Welcome, March!
The sun is out, the temperatures are milder. Even if I know it can all change overnight, I’m grateful for hints of spring. Flowers are popping out of their winter beds, more cyclists take to the roads on the weekend; it’s 5pm and there’s still plenty of daylight! Maybe you, like me, are currently in the market for a bit of uplift wherever you can find it.
Still, for those of us who work in schools, we’re invested in cycles of growth. Younger students get taller and lose their baby teeth. Middle grade students are being taken on wild hormonal rides all unfolding at different speeds and intensities. High schoolers are looking ahead to what’s next: summer, jobs, maybe graduation, or learning to drive. What happens at school is only a piece of the larger experiences that shape their fears, hopes, and ambitions. I see it at home with my teen as much as in my classes of elementary kids. So much growth! Visible, tangible, real.
Adult growth may look different yet it’s an aspect of our humanity that we can both enhance and encourage in ourselves and well as in each other. I like to believe that’s why you and I meet here on the page/screen.
WHM: What to read
March is Women’s History Month and I hope you’ve been celebrating accordingly.
In case your bookshelves are in need of some fresh additions, consider some of these options.
Togethxr is a media hub dedicated to women in sports. They offer a nice selection of books by women athletes and coaches, including a forthcoming title by basketball pro, Brittney Griner.
Social Justice Books has children’s book recommendations for every day of Women’s History Month!
Author Robert Jones has an exquisite list of seven books by women that are especially valuable in turbulent times.
OK, this is an interview I think you should read: Biographer Katie Gee Salisbury talks to Anne Helen Petersen about Not Your China Doll, The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong. You’ll thank me.
Stretching to learn
One pathway towards growth lies in thinking outside our areas of expertise, learning more about the stuff we don’t know. Or, by exploring something that is literally brand new to us. As I’ve been preparing workshops for others, I keep bumping up against the limits of my knowledge. That’s when I remind myself that I’m not there to be the smartest person in the room. Rather, my role is to convene an opportunity for shared learning.
Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. In order to bud and blossom, we need to create advantageous conditions for our learning. Think: psychological safety, protected time, and mental bandwidth, to name a few. When I feel particularly pressed, then I’m happy to read an article rather than feel guilty about not getting through a book. I may enjoy hearing an in-depth interview or watch a video of an author I want to learn from. These are entirely valid and excellent ways to glean information and make sense of our experiences connected to larger systems.
In that sense, I want to share some recent finds that have edified me yet not required enrolment in a semester-long course to get the drift.
Francis Kéré and community based architecture in Burkina Faso and beyond. While I can’t quite reconstruct exactly how I came to read about Kéré’s accomplishments, once I did, I was struck by his emphasis on building sustainably with the people whom the building should serve. There’s a wisdom to the approach that is both commendable and worthy of deeper study.
Reads With Rosa Podcast: “This is a space to share stories and amplify #Pasifika and #BIPOC voices, as well as chat about my favorite things: education, books, and the creative arts.”
I met Rosa in person at the AIELOC Conference in Hanoi and we left fast friends. Since listening to her podcast I have learned so much about cultures of the Pacific Islands and truly appreciate Rosa’s genuine enthusiasm for every guest. Open yourself to these warm, honest and conversations that authentically celebrate shared and differing cultural and linguistic heritages.
Long read: “The Shoah After Gaza” by Pankaj Mishra
This very ambitious and critical essay provides insights into Israel’s leadership history and draws multiple connections to a range of other histories outside of the Middle East. Worth your time and bandwidth.
“AI in education in a public problem”: Ben Williamson is a researcher in Digital Education and in this blog post he notes 21 arguments against AI in education. It’s a reference guide of summary insights on aspects of AI tools that may produce harmful or disadvantageous effects for users and systems.
All in all, a very mixed bag and yes, this is how I roll. I try as much as possible to read and listen just beyond my comfort zone at least some of the time. It helps me remember that I am standing on a microscopic corner of the earth where I need to truly stretch to see beyond my tiny patch of experience. Every month I’m asking us all to stretch a little more, a little farther.
Final thoughts
Monday, March 11, 2024 is the likely beginning of Ramadan which is the Muslim month of spiritual contemplation enhanced through the practice of daytime fasting. Please consider this when planning events centered around food and drink in your school or work community and examine how your Muslim students, colleagues and families may be impacted.
One message that stood out for me regarding upcoming Ramadan observances came from author, Aya Khalil on the platform formerly known as Twitter:
“I don't want to see organizations wish us a Ramadan Mubarak if they haven't said a word about Gaza. Keep your well-wishes to yourself.”
*Pause.*
Thank you, friends, for continuing to support this project which will be 5(!) in September! Every month is a new adventure.
Here’s hoping your spring season (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere) is full of budding and blooming. If you’re moving into Fall (in the Southern Hemisphere), then may your harvests be abundant!
In gratitude,
Sherri