write.share.connect

Teacher to Teacher: Advocacy and the Arts – Moving Forward

By Janice Ewing

Are you concerned about a grizzly bear entering your classroom? Neither am I. However, as educators, many of us are deeply worried about other dangers lurking around our schools, such as xenophobia, racism, sexism, and the erosion of democracy. At PAWLP, we have been reflecting on the meaning of advocacy for teachers — finding a focus, garnering support, identifying meaningful and sustainable actions to take… Now, many of us see advocacy as an integral part of our identity and mission as teachers. At our Saturday Continuity sessions, we are engaging in reflective writing, sharing of ideas, and action planning to move forward in purposeful ways within our schools and larger communities. Please join us on February 3^rd and April 8^th, from 10:00-11:30 at the PAWLP office for collegial connection and inspiration. Read more

Guest Post: Everything’s a Story

By Katie Egan Cunningham

Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote in her famed novel A Little Princess, “Everything’s a story—you are a story—I am a story.” There is so much truth in that brief sentence. Our lives are stories in the making, and there has never been a time with more ways to tell our stories or to learn about the stories of others. While my generation could be characterized as Generation X, I believe today’s students could be aptly named Generation Story. Not only are our students reading and writing stories, they are actively telling stories through photos and videos they compose and curate, and they are listening to and viewing stories at rapid speed thanks to the wonders of Netflix, YouTube, social media, and podcasts. Our students are growing up with a deep sense that everything really is a story.

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Tools of the Trade: Tidying Up

by Rita Sorrentino

On a recent flight during the holidays, a woman seated next to me was reading, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. When she turned and asked me if I had read this book, I told her I was familiar with the concept through snippets I gleaned from TV and social media: get rid of those things that do not spark joy, handle your clothing respectfully, and when in doubt, throw it out. After a brief exchange of ideas, I reflected that although unfamiliar with Marie Kondo’s Zen-like relationship with possessions and strict rules for decluttering, I actually developed a propensity for organization from my mother whose practical wisdom motivated me to keep things tidy and orderly. My mother’s mantras still ring in my ears, “Why handle something twice? Put things where they belong the first time (especially keys). Consider the next person who might also need to use it. Keep like things together.” I believe my mother and Marie Kondo would have found common ground.

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