AISV Belonging Afternoon Choice Board Feb 2025 by Sherri Spelic

What I didn't know about having a queer daughter

sspelic — 2025-02-19 07:02:57 UTC

This article includes valuable insights on parenting a child who identifies as queer. Among the key lessons:

"Kindness trumps bullies. Stand together as a family and support your child. Become a vocal advocate among heteronormative communities to not use derogatory terms for LGBTQ kids, and to be kind and inclusive of all. No more bystanding."

Memoir comics

sspelic — 2025-02-19 07:52:06 UTC

When we think about memoir, we tend to think of text; in books. Comics or graphic memoir offer an alternative means for writing about identity and experience in honest and compelling ways. Crucial comix is a small independent, queer-friendly publisher featuring comics from a wide range of authors. Have a look around. Two of my favorites are "Going gluten-free" and "How I learned to say 'No' at the doctor's office"

"What's in your news?" protocol from Sara K. Ahmed

sspelic — 2025-02-19 08:00:46 UTC

Sara K. Ahmed, educator and author of a handful of books on social-emotional learning in the classroom, shares a useful protocol for engaging students in conversation about what's on their minds, especially following a big news event. The activity, however, can be used at any time as a way of taking the temperature of the room. This activity is taken from her book, Being The Change. A scan of the whole chapter can be found here.

Have you used this protocol with students? What has your experience been?

Unearthing Joy, an interview with Gholdy Muhammad

sspelic — 2025-02-19 08:08:14 UTC

How do we create space for joy in our classrooms and meetings? This is the subject of Gholdy Muhammad's book, Unearthing Joy which she discusses in this interview with Larry Ferlazzo.

Against AI Shaming by Maha Bali

sspelic — 2025-02-19 15:07:22 UTC

Dr. Maha Bali is Professor of Practice at American University Cairo who has a background in computer science and long history of involvement with digital humanities. This reflective blog post on acknowledging the range of perspectives on generative AI and its uses sheds light on how we find our own entry points without shaming others.

Nellys Story (German with English subtitles)

sspelic — 2025-02-19 15:24:33 UTC

This 20 minute film has won several awards. It's a bit of a gut punch and offers a cautionary tale about the risks and excesses of social media sharing and influencer culture. It has a haunting quality perhaps because it is not at all hard to imagine.

Educator Bandwidth, 1-pager and survey link

sspelic — 2025-02-19 15:46:58 UTC

The linked PDF offers a 1-page overview of the topics covered in the book, Educator Bandwidth by Jane AG Kise and Ann C Holm (2021). You may want to complete the Bandwidth survey to assess your current state.

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2025

sspelic — 2025-02-19 15:55:43 UTC

Looking for an opportunity to write regularly, engage with a community of educator writers, and discover the joy of both? The Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge is a month long challenge where community members (try to) blog and comment on three other slices every day in March. No literary talent required! Your posts can be as long or short as you choose, poetry or prose. The linked overview provides details and a sign-up form. I've completed the challenge the last 6 years and look forward to year 7.

Unwind with doodling

sspelic — 2025-02-19 16:10:14 UTC

Grab a pencil, pen, markers, crayons and some paper and give yourself time to doodle. Let your mind wander on the page, creating shapes, forms, lines as you go. At the end of a busy day, why not give yourself the gift of meditative scribbling?

Gifts of the Land - a nature tour with Robin Wall Kimmerer

sspelic — 2025-02-19 22:00:36 UTC

If you're in need of a bit of peace, this 20 minute video may hit the spot. Botanist and writer, Robin Wall Kimmerer shares her knowledge and appreciation of the natural world and what it both teaches and offers us. Her reflections of the role of story, abundance and gratitude on this walk through the woods, provide welcome reminders of the gifts of nature just waiting for our attention.

On Eve L. Ewing's new book, Original Sins

sspelic — 2025-02-20 14:08:20 UTC

Eve Ewing is a sociologist, poet and former middle school teacher who has written several books on aspects of American education. In this interview she discusses her latest which tackles the history of public education designed for Indigenous and Black students in service to American capitalism and maintaining a set racial hierarchy.

UDL: Pleasure, Accessibility and the Radical Possibilities of Good Design

sspelic — 2025-02-24 06:33:11 UTC

This article references a college classroom setting and may resonate especially with HS teachers. That said, the review of UDL principles followed by concrete examples of implementation offers several helpful reminders of how we can design assignments and class time for maximum student engagement.