Meet the Experts: Compass Edition

Last week, Julia and I met with the expert students at Compass Charter School to find out more about advocacy and how to be an advocate. At first, I was a little hesitant on asking the students about advocacy and what it means to be an advocate because the badge is so teacher- centered, but Julia and I gave it a shot and we came out feeling significantly better.

Julia and I met with an eighth grader named Nathan. Our first question was pretty straight- forward- “What does it mean to be an advocate?” Nathan came up with a definition that put the Merriam- Webster and Oxford English dictionaries put together to shame. He was so eloquent and told us about how his mom advocates for people with disabilities- including his brother. He also told us about his plot for the book he is writing AND the first 68 numbers of pi. We also asked him what he would like to advocate for, and he said he wants to advocate for anyone who has ever felt discouraged or have been told that they could not do something. He said that since he has been at Compass, that all of his teachers and fellow classmates have always encouraged him.

Final Morning Pages :^(

What do you appreciate most in your life right now? How is that keeping you motivated for the final push of the semester?

Genuinely, my biggest source of motivation has always been and always will be my mom. I want nothing more than to always make her proud of me. She is the best mom in the entire world and I would be nowhere near the person I am today without her. She got pregnant when she was eighteen, was married to my super garbage biological father for twenty years, and still managed to take care of my sister and I, be the best mom in the entire world, get her degree in nursing, and be a general bad ass.

My mom works so hard and has such a kind and giving heart and spirit and is honestly the best person I know. There has never been a time where I have had a conversation with her and felt any less than validated, heard, and taken seriously. She has been there for every single heartbreak, emotional breakdown (no matter how small and ridiculous), and is my biggest supporter. She is always pushing me to do my best and also take care of myself, the latter being often forgot about by many. She reminds me to drink water, sends me pictures of our cats, eats my mushrooms because she knows I don’t like them, and always makes the best cup of tea.

My mom is the best mom in the entire world, and she is the reason I am still here, still moving forward, and still killing it.

EdChoice vs Teach For America: What’s All of This Reform Mumbo Jumbo?

As we all know, the education system is in some SERIOUS need of change. Standardized testing, lack of funding, and increasingly higher rates of student depression, oh my. But how do we go about this? Well, I looked at two organizations’ websites that are exclusively interested in the reformation of the American education system and how we should do it. Here is what they had to say:

EdChoice:

So, EdChoice’s says their goal is to, “Empower all families with the freedom to choose an education that best fits their children’s needs”. EdChoice’s entire mission is to ‘Advance educational freedom and choice for all as a pathway to successful lives and a stronger society’. They want to educate about the importance of school choice for diverse groups of people, as well as, its benefits. Let’s be real, at one point or another, we have all been at school and wished we were somewhere else. Whether you felt like you didn’t fit in, academics aren’t what you want them to be, or you feel like your school didn’t have resources for you- we’ve all been there. EdChoice is a big advocate for being able to pick a school that works well for you. Whether it is traditional, charter, or many other types of school for special populations, they GOT you. They also do tons of research and publish a lot of essays to help figure out what schools are best for you, why you should have a choice, and why you should take advantage of it. Personally, had I had the opportunity to choose where I went to high school, I feel like I would have been much better off. My high school was very agriculture and sports focused, and they did a poor job of preparing us for the ACT and college. If I would have had the opportunity to go to a school where Language and Performing Arts were a little bit more up front and center, I would have thrived even more and would have found my love of learning so much sooner.

 

Teach For America:

Teach For America is an organization that wants to fight educational inequity from within the system through teaching. They tackle all grade levels, subjects, and regions. There is not a single subject that they do not cover. Their website seems almost more targeted to recruiting people for their cause, which is fine because it also incites almost a call to action within all of us. Their main target are communities of low-income rural and urban areas and they cover 51 regions across the United States of America. They want to eradicate the inequality that can come with coming from low-income areas. Essentially, they are fighting for no one’s future to be written for them.

In this same vein, Teach For America and EdChoice are similar. They want to give all students an equal benefit of supplies, resources and choosing what schools are best for them. Both websites were aesthetically pleasing, easily navigable, and well designed. They were both easy on the eyes, east o follow, and had clear and concise mission statements.

Morning Pages: A Letter To Finals

Dear Finals,

First of all, how dare you. I don’t know that I have ever been this stressed in my life. I have kicked a sea urchin in Jamaica, been gay in a very conservative state, earned an entire associate degree, had a falling out with my best friend of two years, and had multiple examples of men reinforce to me that, ‘men aren’t shit’ in the past two years and I still don’t think I have ever been as stressed as I am now. I was sick and throwing up Monday night, out until 1 am in Denver last night seeing my favorite band of all time (Fleetwood Mac- and yes, Stevie Nicks is THAT unreal in person too), I took a final first thing this morning, have a whole ass badge due, four finals, work, missing my little brother’s birthday, and on top of that a bitch forgot to take her Prozac AGAIN, but I still won’t let you get the best of me. You truly came for me, but you know what? This skin- still clear. My parents- the best human beings on Earth. This ass- still phat. My playlists- still poppin’. Anyone who has wronged me- still dead to me. My bangs- still doing the damn thing. My grades- sexy as hell. My life- still going amazingly despite everything that you have thrown my way. So bring on the early mornings, the two hour test sessions, the essays, the homework and the ugly cries- because I still got this.

Teacher as Advocate: What the Hell Does THAT Mean?

The third badge I have decided to do is Teacher as Advocate. This begs some questions: What is a teacher advocate? How do you become one? What does it look like?

Personally, being a teacher advocate to me is speaking up and using your voice to lend to those who don’t have one, to bring light to issues, and fight for what is right. This can be done in multiple different things. I think it all starts with wanting to make a difference. Noticing your kids need more support and resources, wanting to incorporate certain topics and issues into your curriculum for your kids, or noting a change you want made outside of your classroom. Advocacy can happen anywhere, and it does not have to be a march or a speech.

I think all teachers should strive to be educational advocates. If you do not want to make a change and an impact for the better, you should not be teaching. Not wanting to change make a positive impact of change means you either do not care about your students or you do not care in general, and indifference is just as bad as non-action. I encourage ALL teachers to be agents of social change, as much as we empower our students to be agents of change. Attend seminars, talk to your school board, write letters. Anything helps, it does not have to be a grand gesture.

I believe if anyone can make this happen and bring a wave of advocacy, it is new and preservice teachers. We are all ready and rearing to get into schools and make a difference. Growing up in this generation, we have had the benefit of having more of a voice and an impact than any generation before us- especially with the force of social media fighting along our side. Tweet about it. Think about what goes on beyond your classroom. Post about it. Get your voice out there and HEARD.

Morning Pages: Victories

This past week has definitely been a roller coaster. Assignments due, working, maintaining my mental health- it’s all been a lot. Looking back on the victories I have had, there have been more than I really ever realized. Here’s just a few that will probably turn into many:

• Made friends with someone at work that I had not gotten to solidly interact with yet
• My ex apologized for being terrible and we worked things out
• I got to FaceTime with my mom- TWICE!
• I got all of my assignments done and in on time
• I read an amazing book for a class
• I had my favorite chicken curry this weekend- also twice
• I had to call out of work for being sick and they actually cared about me as a human being and encouraged me to rest and get better
• Minimum wage for my job got bumped up to $15 an hour (I am basically a sugar mama)
• I had a great pizza last night and got to watch Mamma Mia
• I started taking my Prozac again and I feel so much better
• My supervisor applauded me for catching on so quickly at work
• I got a 48/50 on an exam I was expecting to do mediocrely on
• I got to sleep in as late as I wanted on Sunday
• I decorated a mini christmas tree and drink egg nog with two of my great friends on Saturday night
• Soup dates with one of the aforementioned great friends, Kellen
• Smiling a lot more

You are SUCH a tool: How To Address and Incorporate LGBTQ Topics in Your Classroom

So, the scoop is that I went on the NCTE’s website to look for practical tools that teachers could use to integrate LGBTQ topics and issues into the curriculum in their classrooms, and this is what I found.

In 2015, Jill M. Hermann- Wilmarth and Caitlin L. Ryan from the NCTE wrote and article titled, “Doing What You Can: Considering Ways to Address LGBT Topics in Language Arts Curricula’. The article talks about the need for LGBTQ inclusive curricula and talks about the importance this act holds. They also address the questions and concerns teachers may have, particularly those teaching in more conservative areas, such as the Midwest and the rural South. Questions of support from their administration, teaching materials that are potentially banned, and parental backlash just to name a few. Hermann- Wilmarth and Ryan acknowledge these concerns and understand them to be valid, but also recognize and call for action the greater need of including these groups of students in your classroom. As this group of people continues to go unrecognized and pushed aside, schools continue to remain unsafe and unwelcoming. It is our responsibility and mission as educators to include ALL students, empower them to be agents of social change, and challenge them to be the best human beings that they can be. These two educators list three ways to accomplish this successfully and correctly.

Primarily, you start with including texts with LGBTQ characters. More and more in the last few years, young adult and children’s literature has become more incorporative of LGBTQ identities and intersectionality that comes with that. Personally, I would love to be able to provide that variety for my students. Growing up in a predominantly white and straight environment as a young, bisexual woman, I would have given anything to read material that did not reflect that. Too many books did I read about straight, white people by straight, white people. These stories are out there, but they are not the only ones who should be heard and told. I love The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald as much as the next person, but what about Fun Home by Allison Bechdel which tells the story of a young woman coming to terms with being a lesbian and her experience by means of a graphic novel? Or ‘If I Was Your Girl’ by Meredith Russo that features a young trans woman and her journey through high school? Or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz that tells the coming of age story of two young men who fall in love? All three of these authors are also LGBTQ, which makes it that much more powerful.

Hermann- Wilmarth and Ryan also suggest that if a text is ‘straight’, use an LGBTQ lens when reading it. This can be done with ANY text and any genre. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, novel- seriously anything. You do this by choosing text that does not specifically name characters as LGBTQ (So, basically 90% of all books ever) and analyze them to answer bigger questions that come up when addressing LGBTQ topics. Some of the questions suggested are : Does the author rely on stereotypes of what makes a boy and what makes a girl? Are there situations where one characteristic (e.g., maleness) is expected to accompany another (e.g., never crying)? What happens to characters when those characteristics don’t come in expected sets? How might this story be different if the male character were female or vice versa? Is the story shaped by the character’s refusal to conform to social norms? How? These questions get students thinking about bigger picture ideas and encourage them to read between the lines. I don’t know about you guys, but I would LOVE to teach Twilight through an LGBTQ lens.

Finally, the last approach is merging these previous two approaches together- bringing an LGBTQ lens to texts that are already LGBTQ inclusive to get the students to further analyze and read between the lines. The article also provides book suggestions and possibilities for both of the lens approaches.

Ultimately, the three take aways that I want you to gather from this post are that teaching LGBTQ is important, it is possible, and that it will ultimately change your students’ lives for the better.

LGBTQ Organizations: What’s The LGBTea?

So, I looked at two well-known LGBTQ organizations that support this amazing community. Here is what I found:

GLSEN

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network’s, or GLSEN’s, mission statement is, ‘every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We believe that all students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where they can learn and grow.’ This organization has made great strives to incorporate all students in the education system and create safe places for ALL students. They conduct research, develop and provide educators with resources, and work to help pass school policies that safe guard LGBTQ students.

GLAAD

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD, focuses on ‘rewriting the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.’ Their focus is not as focused on the education system, but rather on a more communal and global level. They tackle and take action across all facets of the LGBTQ community. Their main goal is to take to the media and provide true and genuine LGBTQ narratives, rather than that which is typically sensationalized by the media.

The LGBTea

Both of these organizations fight for the LGBTQ community; however, GLSEN focuses more on education and the youth and getting them involved, where GLAAD focuses on all age ranges.

Morning Pages:What small kindnesses have you experienced or witnessed lately? What small kindness could you offer others today?

Working at Whole Foods has been a breath of fresh air for me. The culture is so welcoming and everyone is so kind. We welcome everyone into our stores, and our team leadership really gives us the ability to go above and beyond for our community. We can help people out to their cars when they have too much to carry, offer to take their baskets for them, and even offer them a product for free so that they can try it and see if they like it. One thing that has surprised me even more are how our customers go above and beyond for one another. Just last week, a woman was a few cents short on her total and would have had to run out to her car, in the cold, to get more change out of her car. The woman behind her kindly offered up the remainder of the change with a warm smile.

On campus, everyone is also so kind and welcoming. People who will give you a ride if you need one, and will always listen to you if you have had a hard day with no complaint. It is that kind of community that just reminds me that I belong here and I made the right choice to leave my home state. With every fiber of my being, I did not want to go to the University of Wyoming. It is the community that I now live in, the friends that I have, and the relationships that I have built that remind me that I have made a good choice.

A lot of people think our motto, ‘Rams take care of Rams’ is cheesy and corny, and from an outside perspective it is, but it is so true. I have never been in a community of people that have so freely and willingly offered up such kindness without so much as a second thought. We HAVE to take care of one another, now more than ever.

In terms of me putting kindness out, one thing that I always go out of my way to do is check up on people. A friend you have not talked to for a couple of days, your coworker, or your mom. Check up on them and let them know you care. Always surprise people with coffee. Offer hugs.  Buy some flowers and take care of yourselves. Tell someone that they look nice today. Cover that shift for your coworker. Tip extra. Buy the meal for the person behind you in the drive thru line. Make your friend a playlist of songs that remind you of them.Most importantly, listen to listen. Don’t listen to respond. There is a difference.You never know how much that can mean to someone, and you have no idea what they are going through.

Supporting LGBTQ Students

Of course, we all know that all students would benefit from our ally-ship as teachers, but there are some groups of students who need our help and need it right now. One of the Level 2 Teacher as Ally badge addresses this concept. Being both the B in LGBTQ and coming from a community that was very conservative and did not have many resources for me during my academic career, I decided to delve deeper into how to be an ally for LGBTQ students.

All great structures start with a solid base and foundation, and then build upon it. The same is true of striving to be an ally to LGBTQ students- or all students, really. First things  first, you must create a supportive and welcoming environment. This article talks about the importance of making school a safe place for students and how to do it. Ideally, the safe space would be school-wide, but it all starts in your classroom. This article stresses the importance of teachers being role models. We set the tone and example that we expect our students to follow. The article gives you nine ways to create a safe school for LGBTQ students. Among these include educating yourself and your colleagues, be supportive of students who come out, check your biases, and shut down anti-LGBTQ behavior. This article also talks about teaching inclusively, which leads me to my next point.

As I said previously, it all starts in your classroom. One way to begin the process of creating this safe place for students is incorporating them into the curriculum. I want you all to take a second to stop and think, did you learn anything about LGBTQ history in school? Did you know the first pride was a riot? Did you know who the Lavender Menace was? Did you know that the first country to legalize gay marriage was The Netherlands, and it was only 17 years ago? Or that during the AIDS crisis, lesbian women were the backbone of the LGBTQ community? It is immeasurably important that we include these students into our curriculum and that their history is heard.

My big takeaways that I want you guys to walk away with: Include your LGBTQ students, educate yourself, shut down that homophobic and transphobic bullshit REAL fast, be supportive, and just be a good person in general. Every LGBTQ student has a unique story, experiences, and views and all of them are immeasurably valuable. Take the time to listen, be supportive, and let them educate you. It is a common misconception that because we are all a part of the LGBTQ community that we all inherently and totally understand each other’s plight. We all want to understand and be there for our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, but at the end of the day, if you want to know what it is like to be a trans woman of color, ask a trans woman of color. If you want to know the struggles of a lesbian in the conservative midwest- ask a lesbian who is from/ lives in the conservative midwest. With this, remember that not all LGBTQ people experience things the same way. I do not speak for all bi women, but I as a bi woman speak for myself and my experiences. All LGBTQ people are unique, beautiful, and they MATTER. Show them these things are true.