Author's posts

‘The Human Connection Is Everything’: Dave Eggers on What He’s Learned From Tutoring Students

“The human connection is everything. This distance learning moment during the pandemic has really proved that technology only gets you so far.”

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Here’s a word to drop from your teacher vocabulary in order to build connections with kids

Drop the word EASY and build better connections with kids. Mistakes can be useful and productive for learning.

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A simple phrase that, used alone or prefacing a question, can help you connect better with others

“Tell me…”

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7 Takeaways from our experiences with distance learning: administrators may be able to handle whatever comes next year by putting people first and remaining flexible by Mary Davenport

Put people first
Less is more
Make and communicate a plan
Don’t go it alone

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For Teachers: Summer Reading During Turbulent Times Influenced by the pandemic and social unrest, two teachers recommend books to read this summer on topics like wrestling with loss, addressing inequity, and recharging for the school year ahead.

“Summer leisure reading can feel like an indulgent start to slower-paced days away from school. But in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and major social unrest, a thoughtful reading list feels downright essential right now as we readjust routines, adapt to pandemic-induced school changes, and work for a more equitable community. by Marissa King …

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Teaching and Leading Through a Pandemic Key Findings from the American Educator Panels Spring 2020 COVID-19 Surveys by Rand Researchers

Finding of research “There were large disparities in students’ access to supports for learning — disparities that predated the pandemic and that educators will need to continue to tackle.”

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A restorative approach is key for a new normal after COVID-19 by Jennifer & Kristina Llewellyn

“Social distancing has shown us that our siloed and fragmented social systems and services will be stronger with more integration and interconnection…..What has been revealed is that we need to work in more relational and integrated ways, not only in this extraordinary moment of crisis but also in ordinary times. We need a relational shift …

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WhatsApp justice for teenage victim of homophobic gang attack

“A teenage boy who was attacked by a gang of youths in a Brighton park is the first to receive an apology via WhatsApp video as part of Sussex Police’s restorative justice project. The scheme, dubbed Restore DiverCity, gets offenders to speak directly to their victims so they can appreciate the impact of their actions …

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Connectedness beats metrics: an article by John W. Bailie

“Connectedness always beats metrics as a predictor of group perforemance”

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How schools are using restorative justice to remedy racial disparities in discipline

“Fania E. Davis is a long-time social justice activist, civil rights trial attorney, restorative justice practitioner, and writer and scholar with a PhD in indigenous knowledge. In “The Little Book of Race and Restorative Justice,” Davis examines the still-pervasive, centuries-long cycles of racial prejudice and trauma in America and their repercussions, ranging from educational inequities …

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