Casey Ulrich

Check out Episodes from Season 1.
Remember the day it the schools shut down? What were people thinking, saying doing? Look back through episodes from season 1 talking about the first moments and decisions that got us here to distance learning in 2020.

Looking for other ways to ground yourselves and rehumanize the work? Check out “Rehumanizing Mathematics” episode from the Abolition Science podcast.

Written by a lead-mentor from the teaching-mentoring organization Trellis. Look here for more information about their work.

Dear One, 

I so much want you to know that YOU ARE ENOUGH.

I know there is so much to do, so much to change, so much to know, so much to advocate for, so much to understand, so many young folks, so much hurt, so much injustice, so much heartache, so much pressure, so much responsibility.  So, so, so, so much!

At times it is completely overwhelming, paralyzing, often it even actually makes us ache.  We feel it in the pit of our stomachs, or in the throbbing of our heads, in the tightness of our backs and shoulders…in the exhaustion, …so much to fix, so much to heal, so much responsibility.  Sometimes it is even difficult to catch one’s breath.

And please, breathe.  Remember to breathe.  All you can do is your beset.  I know you are ALWAYS doing your best.  Remember that you cannot do anything if you are paralyzed or ill!  No matter how much our hearts break with the injustices we see, our breaking apart cannot heal the injustices.  We cannot get mad enough to make anger disappear.  We cannot judge enough to extinguish judgement.  We cannot be sad enough to make sadness go away.  Our self condemnation does nothing to elevate others.  We cannot fight enough to create peace.  We cannot feel enough hurt to facilitate healing.

All of those sefl message of NOT enoughness do not do ANYTHING to make anything better.  You have so much on your plate and shoulds, why spend ANY precious time, energy or emotion criticizing yourself?  You are doing your best.  You are here!  You show up!  You care!  You love those kiddos!  You put your hear and souls into this work.  This is absolutely the most important work to be done!  Right where you are… being there with those young ones.

You are doing your best.  Part of doing your best also means self compassion and self love.  We can teach the young to love themselves, ONLY by modeling…. They really don’t care what we say.  They care what we do.

How are you practicing self love?  How are you nurturing and honoring yourself?  How are you modeling this for your students?

You are honored!  I honor and appreciate you so deeply. I know it needs to be expressed more often… Who you are, what you do, how you show up changes lives, changes the world.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude that you are right here in the moment.  I am filled with awe and appreciation for all you do to contribute to this crucial, all important work!

Please let these words sink into your being… into your heart.

Please practice noticing all the ways you make a difference.  Even and especially in the ways we stretch and grow…even in the discomfort of growth, you are making a huge difference in lives.

You took on the MOST important job in the world and just maybe the absolute best way to make the biggest difference is to care for your precious, irreplaceable, unique, valuable, loveable, self!  Cultivate, remember, practice, notice the Love that you are, the gift that you are to the young people, to your friends and families, to the world!  You are a gift!  You are a gift!  You are a precious, beautiful gift to the world! 

Notice this!

Feel this!

Drink this in….

Allow this Love to fill you up!

Know that Love is the care of your being and it is when you know that you will be able to reflect this to those around you.  We are all mirrors.  We are mirrors… We look at the world to make sense of who we are… What do you want to reflect?

Practice knowing your goodness, your wholeness, your beauty and gifts.  And then you will become a more and more clear mirror for those around you.

You are a gift!

You are precious!

You are so important!

You make a difference!

You are a treasure to those around you!

You are a gift!

Home: COVID Collaboration & Giving Back To Schools

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Episode 4

This episode of COVID Collaboration we talk with three educators that share their experiences and advocate for change. Coronavirus has made us question the way we teach students, the way we grade them, and has challenged us to connect and communicate with all families. The guests paint a picture of equity issues that have arisen long before COVID-19 but have become more apparent, and push us to give voice and opportunities to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

What is your equity stance?
What lines do you connect with?
What questions come up for you?

If you are new to thinking about equity on a deep level or have already begun the journey, join us in conversation on twitter @covidlearning or comment below to join the movement. Let’s rethink education during COVID and build systems grounded in communities that can commit to providing all students the tools and opportunities they need to flourish.

Related Content:

Highly recommended is another perspective from Stanford University professor Jonathan Rosa on the podcast School’s In: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/equity-in-school-communities-during-coronavirus-guest/id1239888602?i=1000470142943

Apps for communication and outreach to families.

WhatsApp: used by many families and communities with ties from outside the United States.
WeChat: the main social-media/ communication platform from China.

Music Credits:

• Intro – Scott Holmes – “Upbeat party”, Inspiring & Upbeat Music
• Outro – Scott Holmes – “Think BIG”, Corporate & Motivational Music 2
• Transition 1 – Borrtex – “I think I love you”, Untitled Love Story
• Transition 2 – Jack Kotz – “I’m the only road you know”, Whats all the fuss about

Hello educators! How are you doing with teaching? What are you excited about and with what are you struggling? How do you allow yourself grace?

In episode 2 we look at a few examples of teaching in the first weeks of distance learning. Some teachers use more traditional methods of making videos for students to complete homework and some are ready to try out new online applications like Nearpod, Seesaw, and Padlet. Comment below or let us know on Twitter @COVIDlearning – what are your favorite resources and in what ways are you collaborating with others?

As always, we pause to think about the perspectives of educators serving traditionally under-represented students and remind ourselves the permission we have to allow ourselves grace. Here is a list of resources you can use and share.

Thanks for being here.

https://medium.com/@erinraab/best-of-kid-centered-resources-for-parents-educators-at-home-b7cc3ce8eb62

Music Credits:

• Intro/ Outro – Scott Holmes – “Upbeat Party”, Inspiring & Upbeat Music

In March, 2020 we got the news that schools would be closed, first for a few weeks and now it seems, indefinitely. We relive the first days and hours of getting the news by talking to educators about their initial thoughts, experience, and wonderings.

Hear the stories of administrators and teachers as we begin the conversation about what school looks like in the time of COVID-19. If you have a story to tell about your experience please comment below or reach out on Twitter @COVIDlearning.

We may be isolated at home but, as always, we are better together.

Let’s collaborate.

Music Credits:

• Intro/ Outro – Scott Holmes – “Upbeat Party”, Inspiring & Upbeat Music

In 2012, as a new teacher, I still remember my first staff meeting.  I was one of many new staff members, including our new principal.  As a staff, we took a moment to think about the vision of our school.  What should a thriving high school look like? Feel like? Sound like?  I was unafraid and raised my hand.  “Every week should feel like Homecoming week with all the excitement and energy it brings”.  The principal was quick to reply with a smirk, saying “spoken like a true rookie.”

I bring up this story because I believe the way voice and participation patterns exist in adult spaces greatly affects a school and organization.  Creating equitable learning spaces in classrooms begins with an equitable learning space among adults.

Thinking back now about that first staff meeting, I wonder how I had the nerve to raise my hand in front of nearly ninety staff members.  Where did I get the nerve?  Part of it, I would argue, is the fact that I was truly clueless and didn’t know any better.  But more than that, I think a large part of that nerve was because of my identity.  As a white male, society had always told me that my voice carries weight and there would be less judgement toward me if I was wrong.  I did not feel afraid or fear being judged.

That was then, in a staff that was almost completely white.  Now, I find myself working at a school with about half of the staff being people of color.

Staff meetings, both large and small, are noticeably different.  Agendas are carefully crafted with a lens toward equity:

• all staff members taking turns facilitating meetings
• creating small groups
• giving time for each person to write first before sharing with a partner
• giving each person to a minute to share their thinking, not more
• providing sentence frames to shape the conversation

Most importantly, each meeting is shaped by the norms of our school, one of them being “step up, step back” and another “pay attention to patterns of participation”.  As a staff, a department, or a working group, we consistently monitor our participation.  It is expected that those of us that could have more status – more experience, more expertise, male, or white – become aware of our participation and do what we can to allow more voices to contribute to conversation.

Second, we process-check each meeting in our closing moves.  We reflect on whether we met all of our norms and values including leaving space for everyone’s voice.  Did anyone talk too much?  Did any specific group talk too much or too little?

There is no perfect answer to creating equitable voice in adult spaces, but I am really proud of the work my school does to move toward more diverse participation.  Next time, you’re in a staff meeting or department meeting pay attention to the different people and groups that are talking.

• men/ women
• white/ non-white
• new/ experienced
• content area

Create a conversation, establish a set of norms, check yourselves every time.  The process is never done.