Earlier this month was National Charter Schools Week, but I was not celebrating. To explain, let me start by saying what equity is, and what it’s not. A common social justice definition of equity is everyone getting what they need to thrive. Equity is not improving outcomes for some, while others get the same or […]
Ruben Abrahams Brosbe
Ruben Brosbe is a former elementary school teacher. He currently facilitates professional learning for Teaching Lab, Ramopo for Children, and the Center for Racial Justice in Educaton. He is passionate about social justice oriented project based learning, and finds that young people make the best activists. He is a co-founder of Teach Resistance, an online community for social justice and anti-bias elementary educators. He is also the founder and host of Teachable Moments, a live storytelling event featuring stories by former and current educators.
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Power and Limits of a Growth Mindset
Like a lot of teachers, I’ve been spending a lot more time thinking and teaching about growth mindset lately. In recent years, growth mindset and its companion, “grit,” have pretty much invaded every educational space. In fact, you can find plenty of articles and resources related to growth mindset right here on The Educator’s Room. […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Calling IN: A Strategy for White Teachers Who Want to Disrupt Racism
Last year I revisited James Baldwin’s “A Talk to Teachers” before starting the school year. I encouraged myself and other teachers committed to social justice to “go for broke.” I did lots of work I felt proud of in our classroom last year, working with our 5th graders to understand, analyze, and combat racism. They culminated […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Responsive Classroom, School Improvement
Silly Socks Don’t Create Culture
I hate to do this, but… Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines culture as, “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization.” Why would I commit this writing 101 travesty? Because it seems as if a lot of schools do not truly understand what culture is. Before I talk about what […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
What Schools Can Learn From Starbucks: Close Public Schools for Racial Bias Training Too
On May 29th, Starbucks will close 8,000 of its stores for racial bias training. This is a response to the arrest of two Black men who were waiting to meet a friend at a location in Philadelphia. It made me wonder, what would it take to close public schools for a similar effort? If an […]
Posted inElementary School
#NationalSchoolWalkout Activities for Elementary Students
On March 14th, 2018, teachers, students, and families will participate in a #NationalSchoolWalkout organized by the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER. The walkout is meant to last 17 minutes in protest of congressional inaction after the 17 people murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The Parkland shooting seems to have reignited a […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The White Nationalist Teacher and The Implications For Other Teachers
A White Nationalist Teacher is Exposed On March 3rd, HuffPost reported on a Florida middle school teacher with a double life as the host of a white nationalist podcast. According to the article, “Dayanna Volitich, a 25-year-old social studies teacher at Crystal River Middle School in Florida, has been secretly hosting the white nationalist podcast […]
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Three Simple Steps to Positive Classroom Culture
Many teachers know what it’s like to work in a toxic work environment. I had a brief stint as the director of an after-school program, so I’ve been on both sides of the situation. The year I managed those nine after-school educators was a disaster in many ways, but it taught me an unforgettable lesson […]