#SmallBites

With book bans sweeping the country, I felt the need to record some of the words I've written, just in case. Cherry Lake publishing has released a phenomenal Black Achievement series, designed by Kelissa Wing, just in time for Black History Month. I am honored to have written 3 titles, one of which I'll preview here. 

In this episode, you'll hear about Dr. Tai-Danae Bradley who looks more like a girl-next-door Instagram model than any mathematician I was ever introduced to in school. Reading her blog and watching her Youtube videos was actually interesting for me--a confirmed anti-mather! The greatest thing about introducing living (Black) American heroes is that your students can see themselves reflected in the here and now. These are people your students can follow on Twitter and Instagram, which makes their achievements feel much more relevant than our normal content connections to old dead people. Not that old dead people aren't great, but who wants to grow up to be dead and then famous? Certainly not your students who see instafame on the regular. 

I'll be previewing other lesser known Black History heroes in the coming weeks, but I hope you'll do some research on your own with your students to discover other American stories beyond Martin and Rosa. I hope also, that you will consider investing in books that highlight those stories. As you consider what choices you make for your class library and how much say the state has in those choices, make sure you invest in literature you feel is valuable. And as always, remember to vote your conscience, not only in national but also upcoming local elections. Our democracy depends on it. 

You can pre-order the Black Achievement books here or order bulk copies here.

You can read more about US democracy rankings and "backsliding" here.

Over the past few weeks, I have awakened daily to the news of new humans in the classroom. Now, if you've taught a while, you'll remember when "new humans in the classroom" meant meeting a fresh-faced new group in August or September of each year. Now, it means new humans teaching in the classrooms. Well, teaching is relative. As long as the children are attended, we're good. Hey Rick Grimes, got a few minutes??

You see, when free public education was conceived centuries ago, it was designed to cement a unified version of American pride and way of life after the Revolutionary War. Later, after the industrial revolution and, more importantly, after women entered the workforce in large numbers, it evolved as a cost effective way to provide social services and keep our GDP growing. 

Under the flag of education we have designed a system that cares for, feeds, assesses and entertains students for most of the waking day while parents work. Working parents means more money flows into and through the economy. Or at least, that's how it was before COVID. After shut downs crippled and even killed off businesses, the right people must have cried foul: Schools MUST be kept open at any cost. Of course, "virtual learning doesn't work" was the tagline. 'Learning loss', especially 'in our most vulnerable populations' was a big problem. Quality learning face to face with teachers, that's what we needed to do for our kids.

Fast forward, more COVID, so much so that schools are suddenly closing on an emergency rolling basis. And in order to prohibit that? Creative thinkers everywhere are getting warm bodies into classrooms to keep schools open. The learning loss needs of fall have given way to the economic needs of winter and the other Big Lie is now lain bare. Learning loss is not and never was the real concern. 

The US does not have the number 1 GDP in the world for no reason. We have been ruthless in prioritizing profit, this is no different. Schools are necessary to the economy. Now you, as a teacher, are most likely in this job for the kids. And if you really want the best for them, here are three things you need to do THIS WEEK to prioritize academic needs.

Mostly, we have work to do. Our students need more resources than we can give and it's time that education gets a bigger slice of the pie. Valuing the job you do is a big part of that.  Not only are you an educator, you are an essential part of the largest GDP in the world. Start valuing yourself, and ensure that others do too.

Note: This OpEd is designed as a thought provoking, rather than research based, informative article. 

It was not so very long ago that Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina led the charge against this MLK holiday that we now celebrate. Today, that congressional fight has largely faded from memory as we celebrate the powerful words Dr. King spoke. In Selma. In Detroit. In Washington. From the many great speeches: I have a dream...; Now is time to make real the promise of democracy... so many great words flood our social media threads on this day. We remember the greatness but forget what he fought for. Dr. King's marches began because of segregation and voting rights. This past year, the rights he fought for have been under attack like no time since he began the fight.

From Brennancenter.org

In 2021, the state legislative push to restrict access to voting was not only aggressive — it was also successful.  Between January 1 and December 7, at least 19 states passed 34 laws restricting access to voting. More than 440 bills with provisions that restrict voting access have been introduced in 49 states in the 2021 legislative sessions. These numbers are extraordinary: state legislatures enacted far more restrictive voting laws in 2021 than in any year since the Brennan Center began tracking voting legislation in 2011. More than a third of all restrictive voting laws enacted since then were passed this year. And in a new trend this year, legislators introduced bills to allow partisan actors to interfere with election processes or even reject election results entirely.

Unfortunately, the momentum around this legislation continues. So far, at least 13 bills restricting access to voting have been pre-filed for the 2022 legislative session in four states. In addition, at least 152 restrictive voting bills in 18 states will carry over from 2021.

Who are we? Are we really who our founding documents say we are, or are we only patriots when it serves us? Gerrymandering, redrawing districts and attempted coups make me afraid of what that answer might be.

How will you honor the memory of a man who believed in the America we could be? My ask this week is that you spend some time reading the article linked from the Brennan Center and that you contact your congressional representatives. After that, ask at least 3 friends to do the same. If you'd like additional information on voting rights and redistricting (wtheck do we do that for anyway??), head to Ballotpedia and use the dropdown menu on the left.

MLK was not just a Nobel prize winner, not just a man of great words. He was a man of action, arrested 29 times and finally assassinated, shot in the face at the age of 39 for leading the nation into the constitutional promiseland of liberty and justice for all. If you want to honor his legacy, skip the quote post and instead, post a copy of your protest letter. That would be a celebration worthy of a King.

This episode is dedicated to Sidney Poitier, the first actor I remember seeing who looked like me, may he rest in peace.

I don't remember when it happened, but somewhere along my journey, I lost my taste for 'classic' movies. As much as I loved curling up together with my grandmom to watch old Hollywood movies, and as much as those memories warm me, the movies themselves no longer hold the same enchantment. Without using Google, the only big stars I remember who looked like me in mainstream movies were Butterfly McQueen, Lena Horne and Sidney Poitier. As a matter of fact, the cartoons and sitcoms were similarly populated, until Norman Lear came along, with mostly Americans of European descent. Since that was my norm, I never really knew what I was missing.

The old adage "you can't miss what you never had" could not be further from the truth. Just as childhood trauma leaves scars to be reckoned with in later life, the lack of representation in my childhood smacks me in the face quite often. Scooby-Doo? Where were the diverse actors. After school cartoons? Same question. And hollywood 'classics'? Well, geez, we couldn't even get a Black Cleopatra.

This year, that smack in the face came as I settled in to watch some of my childhood favorites for Christmas. My invisibility weighed heavily on me, cast a pall over my downtime--until Amazon Prime Video breathed new life into the phrase "Christmas Classics". I found myself in romcom heaven with Black protagonists doing all the kitchy stuff people do in romantic comedies. And they were doing it in falling snow and red and green Christmas lighted backdrops. My little girl's heart found what it had missed!!

Everytime a child sees themselves reflected in the classroom around them, they stand up a little taller, knowing that their place in the world is secure. And everytime children see the world as a place rich in diversity, they develop a little more empathy, understanding and respect for differences. That's a win for us all.

The next time someone tells you that culturally responsive teaching is a bad or dangerous thing, share this blog with them. Responding positively and with inclusivity to the diverse populations that make up our nation isn't indoctrination, it's just good teaching.

Hello all, Smallbites is taking a short winter break and will be back on January 10th with SmallBites Lagniappe as the Flagship SmallBites production!

Take care, happy new year and 'see you' in 2022!

With states enacting legal bans on what people and politicians call CRT, which is a catch all for most anything to do with race and identity, teachers are coming under scrutiny for 'indoctrination' if they flaut any of the very non-specific rules in these state bills and laws. Since the rules of these laws are broadly written, teaching history and talking about the Trail of Tears vs. Westward expansion or Sally Hemings alongside Thomas Jefferson could could put a teacher in hot water with parents, admin or even senators in other states. 

While there is no such thing as neutrality, teachers must strive to teach from a position of neutrality in order to keep their jobs. While each educator has to decide when, where and how to take a stance, that shouldn't come at the expense of clothes and shelter for your family. By examining your strong emotions about diverse issues, you can better guide your students in inquiry lessons that teach them the critical skills needed to find their own truths. 

Whatever your hot button issues are I hope that in the coming week or weeks even that you'll have an honest conversation with yourself in the mirror so that you can examine what you think about things and why. In the coming weeks months and years you are likely to have a student ask you something that could perhaps put your job in peril. How are you going to guide that conversation in a way that promotes student inquiry, in a way that allows students to make up their own minds about issues and that keeps you from doing anything that could be called indoctrination by people who don’t espouse your opinions.  Most of all, how will you model truth and a non-combative stance for your students and others around you?

I don't have the answers, but I am hoping that a little self examination will help you find yours. 

For more activities like the one above, get your copy of Finding Your Blind Spots, 8 Guiding Principles to Overcome Implicit Bias in Teaching.

Watching the big Hollywood musicals as a child with my family was always my happy place. We were a musical family and as the years passed, I learned the lyrics and sang them along with my mom and the characters on TV. West Side Story was no different. I dimly remember talk about Natalie Wood, the original Maria, being White, but it didn't really make sense to me, she was pretty and she could sing.

Now, it makes even less sense to me. I wonder, not why Natalie Wood, a woman born to two Russian Immigrants, was playing the role of a Puerto Rican instead of a Puerto Rican or at least Latinx actress; I wonder why she was considered White. 

What is it that defines Whiteness? Albino Black people are white. Jewish people are white. And yet, they are not considered White, even though they lack melanin. And what about eastern and southern European immigrants? They were still considered immigrants into the mid 20th century, at least for a couple of generations. 

What do we mean when we say White? And how did white get to be White? Why don't we say European American or German American or British American like we say Asian American, Mexican American or African American? Until we look at the origin of Whiteness we will continue to lack context for impact-making conversations and actions surrounding culture and identity. To get you started, here is an article from the Smithsonian with corresponding questions you can ask yourself. 

Is Whiteness centered in your classroom? How will you know? Who is included, who is excluded and who is in charge of the including and excluding? Let's be intentional about examining whiteness as the default setting and how the concept originated. Finding Your Blind Spots is a good resource, as is this article from SAIC's John M. Flaxman Library. Once we deconstruct what whiteness is, we can look at our other commonly held beliefs about identity, culture and gender so that we can reach and teach each one of our students better. That's what we're all here for, isn't it?

Visit Hedreich.com for more resources.

In case you missed it, Finding Your Blind Spots launched officially on Friday night with much fun and fanfare. You can see the festivities here. But if you'd like a deeper look at the book, order your copy here and scroll to the bottom of the page to get the free reproducibles. The thing that I am most excited about is that, beyond CRT bans, beyond arguments on discussions on race and representations, Finding Your Blind Spots gives every educator the chance to become a better practitioner through introspection and SEL practices. If I could reduce the book to one central theme it would be, "create a sense of belonging for every student". If we want better relationships and better outcomes, we have to be willing to look at our own biases and how they play out in the classroom. 

Enjoy the read and visit hedreich.com for more resources.

Last week after an exceptional conversation about education, bias and divisive rhetoric on the Tom Schimmer podcast, I reflected on a question he asked me. He wanted to know what we could do about all the negative rhetoric on social media, as well as face to face. It was a real idk moment, and I don't have a lot of those. The question made me feel small and helpless because not being mean seems like such an easy thing to do. Why are humans so mean to each other and why do we feed on others being mean to each other? I have my thoughts, but I'll save them for another day. 

Today, I want to simply move toward a solution based on two grandma axioms: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" and "garbage in, garbage out". First, do no harm. If you have the chance to react to someone's rant, just say no. We don't have to engage. And second, if you read something you disagree with, disagree silently. Having an opinion does not mean you have to voice an opinion. 

Finally, spend this week putting some realistic positivity into the world. Join me in posting something kind, funny or uplifting at least once a day for all of December. Don't move into the sunshine and rainbows area, but take time to empathetically encourage others. And if you get stumped, post puppy and pet pig pics. I find them comforting. 

In case you need a spot to feed your own soul, try Reader's Digest or the Good News Network. Sometimes we just need a break from the headlines. 

Finally, in case you are wondering why this is meaningful for teachers working to be more inclusive, I'll just say this: You can't pour from an empty cup. Fill your cup and let it spill over to others, all month. 

The social media fights always get me down. I rarely venture from Edutwitter out into what some educators call "gen pop", but when I do, it's a cruel world. 'Kyle Rittenhouse is White so why is this about race', right?

The overrepresentation of people of color in our jails and the harsher punitive measures taken are glaring indictments of our 'liberty and justice for all'. Seeing Rittenhouse go free, it was impossible not to think that, had it been a Black man killing two White men at a Proud Boys rally--even if there was some altercation, he'd be jailed, assuming he'd survived in the first place. Even a cursory scanning of the US Sentencing Commission's findings will give you context on just why this was 'about race'. 

Can you imagine a Black group storming the capital without being gunned down? Most Black people could not.

Can you imagine a Black person shooting 9 people at a White bible study being taken alive? We can't. Twelve year-old Tamir Rice couldn't even play with a toy gun in the park so how could we imagine anything else?

If you find yourself always excusing the officers or blaming the loudmouthed person who "would never have gotten shot if they had complied", my ask is that you consider, whether or not your go to response is to deny any possibility that race or bias could be in play. If it is, I'm asking you to consider having an honest conversation with someone who has had to give their prepubescent son the talk. And then, just consider for a moment, that there might--just might--be something to what we say when we say that something is "about race". 

I'll leave you with these words from Elvis Presley's Walk A Mile in My Shoes (Written by Joe South): You never stood in that man's shoes or saw things through his eyes or stood and watched with helpless hands while the heart inside you dies. So help your brother along the way, no matter where he starts for the same God that made you, made him too, these men with broken hearts

For more reading:

Context on disparities in the justice system, courtesy of LSE.