The Weekend Voice

Why Teachers Need to Know About Students Living in Poverty

Hey Advocates,

I hope you had a great week and I want to recognize the start of Pride Month here in the United States. It’s unfortunate how much hatred and bigotry is out there because of Pride Month.

I’m keeping this week’s message short and sweet. Why? Well, I’m doing a thing on my bucket list this weekend. About three years ago, I started hitting the gym consistently and this past January, I made the decision to take things to the next level. So I’m participating in my first bodybuilding competition this weekend. I’ll be competing in the Men’s Physique category at the Idaho Muscle Classic. Even though I’m on stage all the time doing keynotes, posing in front of judges and others makes me nervous.

Plus, I’m so hungry

In my next book about creating a sense of belonging for students, I’ve been writing about the impact of poverty on a students’ academic,...

Grades are subjective and only sometimes reflect actual learning.

Hey Advocates,

I'm nervous and happy at the same time. Here's what I mean, my Baby Girl turned 13 yesterday. So I'm delighted, but I'm worried about those teenage years Any advice that you can send my way, please let me know!

Are you all set for speakers at your next event? I'm booking for the Fall with back-to-school speeches that will get your staff fired up for the upcoming school year. I'd love the opportunity to work with you and your team, and I come with stellar reviews. Check out my speaker profile and feedback.

TEN REASONS TO BOOK ME

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What I learned from this experience was the value of the unofficial mentor.

Hey Advocates,

I hope you had a fantastic week and are keeping up the momentum during the final weeks/months of the school year. A special shout goes out to Kristine McLane and her work at the North Beach Elementary School. I had the honor of facilitating their fourth Leading Equity book study session.

Next week, I'll facilitate the final book study sessions with Arlington Heights School District, St. Louis Public Schools, and Ames School District. If you are interested in a book study group this summer or fall, feel free to reach out to me, I'll sign the books and send them to you as well :)

I'm already gearing up for the summer and can't wait to share all the future programming from the Leading Equity Center.

Free Course Coming:

Are you interested in going gradeless next year? Well, I got you covered. Actually, my good friend Deanna Lough has you covered. We...

Do we want our students to be included in a burning house?

Hey Advocates!

What a week it has been. I had the honor of keynoting and workshopping for the MSCCA Conference in Ocean City, MD. It was a great time: here’s what folks said about my keynote. Here is the feedback from my workshop on Asset-Based Pedagogy. Or you can watch the video highlights here.

I’d love to work with you and your team via keynotes/workshops. I have back-to-school speeches to jumpstart/motivate your crew for the new school year. I speak to students as well. Let’s chat!

On Wednesday, I emailed you asking for your help as I prepare for the summer. I get asked a lot about how to get into consulting and even strategies for those already in...

Where we invest our time says everything about what we value, right?

Hey Advocates,

I spent a couple of days in Boise on a field trip with my son this week. We had a blast and we both enjoyed learning about the state of Idaho.

I'm currently on a plane preparing to keynote at the Maryland State Child Care Association (MSCCA) Conference, the top professional association for licensed child care and early learning centers in the state of Maryland. During my speech, I'll be posing a simple yet critical question to the audience: "Are you culturally responsive?"

I'd love to speak to your teachers, leadership, staff, or students for your summer or back to school events. Check out what the Leading Equity Center has to offer and let's chat!

Reality is a...

Reciprocal Vulnerability- The idea that we must explore and share the things that make us uncomfortable to build stronger connections with others.

Hey Advocates,

This week, I'm returning from Kansas City, MO, and Charleston, SC. It's been a blast doing work in these areas. Check out ways to connect with me and my consulting services. Let's collaborate soon, I have some openings this summer, and I'm booking speaking engagements for the Fall.

I want to share my thoughts on Reciprocal Vulnerability and its importance this week. I've been in the lab working on writing my next book (yes, another one is coming your way), and it's all about creating a sense of belonging for the "invisibles." Here's the thing, great leaders recognize that many of their staff might have worries about their job or challenges with their mental health. Administrators should work to create an atmosphere where their team feels safe to share their concerns and ideas.

However, teachers often...

I enjoyed working locally in Idaho at the WCA Youth REPs Retreat.

Hey Advocates,

On April 13, Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old US teenager, was shot and wounded after knocking on the wrong residence in an attempt to pick up his two younger siblings. I'm saddened to hear about this, and I'm praying for his recovery and the community in Kansas City.

Over the weekend, I enjoyed working locally in Idaho at the WCA Youth REPs Professional Development Retreat. The Youth REPs inform the WCA prevention programs, create awareness campaigns, and lead efforts to educate their peers. Their peer-to-peer advocacy aims to educate young people and raise awareness about important issues around dating violence, sexual assault/harassment, and bullying. Their mission is to shift harmful social norms in order to ensure that everyone in their communities thrive in safe, healthy relationships.

I worked with this fantastic group of high schoolers (primarily seniors) to develop their advocacy skills,...

Here are a few interview questions you may want to add to your interview structure

Hey Advocates,

I gotta give credit to my good friend Rosa Isiah for my thoughts this week. BTW, she and I just recorded a dope interview on Tuesday on “Finding Joy in Equity Work: Five Ways to Create a More Inclusive Classroom.” I’ll publish the episode on Monday, April 24. Here are my thoughts.

Even with the controversial political climate in education, there is a massive draw for youth pursuing teaching careers. In "Surprise! Booming Enrollment Numbers Show Young People Want to Be Teachers" by Chad Aldeman, the narrative is optimistic regarding the teacher pipeline.

According to the article, enrollment into teacher preparation programs has risen 30% since the 2016-17 school year. This is promising; however, I can hear naysayers saying, "But we need teachers now!" or "So we have to wait at least four years before we see more teachers?"

I look at...

Pump your brakes!

Hey Advocates,

It's April, so most of you are a few months away from Summer break. April is also Arab American Heritage Month. I have an excellent podcast interview coming out on Monday with two of my favorite people, Dr. Sawsan Jaber and Abeer Shinnawi. Make sure you follow them if you aren't already. They brought thewith strategies for all students during Arab American Heritage Month and beyond. Notice that I said for all students because Arab American Heritage Month benefits everyone, not just Arab students.

As I was thinking about next week's episode, it got me to consider the importance of cultural affirmation. Remember, culture extends beyond race and ethnicity. Here's what I mean, many of our students attend school every day and never see anyone that shares their same identity. So they may not read content or watch videos in school with a representation of blended or adopted families, for example. They may never see a teacher, let alone an...

We'd love to take a Deep Dive Into Amplifying Student Voices with you!

Hey Advocates,

Unfortunately, another senseless act of violence occurred earlier this week in the US. My heart goes out to the Covenant School community.

Darlene and I were in San Diego this week at the Deeper Learning Conference. We facilitated a four-hour workshop, "A Deep Dive into Amplifying Student Voices." We believe that students need to occupy spaces where they can freely be themselves. However, society has taught us which identities are prioritized and valued. Doing so contributes to normalizing how different identities from the dominant group are devalued and othered. Schools are spaces that are supposed to serve all students; when students' lived experiences are not valued or treated as equally important, they either adapt to the culture or ostracize themselves due to feelings of oppression.

Our session was about developing a framework for fostering a culture of belonging in which each student feels valued and loved at your school. We had participants...

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20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Activities To Do With Your Team

Leading change is a collaborative effort and thoughtful leaders must begin with the end in mind. However, leading change involves strategic planning sessions that increase awareness of the blind spots within our professional practices. This playbook features 20 activities you can use to lead change initiatives with the goal of ensuring equity within your organization.

I NEED THIS!

Why Teachers Need to Know About Students Living in Poverty

Grades are subjective and only sometimes reflect actual learning.

What I learned from this experience was the value of the unofficial mentor.

Do we want our students to be included in a burning house?

Where we invest our time says everything about what we value, right?

Reciprocal Vulnerability- The idea that we must explore and share the things that make us uncomfortable to build stronger connections with others.

I enjoyed working locally in Idaho at the WCA Youth REPs Retreat.

Here are a few interview questions you may want to add to your interview structure

Pump your brakes!

We'd love to take a Deep Dive Into Amplifying Student Voices with you!

20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Activities To Do With Your Team

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