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EDUCATE TEACHERS NEWS
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February 2020
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"Believe in yourself, learn,
and never stop wanting to build a better world" ~Mary McLeod Bethune |
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Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955)
was an educator, civil rights activist, presidential adviser, philanthropist, 1 of 17 children born to former slaves, and so much more.
Click here to read more about the accomplishments of this extraordinary African American woman.
was an educator, civil rights activist, presidential adviser, philanthropist, 1 of 17 children born to former slaves, and so much more.
Click here to read more about the accomplishments of this extraordinary African American woman.
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The History of Black History Month The Man Behind Black History Month
by Sarah Pruitt for History.com Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) dedicated his life to educating African Americans about the achievements and contributions of their ancestors. 
Born in 1875 in New Canton, Virginia, Woodson had worked as a sharecropper, miner and various other jobs during his childhood to help support his large family. Though he entered high school late, he made up for lost time, graduating in less than two years. After attending Berea College in Kentucky, Woodson worked in the Philippines as an education superintendent for the U.S. government. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Chicago before entering Harvard. In 1912, three years before founding the ASNLH, he became only the second African American (after W.E.B. DuBois) to earn a doctorate from that institution.
Click here to read Pruitt's entire article, The Man Behind Black History Month, and learn more about how Woodson's effort gave us Black History Month, the challenges he overcame and why February was chosen to celebrate the sacrifices, contributions and lives of African Americans. Featured Class of the Month
Examining:
Teaching...What's culture got to do with it? (3 credit hour graduate credit or IA license renewal) ____________ Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) is much more than knowing all the world holidays, hosting a school culture day, or celebrating Black History Month. CRT is a brain and research-based pedagogy shown to reduce, and in many cases even eliminate, the underlying causes of the achievement gap that disproportionately affects our culturally and linguistically diverse students.
All of our students come to us with unique cultures and histories that should be respected and celebrated. Our students' cultures form their world views and impact their learning and engagement.
This course will help you: develop real cultural awareness; build culturally responsive alliances and learning partnerships with students; understand the neuroscience behind how culturally and linguistically diverse students learn best; know and use culturally responsive activities and teaching strategies; and establish a culturally and ethos friendly classroom. Becoming a culturally responsive teacher will give you the tools you need to engage your culturally and linguistically diverse students, develop their intellective capacities, turn them into independent learners and put them on the road to academic and lifelong success.
!!Reminder!!
2 Brand New Classes Starting In February! Examining: Project Based Teaching: Real Steps to Achievement
(3 credit hours: graduate credit OR IA license renewal)
Express: I'm So Tired: An Educator's Guide to Self Care
(3 credit hour Iowa license renewal course)
I’m So Tired! An Educator’s Guide to Self-Care, provides realistic ways to become healthier and take care of ourselves. This class explains the issues, identifies the problems and helps to remediate and treat those issues that keep educators sick and stressed out.
Start the new year out right and make a plan for YOU! Class starts February 19th. 
Educate Teachers Online Professional Development Classes February classes start on the 19th! Get the credits you need with modified, self-paced courses flexible enough to fit any teacher's busy schedule. All courses are accredited. Choose from: EXPRESS Courses: 6 week Iowa License Renewal Courses Examining Courses: 8-9 week courses that can be taken for Iowa License Renewal or EDMA Graduate Credit Visit our website to learn more and register for upcoming classes https://www.educateteachers.org/
Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for upcoming class information, education articles & news and creative classroom ideas & strategies!
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Reader's Corner The Power of RTI
and Reading Profiles: A Blueprint for Solving Reading Problems By Louise Spear-Swerling 
This is a hands on, reality based text that champions the RTI process as the best approach for preventing reading difficulties. It outlines how reading problems can be diagnosed and treated through solid and relevant interventions. Reading profiles of children who have reading problems are presented to highlight the struggles these children face and how to intervene for success. Did You Know? Did You Know
Students' brains learn best from mistakes and when they struggle to make sense and find answers? Mistakes and struggling actually increase the number of neurons (brain cells) and connectivity in the brain? Mistakes and struggle support a mindset of discovery and curiosity? 
In the article Why Struggle is Essential for the Brain-and Our Lives, author Joan Boaler discusses some of the latest brain research and shares real-life examples that highlight the impact mistakes and struggle have on students' brains and their learning.
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When students look at me and say: “This is hard,” I say, “That is fantastic.” ~Boaler ______ One important question Boaler addresses is if we are letting our students struggle enough. An international study showed that math teachers in Japan put their students in places of struggle 44% of the time as compared to U.S math teachers who were observed only putting their students in places of struggle 1% of the time.
Why is there such a difference? What is the impact? What can we be doing better? Click here to read the whole article from Boaler. The Treasure Trove Educator Resource of the Month Need ideas?
Take your student on a journey through Black history with lesson ideas on art, music, the military, politics, movements and more! 
Great source for project-based learning ideas! The Observation Deck We Need More Black Male Teachers
While students of color make up about 50% of our overall student population, only 2% of our teachers are Black males. Only 2%!
This under-representation means our schools and students are missing out on their unique voice. According to a diversity and equity article, Why America Needs More Black Male Teachers, employing Black male teachers positively impacts students of all colors and brings much need diversity and equity to the workplace.
So, Why Aren't There More Black Male Teachers?
There are barriers and challenges before and after becoming a teacher such as standardized testing, marginalization and being recruited by schools with high populations of Black students, limited resources and high burnout to name a few.
The barriers and challenges have been termed the Leaky Classroom Pipeline, and play a significant role in our current state of Black male teacher under-representation. |
