Teach For America’s Native Alliance Initiative says Native teachers represent only 1% of the teaching force, and that American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian dropout rates are the highest, while graduation rates and test scores are the lowest. Consider joining Teach For America’s Native Alliance Initiative. Apply by October 24th. Info herehttp://bit.ly/1r05IS3 They accept all majors and backgrounds.
teachers: please stop telling children that they have to be friends with every child in the classroom. this is dangerous. it is telling children that even if another child hits you, teases you, insults you, that they are still a friend. wrong. they are not your friend. you teachers doing this are trying to end bullying but actually you are silencing victims of bullying.
Playing in schoolyards that feature natural habitats and trees and not just asphalt and recreation equipment reduces children’s stress and inattention, according to a University of Colorado Boulder study.
found this on
Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains
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Representation Matters: Doc McStuffins
As you know, I am such a fan of media representation for women in STEM, but I haven’t given fair credit to the amazing Doc McStuffins! I feel like I’ve been living under a rock, but this little girl is absolutely perfect. She’s the daughter of a doctor and takes the things she learns from her mom and applies them to her own practice, Her toy practice! She’s smart, curious and according to show creator Chris Nee, she’s also a “strong, assertive character who’s going places in life”. In one episode she was struggling with a diagnosis for one of her patients, but that didn’t get her down. “I won’t give up, until I figure it out!” she cried! She is just the role model pre-school kids deserve.
While she’s teaching kids about health and hygiene, she also making a huge impact. Doc McStuffins is a top rated-program for the 2-5 age group. Little boys and girls love her; merchandise of the show garnered more than $500 million in sales last year. I can’t go to a restaurant or a grocery store anymore without seeming some kid toting her doll around. She’s everywhere!
While she’s awesome and adorable, most importantly she’s a great role model for young girls, especially for girls of color. There is a disproportionately low number of women in STEM, but there’s an even less women of color in STEM fields. Women of color make up about 7% of employed scientists and only 1.9% of the nation’s doctors.
“It’s so powerful to show representation of somebody who’s not usually on TV”, show creator Chris Nee spoke of this importance in a recent interview with MSNBC. Representation matters. Women, especially young people, need to see themselves in the characters they see. It gives them to the chance to say “I could do that, I could be that”. Even Disney executives admit the power media has on the way people, especially kids, see the world. So for a character like Doc McStuffins, a little girl of color who is interested in STEM, to have all the force of the Disney brand behind her, is something to truly celebrate!
there are many children in Ferguson, MO, (and sadly, all over the world) experiencing and witness acts of racism, violence, and oppression; this can be very traumatic.
children who are experiencing traumatic events need:
We live under white racism in the United States. Racism is built into our society’s systems and institutions. White people hold the economic, political, and social power by controlling and owning the major systems and the vast majority of institutions that make up American society. As a result, white people are in the position to determine how power, wealth, resources, goods, and services are distributed to all of America’s citizens. Historically, white people created these systems and institutions (for example, the education system and schools) to serve themselves and to keep out people of color.
Racism is many things. It is a system of domination and exploitation based on the idea of race. Racism has been around a long time and is alive and well today. It is perhaps the single most influential social force shaping American life. It is woven into the economic, political, and social fabric of our country. Here’s a simple way to define racism: prejudice plus power. Institutions such as schools and child care centers have the collective power to enact and perpetuate racial prejudice in ways both overt and so subtle that often the people involved in these institutions don’t even recognize what’s happening.
One of the most important reasons to encourage an individual rather than praise them is to empower that individual. If I give you praise then I am telling you that you need my approval, that your worth is determined by me; when you should be able to define your own worth without seeking out approval from another. This seeking approval can come naturally because many of us want our loved ones to value what we think, feel, and do, and wanting the approval of a loved one is not a bad thing necessarily but one can be supportive while encouraging an individual. Praise is instant gratification; praise is here and gone in a second. “Oh, that’s nice,” the teacher says to the child who just showed them his or her artwork. The child sought attention and appreciation, received a typical response, and returns to their seat. Sure, saying “that’s nice” is a nice thing to say but encouraging statements leave a greater impact and truly shows the individual that you are paying attention. By saying “that’s nice” the teacher has given the child their approval. That tells the child what they did is important if the teacher says so, reinforcing authority, rather than encouraging positive self-esteem.
Here are some examples of both praise and encouragement:
“That’s nice” vs “What was your favorite part of ____ ?”
Ex) that drawing, your dance, your song, etc.
“Good job” vs “I saw that you _______ “
Ex) handed out the papers, shared that toy, etc.
“That’s/You’re Beautiful” vs “Do you like _____ ?“
Ex) your long hair, wearing that color, jewels on your clothes? Drawing princesses? Etc.
“You were the best!” vs “You worked really hard, didn’t you?”
“You are so smart” vs “How did you think of that?”
“I like it” vs “What do you like about this?”
“That’s my boy/girl/kid” vs List some of their achievements:
“You helped them put the toys away, you held my hand while crossing the street, you talked nicely to others, etc.”
“I am proud of you” vs “Are you proud of yourself?”
Praise promotes competition, instant gratification, needing the approval of authority figures, codependency, and low self-esteem.
Encouragement promotes positive self-esteem, self-reflection and personal growth, and puts the focus on the child/individual’s efforts and achievements.
I had a question are you gay or lesbian and do you think middle schools should be discussing homosexuality or are they too young? i just saw a video and a middle school have a gay straight alliance and it worries me that kids are talking about sex.
Asked by Anonymous
Discussing sexuality is not always the same thing as discussing sex; one can discuss attraction without mentioning sex, one can discuss romantic love without discussing sex. However, middle school aged children need to discuss, verbally express, and receive counseling about their sexuality in a safe, tolerant, and accepting environment. Middle school aged children are thinking about sex and their sexuality, and they are anxious about whether they are normal or okay, or safe. Schools that have clubs, and/or counseling groups, for LGBTQIA students are more tolerant, supportive, and safe; and all students benefit from this. Children who are LGBTQIA deserve safety, recognition, and acceptance.
the sad part is that post isn’t an exaggeration. the last presentation I did at an elementary school the students told me that I must be lying about being Native because they believe that all Native Americans are long gone. Their educators are turning us into a fairytale. I’ve had an easier time convincing children that unicorns and mermaids exists than that Native Americans still exist.
“At a very young age music gave me purpose. I’ll never forget the first time I performed on the stage. It changed my life and I became a whole other person.”
(via fuckyesbeyonce)
I thought about what I just previously wrote and I had to retract something.
I have been a preschool teacher, and I have worked in an elementary school and after school programs, and what all these places (and age groups) had in common was that they didn’t discuss oppression, not racial oppression, gender oppression, sexuality oppression, etc. So many teachers are so afraid to point the finger at the oppressors because they don’t want to hurt the feelings of the students who see themselves in these groups. But by ignoring these issues they are ignoring children who face acts of oppression. This needs to stop.
