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February 28, 2023 Instruction & Curriculum

Writing About Resistance: A Q&A with author Rann Miller

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Black History Month is drawing to a close, but educators know that Black history should be a yearlong part of their curriculum. That’s why I can’t think of a better time to announce Rann Miller’s new book Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids. Miller is an educator and writer whose focus on history and articulating one’s voice benefits students and readers every day. Miller’s work is published on numerous platforms, including Edutopia, Education Week, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Washington Post. His book, which is already available for pre-sale, will be available in stores everywhere on March 7, 2023.

The book shares many untold stories of Black history and Black heroes dating back to 3100 BCE. While the book was written on a level with grades 4-8 in mind, Miller hopes that people of all ages and walks of life will pick up the book and discover historical figures and truths that continue to inspire faith, hope, and the courage to resist the injustices of today.

The Educator's Room: What inspired you to write this book?

Rann Miller: I wanted to share something that was new to the kid education space that isn’t often discussed. Resistance is something that we don’t teach young people, especially in the elementary grades. This book specifically addresses Black resistance, or fighting against White supremacy in all its forms, throughout the U.S., as well as the African diaspora. Types of resistance discussed in this book include insurrection, agitation through writing and speaking out, and passing, among others – all the things Black people had to do to fight White supremacy.

TER: What do you hope this book will achieve in the lives of your readers and in society as a whole?

Rann: I hope that it achieves three things. First, I hope the book teaches that Black people of African descent were active in their liberation. Black freedom didn’t come by White benevolence. It came from resistance. Next, I hope it helps Black people understand who they are and that deep within them is still that resistance against White supremacy. I hope it gives them a better identity. Black people don’t come from a passive history. They come from people who fought back. Lastly, I hope it is an example, a light, that these stories need to be and will continue to be shared. Some want to prevent others from learning the truth, teaching the truth, and living the truth, but it won’t work. I hope this book and the animosity it may create will remind those who seek to hide history that Black people will never stop speaking the truth.

TER: This book features many Black heroes. Out of those mentioned, which hero inspires you most and why?

Rann: I would have to say Harriet Tubman. She is the greatest American hero ever, maybe the greatest American in history, because of what she did and who she was. As a Christian, she began the instances in which Christian Black people felt their faith was leading them to resistance. She escaped enslavement and then went back and rescued people. Then, she went to New Jersey and worked so she could go back and rescue more people. She is the embodiment of the Black radical tradition. She was not scared of anything. Her life is just amazing to have done all the things that she has done.

I think the best way for me to honor her is to tell her story and tell it honestly. We can learn from her story and look to her for inspiration and apply her belief in and use of resistance to the ways Black people are oppressed still today.

"I hope the book teaches that Black people of African descent were active in their liberation. Black freedom didn’t come by White benevolence. It came from resistance." @RealRannMiller Click To Tweet

TER: The amount of research you did before writing this book is astounding. Why was the research so important, and how did it benefit your readers?

Rann: I already knew about half of the information featured in the book. I learned the other half during my research and studies while working on the project. Most of my research was found in academic journals and books written by scholars.

The beauty of the book is all the footnotes. If people want to find more information, they can look at the footnotes to begin their search. It’s painstakingly researched, so as a reader, you know you’re getting good information about these people and about these stories.

When some people read the book, their goal will be to discredit it. But when you look at these sources put out by these renowned scholars and information that has been around for 50-60 years, it’s really hard to refute that.

TER: As a parent, how do you plan to use this book?

Rann: I want to sit down at night with my kids before bed and read it with them. That’s the coolest thing about the whole book. I get to leave this with my kids when I pass on, and they can teach it to their kids and tell them their grandfather did this.

TER: Would you like to say anything in closing to your readers?

Rann: I’m very proud of this book. I’m very proud of what I put together. To undertake this kind of work, I’m humbled by it. I just tried to offer my contribution to the space of literature, Black people, and Black history. I wanted to make my ancestors proud and leave this to my family.
The goal of writing this book was putting information out there for people to get their hands on. My goal is that this one is well-received and that people are looking for this type of knowledge so I can write more in the future.

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February 27, 2023 Ask a Teacher

Ask The Educator's Room: I cried in front of my students. Now what?

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Welcome to The Educator's Room advice column for teachers! Today we're helping a teacher who lost their composure in front of their students. We're also helping a teacher who sees behavior in their classroom very differently than their principal. See what our writers have to say, then share your own advice in the comments! You can read a couple of our previous editions of Ask The Educator's Room here and here.

Dear The Educator's Room,

My principal wrote on an observation that a student "sneakily" went to grab an orange juice to drink during a brain break without the teacher seeing. I'm confused about what the problem was as we were dancing to the Monster Mash, and the class was well under control. I also allow my students to grab a drink. Yes, to ask first would be great, but it was a brain break. Also, two boys were whispering to each other during the brain break. They did not want to dance, and because they were not disruptive, I allowed it; before that, I did ask them if they wanted to dance, and they said no, so I continued to monitor them. All that being said, I'll take it in stride moving forward, but despite my class being well under control for the end of the test she walked in on, and then the beginning of the test after the brain break, she left no glows, only grows.

Sincerely,

Frustrated Evaluatee [See the original conversation on Facebook]

Dear Frustrated Evaluatee -

Many teachers have experienced similar evaluations. I know I did fairly often with one assistant principal. She would walk in and see a lesson totally different than my same grade-level neighbor. I do not know how many times I would receive a note that said, "I did not understand your lesson because it was different from Mrs. E's next door. Are you following the curriculum?" I would respond back, "Yes. I follow the same scope and sequence, but remember, I teach Pre-AP, and she teaches inclusion." Same skills, different material.

She even "marked me down" because a student quietly moved to the back of the room to grab a tissue as they stepped into the hall to blow their nose. Her feedback read, "Student left the room without permission." Snot emergencies did not require permission in my classroom. So, I totally get your frustration on this.

It sounds as if your students were on task within what you permit (getting a juice, sitting, quietly talking, and dancing). If your evaluation has a feedback portion where you can write responses, take advantage of it. Or better yet, speak with this person face to face and provide them with the full picture. Then ask them if they had any glow they noticed.

It appears to me that you provided a much-needed brain break after a test. That is awesome and should be commended. Students need that release of energy, and many campuses encourage this. If your evaluator was looking for something "specific," then invite them back on a day you know will probably hit that particular skill. Besides, why would they visit on a test day? Nothing outstanding to note on days like this, anyway! Other than that, shake it off and know you are providing your students with a much-needed break. You know your students' needs as you are with them every day. Trust your gut.

Suzy

Dear Frustrated Evaluatee,

Does your principal think you teach a class of robots? Because to me, grabbing orange juice and sitting out on a dance seem like completely acceptable behaviors, during a brain break or otherwise.

It seems your principal expects a class to be "under control" at all times, which is a red flag. A healthy, functioning classroom is one where students feel like they can be themselves and take care of their basic (social, physical, or emotional) needs as long as they aren't hurting others or derailing learning.

Of course, we've all been in classes that are out of control, which is a safety issue. This snapshot seems about as far from that as possible.

I assume you will have a post-observation meeting, and I encourage you to share your perspective, framed by your values and how you know your students. So, perhaps this conversation can be an opportunity for you to offer ways your principal can contemplate some of her own "grows" around student behavior.

For example, your principal called out the student "sneakily" getting orange juice, but if you see that student through an asset lens, he was trying to take care of his needs without disrupting, quietly moving to grab an orange juice.

Or, articulate the way you checked in and monitored those students who were sitting out of the dance. "While I invited them to join, I also want to celebrate how they monitored their emotions and took a quick break, developing their self-advocacy."

Your principal is not the expert on your kids. You are. Own and be proud of that.

Emma-Kate

Ask The Educator's Room: I cried in front of my students. Now what? Click To Tweet

Dear The Educator's Room,

My last-period lesson was the worst class I've ever had, aside from the times there was physical violence. Most talked over me and listened to literally nothing I said, and some who stayed silent and were obedient got teased. I fruitlessly tried to actually do a lesson, then I cried and yelled at them, "I don't get paid nearly enough for this." When I cried, a lot of people laughed, and some of them had their phones out and were filming me. What am I supposed to do tomorrow?

Sincerely,

Tough Situation [See the original conversation on Reddit]

Dear Tough Situation,

I feel for you. Situations like this are why so many good teachers walk away since those in authority ignore or avoid the situation. I hate to ask, but have you asked or told the admin about this? Have they had any helpful advice?

There are a few things I've done with classes that were out of hand. I have had a few students move to different class periods. It may help to utilize other adults who have a positive relationship with your students, like a sports coach or band teacher. They may be able to implement consequences that send a message.

Depending on the grade level, you can also try having an honest talk with a few you feel are the leaders in that classroom. Look for ways to empower them. During a workshop a few years ago, we watched a video where a veteran teacher had the roughest student in the city placed in her classroom. She talked to him privately in the hall and welcomed him with open arms, which disarmed him. Then she gave him the job of greeting students at the door. When we see the best in our students, it can pay off in the end.

I do have to wonder if this class has been out of control from the beginning. No matter the age, students need routine and boundaries. Even the roughest students can appreciate someone who stands firm. They may not like it, but they end up respecting it. Regain control requires a lot of work, but there are classroom management strategies that work.

Finally, as far as their filming without permission, address this extreme lack of respect by throwing it back on them. Ask what's the dumbest thing (their lingo) they've ever done and how they would feel if someone videoed it. Some might put on the bravado saying it would be funny or cool. But deep down, they would know otherwise. Talk about mutual respect. Make it clear you would never purposefully do something like that to them, so from this point on, you expect the same in return.

Suzy

Dear Tough Situation,

You're absolutely right. No one gets paid enough to be disrespected, talked over, or mocked to the point of tears, but it's all too common.

There are clearly some serious behavior and attitude issues that are not just going to go away overnight. Often, the best move is to remind students that you care about them enough to give them a fresh start the next day. But, after something like this, I would not resume class as normal.

You need to be very clear that students crossed a boundary, and you are not willing to tolerate that kind of behavior, period. I encourage you to ask a colleague or trusted admin to join you in the classroom for this conversation. It may be helpful to have moral support or just someone to bear witness as you work to repair the harm.

You can be firm without being authoritarian. Say, "I felt incredibly disrespected yesterday, and I need things to change. I need this classroom to be a space where we can all learn together, and that's clearly not what we have right now."

After naming your feelings, I would hit a hard reset on classroom norms and values. Perhaps start with a writing activity asking students what they believe respect looks like in a classroom, how they feel when they belong and are safe, and what they need to feel successful. Then, have them brainstorm what classroom rules might help everyone learn.

Change is non-negotiable, but giving students a sense of ownership reminds them that they have just as much stake in the classroom as you do.

When I have done this in the past, I've been skeptical, but there are only a few, if any, students who don't take it seriously. You might be surprised to find that the very student who talked over you is irritated when he doesn't feel like he's being heard.

And, any who choose not to participate can have a chat with the other adult in the room or take a trip to the front office until they are willing to be a part of your community in a way that honors everyone, including and especially you.

Emma-Kate

About the advisors

Suzy Winter is a middle school Language Arts teacher in the private school sector and loves every moment of it. After 17 years of public school life, it is a welcome change, but she will always advocate and lift up my fellow educators. She believes our profession, no matter where the classroom, is not for the faint of heart, but for those who teach with all their heart.

Emma-Kate Schaake is a National Board Certified English teacher in Washington state. She's passionate about her teacher leadership role at the building and district levels, creating professional development on equity, school culture, and social justice. She writes about her ongoing journey to unlearn myopic history, act as an advocate for her students, and think critically about her role as an educator. Follow her on Instagram @msschaake

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February 23, 2023 College and Career

We Still Need Affirmative Action

Race, Merit, College Admissions, and the Long Ghost of San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez.

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On October 31, 2022, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. The issue before the court is, first, whether the Supreme Court should overrule Grutter v. Bollinger and hold that institutions of higher education cannot use race as a factor in admissions. The second is whether Harvard College is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by penalizing Asian American applicants based on personality scores as part of its admissions process. SFFA asserts that Black and Brown student admissions are the reason that Asian American students are being denied admission. It is worth pointing out that the founder of Students for Fair Admissions, Edward Blum, has repeatedly filed suits trying to get race struck down in college admissions, including Fisher v. University of Texas in 2016, and that the majority of Asian Americans support race being considered as part of undergraduate admissions.

This case has generated a great deal of debate over affirmative action. As a curriculum theorist, a current professor, and a former K-12 teacher, I realize that education is a subject most Americans feel confident debating because nearly everyone in the country attended K-12 school, and millions of others attended college. Yet, there are many often ignored realities that people do not consider in forming their opinions largely because they are unaware of the realities that frame education in the United States.

First and foremost, it is important to note that, despite what many people assume, affirmative action does not mean racial quotas. The Supreme Court ruled that racial quotas in education were unconstitutional in the 1978 case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. The current standard for the use of race in college admissions was established in Grutter v. Bollinger in 2003 and held that race could be considered as a factor, among others, while also reaffirming that racial quotas were unconstitutional. In short, race currently can be considered as a factor in a holistic admissions process alongside other factors such as region and proximity to the poverty line. Some may ask why we should consider race at all, considering the long history of race being used to deny people rights in the United States. This question is perfectly reasonable and valid. The answer requires people to turn their gaze from higher education to K-12 education and to ask the question, “How do we determine merit?”

The harsh reality about K-12 education that is germane to any discussion about considering race as part of holistic college admissions is that the Supreme Court ruled in the 1973 case San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez that there is no constitutional right to an equitable education as defined by equitable funding. As a result, wealthy school districts continue to have more money to spend on facilities, services, and curriculum; poorer districts do not. This includes the sorts of classes and standardized test preparation that make students stand out to admissions officers at elite colleges such as Harvard.

"In the end, it will fall to teachers as the professionals who prepare students for college in the long shadow of San Antonio ISD vs. Rodriguez to advocate for a better system." We Still Need Affirmative Action Click To Tweet

In addition to there being no right to an equitable education, the Supreme Court later all but gutted the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling in the 1974 case Milliken v. Bradley. In that case, the court’s majority ruled that desegregation bussing was unconstitutional and that de jure, meaning by law, segregation was unconstitutional, while de facto, meaning by custom, segregation was permitted. The sum of this is a K-12 education system in the United States that is highly segregated by race and class. This is the context for every undergraduate college applicant, regardless of their GPA or test scores. Ultimately, the admissions process penalizes teenagers who have no say in the educational environment they find themselves in. Taken as a whole, K-12 education is structurally inequitable.

Regarding merit, it is a complicated conversation because it is largely subjective. It requires considering the totality of a student rather than picking two metrics, such as GPA and standardized test scores, and calling it equitable despite knowing these metrics are contextual. Holistic admissions recognize the reality of K-12 admissions. It considers factors such as how the strong correlation between race and proximity to the poverty line impacts a student’s GPA and standardized test scores which are further complicated by regional variations in education funding.

I respect the opinion of those who wish to see race removed as a factor in admissions in favor of a narrow focus on GPA and test scores, but I find their position to be shortsighted and will lead to unintended consequences for one reason. If race is banned as a factor in admissions, schools will likely attempt to use proxies such as region or proximity to the poverty line. When this happens, the same people trying to tear down affirmative action will come for these other categories. In this case, poor whites from the Midwest, Plains states, and the South will also be shut out alongside their peers of color.

But let’s assume that admissions at elite universities like Harvard were determined by GPA and test scores like so many advocates want. Elite universities cannot accept everyone who applies, so how should they decide who to admit if everyone has perfect grades and scores? Logically, the university would look at things like extracurriculars and AP classes. But what if one of the students was from a school district in Louisiana or Wyoming where they didn’t offer AP classes? Is it fair to deny them admission simply because they came from poorer states compared to a student from Connecticut or Washington state? What does merit look like here?

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules, the question of how we determine merit will not go away. People will try to define it in the narrowest terms for political reasons and because they think that GPA and test scores tell a student’s whole story. They do not know what teachers know; test scores only represent how a young person navigated a situation they were born into to the best of their ability.

In the end, it will fall to teachers as the professionals who prepare students for college in the long shadow of San Antonio ISD vs. Rodriguez to advocate for a better system. University admission offices must consider the whole student when determining who merits admission to the most elite universities in the country. This is because, as every teacher knows, GPA and test scores are meaningless without recognizing the context in which they emerged.

Nicholas Mitchell is a former middle and high school teacher and currently is an assistant professor of curriculum studies at the University of Kansas. He is a curriculum theorist whose scholarship focuses on the intersection of education theory, policy and practice.

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February 22, 2023 Current Events in Education

Healing Takes Time. Are Schools Ready to Commit It?

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After a tragedy, no one is okay. Buffalo, NY is my hometown, and I still have family and friends who reside there. The day of the White supremacist mass shooting in Buffalo, it took two hours to get in touch with my mother. Imagine looking at your social media feed and finding out a grocery store in your hometown in an area where you have family, friends, and childhood memories was the target of a mass shooting based on the color of your skin.

Being Black has never been easy in the city of Buffalo. At a young age, while playing with my cousin and a friend, I was placed in the back of a cop car and taken to a precinct for the White tears of a peer. We had made a decision that we didn't want to play with her. She ran home and told her father we hit her, and as a result, we learned White tears are a boundary you don't cross. We never touched her. We simply didn't want to play with her, but our boundaries meant nothing.

Yet, in our segregated neighborhoods, we learned about community and had communal experiences. My grandmother's house was the open door you'd enter when you wanted or needed a place of refuge. I was walked to school by a neighbor each day until about 5th grade. That neighbor still kept an eye out for the neighborhood kids as they made their trek to the school. When I was in trouble, the neighborhood knew before I entered the doors of my grandmother's house. That's just how close-knit the community is. We all weave a thread in which you know someone that knows someone. Honestly, that's why this incident hit so close to home.

"Schools must cultivate healing spaces daily so that they are ready to respond to traumatic events and support the long journey of healing that follows." Healing Takes Time. Are Schools Ready to Commit It? Click To Tweet

Now nine months later, the man who committed this heinous act was sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, the work of grieving and mourning is far from over. I ponder, how do you heal after being on the end of an act of white supremacy? How do you heal after being on the end of a violent event?

Healing is a non-linear and ongoing process. We need to acknowledge that we don't simply engage with it as a one-and-done task in the immediate aftermath. Here are three ways to consistently engage in your mental and emotional well-being as an educator and open the healing process up to students as well:

Process at Your Own Pace

Don't force processing because social media says so. We all process traumatic situations differently and in our own time and in our way. Whether you are an adult or a youth, you need to be mindful of healthy ways to process violent events. After the incident in Buffalo, it took me time to determine what to say and how to process it. My cousin began processing by creating Zaire and Zeneta's Book Wish List and speaking about the impact of the incident on her son and family. Initially, I had to detach from social media as it was too much for me. I began writing in my journal to process what I had seen and heard via the media. Eventually, I made a therapy appointment to process my emotions. I recognize that therapy is a privilege within itself due to the cost and the structures surrounding who gets therapy and the stigmatization around therapy. However, providing opportunities for processing to both educators and students is essential to healing from trauma.

Connect and Disconnect

Connect to people who bring joy and love to your life. This includes connecting with the self, which could mean meditation, journaling, and creative expression. Connect with who and what brings you joy. I currently facilitate monthly wellness sessions with educators. Connecting with them and simply authentically expressing how I was feeling supported me. Another way I connected that helped me with the process was through writing a poem - Hometown Heartbreak. After seeing the image of the shooter's gun displayed on social media, I felt frustrated by people's thirst to go viral with disregard for the victims and their community. Meanwhile, I knew some of the people inside the Tops grocery personally. So I leaned into my love and joy of poetry and the spoken word. Since I was a child, poetry has always been a way for me to process emotions because it allowed me to write the things I feel and cannot say or articulate - allowing my soul to speak through my pen to paper and release the thoughts that I hold within the gut of my stomach. We must create opportunities on campus for healing-centered practices that invite both educators and students to take part.

Create Brave Spaces

Take time to open and invite people into brave spaces to discuss traumatic events. Understand that not all who come into the brave space will want to speak and know that they may want the comfort of listening to others. People want to know they belong and are not alone in processing emotions regarding the events. In the monthly wellness sessions I facilitate with educators, I provide opportunities to interact and engage in our brave space. That may mean sharing a thought about the writing they are doing, the practice or strategy we engaged in, or mindfully listening to each other without judgment. Not every school or educational place is a brave space for students or educators. It's about time that changes, and we support and address educators as they encounter exhaustion and fatigue - compassion and racial battle fatigue.

Compassion fatigue and racial battle fatigue impact the wellness and well-being of educators and students. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning is affected. Schools must cultivate healing spaces daily so that they are ready to respond to traumatic events and support the long journey of healing that follows.

Felicia Rutledge, Ph.D., serves as a Regional Multi-Tiered System of Supports Coordinator at the University of Nevada, Reno, supporting educators with the implementation of tiered supports. She is a special education consultant and coach and an alumna of Teach Plus Nevada and the Nevada Succeeds InspirEd Global Fellowship.

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February 21, 2023 Culturally Responsive Teaching

Honor Mother Languages in Your Classroom

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As a young girl, newly immigrated from Guatemala, I wondered whether my new teachers and classmates saw the real me -an individual with diverse thoughts, ideas, language, and culture. I felt alone and scared as I tried to overcome the fear of a new place, new culture, and new beginnings. Each day I longed to return home to my 'safe place' with my brothers and my parents.

Now a classroom teacher, I am part of a community of students and families from many different cultures. I am not alone. Southern Nevada is a diverse and multicultural community. I teach seven classes with 98 students,13 of whom have recently immigrated from other countries. Among my students, I have Pablo from Cuba, whose family is seeking safety from gun violence; Israel from Ecuador, who lost his parents in a car accident and has transitioned into the United States, adopted by his uncle and aunt; and Miguel from Guatemala, whose family was seeking reprieved from unsafe living conditions and neighborhood drugs.

I know from my own experience that it's easy for students to feel 'forgotten or overlooked.' I remember teachers giving me worksheets and sitting me in a corner of the room while they taught the rest of the class. Now, some teachers log our newcomer students onto Chromebooks and ask them to work online independently, often without engaging with them or supervising them. We must engage our students differently than we have before.

I recall another teacher explaining to me that math was easy to learn and that I should process it rather quickly because even though I didn't speak English, math was the same whether it was in Spanish, French, or English. I smiled and tried to comprehend his idea, but in reality, I had a hard time understanding the new styles of math that were introduced to me as a Spanish speaker. When it came time to do word problems in math, I struggled.

As my husband explained in a recent conversation, math is not a "universal language." When students arrive from new places, as I did, they are in a place where we speak English. Their focus is often learning a new language and not just understanding that 1+1 is 2. To help these students succeed, we have to embrace their mother language.

Through Mother Language Day, we can celebrate that idea and commit to incorporating the mother language of our students into our teaching platforms. If we enfold the students' mother tongue into our teaching, we create a bridge that connects their knowledge in their own language to English. This allows students to not just "learn" to speak English but really comprehend the ideas and standards on any given subject, why they are learning what they are being presented, and how it connects to their long-term educational journey.

"As we celebrate International Mother Language Day this year, let's remember that every student deserves to be seen and heard..." Honor Mother Languages in Your Classroom Click To Tweet

Years ago, when I started working as a support staff, our elementary school had dual language kindergarten. I recall the students feeling safe and understood as they were taught within this learning structure. It lasted one year, and then they did away with it. According to a recent article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, our district has revisited this idea, and I am honored to be a part of it. We will support our students in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe and begin to connect their mother tongue to the English language. This year for Mother Language Day on February 21st, UNESCO honors their new theme; "Multilingual education - a necessity to transform education." Let us all support the cause and transform the general idea that subject matters should rather easily connect.

We must value and incorporate their cultures, traditions, and families as part of our classrooms. Independently and through the support of the district, here are some ways I ensure success for the diverse community of multilingual students and families in my classroom:

Acknowledge and respect cultural and linguistic differences.

Acknowledging individual differences, as well as building relationships with our students, can make a significant difference in their success in our classrooms. I prioritize connecting with all of my students. I acknowledge and appreciate the cultural and linguistic differences and assets they bring with them to our class community. One of the ways I do this is by encouraging them to maintain their native language as they work to acquire English.

My classwork is translated for the students in their mother language. In my class at this time, that is Spanish. There are many translation applications available, which I have added to my Canvas portals as well as Google translate. I have also used Duolingo to assist my students in learning English. The application and the assignments were so successful that a parent asked if he could join as well. To further assist families, I have translated manuals, held classes on computer literacy with the support of Vegas PBS, and translated flyers and materials that were sent home.

Support the cultural and linguistic diversity of students and families.

I honor my students' individuality and welcome their families as part of our school community. Culture and language are significant parts of our identities and the identities of my students. I engage my families in the education of their students by extending support in and out of the classroom, leveraging the cultural and linguistic diversity of each student represented in my classroom. I invite families to events after school hours and have one on one sessions. We discuss what goes on inside my classroom but also district resources for students' success and district policies.

Most recently, as the athletic director, I held sessions to explain our district sports process. Although the district website offers families an option to select their mother language, some families still struggle to navigate the content. Offering in-person events where information was provided in Spanish was a way to help families overcome a barrier to their children's participation in sports.

I also use an application called Remind that allows me to communicate with my families in their preferred language. I write in English, and they get their message on their phone in their selected language and vice versa. Though this application or through newsletters sent home, we offer connections to district family engagement centers, which facilitate the connections and support between our students, families, and community. The center focuses on the four I's and provides guidance on "inclusive, individualized, integrated, and impactful" family engagement. We support and focus on that mission.

Partake in meaningful professional learning and use resources that are available.

I acknowledge the challenges that persist in my classroom and in my district. I stay connected with what is new and what may support my students within the school setting as well as at home. I learn ways to elevate the knowledge of families pertaining to their students' education. Through our partnership with the University of Nevada Las Vegas and their center of multicultural education, I am able to expand my knowledge. I have been able to connect with professional development speakers as well as take part in presentations that have given me additional resources and certification in trainings. As educators, we must work together to support our students and families. We need professional learning and development to know how to meet the needs of our diverse students. It is essential that we build strong foundational knowledge of multicultural education and provide educators with the tools available to accommodate culturally and linguistically diverse students and their families.

Being an educator gave me the opportunity to become a mirror and a reflection for students like me - students who are culturally and linguistically gifted, students who deserve to be seen as they are, for who they are. As we celebrate International Mother Language Day this year, let's remember that every student deserves to be seen and heard and to belong to a community that values them and their families no matter the language they speak.

Karen Villatoro Gonzalez is a 2022-23 Teach Plus Policy Fellow. Karen is currently in her third year of teaching with the Clark County School district. Karen is currently a Medical Magnet educator and has taught English and ELL learners.

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February 20, 2023 Culturally Responsive Teaching

Why Every Teacher Should Play De La Soul for Their Students

What De La Soul can teach Black students (and teachers) about breaking the status quo

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I grew up listening to De La Soul. They are part of the landscape of my adolescence and young adult development. The trio from Long Island, New York took the hip-hop world by storm in 1989 with the release of "3 Feet High and Rising." The esoteric, eclectic, sonically divertive album was hard to understand for me and many others. It took me two years to figure out "Potholes in my Lawn" was a song about emcees that don't write their own rhymes and steal from other artists.

But one thing was certain; they were fresh! They were free-flowing and disconnected from other rap acts artistically and stylistically. The rhyme patterns were all over. Their sound shied away from overused James Brown loops and settled on samples from War, The Commodores, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and Prince. Their visual appearance was equally as disconnected as their sonic stance: peace signs, daisies, pink and yellow color schemes complementing baggy clothes, with big, asymmetric hairstyles. They were different.

"De La is a great conversation starter for how Black children can show up as their authentic selves in a world that rewards mediocrity and conformity." - @nylinka Why Every Teacher Should Play De La Soul for Their Students Click To Tweet

What does this have to do with the education of Black children? Everything. Part of school should be to help children shape and build their identity. As we celebrate the legacy of hip-hop at 50 years, it's also an opportunity to celebrate De La Soul as member Dave J Jolicoeur aka the Dove, died tragically on Super Bowl Sunday.

De La is a great conversation starter for how Black children can show up as their authentic selves in a world that rewards mediocrity and conformity. There is no reward for being different unless it provides shock value or social media likes. De La Soul was above that. The music, their carefully crafted image, soundscape, and, most importantly, the message created an enduring brand that celebrated individuality, uniqueness, and being true to oneself. De La Soul's trueness to self was unwavering regardless of who loved them or who shunned them.

Our children need such messaging and images, as identity building is stilted if not stolen by schools' relentless indoctrination. Free thought is attacked. Individual or divergence is snuffed out in classrooms, sometimes at the behest of rigid teachers and pedagogy, but always as a requirement of a system that fosters sameness while individuals relinquish their capacity to think for themselves. Creativity dies when entrenched in such dogma. This is the opposite of democracy.

De La Soul asserted on "I Can Do Anything" that they were de-la-cratic. "I can say anything I want. I can wave my hand in my air!" The naivete of their socio-political views matured, as did their zest for free thought. They challenged societal views on female beauty with hits like "Baby Phat." De La dove into uncharted waters discussing child molestation on the carefully narrated "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa." They spoke against the immensely popular Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ready to Die," with Jolicoeur asserting, "I got questions about your life if you're so ready to die."

Starting with their fourth album, "Stakes is High," in 1996, the group disavowed bohemian clothes and daisies. But the message continued on brand; be yourself and stand for what you believe in. On the title track, Jolicoeur gobsmacks us with his manifesto on the state of hip-hop and society:

"I'm sick of bitches shakin' asses
I'm sick of talkin' about blunts,
Sick of Versace glasses.
Sick of slang,
Sick of half-ass awards shows,
Sick of name-brand clothes,
Sick of R&B bitches over bullshit tracks,
Cocaine and crack,
Which brings sickness to blacks.
Sick of swole head rappers with their sickening raps."

In a world riddled with complacency, protracted problems, and political isolation, nurturing students to imagine the world in new ways is imperative. Creativity, fresh perspectives, and artistic and intellectual curiosity are profoundly needed in our schools so they will live in our companies, homes, and even the political theater. How do we get there if schools purposefully breed compliance and undermine imagination? Once we have taught the facts and figures, how do we breed imagination and resistance against oppression? One way is by connecting students to art like De La Soul’s, which fosters imagination, self-expression, and self-exploration. Now more than ever, we teachers have to be on the right side of history in breaking up the status quo. As De La Soul once asserted on the Bizness, "You tried keeping it real, but you should try keeping it right."

Desmond Williams is a career teacher, principal, author and thought leader. He is driven to help all children live their dreams. Desmond has spoken at multiple conferences across the country offering his expertise and insight in engaging inner-city students. His focus is on educating boys of color. Desmond is the founder of Nylinka School Solutions. Nylinka School Solutions does a variety of work assisting schools in equity-based issues including bias reduction training, breaking instructional inequity, reading practices for Black males, restorative practices, confronting whiteness in schools etc. In 2022, Williams published The Burning House: Educating Black Boys in Modern America; it debuted as a #1 New Release on Amazon!

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February 15, 2023 Current Events in Education

We Put "To Kill a Mockingbird" on Trial

Books Are Meant to Be Discussed, Not Banned

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Last summer, I served on the jury of my first murder trial. We heard all kinds of griping testimony, viewed extensive forensic evidence, and witnessed dramatic outbursts from the defense lawyer, who deemed everything the prosecution presented as "hearsay." The experience gave me an idea I wanted to try with my 8th-grade students as part of our novel study; we put a banned book on trial.

Why Some Texas Schools Are Banning "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Oscar Wilde once said, "The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame." Recently, school districts across Texas have banned a range of books they deem immoral or inappropriate. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has issued guidance to schools for banning books deemed inappropriate because they possibly contained explicit material, racial issues, and/or LGBTQ characters. As the Texas Tribune reported, "School districts are not required to adopt the agency's recommendations but can use them as guidance as they develop new procedures or alter their policies for selecting or removing library books." So, technically, the fate of books is in the hands of school districts.

The Problem With Book Bans

My professional belief is students need choice. Students need to discover characters they can relate to and identify with. As a teacher, I always Inform students of the content of a YA-type book because a few students are not permitted to read books from this category, and I respect that. As a mom, I did not have a problem with my children reading such books because it gave us a chance to discuss as a family the situations in the books and reaffirm that our values are different, but it showed them that there were other viewpoints in the world.

While I support student choice, the issue of families exercising choice is double-edged. I oppose the unilateral decision of banning a book for everyone when there are families which allow their students to read the titles in question. I do not believe it should be a one size fits all ruling. The whole situation reminds me of an old episode of "The Waltons." You see, because of WWII, the citizens of Walton's Mountain decided to destroy all books from German authors or in the German language. John Boy interrupts a book burning and asks a woman to read a book written in German about to be tossed into the flames. She reads, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and Earth." One by one, people drop their books as they realize they are making judgments without evidence. This was the big picture I wanted my students to grasp.

We began our journey after a book tasting of sorts. I offered my students two choices of currently banned books in Texas: "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee because of its use of the N-word and "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury due to graphic content and vulgarity. Students overwhelmingly chose "To Kill a Mockingbird" because they performed the play two years before. Even though they were already familiar with the content, I still felt slightly nervous. Luckily, I currently teach in a private school, so we are not as affected by rulings coming from TEA as my public school friends.

Preparing to Put "To Kill a Mockingbird" on Trial

Before we began reading this book, I shared statements from several districts which have banned this book. Then I privately spoke with my Black students to see if they would feel uncomfortable reading this. They assured me they were fine with it. However, my one rule when we read aloud, we did not say offensive words - period.

As we read, students kept a dialectical journal (a T chart where text evidence is written on one side and commentary is on the other side, all providing evidence for and against banning the book). Why did I decide to have them collect evidence for both sides of the argument?

Recording evidence from both sides provided them with a counterargument.
It kept the debate from becoming too biased by allowing them to see both sides of the story.
The evidence could be used as witness testimony when we "went to trial."
I would not reveal which side of the courtroom they would represent until a few days before the trial.

On the reveal day, students formed teams to collect their best evidence and write a closing argument. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the discourse between the students. Side note - this experience would be a great choice for a formal observation. Evaluators definitely would witness total student engagement, high levels of critical thinking skills, and student-directed discussions.

To further prepare my students for building their case, we watched the closing argument scene from the movie version starring Gregory Peck. I asked my students to pay close attention to the facts he presented. Everyone also noticed the counterargument, which I pointed out is key to winning their case.

Afterward, students found various arguments to support their claims. Some students noted the White savior aspect of the story. The White savior has been a popular trope in literature portraying White people rescuing a Black person. It appears not only in "To Kill a Mockingbird" but also in "The Help" and "The Blind Side." The second most popular argument compared banning books like "To Kill a Mockingbird" to erasing history. Students opposed this practice because they argued that we must learn from history. A few of their examples included cities tearing down Civil War statues and renaming schools. They combed the internet, collecting their evidence from a myriad of sources, including videos of school board meetings from across the nation regarding the topic of book banning.

The Court Date

If you visited my room on this date, you would see it arranged in the style of a courtroom, complete with a judge's bench where I presided as judge. I wore my black graduation robe and found a gavel in the "theater prop room to set the tone. (Yes, students addressed me as Your Honor).

Students huddled together, checking over their evidence before our "trial" began. Students had rules of the courtroom to follow. Obviously, you had to present facts - meaning text evidence - when you appeared before my "bench." If either side felt as though evidence had been omitted in a point, they could "Object!" on the grounds of hearsay, speculation, or circumstantial evidence. This made them double-check their evidence more. In the midst of the trial, students would ask to approach the bench to ask for rulings (decisions), etc. They were also allowed to call witnesses from their peers.

A "Not Guilty" Verdict for "To Kill a Mockingbird"

As our trial drew to a close, students became the jury and could offer a verdict. Both sections of my 8th graders offered alternatives to book banning that seemed reasonable. They believed there might be adult themes in the book, so make sure vulnerable children are not permitted to read it. Schools could provide a warning like some programs on Hulu or Netflix do. However, no one said "To Kill a Mockingbird" needed to be completely banned. It just needs warning labels for families to decide if it is the right choice.

In the end, I felt as though my students made more level-headed suggestions than adults they noticed in either articles or videos. They learned in a highly interactive way to provide true text evidence that was relevant and purposeful. In order to ensure success for my students, I visited with them prior to our "court date" to make sure they were on track, but ultimately their work was 100% in their hands.

Will I do this again? Absolutely! For my 7th-grade students, we decided to take a different approach and put Jonas from The Giver by Lois Lowry on trial to determine if he was justified in taking Gabriel and leaving the village. Holding a mock trial for a book or character taught my students to provide evidence to support their claims because sometimes students only want to provide an opinion without proof. It also gave them a taste of real-world collaboration toward a common goal. It is always interesting to see who emerges as a leader in these situations because everyone has an equal voice. I am so glad I took the opportunity to try it out, and I hope you will too.

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February 14, 2023 Current Events in Education

My Teaching Skills Put Me On the School Board

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It was nothing like what I thought it would be. Running for a seat on my local school board turned out to be more than just filing my candidacy, putting up a few yard signs, and waiting for the election results. Even getting into what is the lowest level of governance took an effort tantamount to a presidential run - or so it felt.

But let me back up.

I retired from 34 years as a high school English teacher this past year, and just when I thought I could put my teaching skills to rest, I found that they were the most important skills I would need to run for elected office.

In my 34 years in this school district, there has never been anyone on the school board with a background in education, and it was long past due for that to change. And so, for weeks leading up to the November 7 election, I worked extra hours, conducted research, spent lots of money out of my own pocket, and spoke before reluctant and disinterested audiences. In some ways, it wasn't so different from my work as a teacher.

Like Teaching, You Can't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

To start at the end, I won. But I had help. A lot.

I was lucky at the start to get help from a fellow educator who had worked with another school board candidate in the past. He became my mentor and teacher. He somehow knew I was in over my head. As we discussed the process, I came to realize that I was terrifically under-informed.

As a teacher running for school board, I had a wealth of resources to help. My local teachers' union, as well as the state union, California Teachers Association (CTA), were instrumental in my campaign. They used polling to provide me with vital campaign strategy information. They also assigned a staff campaign strategist to work with me on messaging.

While CTA's help was important, it didn't compare to the support I received from my fellow teachers. My local teacher's association PAC interviewed all the candidates - there were six - and I was fortunate to be selected with two others to earn their support. They were delighted to help an educator win a spot on the school board. Teachers wore my buttons, lined their yards with my signs, put signs in their car windows, hosted fundraising events, walked neighborhoods and talked with their neighbors, and stood on busy street corners, sometimes in snowstorms, waving “Mooney for School Board” signs. I was humbled by their support.

You Will Spend Your Own Money

In the midst of all this, I became aware of certain realities. Yard signs cost $7 each - for the cheap ones, directed text messages cost hundreds of dollars, and directed mailers were thousands of dollars. I honestly thought I could run without these campaign items until I realized I needed to take my opponent more seriously. He was well-funded and well-supported. I spent several thousands of dollars of my own money in an effort to keep up. In the end, I was lucky - not only did the teacher's union donate to my campaign, but they also organized fundraising events that raised even more.

Finally, two weeks prior to the election, my time spent marketing myself to voters finally paid off, and donations started pouring in. In the end, enough donations were made to pay me back for the money I loaned my campaign. That's more than I can say for the thousands of dollars I spent on my classroom over the years.

"When I learned of my opponent's extreme viewpoints, I came to the staggering realization that I was at a crossroads in my life." My Teaching Skills Put Me On the School Board Click To Tweet

Plan Ahead and Show Up Prepared

Five weeks before the election, our local newspapers held a candidate forum that was streamed live. Think of a job interview with hundreds on the panel evaluating you. Not at all intimidating, right? But like any job interview, as long as you're prepared, you'll do fine. When the forum was over, I received thanks and congratulations from supporters and non-supporters alike. I walked away from that forum proud that my responses not only made sense but reflected who I was and who I would be as a school board trustee.

To prepare for these types of forums, I conducted opposition research. What I learned not only helped me craft my responses but also made the stakes of the race crystal clear. On the surface, it seemed my opponent was just like me. He was a local person who had lived in the community for many years.

Then I found his campaign website and discovered that his supporters included two former school board members from Orange County, California. These people made a name for themselves by fighting mask-wearing throughout the pandemic, opposing ethnic studies in schools, supporting book bans, and fighting to limit the rights of students from historically under-represented communities. My opponent had invited this couple to speak at a campaign event he was hosting.

I poked around some more and discovered that my opponent was financially supported by the American Council, a political action committee focused on, according to its website, "electing conservative, Godly men and women to local and state positions across the nation to counter the depravity we see in America." The organization works to recruit, train, and support candidates who "align with a Biblical worldview" to get them elected to office, particularly to local school boards, and they've donated nearly $500,000 to those efforts. My opponent's name was listed on their website's list of endorsed school board candidates.

The research I conducted prepared me for forums. It also solidified my reasons for running for a school board seat.

Keep Your Cool

While I did not use this information to disparage my opponent (I stuck to the issues), others did get ahold of this information and published it on social media. My opponent's mistake, in my opinion, was to engage with his detractors on social media, where he exchanged many aggressive and unkind words with others. It made him look unprofessional, emotional, and ill-equipped for office. I chose to stay out of the fray.

This wasn't always easy. I had a couple of disgruntled parents from my years in the classroom attempt to assassinate my character on social media. It was hard to think that after devoting my life to my students for so long, that there would still be a few parents who thought so poorly of me, they would be willing to try to destroy my reputation on social media. But by not responding to them, interest in their comments soon faded and disappeared altogether. It was challenging to wait and remain quiet, like a teacher being berated in a parent meeting. But I was able to do so by keeping in mind that this election was not about me. It was about an idea, an idea that public education should be open to all, free from discrimination, and transparent in its mission.

When election results started becoming available about an hour after the polls closed, I was relieved to see that our voters had spoken loud and clear. Our side had won with 74% of the vote.

Lean on Your Community and Remember Your Purpose

One of the greatest factors in this election for me was the support of my family. There were many times when I wanted to throw in the towel. Character attacks, mounting bills, and a lack of self-confidence constantly harangued me. But it was my wife and sons who propped me up by reminding me of the importance of what I was undertaking and the confidence they had in me to be a strong advocate for the students of our community. This is what sustains me.

At the same time, when I learned of my opponent's extreme viewpoints, I came to the staggering realization that I was at a crossroads in my life. Running for school board had become a moral imperative to protect the educational integrity of our schools from the radical right not only for the 4,000-plus students in my school district but also for my own 4th grader who attended a district school. Thankfully my hard work and the hard work of my team paid off.

Now though, it is time to put the election behind me and look ahead to the work to be done. I stepped into the middle of a contentious contract negotiation with our teacher's union that began with our previous board. Now I must find where I stand in all of this in my new role as a school board trustee. I am no longer a teacher, but I am in a unique position to help create a collaborative and collegial relationship between the school district and its bargaining units. Not because I am anyone special but because I was a teacher. I have lived in the classroom, and now I can transfer that experience to the boardroom.

Patrick Mooney is a recently retired 34-year secondary English teaching veteran in Northern California, with a bachelor's in English and an MEd in Educational Management, and he currently serves on his local school board. Patrick has written for a variety of publications on the topics of education, writing instruction, mentoring new teachers, raising children, and ski racing. He is also the dad of three fine boys.

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