I have been struggling with how to process and respond to the upheaval in Baltimore. It is a call to action and engagement that is daunting and complex. However, that does not make okay to ignore the situation. History reminds us again and again that that kind of pacifism is often taken as consent. In education it can not only harm our students when we fail to advocate but can also harm our relationships with them when we fail to address issues integral to their existence.

So as an adult, educator, and most of all librarian, I find my context by reading and seeking out resources to empower and guide my processing of the issue.

 For any adult:

We need to process before we discuss or even approach heavy subjects with our students. In the case of social justice, there are some easy ground rules that can make navigating safer and more productive. My favorite resource for educating myself on this is the following article.

Teaching Social Justice's - "Guest Post: Cody Charles on the Ten Counterproductive Behaviors of Well-Intentioned People"

For educators:

Educating on social justice comes with even steeper rewards and pitfalls. To orient yourself you can read the article below or visit the website Teaching Tolerance, which has has many established lesson plans and resources. 

The Student Affair's - "Ten Counterproductive Behaviors of Social Justice Educators "

TeachingTolerance.org

For teachers and their  students:

Though there are numerous resources for lesson plans and resources surrounding race, gender, or identity issues, here are some of the resources I have relied on heavily for processing the #blacklivesmatter and Baltimore riots. 

Primary (PK-3)

In this age group, I believe the most powerful tool for social justice you can wield is teaching empathy and giving students names for their feelings and experiences of the world.

 Benefits of Helping Preschoolers Understand and Discuss Their Emotions

Intermediate (4-8)

At this level, students are able to engage more critically with the issues that may be more abstract or outside their realm of experience.

The resource I am most excited about today are these student essays written about Baltimore by Baltimore students. What a fantastic way to engage with the issue and connect students to others they can identify with.  Have students write back. Have students write about their own city. Encouraging student voice and students to share their truth goes miles to promoting social justice as a mindset instead of a one time event.

Baltimore Students Share What #TheRealBaltimore Is, And It's Not What You're Seeing On TV

And here are two wonderful videos for middle school or high schoolers that engage with how to incorporate social justice practices into your own life.

Sometimes You're a Caterpillar by Chescaleigh

5 Tips for Being an Ally

What's in my bag - Presentation Edition

The thing I like most about blogging so far is that I get to write about all the things I enjoy reading on other blogs. One of my favorite types of posts is an immaculately organized and semi-intrusive "What's in my Bag" deconstruction. A voyeuristic birds eye view into someone else's essentials always hooks me. I could scroll through them for days.

So here are the things I find essential for a light presentation day.

(Warning: I am a minimalist at heart and this might not be as exciting as you think. ) 

In order of importance (to the presentation... to me would read far differently) :

1. Apple VGA to Lightning Adapter

 It isn't cheap but it is oh so easy. This connector provides a simple stable connection between your iPad, iPhone, or anything else with a lightning adaptor. Since, I am a huge fan of Google Apps for Education, I typically do all of my conference or other presenting on my iPad mini. For this particular presentation day, I was only doing 30 minute presentations and didn't need anything fussier.

2. Apple iPad Mini 

 As a librarian in heart and practice, there is nothing I value higher than a book but a book sized piece of tech that holds my presentation, connection to social media, emails, and Kindle library takes the cake. Its like a really versatile tech savvy popular cousin of the book and I love it. Now I don't link this because it is an older iPad mini and no longer sold but it doesn't mean I love it any less. The new one is snazzy too.

3. Pilot G2 Rollerball Pen

Yet again my book gets knocked down the list. But listen guys, this is a long term love affair. I adore office supplies. This pen is magic.

4. "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A book is an essential anytime leaving the house. And in the last 2.5 years I have contented myself with that book being digital and on my phone via the Kindle app. However, recently nostalgia and good old fashion common sense have gotten the best of me and I have returned with a vengeance to the neglected pile of books on my dresser. I can't recommend this one in particular any higher. It is gorgeous and compelling. I am so impressed by the descriptive language and creativity in a book already translated from its native tongue.

5. Business Cards via Vistaprint

I often find myself attempting an introverts version of networking. And let me tell you, it is waaay easier to avoid tripping over your tongue and to seem more confident if you have one of these handy. Vistaprint turns out affordable and high quality products in the quantity you need. I highly suggest using them if you choose to make your own.

6. Note Book 

My little sister was kind enough to buy me this planner as a present. However, its become a note book in the true sense of the word. I find it much easier to scribble notes and reminders as a meeting or presentation progresses and to transfer it to my calendar, email, or Google Keep afterwards when I get home.

7. Wallet, Kleenex, Sunglasses, Charger

None of these things are exceptional. They are the usual suspects for occupying my purse on non-presentation days and are of just the right utility and size to make the cut for today. 

Midweek Link Roundup

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1. You Don't Have to Marry It! by the Daring Librarian

As Gwenyth so aptly states and discusses, there is a huge influx of education technology and trends. She does a great job of naming the top contenders in the field and laying out the overwhelming sense of urgency all of this change creates. In the article, she lays out an low stress path to success with technology implementation that is flexible based on your ability level. Now that I am done fangirling, you need to go read this post! You'll feel comfortable and capable in no time! 

2. If I'm Such a Great Teacher, Why Do I Want to Quit? by CoolCat Teacher

Its that time of year again where your resolve goes out the window and you question every career move that has gotten you to this point, 30 days or less left in the year....and of course we're counting. This post is the pep talk you may need, and I definitely cling to, to get to the end of the year. A reminder that you are not alone and that what you do counts. 

3. Digital Natives, Yet Strangers to the Web by Alia Wong via The Atlantic 

When I teach technology or digital citizenship, or when I talk to other educators about it, I always try to keep in mind that my students don't need the step by step tutorial I had in elementary. This wonderful article dives into the progression and state of digital natives and their educational needs in regard to tech. It is fascinating and so important moving forward with Edtech. A must read! 

4.  Your Internet Habits Create Your Reality by Leo Babauta

A wonderful reflection to guid your internet wanderings. It is easy to spot bias and influences in daily life (not) but digital platforms offer even more hiding places, visual clues, and opportunities to loose your way. This centering essay provides a great reminder and call for reflection. 

5.  7 Ways to Trick Yourself into Thinking Everything is Great by Love Teach 

Another end of the year post. I really appreciate reading about how other teachers cope at this point in the year because bottom line...its crazy tough. Even if things are going well, the fatigue and momentum of the year gets sucked into a worm hole and you find yourself somewhere you have never been before.  these tiny tools, simple ideas, and reminders are great grounding points for the days ahead. 

6. 25 Ways to Get the Most Out of Twitter by Pamela DeLoatch via Edudemic

I am trying to tweet.... or be on twitter... or whatever you call it. I found this post terribly helpful in orienting my purpose and figuring out what to do to get the most out of the social media beast. While several of the options are over my head at this point, I am excited to see where I can go with these tips. 

3 Resources to Help You Avoid Asking "Why can't you cope?" - Discussing emotions for everyone's sanity.

I hope we all haven't had this moment. The moment when you see the first twinge of rage  on a child's face and your mentally review your rules and consequences; when you notice the mood shift and watch those tiny muscles flex and you brace to dodge a chair. Consistency slipped, a comment triggered, and he shoved glue in...literally IN my EYE! I hope there is a teacher out there can say she has never questioned her sanity at entering this life path. But I am pretty sure we all have.

Children more often than not come into our lives and classrooms without some essential tools. They cannot express or cope or explain. Small obstacles that we gloss over become mountains. Insurmountable in their unfamiliarity. Our kid becomes lost. A filter is missing. A lens is cracked. It is beyond them to understand the world as we present it. And we loose control. And often, we pick up yet another torch to juggle. We settle in to teach skill streaming, teach empathy, use higher order questions on top of the other things ( you know those 1567942 standards we are recovered to cover).

So here are the three things that have helped me cope. Resources that gave me a tool to pass on or a smile to share in those tense moments. I could not have retained the small bits of my sanity were it not for these touchstones.

1. Brene Brown on Empathy 

This video is magnificent. Simple and clear, it really hits the heart of the issue with differentiating between sympathy and empathy. While the subject is a little abstract for primary, intermediate elementary and middle schoolers would benefit greatly from a discussion based around this video. 

2. Teaching Empathy: Are We Teaching Content or Students?

This article by Terry Heick is a great primer on incorporating an awareness of empathy into your teaching practice. The subtitles of discussing and promoting emotional care in your classroom are vast and this road map really helps navigating all the potholes and bumps along the way. 

Check those links! Teaching Tolerance (referenced in article) is a great resource! 

3. A Pep Talk from Kid President to You by SoulPancake

If you haven't encountered this gem, WATCH IT NOW! It may be the sweetest and most entertaining video I have ever watched. I still quote it constantly to my kids and to my partner. Not only does it connect to your kids on their level, it is a great way to discuss empathy through analysis. I have had many great conversations about "Why does kid president makes these videos?" and "How do you feel after watching it? Was that what Kid President expected to happen?". Empathy through modeling and high expectations is a delicate thing to create in your classroom culture but there is help out there!

Midweek Link Round Up

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1. "Rethinking the Role of Educator as Facilitator Amidst Tech Transformation" by MindShift

I am a big fan of both MindShift and the Atlantic! Though it was tempting to just post the Atlantic's article "The Deconstruction of the K-12 Teacher" the conversation between the two articles and the specific application to K-12 in MindShift was important to me. As educators we often face people who do not understand the intricacies of our job. Those who regard electronic resources and search engines as replacements for librarians and classroom teachers are an incredibly dangerous factor in the current evolution of education. I do not think a "guide on the side" or a "tech" who montiors behavior, describes 21st Century teachers. With the resources of the internet at our fingertips, we are curators, disseminators, maestros of information management and without us you would be buried. (Just watch a kindergartener going in blind and you may reconsider.) Differentiation, developmentally appropriate learning, and subject knowledge does not come in an 8-bit box.  But some think so...

2. "The Battle for Education" by Steven Wheeler

The chart in Steven's post only builds upon the pressure cooker environment that education has become trying to interface between industry and children. It presents a dichotomy or evolution between the "traditional model" and the "progressive model". It is a great quick start guide for the familiar and "state of the union" for the well versed.

3.  "Deconstructing Blackness" by Dr. Nicol Howard

Discussing race, gender, or socioeconomic status in the classroom can feel like a minefield you are ill equipped to deal with. This article lays out simple ways to frame conversation that protect and liberate your students. Clear and creative, it gives you concrete tools for your classroom.

4.  "Spreading Positivity" by Toni Sinanis

We set expectation for page headings, line walking, and talking in our classrooms. In this article, Toni Sinanis suggests an activity, #PositivePostItDay, for setting expectations for positive talk and criticism in academic and personal arenas. Though we often are reminded of the example we set through classroom narration, it can be difficult to fit in peer interaction, reasons for respect, and creative phrasing into our curriculum. Meet the solution to all three!

5.  "Schools Turn to Technology for Teaching's Sake" by Ryan Petersen

I am skeptical of this article. Technology is often hailed as the savior of education. The next big thing. The future. However, pour tech down the throats of students and educators without careful implementation and best practices is horribly destructive. So I was interested to read about the trend and the successful examples, but throughout I continue to look for those best practices. Why did it work? How can I mirror that success?

6.  "Libraries and Librarians in the Internet Age" by Richard Byrne

This video is a great resource for the classroom and the media center. In simple terms, it hits home why we need to mediate technology use. It illustrates the use of consulting information experts to optimize educational experience. If it hasn't occurred to your faculty to consult you for project based learning, research projects, or creating new units, a viewing at a staff meeting may help matters.

What I'm reading

 "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz

There is beauty to a book that shows a truth of the human condition. Seas of details and heaping mountains of thoughts create complex and compelling characters. Complicated back stories and shining adjectives lovingly craft a perfect image of a person in your mind. Whole, aware, and alive, a character who comes into their world fully formed. These books attempt to pry open the ribs of the main character and breathe life into each thought for them. Yet in "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" the author Benjamin Saenz tries a more honest tack. But it feels like a sucker punch to the gut.

Angel Aristotle Mendoza does not claim to know himself. In the typical teenage journey to self awareness, the grasping, gasping trial of finding your own inner truth, his mind is laid out plainly. Simply. But it is not everything. It is hard to know anything about yourself. People are rarely whole. Life likes to take little bites out of you. Your father's voice, chomp, eaten by the pain of Vietnam. Your brother's memory, gulp, swalled by silence and fuzzy memories of long absence. It takes context and heart ache to build a person in real time and Seanz honors that truth. He honors the pain and confusion of teenage angst and lays it on the page without embellishment. This is Aristotle's truth. He does not know himself.

I originally picked up this book at a conference as a quick read. Young Adult (YA) novels soothe my soul and take up a smaller niche in the cavernous archives of my mind. More room for serious professional development...ha. It had all the right award stickers and a title enigmatic enough to pique my interest. But it languished at the bottom of my bag until I got home and sat on my to be read shelf till a day and half ago when I read this article. It describes in its later parts the growing trend of adults reading YA. And debates the criticism that it is the end of a great literary tradition when adults bypass true literature and head for the kiddie books.

Pish posh, I thought. There are great, life changing, earth shaking truths in YA. I mean, if you poke around inside my ribs I am sure some of those building blocks of my essential self are molded from the words of J.K Rowling and Phillip Pullman, Roald Dhal and Louis Sachar. I pulled those words and lessons around my ears and build my teenage context with a healthy mix of my own heart ache and theirs.

So the minute I read the last page of this book, I found my fingers leaping for the keyboard because this book is important or will be to many someones. It takes the universal secret that no one is whole and proves it. Each of us, finds fuzzy, scary, uncomfortable places within ourselves. But we don't have to be afraid.