Apr 14

“Now is the time to imagine a post-corona future that is kinder, gentler, and more supportive of the weak, the sick, and the vulnerable. Let’s not resurrect bad habits. Instead, let’s seek transformation and renewal.”Andrew Fiala Fresno State

“The second thing that needs to change if the new normal is to be better than the old one is that we stop living in the shallows — that we stop hurting our health and our relationships by striving so relentlessly and breathlessly after success as the world defines it. We have been missing what every philosophical and spiritual tradition tells us — that there is a place of wisdom, peace and strength in each one of us. We need to reacquaint ourselves with it! ” Read article

Apr 13

Q & A with Rand educational researchers on COVID-19 shifts to online education

  • This is an interesting article with discussions on questions like:
  • What’s the scope of the disruption?
  • What ought schools to be doing?
  • What’s quality instruction look like now?
  • Why is there no universal internet access?
  • What do teachers need to do their work now?
  • What are the inequities showing up in this pandemic?
  • Read article

Apr 13

Rebuilding connections with students during the pandemic when schools are closed

“Teachers and students miss seeing each other every day. The rituals of school—from mundane daily routines to milestone celebrations like prom and graduation—have suddenly been struck from the calendar. Teachers worry about the challenges and inequities that their students will face when the supports that schools provide are that much harder to access.” Read article

Apr 13

Classroom circle time moves online during Coronovirus pandemic

“We’re all in a huge learning curve,” said Renae Lurenz-Seguin, a pre-K special needs teacher at Gulf Elementary School in Cape Coral, Fla. Amid all the upheaval that comes with school closures, checking in for circle time can give her students some sense of normalcy.  “It’s comforting to them to have some of the faces and routines that they’re used to,” she said.” Read article

Apr 13

2 minute video on Community Circles: virtually and face to face to build and maintain relationships

Every class online or face to face can start with a quick opening and closing circle that’s often known as a Check in or a Check out.

Apr 13

Hope in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic: positive change is possible


“Disasters begin suddenly and never really end. The future will not, in crucial ways, be anything like the past, even the very recent past of a month or two ago. Our economy, our priorities, our perceptions will not be what they were at the outset of this year. The particulars are startling: companies such as GE and Ford retooling to make ventilators, the scramble for protective gear, once-bustling city streets becoming quiet and empty, the economy in freefall. Things that were supposed to be unstoppable stopped, and things that were supposed to be impossible – extending workers’ rights and benefits, freeing prisoners, moving a few trillion dollars around in the US – have already happened.” Read full article by Rebecca Solnit

Apr 08

3 ways to promote student reflection and social connection: One caring teacher’s experience with digital pedagogy

  1. Move away from industrialized curriculum and toward journaling.
  2. Create opportunities for dialogue and discourse.
  3. Build in opportunities for self-reflection. Read full article

Apr 08

Caring adults continuing to connect with kids through COVID-19 in ways that remind students of a morning meeting in class

Here are some terrific examples of teachers greeting students for virtual classes.

Apr 02

Practical suggestions for running an online circle in times of physical distancing

“Online Circles are most effective when they reproduce the function of the talking piece: only one person speaks at a time and there are no interruptions to that speaker. This can be achieved by establishing an order of speaking at the beginning of the Circle that includes every participant in the group. This order is then strictly followed for the duration of the Circle. It is helpful to have
a co-facilitator or assistant to the facilitator who keeps track of the order and can remind participants when their turn arises. If they wish, each participant can have a talking piece that they hold when they speak, and they can share the story of their talking piece the first time they use it. As in physical Circles, it is always okay to pass without speaking or to hold a few moments of silence before passing.” Read full article from Kay Pranis

Apr 02

7 ways to maintain relationships during a school closure

  • Try to say hello frequently if you can
  • how to maintain morning meetings
  • reimagine temperature checks
  • try snail mail pen pals, phone pals or virtual turn and talk
  • create virtual tables
  • consider including parents
  • get kids to name – and process-their emotions Read full article