stress hormone levels return to normal and they can focus on learning once again.

Creating and maintaining safe spaces for students is essential to their health and learning.

Hey teachers!

What can you do if you witness a Microaggression in your classroom?

Every moment is a teachable moment and sometimes we have to put our curriculum aside in order to address something more important.

Have you ever witnessed a Microaggression in your classroom?

How did you react?

How did your students react?

Microaggressions, though unintentional can cause harm to students and affect their learning.

Addressing them immediately is necessary in order to re-establish a safe and inclusive classroom.

Do you want to know how Microaggressions cause harm?

Come back tomorrow for Part 3!

Hey teachers!

Do you know what a Microaggression is?

Microaggressions are words, comments, and/or actions that are unintentionally offensive and/or unintentionally reinforce a stereotype.

Have you ever experienced a Microaggression?

Have your students?

Microaggressions, though unintentional can cause harm to students and affect their learning.

Recognizing them is important in order to ensure a safe and inclusive classroom.

Do you want to learn more about how to address Microaggressions? Come back tomorrow for Part 2!

Hey teachers!

Why do students not do their work during class time?

Well, they have a lot going on in their lives too! They may live far away, have jobs after school, or take care of younger siblings. So school may be the last thing from their minds.

Being equitable and culturally responsive means you are considering the identity and home life of your students.

We teachers need to do our research on how to connect the content of our courses to our students’ lives, families, and communities.

Making these connections will make class time more interesting and students will want to do their work!

What do you think will help them get their work done in class?

Hey teachers!

How many mistakes have you made in front of your students in the past?

For me, I can’t even count! While some went unnoticed, others were downright embarrassing.

Mistakes can range from small to large, the important thing is to learn from them, grow as a person and as a professional, and actively work to repair any harm done.

Openly showing students this process of correcting mistakes, and apologizing when needed, is important for them to develop these same skills as well as build trust with you.

So take a breath.

Mistakes will always happen.

Just remember every moment is a new moment to do the very best you can.

Hey Teachers! Are you savoring these last weeks of summer vacation like me? At the same time, I’m excited to meet my students in the fall! I also get a little anxious when starting a new year. How about you? What do you do to help kids with the transition from summer fun to school fun?

The countdown to the fall 2022 school year has started! What is the first thing you plan to do with your students on that first day? What do you think is the most important lesson to teach on Day #1?

Listening to Italian music!

ITALY in MUSIC. Land of Lemons 🍋 - WE COME 1 With Jael Ortega, ✞Darlingmama♫ and 22 others, hosted by WE COME 1