Most of these books and activities default to stereo-types where Native people are shown in feathered headdresses and fringed clothing—
Not only does it provide children the wrong information about different tribes, but it fails to teach the importance of Native clothing in their culture. We live in an era where Native headdresses are worn to music festivals because we have never taught our students the value of these sacred items.
No matter what you do, tensions remain in your classroom.
The realness of this statement is refreshing. Honestly, no matter what you do sometimes, you cannot avoid tensions. Take a deep breath, be honest about it, and do what you need to do to make peace.
Acknowledging and unpacking tensions and the pull they have on us creates opportunities for learning. They are not roadblocks to be avoided but experiences to be explored.
I honestly wrote this down on a sticky note to look at during the week because I knew it would be a hard week. Assessing why and where our tensions are in life is the first step to embracing the wobble in my opinion. I think it makes us take a step back and reevaluate.
“There is something good here. And not just because more white families have moved to this side of town. There’s always been something good here. People just have to open their minds to see it”
The whole concept of perception is so important to our students. Are the perceptions we've been fed for years an actual Truth? Gentrification always describes making places "better" but challenging our students to think "better for who?" is important.
my lack of knowledge about African American Vernacular
This article rings so true for many white educators, especially us ELA teachers. For many years I would consistently correct my student's grammar or insist on using "proper" English as we were in school. I then was educated on how alienating it is to students whom you want to feel included in your classroom.
Then the children are introduced to the invention next in historic order, working it out experimentally, thus seeing its necessity, and tracing its effects, not only upon that particular industry, but upon modes of social life
When most of us learned history (or taught it) we do tend to go chronologically, but always in a zoomed out manner. Unless it is a war or the fall of a civilization, we usually learn the dates, key event, and vocab words before moving on. I love this idea of delving deep into a small part of history and really focusing on the relationship each piece of machinery has to the one before and after it. It's so important for all of us to learn in a different perspective and this way is so fascinating.