Monday Musings
from The Kravis Center
March 6, 2020
Focus: Courageous Conversations
Dear Colleagues,,
Happy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, ok… so it's Friday Musings!
I thought I knew what I was going to write for Monday Musings this week, but then I heard two speakers over the past week who changed my trajectory. The first, Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up, earned a standing ovation from a standing-room-only crowd of 5000 educators at the end of her 45-minute talk at NAIS last week. The story of how she became a best-selling author is complex, inspiring, and filled with poignant moments and conversations (some good, some horrendous) that changed the trajectory of her life, several of these moments involving her teachers. She has empowered millions of young people through her writing (she has a third book on the way which is a guide to teaching writing) and told the audience that if we are going to deem the youth we teach today as fragile as snowflakes, then "let's not forget that an avalanche is caused by a bunch of snowflakes getting together." She encouraged the educators in the room to help guide young people, especially young people of color, to find their voice and use it to transform the world, whether it be through speaking, writing, or the arts. The crowd's thunderous applause, and standing ovation, at the end of her speech were a testament to the power of her message and to the imperative that we help young people to find their voices.
Dr. Howard Stevenson led a session at a CAIS event on Monday entitled: Fostering Wellness Amidst Institutional Anxiety and Racially Stress. At the beginning of the workshop, he acknowledged the inherent difficulty in taking part in discussions surrounding race. However, he also made clear that that educators would not excuse an anxious student from learning to give an oral presentation simply because it caused anxiety. We still hold that student accountable. In the same vein, educators can't be let off the hook because conversations surrounding race are challenging or anxiety provoking. We (CAIS separated the participants into two groups: people of color and those who identify as white) have to "know how to talk about racial moments - talking about race in a culture that's scared to talk about race is courageous." In this workshop, we (those who identify as white) practiced these conversations, paying particular attention to how we felt so that we would be better equipped when we eventually face difficult discussions. Dr. Stevenson (coincidentally the brother of Bryan Stevenson) told the participants that "we are doing damage in our schools by not facing those encounters - to what extent are we dancing around the discussions of race? Are we working toward complacency or proficiency in these conversations?"
This CAIS event was timely as Elizabeth Parada will lead the faculty through a session on March 23 faculty day doing exactly what Dr. Stevenson is imploring faculty to do - take part in courageous conversations. I look forward to continuing this training.
The faculty day will also highlight 16 amazing faculty members who have created posters showcasing their professional development experiences. The Gallery Walk will take place during and after lunch which will allow all faculty to engage with and ask questions of each poster presenter.
On a final note, the NYTimes has proposed for its readers a Healthy-Habits Well Challenge: A 28-day plan to nourish your body, mind and spirit, one daily challenge at a time. I plan on doing my "coffee meditation" immediately after sending out this Monday Musings!
Have a wonderful vacation. I hope that you find the time to rest, relax and restore.
Sara, on behalf of the Kravis Center
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E-learning and Covid19
I have registered for the free, One Room Schoolhouse session entitled Continuity in Crisis: Planning for Teachers, in the hopes that it will provide further strategies for teaching classes virtually in case of a delayed start to school.
Coronavirus Prompting e-learning Strategies, Edutopia
Elearning Days, Squarespace
Georgetown's list of questions to consider
Learn how to use Quicktime (Mac Users)- a great educational tool whether in or out of the classroom
EdPuzzle: a resource popluar with our scienc eand math teachers.
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External PD opportunities
Upcoming CAIS events : scroll down the list of events to find the following:
- Bringing Mindfulness to Schools, March 10 at King School, Stamford
- Complicity: Connecticut and Slavery, April 29 5:00-8:00 Hopkins School, New Haven
- Reflect, Refresh, Redesign, May 14-15, Chester, CT
April 24 - 8:30-4:30; Bard College; Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Summer opportunities
The Teaching Institute at Spence
June 22-26, The Spence School, NYC
Summer Harkness Teaching Workshop
June 12-14; The Lawrenceville School; Lawrenceville, NJ
Get a team of colleagues together to spend some time at St. Andrew's at the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (The CTTL). Sara Deveaux, Lena Sadowitz, and Rachel Nisselson have all attended over the past two years. Read their comments in the external PD opportunities document (linked below).
July 19-22, 2020
June 14-17; Potomac, MD
Diversity Leadership Institute
June 21-27; Alexandria VA (NAIS Institute)
"The Institute for Teaching Diversity and Social Justice at Greens Farms Academy
is an experiential summer professional development program for educators and other individuals interested in building more inclusive and affirming classrooms through exploration and development of strategies and skills to effectively navigate diversity issues in independent schools."
Reminder! The link to the external PD opportunities is always available. Once in the document, click on the bookmark to find conferences that may interest you. Let Sara know if you would like to add a omment or provide feedback next to a conference that you attended. Please excuse the "expired" dates. Most conferences do not update dates until January.
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Resources to bookmark
Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching is an invaluable resource which includes a plethora of topics ranging from grading student work, to teaching statement to student evaluations of teaching, to writing good multiple choice questions. Check it out!
Deans for Impact and the pdf of The Science of Learning - a must read on teh neuroscience of learning.
Academic Tenacity by Dweck, Walter, and Cohen The New Faculty Cohort (NFC) read excerpts for orientation. A must read on creating a sense of belonging and increasing classroom motivation.
Leadership and Design's monthly newsletter is a great window into current conversations in independent schools
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