A Social Justice Newsletter for Educators

Blooming and Blossoming in May

I can tell that the end of the school year is approaching. On some days, I look at my students and I can’t quite believe that these are the same young humans I met back in August. For one, they are taller. They talk more than ever, they can do new things. It’s also clear that they know me. Not just my name. They know me. They can spot a storm forming on my face before the thunder of my voice erupts. They know how to make me laugh and they recognize how today’s earrings are different from yesterday’s. At this stage of the year we have all traveled a long way together and it shows. In most cases we have an understanding and a shared level of trust. May – a month of incredible blooming and blossoming. Let it be full of celebration!

DEIJ in class and beyond

In terms of social justice learning, I’ve found my PE classes to be excellent laboratories for talking with students about equity and justice. The moment we need to make groups, play games and determine rules, ideas about fairness also enter the negotiations. As educator Daniel Wickner points out in a recent Twitter thread, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice can be understood as different forms of fairness. He points out:

“There’s a reason why the least ambitious DEIJ efforts focus on the “D” and the most ambitious focus on the “J”. Justice is the deepest, most challenging, least comfortable, most meaningful, and most important work on fairness that we can undertake.” – Daniel Wickner

I encourage you to also visit Daniel’s website, Identity Centered Learning, which houses a remarkable collection of infographic posters and lists his publications on various aspects of his model which speaks especially well to the international school student experience.

Children’s books, anyone?

It’s not surprising that I like to share plenty of print resources with you each month. That reflects my particular bias for books and articles. The exciting thing this time is that I’ve got picture book recommendations from a class of 5th graders! Jess Lifshitz has been sharing resources with the world for many years and her commitment to social justice topics in all areas of her instruction regularly blows my mind. On a padlet her students share their favorite picture books that challenge social stereotypes. Two books I featured here several months ago came up a couple of times!

Another exciting development: poet and historian, Dr. Clint Smith III is taking on a new educational challenge. He will be the host for the 50 part Crash Course series on Black American History. Watch the trailer to get a taste of what’s ahead. Also, Dr. Smith’s most recent book How The Word Is Passed, a reckoning with American slavery, will be released on June 1st!

May is also the month when 31 Indigenous, Black and People of Color authors contribute to the #31DaysIBPOC blog project. Each day brings a different educator’s perspective on the worlds we live in as well as the ones we wish for. That’s yet another gift of the season.

Spring generally makes me feel a little more hopeful. Seeing a bit of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel is also contributing to my sense of cautious optimism. (Granted, that light may be more like a break between tunnels, but just humor me here.) Throughout this school year I have gotten better at giving grace, both to myself and others. As we move to close out the year with celebrations and acknowledgements, let’s remember to take a moment for ourselves to recognize our own growth over these rocky months. Blossoming is not only for plants.

Happy growing season,

Sherri