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#SmallBites

#SmallBites

By Hedreich Nichols

Start your week Mondays with 5 strategies in 5 minutes at 5AM central to help you become a more impactful educator. With these "small bite" strategies, author and educator Hedreich Nichols gives you actionable steps for creating better and more equitable learning experiences. If you have 5 minutes, you can do something NOW to become a better educator for all of your students. Don't try to do everything, just do something. How do you eat an elephant? One small bite at a time! Get the links at hedreich.com/.
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SmallBites Lagniappe: Teaching from a Neutral Space

#SmallBites Dec 20, 2021

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AI Ain't The Enemy
Nov 13, 202307:08
Educator Encouragement

Educator Encouragement

The saying goes, "there's no tired like teacher tired." Teachers have exhausting schedules, and if you've ever time stamped a teacher day, you'll know that a teacher day is simply impossible to get through in a day. That feeling is not confined to the classroom. For those of us who have deeply held beliefs about what a student-centered school environment looks like, feels like and ignites learning like, education can be tough, whatever the role.

I am humbled at how incremental the change is in the grand scheme of things. That humility makes me want to cry into a glass of milk. That humble place is also a place of remembering: “⁠Define Your Why⁠“, as author and educator ⁠Barbara Bray⁠ says. Either I believe that I can be an agent of change one small bite at a time, or I don’t. The system needs to change, that’s why I do what I do. And so, I’ll dry my tears and start over. Because futility and hopelessness are just not an option.


Care for a few ideas to help get you through? Read on.

Encouragement from @DorisASantoro – Rise up with strategies and information on burnout vs. teacher demoralization in this Edweek article that helps you understand what you’re dealing with and how to deal with it.

Encouragement from @PlanBookCom – Rise up, if you’ve decided that burnout is where you’re heading, with these strategies from PlanBook and don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

Encouragement from @Angela_Watson – Rise up and Say goodbye to Teacher Tired with this article and resources from Angela Watson. I learned about her 40 hour work week resources from Cult of Pedagogy. Some resources are paid, but even the free ones will revolutionize the way you spend your time.

Encouragement from @weareteachers – Rise up and giggle. Sometimes, laughter is the best medicine, and we teachers are a funny lot! Start here then follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Cause, when you run out of tears, sometimes all you can do is laugh.

Encouragement from M.L. Brown – If laughter and strategies no longer work, rise up with this Medium article from an educator who decided that enough was enough. For those who have made that decision, let’s be supportive, knowing that sometimes, enough really is enough.


Note: This episode is a rebroadcast of SmallBites LIVE: Fighting Feelings of Futility

Nov 06, 202305:20
Be a Better Teacher in

Be a Better Teacher in

Wellness in educational spaces has become a trend that, while important, often falls flat in practice.That may be because teachers and administrators tend to forget that they have to actually make use of the time and tools given. Refilling your proverbial cup is the only way to ensure personal success and success for those in your charge.

Good quality teaching is dependent on you being consistently rested and regulated for the classroom day. Similarly for administrators who balance many different types of duties daily, being well-rested and well-regulated is key to building a campus culture conducive to academic, emotional, and social success.

Consider using the 8-8-8 rule and an Eisenhower matrix to prioritize tasks. The 8-8-8 rule divides your day into 8 hours of work, 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of personal time spent on self-care, friends, family, hobbies, etc. An Eisenhower matrix can help you decide whether a task has to be done now, can be scheduled for later or delegated. With practice, these tools will become a natural part of your daily planning.

Once you have a general idea of how you will prioritize your tasks, do these 5 things to ensure that you get the most out of your day without constantly working over a healthy capacity:

1. Decide how many hours you will work in a week. And then keep to it. My magic number was 45.

2. Delegate. Empower students. Have them manage the objective board, attendance, station timers and anything else that will give them a sense of ownership and responsibility.

3. Co-create with your students. For example, using student created review and test prep materials on Edpuzzle or Quizlet can build student confidence, skill, and capacity; and save you teacher time.

4. Stop using paper. Using an LMS like Google Classroom (or Canvas or Schoology if your district is so inclined) saves time and resources. Copier broken? Out of paper? No name papers? Make-up work? Put it all online. Create digital worksheets. Better yet, pay a niece, nephew or other older tech savvy student in your circle to do it for you. The time you take to do this ONCE will save you time all year so you can use you planning time to plan--and maybe even go to the restroom.

5. Go outside. This seems like a waste of time BUT ⁠research⁠ tells us that natural light boosts concentration, mood, energy and helps alleviate eye fatigue and headaches that come with florescent and computer screen lighting. 

Putting in long hours can feel rewarding, but if you aren’t being smart about balancing that work time with other activities, you’ll suffer and so will the students and staff you serve. If you love what you do and love who you are doing it for, love them enough to practice work-life balance in earnest. Yes, some ‘important’ things may go undone, they sometimes do. But rest and recharging do not belong on the "do it tomorrow" list. Ever.

 

 


Oct 30, 202307:53
Nostalgic Narratives and Native American History

Nostalgic Narratives and Native American History

As we approach November when the country highlights the histories of Indigenous Peoples of North America, it's fitting that Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the book by David Grann, calls our attention to the heinous crimes committed against the Native American Community. In contrast to the narratives many of us have grown up with that cast the "Injuns" and "Red Man" as savages and bad guys, this movie highlights the deception and murder, as well as the racial jealousy that we've begun to see in Black historical films, but that are still new themes in films about Native American Narratives.

The fact is, if you grew up learning "Columbus sailed the ocean blue..." or singing the famed Disney line, "Why does he ask you 'how'?" then there are probably a lot of nostalgic moments involving beloved relatives that are hard to let go of. And thinking of heroic leaders as the same people who forcibly removed and killed millions of people to get their land is difficult to process. But if we want to grow and be better as a nation, doing the next right thing starts with acknowledging and teaching the truth to the next generations.

Here are resources to help you further explore narratives that should have been amplified long ago.

  1. Watch The Osage Murders from the 2022 PBS Short Film Festival to hear the story of the Osage murders told from the Osage perspective.
  2. Explore and support cultural endeavors in Native American Communities by listening, watching reading or donating.
  3. Watch movies and clips written and produced by indigenous voices.

  4. https://native-land.ca/.
  5. Join the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and Teaching for Change for a day of online conversation, curriculum highlights, and ideas exchange. If you can't, explore the other links and resources on Smithsonian's NMAI site.

It's never easy seeing the dark side of someone we esteem. But if we are truly to love our nation, it has to include loving all of her. In November, take the chance to get to know America's origin story. As usual, all the resources are filled with resources, so you have more than enough to discover with your team, your students or even your family. Finally, here's a short read from Edutopia that you can share in a newsletter or morning email.

I wish you a great month of discovery and learning.

Oct 23, 202306:35
Wars and Rumors of Wars

Wars and Rumors of Wars

The emotional work of teaching can be heavy on a good day, when all is generally right with the world. But on a day when students have had a weekend filled with clips of children in wartorn countries and friends running from bullets at state fairs, your upbeat Monday morning "How was everybody's weekend?!" might devolve into a discussion that quickly takes you out of your depth.

Students are much more aware these days and with so many information outlets, older children with 24 hour access to phones can be confronted with more than just the latest dance videos on their "for you" page.

Nothing sells like bad news and today's youth are consumers of information they have very little context for. The same can be true for adults. How do we explain wars, murders, tragedies, especially those tragedies in which our inhumanity towards one another is on full display? And how do we convince young people that we are safe and the world is a great place when all the messages and media images say otherwise?

As a teacher, it can be almost impossible to know what to say to students struggling with the hard realities of life, when we can barely understand and process them ourselves. Still, when our students come to us, bothered by things beyond the classroom, we have to respond. Here are 5 small bites to support you this week and any time bad news lands on your classroom's proverbial doorstep:

1.   If you're upset by events, don't be afraid to admit that you don't always understand why things happen the way they do and that you are bothered by them too.

2.  Don't support laws (or politicians) that keep children from trying to make sense of the world through current event conversations in the classroom. Civic education includes civil discourse.

3.  Support teachers with neutral, unbiased talking points and conflict resolution strategies for when conversations get heated.

4.  Make time in class and in pacing guides for journaling or reflection. With older kids, talk about the messages from young people around the world telling their truths on social media about the war.

5.  Teach media literacy. Use All Sides Media or look at headlines from different countries to get a broad perspective and corroborate stories from popular news outlets.

Finally, you don't have to have all the answers. Listen, show empathy and above all, take care of your own mental health so that you can respond with equanimity. Trade late-night doom scrolling for other pastimes and be kind to yourself and others around you. We may not be able to change world events, but we can brighten our own corner of the world.




*Weltschmerz is the German word describing a kind of heaviness and hopelessness when confronted with evil and suffering in the world.

Oct 16, 202306:14
Equity Is More Than an Initiative

Equity Is More Than an Initiative

As the opposition to educational change grows, especially when talking about issues like learning gaps, teacher retention and inclusive environments, it's left to teachers in the trenches to help shape our future. That burden is immense, as seen in the droves of teachers experiencing burn-out and leaving the profession in years 1-5. The sector's lack of healthy, well supported and experienced teachers especially impacts our most vulnerable students, who often lack access to tenured, experienced teachers in the classroom.

Equity initiatives have pushed the thinking on what it means to create safe, inclusive spaces in schools. However, the impact of these initiatives has not yet shown up in the form of academic gains. My answer to this is to use SmallBites to provide more support for the classroom, which is where equitable access has never really been equitable.

Follow the podcast, connect with me on social media or host me for professional development on your campus. But mostly, listen and reflect on what 'equity in education' means. It's not another PD or training module. It's in how we show up for the students who need us most; and that starts with equitable access to good teaching.

Here are 5 learning links so you can dive deeper into today's topic.

1. Teacher Choice Boards⁠ from Edthena (They are a competitor, but the article is great, as is the template)

2. More Support, Less Gotcha, learn more in my interview with Kevin Leichtman.

3. Mentors Can Be Hired from companies like Edifying Teachers
4. Provide Real Mental Health Support, this EdWeek article can help.

5. Restorative Practice Is Not Just "Keep 'Em In School Regardless".  Learn more in part one of this 3 part SmallBites Series on restorative practice.


Find Links and Additional Resources on Hedreich.com

Oct 09, 202306:20
SmallBites Summer Resources

SmallBites Summer Resources

If you are reading this, whether you have a signed contract at your old school, a contract that signals new beginnings in a new position or even a new beginning that has nothing to do with education, you survived the year (or are at least nearing the finish line)! Students and staff have looked to you for guidance and gotten it. No matter what you forgot to do or even how you fell short; you spent your days trying to make the future a little better for us all.

I for one, am grateful for each and every person who has risked going into a school building to help serve the families of our communities. In case no one has told you, you are appreciated.

As you begin your summer break, I would like to extend my gratitude for your loyalty and provide you with a top 5 list for summer break. Each episode has its own resources, so don't forget to check out the show notes and share it with a friend or two:

The Lost Cause: The Original School Indoctrination

Three Things Districts Can Do to Promote Teacher Retention

SmallBites meets Cult of Pedagogy: An Exercise for Teachers

Bias helped Jeffrey Dahmer Kill

I Like What You Like, You Like What I Like; A SmallBites Video on Halo Bias


After summer, SmallBites will be concentrating on fundamental practices of classroom culture and teacher workload strategies. Educators who teach in underserved community often struggle in these two areas for a myriad of reasons. We will discuss those and look at supporting strategies in the coming school year as a part of a larger take on educational equity. Further, you'll have the opportunity to do some in depth learning in cohorts, so be on the lookout for that information on Twitter, Linkedin and wherever you get your social content.


Thank you again for being a part of the SmallBites Journey. We're in this together.

 


Jun 05, 202308:28
The PI in AAPI with Kecia McDonald Pt. III
May 22, 202312:42
The PI in AAPI with Kecia McDonald Pt. II

The PI in AAPI with Kecia McDonald Pt. II

Listen to part one and get the show notes here.


Further Resources:

National Park Service AAPI History Site

Learn a few phrases in Hawaiian

Watch the Kealakehe Middle School May Day Production


About our guest:

Kecia McDonald is not a PI, she is an EL resource teacher and longtime resident on the Big Island. You can follow her on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn ⁠or ⁠Twitter⁠.

May 15, 202312:10
The PI in AAPI with Kecia McDonald (Pt. 1)

The PI in AAPI with Kecia McDonald (Pt. 1)

Although I hate the fact that we celebrate certain cultures only during certain months, I acknowledge that so much of the country sees diverse Americans as adjuncts, and with no group is that as profound as with Pacific Islanders. Admittedly, it is the group of Americans that I know least about, so I'm excited to learn, and to share my new knowledge with you.

As I talk with educator Kecia McDonald, I realize how little I know about our nation's 50th state. Let's start with the most famous word, Aloha. So much more than a salutation, the Aloha Spirit brings each person to the self and is the foundation for projecting positive feelings to others. Starting with the word Aloha, one can immediately see that what most Mainlanders know about Hawaii has been reduced to eliminate a depth, beauty and almost hallowedness that seems to flow throughout the island--if you're looking closely enough.


My next big line of inquiry--as a person of color--has been, "who are all the brown people?" So much diversity! Resisting the urge to run up to people asking, "what are you" (CRINGE), I could luckily rely on my friend Kecia to learn more about our nation's #1 most diverse county. What fun it was learning names of cultural groups I have never encountered. Polynesian peoples from Enewetak, Bikini, Rongelap, Kwajalein, Majuro, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae enrich the culture of the Hawaiian islands. For me, learning these new words, a few new (for me) cultural hallmarks and traditions, as well as geography and migration stories has been an incredible way to spend time and further anchor my work.

As you listen, here are some resources to deepen your knowledge and to help you, your families and your students build cultural literacy, especially around the PI in AAPI.


Start Here

Frontline PBS Last generation (For Students)

Last Generation (For Educators)

Hawaiian Heritage


Kecia McDonald is not a PI, she is an EL resource teacher and longtime resident on the Big Island. You can follow her on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn ⁠or ⁠Twitter⁠.




May 08, 202311:37
The Lost Cause: The Original School Indoctrination Plan

The Lost Cause: The Original School Indoctrination Plan

After this week’s CrazyPLN Twitter Chat, led by the incredibly knowledgeable “Constitution Lady”, Linda R. Monk J.D., I began to look more closely at the verbiage in various state censorship and "anti-woke" laws and book bans. While researching the often vaguely worded laws, it occurred to me that the general consensus is that there is an attack on the way things have always been, based on a systematic point of view that grants "history" and "the way things have been" a pass on the kinds of scrutiny that books and courses adding diverse voices to our narratives are under today.

That pass has been given to a national narrative that deserves scrutiny. A good place to start would be the Lost Cause and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. These decedents of Confederate soldiers and officers wanted to build a narrative that cast their loved ones in a positive light. Understandable, as many agree that it's not proper to "speak ill of the dead". However, sometimes truth has to come out to validate the narratives of those harmed.

I was taught in elementary school that Slaves were happy and that they found Christianity because of their benevolent masters. I don't know any girl of 9 or 10, or any woman of any age who would happily be raped by and bear children for a man not of her own choosing, with no right of refusal. As a lighter skinned Black woman, this historical trauma is in my genes. And while I do not see myself as a victim, I do have a right to have my truth, the truth of my ancestors, told.

When those indoctrinated by the national narrative shaped by the desire to elevate a myth above truth, it is indoctrination. When laws seek to silence that truth, it is a harmful and cancerous core that will haunt us all until we finally deal with it openly, transparently.

This week, after you've listened, delve into the resources below. They present a picture of yesteryear's indoctrination and today's so-called indoctrination. I hope, even if you are skeptical, that this knowledge will help you see that indoctrination is in the eye of the beholder and that every American story deserves to be told as a part of our national narrative.


Learn more:

https://pen.org/report/banned-in-the-usa-state-laws-supercharge-book-suppression-in-schools/

https://news.gsu.edu/research-magazine/rewriting-history-civil-war-textbooks

https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/blog/the-connection-between-the-united-daughters-of-the-confederacy-and-the-kkk/

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Tj5WQVBmB6SQg-zP_M8uZsQQGH09TxmBY73v23zpyr0/edit#gid=1505554870

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/myth-happy-slave-reality-its-endurance-rodney-coates/

And because negotionism is not new,

https://crossworks.holycross.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&context=necj

May 01, 202306:04
How Are Implicit Bias, Childhood 'Othering' and Shootings Connected?

How Are Implicit Bias, Childhood 'Othering' and Shootings Connected?

What do you think when you see a "big Black guy'? Do you immediately feel a sense of danger? When you see Hispanic Americans, do you immediately think they are 'bad actors'? And what about White people? Do you think of them as racist and uncaring, or maybe just top of the food chain? Depending on who you are, any of these messages could have been a part of your upbringing. The way those messages stealthily inform our interactions is called implicit bias. It's what we think about others when we aren't thinking about what we think about others. Tall blondes, jocks, men in suits; those are also groups of people we often have preconceived notions about. Preconceived notions could keep the tall blonde and the athlete out of AP classes, it could give the man in a suit access to privileges that may or may not be earned.


Preconceived notions got Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager, shot by an 85 year old who feared for his life "because of the boy's size". It should be noted that the boy was neither tall nor particularly large in stature. Yarl was at the wrong house to pick up his siblings and posed no threat. Still, he was shot in the head through a locked glass door. And then shot again.


This is what implicit bias does. It makes us react to threats that don't exist. It's the reason why Blacks die in traffic stops at a disproportionate rate. It's the reason George Floyd died--the officer said he was a big guy and they had to control him. It's the reason people with accents are assumed less academically able and the reason Helen Keller was assumed to be "dumb".


What do you think about others when you're not consciously aware of what you are thinking? What ideas do you have about social, cultural or religious groups that may prevent you reacting to people from those groups unfettered by preconceived notions? Here are 20 pages of Finding Your Blind Spots that will help you identify some of your own biases. Within those pages are also a few action steps.

Ralph Yarl could have been my son. Thankfully, he is still alive. But he won't be the last victim of implicit bias. What can you do? How can you help? Reflect, act. Reflect for all the kids that experience a more dangerous reality because of bias. Act because the world needs us to be better humans.


Apr 24, 202306:26
My Son, The Military and Educational Equity

My Son, The Military and Educational Equity

Only a few short hours ago, I said goodbye to my son as he left to begin his career as a proud member of the US Army. Only yesterday I watched him make a wish as he blew out candles with the same family that was there at his very first birthday. Today he is entrusted with fighting for the freedoms of this land. And as I record this episode of SmallBites, my heart is with my son, but my mind comes back to the freedoms he will be fighting for. Do we represent the freedoms set forth in our foundational documents? When my son fights to defend democracy alongside the children of other mothers, will it be the democracy of one nation under God with liberty and justice for all?

I sadly read about the loss of our full democratic status in the world and it troubles me--even more so now that my only son will be fighting to defend that democracy. So this week, in honor of my son, in honor of all of those who fight for the freedoms we believe in, I have a reflection and, of course, an ask.


Reflect on whether or not the rights of some students are limited when we ban stories, conversations, books, and curriculum because it may reflect ideals unlike our own.

Read this Cast article on Universal Design for Learning, the brain and representation. Scientifically, representation really does matter.

If, as you read, you want to share, please connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram using #SmallBites. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Apr 17, 202305:12
SmallBites Special Edition: "There's No Hate Like Christian Love?!"-- Three Guiding Questions for Christian Educators

SmallBites Special Edition: "There's No Hate Like Christian Love?!"-- Three Guiding Questions for Christian Educators

Note: Today's Easter episode is a special edition specifically for Christian educators. While the episode offers great guiding questions to all educators, scriptures are used as a foundation for this episode.


"There's no hate like Christian love" is an all too common phrase these days. And as I get ready for my Easter morning church service, I feel shame at what the face of the Christian community has become. I found myself hesitating in using the word "we" when I said Christians. It saddens me that a pillar of my upbringing no longer feels like something to be proud of. I know many others who are believers--loving, accepting ones--who feel the same. This is for us as well.

How can educators make campuses a place of healing and wholeness? What actions do we need to take to ensure that no one feels condemned, that everyone feels accepted (not just John 3:16, but John 3:17 as well)? Why do we take actions that have the opposite affect on our campuses and in our communities? Particularly, for those of us who are "of the household of faith", do we model love or are we volcanoes of condemnation erupting over everything we don't agree with? Do our actions and words, like lava, destroy and disrupt? Or do they, bring healing and love even in the darkest situations?

WWJD (iykyk)? For those celebrating Easter as the Resurrection, let's use this time of revival to rethink our actions and ideologies. If they don't bring light and love, we are a part of the problem. Use the guiding questions in this week's episode and let's all work to change the current face of Christianity by being carriers of love, grace and healing in our classrooms, on our campuses and in our communities.

Apr 09, 202306:09
More 'PIE' with AI

More 'PIE' with AI

Remember the old adage, "what you see is what you get"? Well, that phrase is officially from a bygone era. Now what you see may be what you get, but what you're getting may not be real. With AI tools becoming less expensive and more accessible, deepfakes are increasingly finding their way into our media feeds.

Consider the recent Donald Trump deepfake arrest video. According to a March 24th Atlantic article, it has been viewed over 5 million times. How many of those 5 million people thought it was real? How many of those people even know to be aware of AI generated images, videos and news?

As educators, we have an incredible opportunity to help our students be better critical thinkers. In addition to last week's SmallBites episode on media bias, we can help our students--and staff--to be aware of high quality deepfakes. For those of us who like the information in long form, here is Todd C. Helmus' Rand Corporation article, "Artificial Intelligence, Deepfakes, and Disinformation, A Primer". And for those who want to get right to the solution, MIT Media Lab's "Detect DeepFakes: How to counteract misinformation created by AI" is for you. And for those looking for a great media literacy warm-up or bell ringer, here's a practice site from the above MIT article that you can use to help your students learn to recognize deepfakes.



For more information or to book a keynote or session with Hedreich, click here.

Apr 03, 202305:51
Media Literacy and PIE Consumption
Mar 27, 202306:06
Good Patriots and History

Good Patriots and History

Welcome back, listeners!

There was so much I took in during my hiatus, that it was hard to choose ONE thing to come back with. But decide I did: CRT. The last time I did an episode I could still count how many laws banning "CRT" there were on my hands and toes. That is no longer the case.

While 28 states have no restriction, almost half the states either have restrictions in place OR have laws in progress of being banned.

The fact is, K12 teachers are not teaching CRT. It is not now, nor has it ever been history, conversations around race and identity or criticizing racial injustices. Those are all conversations protected by the first amendment and common in countries calling themselves democracies.

Not only are these laws vague and terrifying for teachers trying to do what they have been educated to do, they support indoctrination. The fact is, that there are some ugly truths in our history. Enslavement, genocide, child rape, physical and sexual abuse of men, women and children are not things we want to think about. They are also not things we talk about in any graphic detail in schools. However, those events are a part of our history. And if we are to show our children true patriotism, we are to teach them to love our country with all her flaws. That means we too need to accept the truths of who we are, the good, the bad, the very bad.

We cannot not erase the history of some to paint a rose colored picture of others, and we have to fight against those who believe this is in our collective best interest. This country is better than that, or at least, we should be. My only ask this week is that you pay attention to your local elections. The children need your voice. The teachers need your voice. Our country needs your voice.


Mar 20, 202305:16
SmallBites: Your Turn

SmallBites: Your Turn

What have you learned? In two and a half years of SmallBites, how have the equity strategies talked about influenced your practice? What are you doing differently because of what you've learned? Let me know here or on Twitter, Instagram or Tiktok. I'll be looking forward to your answers. Additionally, SmallBites is on hiatus until spring to get some courses and webinars up and running. Be on the lookout for new resources in the new year!
Dec 05, 202204:37
Three Things Districts Can Do to Promote Teacher Retention (pt. 2), with Dr. Kevin Leichtman of TLC Educates

Three Things Districts Can Do to Promote Teacher Retention (pt. 2), with Dr. Kevin Leichtman of TLC Educates

Repost from part 1:

With 90% of teachers surveyed by NEA experiencing burnout, the education industry obviously has room for growth in the ways teachers are supported in the workplace. As stated in last week's episode, wellness initiatives do not ensure teacher wellness. This week and next, SmallBites has enlisted author and burnout researcher Dr. Kevin Leichtman of TLC Educate to give district and campus leaders insight and impactful strategies to help them help teachers stave off burnout.

Retaining talented, well trained teachers is the best way to ensure equitable learning environments for all students.

Read more on burnout here.

About the guest:

Kevin Leichtman received his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from Florida Atlantic University, where he also completed a Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction. His dissertation study was on new teacher burnout. His research has been published in a textbook on andragogy and pedagogy, and he is the author of “Teacher’s Guide to the Mental Edge” and his upcoming book, “The Perfect Ten: Ten Students, Ten Mindsets, One New Definition of Perfect.”

Kevin is also an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, teaching equity and diversity courses to education majors. Kevin has developed curriculum, professional development, and presented on the topics of mindset, burnout, and equity to teachers, schools, and students across the nation.

Connect with Kevin:

Twitter: @KevinLeichtman

Tiktok: @tlceducates

Instagram: @kevinleichtman

LinkedIn: Kevin Leichtman, Ph.D.

Facebook: TeamLeichtmanConsulting

Nov 28, 202208:22
Three Things Districts Can Do to Promote Teacher Retention, with Dr. Kevin Leichtman of TLC Educates

Three Things Districts Can Do to Promote Teacher Retention, with Dr. Kevin Leichtman of TLC Educates

With 90% of teachers surveyed by NEA experiencing burnout, the education industry obviously has room for growth in the ways teachers are supported in the workplace. As stated in last week's episode, wellness initiatives do not ensure teacher wellness. This week and next, SmallBites has enlisted author and burnout researcher Dr. Kevin Leichtman of TLC Educate to give district and campus leaders insight and impactful strategies to help them help teachers stave off burnout. 

Retaining talented, well trained teachers is the best way to ensure equitable learning environments for all students.

Read more on burnout here.

About the guest:

Kevin Leichtman received his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from Florida Atlantic University, where he also completed a Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction. His dissertation study was on new teacher burnout. His research has been published in a textbook on andragogy and pedagogy, and he is the author of “Teacher’s Guide to the Mental Edge” and his upcoming book, “The Perfect Ten: Ten Students, Ten Mindsets, One New Definition of Perfect.”

Kevin is also an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, teaching equity and diversity courses to education majors. Kevin has developed curriculum, professional development, and presented on the topics of mindset, burnout, and equity to teachers, schools, and students across the nation.

Connect with Kevin:

Twitter: @KevinLeichtman

Tiktok: @tlceducates

Instagram: @kevinleichtman

LinkedIn: Kevin Leichtman, Ph.D.

Facebook: TeamLeichtmanConsulting


Nov 21, 202208:38
Work-Life Balance=Teacher Wellness

Work-Life Balance=Teacher Wellness

With all the talk of teacher wellness, I find that in the lives of the teachers I know, and in the lives of teachers they know, there is a lot of yoga, a lot of meditation, a lot of emoji checking in and tons of surveys about what’s working. What classroom educators are missing is time; and that means working in schools that support a healthy work-life balance.

While it’s common knowledge that teacher workload and stress have increased over the last few decades, the common solutions don’t seem to address the stressors in a way that makes teachers feel supported. According to EdWeek, chart 1 clearly shows that wellness initiatives popular with district administrators are among the least popular with teachers.

What's Missing?

What are districts missing? There are many reasons that teachers have a higher burnout rate than any other US workers, but work life balance is one of teachers’s top concerns. Yet, Google searches for teacher wellness are full of SEL strategies, yoga, meditation and other band-aids that could be effective, if teachers had the time to practice them consistently. How can administrators give teachers the one thing they really need—time?

1. Conduct blind surveys on wellness initiatives (really blind, requiring no campus or grade level information).

Combat the fear of being disparaged because of educator anonymity. Teachers need to comfortable sharing their thoughts without fear of retribution.

2. Shadow beginning and seasoned teachers to pilot every initiative before district-wide implementation.

Like with most tasks, everything takes longer than you expect.  By shadowing teachers in the real-world classroom, you’ll be able to evaluate (and tweak) your initiative’s implementation, not just implement an idea with no real world testing.

3. Adjust your scope or year-at-a-glance documents to utilize 80%, rather than 100% of the instructional block.

The awards ceremony, the field trip, the fire drill, the active shooter practice, the student melt down, the emergency coverage—these are all regular events that influence the number of minutes actually available for instructional purposes. If your scope is based on bell-to-bell teaching, teachers will be perpetually behind. And remember, mindful moments, brain breaks, student questions, ‘wait time’, classroom clean up and many other class community activities are also instructional, even if they are not connected to the content.

Wellness initiatives often look good on paper but lack impact. Reducing teacher workload is the number one way to retain a quality teaching staff. And a retaining a quality teaching staff is at the core of equitable learning experiences for all students.

Nov 14, 202206:25
Marching Band Musings (Representation Matters)

Marching Band Musings (Representation Matters)

When is the last time you saw a student with trisomy 21 on the field playing drums? When you grew up, were gender non-conforming, male presenting students allowed to be a part of color guard or dance team? Were Afrocentric hairstyles represented on the field—even gracing the heads of Eurocentric students? Were girls even drum majors?

Bands of America Represent!

This week, I got a needed rest from the toil of fighting to elevate the voices of all students. This week, I went to the Bands of America Super Regionals and unexpectedly got to bask in the progress that I often miss, while helping others to see what still needs to be fixed in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. For that, I am grateful.

How can you be a part of this progress? How can you make room on your campuses for cultures and stories that have traditionally been missing in our country’s classrooms?

Here are three resources to help you increase representation in the performing arts.

Add classical music by composers who are not White males to your repertoire.

Study famous artists who are not White or European.

Use this Quizlet as a jumping off place to research minoritized playwrights. Then, select one act plays by writers of non-European descent for UIL.

And for all other contents, here is a collection of resources for all contents looking for ways to highlight traditionally non-centered narratives.

As we celebrate another ’cultural month’ with dedicated to Native American History, let’s remember that representation matters all year.


And btw, don't forget to vote. Here is my favorite resource, the Ballotpedia sample ballot tool.

And if you have problems at the pools, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to speak with a trained Election Protection volunteer.

Nov 07, 202206:25
Bias Helped Jeffrey Dahmer Kill

Bias Helped Jeffrey Dahmer Kill

Could bias have been responsible for the Jeffrey Dahmer murders? If you think that sounds a bit like a way out there conspiracy theory, let me help you follow the logic.

Glenda Cleveland was a woman in the neighborhood who, along with her daughters, followed up several times with the police because of suspicious activity surrounding Jeffrey Dahmer’s movements. Without going full blown spoiler alert, I’ll simply say that in one instance, had the police believed her and not Jeffrey Dahmer,  the victim would not have met his death.

All-American Kid

Jeffrey Dahmer was a blonde haired, blue eyed person of middle European descent, and he looked like what in my childhood was known as an “all-American” type. The American predisposition to favor that type of good looks was one part of the bias that allowed him to go undetected for so long. Ever notice how the blonde folks are rarely the bad guys? It’s better now, but for a very long time, blonde/blue was THE Hollywood beauty standard.

Combine that with a conflicted policing history and slow police response time in non-White neighborhoods, and you have a perfect storm, especially for crimes committed against gay people of color in a neighborhood of Black and Brown people.

What if Cleveland had been believed? What if the victim’s family, immigrant, English language learners, had been heard and believed? What if the officers called to serve and protect, thought that marginalized populations held the same value as people who looked like them?

Netflix and Chill with your Halloween Candy

This Halloween, if you are watching something scary, consider watching the Jeffrey Dahmer movie on Netflix. It’s hard to watch, and it'll take longer than one night. BUT, start, and watch for bias that comes into play. Make a note of moments when you feel the unconscious thoughts of one person affected the life—or death—of another. Then join me on Twitter. I’d love to hear your thoughts.


Extend your learning:

Take a Harvard Bias Test

Racial Bias and Disparities in Proactive Policing

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Proactive Policing: Effects on Crime and Communities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24928.

Oct 31, 202206:33
Data Driven Equity

Data Driven Equity

Often, when we think of moving the equity needle on our campuses, we talk in terms of implicit bias, diverse representation and personal responsibility. We don't often connect it to data. Data tells you which teachers are having discipline referral problems within certain populations. Data tells you which teachers are closing gaps for Black and Brown students more quickly. Data tells you which apps are positively impacting intervention and extension for special populations. For example, because ST math is a game based program that requires no language based skills, it works well for ELs and students who are reading below grade level. 

How are we using data to create equitable learning environments? Male students typically have more office referrals. Is it that boys are "bad" or is it that schools have designed a system for sedentary, compliant learning while socializing boys to be anything but sedentary and compliant? 

Using a Strength Based Lens

How do we use the information we have to drive action? First, find out what's working, and which teachers are succeeding. Use peer observations to build cultural competencies across your campuses and districts. Add accountability discussions and mentoring to learning walks so that you can impact student learning and behavioral outcomes by replicating behaviors and strategies of successful teachers. 

I'll be talking more to administrators the rest of this year about campus and district equity initiatives, and how to move them from reflection to data driven action. Make sure to recommend SmallBites to your favorite admin team or school board so we can all be better together, one small bite at a time. 


Watch the interview with Dana Cole in its entirety here.

Learn more here:

MacPherson, Kelly-Robin St. John, "Reducing Disproportional Discipline Referrals for African American Male Students at The Elementary Level" (2016). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1499449719. http://doi.org/10.21220/W44H2H


Oct 24, 202206:46
Cultural Appropriation and Halloween
Oct 17, 202205:46
SmallBites at Sunset Live on location: The Confederacy, Civil Rights and Student Safety
Oct 10, 202201:19
At The Intersection of Columbus Day and Hispanic Heritage Month

At The Intersection of Columbus Day and Hispanic Heritage Month

Oct 03, 202206:04
Five Ways To Elevate Your Practice This School Year

Five Ways To Elevate Your Practice This School Year

Sometimes, it's the little things. And as you know, SmallBites is always about the high impact little things. Below are 5 ways you can elevate your practice this year.

  1. Know your state and district laws. "ban crt" and "don't say gay" type legislations are in over 500 jurisdictions in the country. UCLA's interactive map and corresponding resources will help you keep abreast of the latest laws that may directly influence what you can and cannot include in the teaching and learning loop on your campus. Knowing the laws, as well as your district's stance can help you navigate the complexities of teaching truth in America in the 2020s. If you are at the district level, consider what your legal and administrative response will be and let teachers know in advance what kind of support they can expect.
  2. Integrate diverse narratives. After finding out what laws are, do your best to push your students' critical thinking by challenging them to research lesser known stories and narratives. Here is a month of SmallBites Episodes and resources to help you plan and research diverse narratives; and shape conversations around diversity and equity.
  3. Teaching on a homogenous campus? Not possible! Sameness has more to do with culture, zip codes and melanin. Here is an article that is worth the read. In short, diversity matters--and it's all around us.
  4. Inclusivity is the opposite of judgment. Just let that sit. 
  5. Reduce your consumption of incendiary media. Fight the algorithms by broadening your searches and reading articles from a variety of sources. If you're in the classroom, teach your students to do the same. If you are at the district level, consider making media literacy a campus initiative and start an awareness campaign of the types of words and articles that make us mad and divide us. Awareness is the start, consuming less is the goal.

Teaching is harder than it's ever been and the plates of educators are overflowing. Still, we all want to be better. Let me know how this podcast episode helps you and feel free to DM me on Twitter or IG to ask any lingering questions you might have.



Sep 26, 202207:03
SmallBites: Hispanic Heritage(s) Month(s)
Sep 19, 202206:30
BTS Edition: Losses, Gatekeeping and Selfcare

BTS Edition: Losses, Gatekeeping and Selfcare

As I thought about the pomp and circumstance surrounding the death of the Queen, the national remembrance of 9/11 and how we, as a country, grieve, it occurred to me that our losses are ranked. And those rankings reinforce our caste system, our gatekeeping. Why, for example, are flags lowered for government officials and foreign dignitaries? Are those losses more profound than the losses suffered by "regular" citizens?

If we accept grief rankings, where else might we be reinforcing structures that do not honor and value people equitably? How do those systems and structures subtly influence the way we approach building classroom and campus culture?

What kinds of inherent structures of honor are in place on your campus? Who do "norms" honor and center? Are there "norms" that can be rethought? Let these questions guide your reflections this week. And to support you in being a reflective practitioner, listen to Angela Watson of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club in her powerful interview with Jennifer Gonzales. Being rested, balanced and regulated is THE best thing you can do to propagate a positive, supportive campus culture. Setting strong work-life boundaries is key.

Finally, if you feel grief over the loss of the Queen, at the thought of 9/11 or at any other world impacting event; be true to your feelings. We feel what we feel, and that's ok. If others feel those losses less acutely, that's ok too.  Reflection and acceptance are perfectly balanced, leaving no room for judgment. 

Happy Back to School, see you next week with more SmallBites.


Sep 12, 202206:12
SmallBites: Responding to Mass Atrocity Harm with Sarah Federman Pt. 3

SmallBites: Responding to Mass Atrocity Harm with Sarah Federman Pt. 3

In this final installation of the conversation on responding to mass atrocity harm with Sarah Federman, we talk about practical ways we can acknowledge and help diverse stakeholders, both those who suffer fallout and those who are perhaps unwittingly complicit. We also talk about how those who research and work with difficult topics like mass atrocities, social justice issues, genocide, etc., can circumvent burnout. 

Listen to part 1 here.

Listen to part 2 here.

Buy Sarah's award winning title, Last Train to Auschwitz: Grounded in history and case law, Last Train to Auschwitz traces the SNCF’s journey toward accountability in France and the United States, culminating in a multimillion-dollar settlement paid by the French government on behalf of the railways.The poignant and informative testimonies of survivors illuminate the long-term effects of the railroad’s impact on individuals, leading the company to make overdue amends. In a time when corporations are increasingly granted the same rights as people, Federman’s detailed account demonstrates the obligations businesses have to atone for aiding and abetting governments in committing atrocities. This volume highlights the necessity of corporate integrity and will be essential reading for those called to engage in the difficult work of responding to past harms.

About the guest:

Sarah Federman is an Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the University of San Diego’s Kroc School of Peace Studies. She is the author of the award winning Last Train to Auschwitz: The French National Railways and the Journey to Accountability (2021). She has also written for the Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Business Ethics concerning the corporate obligation to atone for participation in mass atrocity such as genocide, slavery, and violence associated with colonialism. In 2022, she testified before Congress concerning the responsibility of U.S. banks to respond to their slavery ties. This summer her co-authored anthology "Narratives of Mass Atrocity: Victims and Perpetrators in the Aftermath" will be published by Cambridge University Press. Federman comes to this work after a decade as an international advertising executive working with companies such as Google and NFL.



Jul 03, 202226:04
SmallBites Summer Edition: Understanding and Responding to Mass Atrocity Harm with Sarah Federman Pt. 2

SmallBites Summer Edition: Understanding and Responding to Mass Atrocity Harm with Sarah Federman Pt. 2

Yes, it's summer. But I'm back anyway!

This is part 2 of a conversation with Sarah Federman on enslavement within the context of mass atrocity 'reckoning'. (Listen to part 1 here.) Highlights in this conversations include suggestions and recommendations for impactful apologies and ways to acknowledge ties to harms that still impact communities in the present. The Baltimore Sun provides an exemplary template for what needs to be said--in government, in corporations, in organizations--in order for us to heal and move forward as a nation. This episode begins to explore ways to talk about present day ties to mass atrocities of the past without indicting people who themselves may be struggling with poverty or disenfranchisement. It also acknowledges the difficulty of the "it wasn't me, I wasn't there" argument. Come back for part 3 next week. 


About the guest:

Sarah Federman is an Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the University of San Diego’s Kroc School of Peace Studies. She is the author of the award winning Last Train to Auschwitz: The French National Railways and the Journey to Accountability (2021). She has also written for the Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Business Ethics concerning the corporate obligation to atone for participation in mass atrocity such as genocide, slavery, and violence associated with colonialism. In 2022, she testified before Congress concerning the responsibility of U.S. banks to respond to their slavery ties. This summer her co-authored anthology "Narratives of Mass Atrocity: Victims and Perpetrators in the Aftermath" will be published by Cambridge University Press. Federman comes to this work after a decade as an international advertising executive working with companies such as Google and NFL.


Jun 27, 202217:34
SmallBites Summer Edition: Understanding and Responding to Mass Atrocity Harm with Sarah Federman Pt. 1

SmallBites Summer Edition: Understanding and Responding to Mass Atrocity Harm with Sarah Federman Pt. 1

When we celebrate Juneteenth, we celebrate the freedoms given by the 13th amendment that only came to Texas 2 and a half years after the original proclamation. Upon closer inspection, this freedom was not only late in coming, but it also marked the beginning of mass illness and death, Jim Crow laws, segregation and gaps in wealth and education that still prevail even in the face of ever evolving laws and social programming designed to repair harm that we have yet, as a nation, to formally acknowledge. 

Thinking about this celebration, beyond BBQ, led me to a Marketwatch interview of Sarah Federman, award winning journalist and author of Last Train to Auschwitz, a book on the French railway's journey to accountability in their complicity in deporting over 76,000 Jews and other civilians to Third Reich death camps. 

I'm lucky to have her on SmallBites to talk about what she learned in her research and how her knowledge of corporate and community atonement can help us move forward as we confront our own Colonial complicity in mass atrocities like Indigenous genocide, Black trafficking and enslavement and mass incarceration. 


Join us next week for Pt. 2 where we talk more about reparation models that work and what we can do to make a difference personally. 

About the guest:

Sarah Federman is an Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the University of San Diego’s Kroc School of Peace Studies. She is the author of the award winning Last Train to Auschwitz: The French National Railways and the Journey to Accountability (2021). She has also written for the Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Business Ethics concerning the corporate obligation to atone for participation in mass atrocity such as genocide, slavery, and violence associated with colonialism. In 2022, she testified before Congress concerning the responsibility of U.S. banks to respond to their slavery ties. This summer her co-authored anthology "Narratives of Mass Atrocity: Victims and Perpetrators in the Aftermath" will be published by Cambridge University Press. Federman comes to this work after a decade as an international advertising executive working with companies such as Google and NFL.

Jun 19, 202215:11
SmallBites: Hello Summer
Jun 06, 202203:09
SmallBites: Three Strategies for an Inclusive Class Culture (Restorative Practice Pt. 3)

SmallBites: Three Strategies for an Inclusive Class Culture (Restorative Practice Pt. 3)

Restorative practice is a big undertaking and is best done school or district wide. So if you are a classroom teacher, where can you start?

At the beginning of the year, build a strong, inclusive foundation. Building an inclusive classroom is not about what's in the books or on the walls, it's about building community. Establishing and imparting a vision for an inclusive, supportive learning community can be done on every grade level. We've all seen the posters; "In this classroom we are kind, honest, respectful, etc." But in a world where people are so often everything but, how do we teach those skills? 

First, tell your students that everyone is an important part of the learning community and explain that being excluded hurts. Teach them to notice who is being excluded and to invite them to the table/team/group. Remind them of how great it feels to be included and ask for examples. Then teach them to invite others into their groups. Teach them to notice when someone is being excluded. Explain that they don't have to be besties with someone to make room for them.

Second, Teach civil disagreement with games like This or That and Would You Rather. Having students pick a side and justify their answers using 'kind words' is a skill. Teach them to accept differences in opinion and not to be emotionally tied to their choices. The "my choice is good, your choice is bad" mentality divides us.

Finally, Use collaboration to build community. Use teams that work together and help each other. Have students discover learning more with the help of the community of learners than from you. Set collective goals with collective rewards. The more students can engage with each other, the deeper the connection.

Once students feel connected, they begin to hold each other accountable. And when someone violates the code, the ground is fertile for the restorative process.

If you have further questions about what this looks like in practice, please feel free to connect over Twitter, Instagram or per email at 5SmallBites@gmail.com.

May 23, 202206:52
SmallBites: Mass Shootings and Belonging

SmallBites: Mass Shootings and Belonging

No matter what you think about the most recent mass shootings, two things are true: 

1. The shooter felt like an outsider. 

2. In his despair, he began to blame others for his misery and took action against them. 

This goes deeper than hate or racism. 

How do people walk among us and feel such misery, the kind that inspires acts of rage against random, unsuspecting people? I don't have a study to cite, but I believe that we all contribute. The question is what?

 I am not saying the blame for a shooters actions lie at our feet. I am, however, suggesting that when we turn away from "playground shenanigans" to "let boys be boys" or when we look away when students draw circles around their friends and work to exclude others, our unwillingness to build a more inclusive climate in our schools may sow seeds. 

No, of course every student sitting alone in the cafeteria is not going to grow up to become a mass shooter. However, according to studies cited in this NYT article, anger, isolation and resentment are the common thread linking mass shooters and domestic terrorists. 

Once again, I am not laying the blame at the feet of educators, there is enough of that happening already. I simply want to call on the group of people who I innately believe, as a whole, have the best interest of students at heart, to intentionally build a culture of inclusivity on campuses. No kid should eat alone. No kid should be consistently chosen last for the team. No kid should be left out of group work when students choose. That means you teach your students how to include because there is humanity in including others. It means, you become more inclusive at school with other teachers, at home with others in your community. It means you draw bigger circles around your 'usses'.

Being more inclusive may not stop the next act of violence against any community, but it will make the ground for these acts less fertile. That's an outcome we all need.


Taking to kids about difficult subjects-All the Kids Are Not Safe

Merging and managing divergent beliefs in learning communities


May 16, 202205:37
SmallBites: Against Exclusionary Discipline but For ??? (Restorative Practice Pt. 2)

SmallBites: Against Exclusionary Discipline but For ??? (Restorative Practice Pt. 2)

It's easy to say "we are not suspending our kids", knowing that the number of suspensions directly correlates to the number of incarcerations. But without a plan for transformative discipline, the ensuing chaos disrupts learning. We can impact whole communities by ensuring that our discipline protocols keep our kids on campus, and empower students to own and manage their own behavior with strategic, caring guidance. When we take 'not suspending kids' seriously, we provide them with the tools they need to be successful members of the learning community and of society.

From last week: A Whole Child Framework

Restorative practice is a holistic framework for comprehensive culture shifts that impacts students, staff, parents and every member of the learning community in and beyond the school walls. This holistic approach takes what we know from SEL and trauma informed practices and puts stakeholders in the driver's seat. In the classroom that means respecting and valuing each community member and centering dignity and respect to help everyone think about how their actions affects others. This kind of #bettertogether approach, when consistently implemented, impacts the 'whole child'.

In order to keep each child and the learning community healthy as a whole, those who engage in what is known as harm causing behaviors have a function, as do those who have been affected. Start with the student who caused harm and depending on the level of harm and the class climate, have the discussion in class with a talking stick or piece. (The practice of talking circles originates with indigenous peoples and you can watch this video to learn more about its history and how not to venture into the waters of cultural appropriation.) I didn't use a centerpiece or a stick but I did use a ball made of tape. The understanding was, as with a talking stick, that the holder of the ball deserved the absolute attention of everyone else in the circle. I found that students liked to catch the ball, so they volunteered to talk. 

Restorative Practice Questions

Why did you think that was a good choice/Why did you make that decision? How did that choice affect others? Who did it affect? How can you provide scaffolding and sentence stems to help the person who caused harm to take ownership of their choice? By having intentional conversations, either one on one or with other students, those who cause harm can begin to see themselves as empowered rather than seeing themselves as "the bad kid". 

Join #SmallBites next week for part 3 when we'll delve into more questions and scenarios to help with the uptick of "behaviors" educators have seen this year.


Learn More:

Everyday building blocks of transformative justice

Center for Restorative Process Manual


From last week:

National Educational Policy Center

Meta-analysis of belonging and academic outcomes

May 09, 202206:58
SmallBites: Against Exclusionary Discipline but For ??? (Restorative Practice Pt. 1)

SmallBites: Against Exclusionary Discipline but For ??? (Restorative Practice Pt. 1)

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Across the country teachers are being squeezed between data deep dives on one side and recurrent student behavioral issues on the other. The caught- in-the-middle pressure is putting a squeeze on teachers that is sending them out of the educational sector in droves. While the academic disparities are real, doubling down on looking at data and more testing will not make an impact with our most vulnerable students as long as teachers struggle with repetitive classroom disruptions with little or no strategic support from admin. I say strategic support because increasingly I hear that districts are against exclusionary discipline but have no practices in place to support teachers increasingly overwhelmed by violence and threats. As the National Educational Policy Center puts is, a "sole focus on a reduction in suspensions and expulsions will not address the systemic and structural inequalities that impact students’ social, emotional, and academic well-being". In short, being against something without defining what you are for, especially when it comes to school culture, negatively impacts teaching and learning. Restorative Practices provide structure to culture building and can keep students on campus while also respecting the need to maintain a safe, non-threatening learning environment.

A Whole Child Framework

Restorative practice is a holistic framework for comprehensive culture shifts that impacts students, staff, parents and every member of the learning community in and beyond the school walls. This holistic approach takes what we know from SEL and trauma informed practices and puts stakeholders in the driver's seat. In the classroom that means respecting and valuing each community member and centering dignity and respect to help everyone think about how their actions affects others. This kind of #bettertogether approach, when consistently implemented, impacts the 'whole child', that person schools say they teach. Consistency can mean the difference between success and failure. Failure, at its worst, leaves teachers and students who "just want to learn" feeling unprotected with their needs often being unmet. It means schools lose good teachers and good students. 

Next week, I'll be covering more about RJ practices and how to implement it on a classroom, campus and district level, but for now, here are 5 questions you can use in your classroom today when someone makes a less than optimal choice:

  • Why did you think that was a good choice/Why did you make that decision?
  • How did that choice affect others?
  • Who did it affect?
  • How are you affected by the choice?
  • What do you think you can do to make amends and give back to the learning community?

When students know they are valued members of a community who will need own up to their choices and make amends for any harm caused, they think differently about the choices they make and grow; both individually and as a part of the learning community. That deeper sense of belonging is what augments academic outcomes. 


Learn More:

National Educational Policy Center

Meta-analysis of belonging and academic outcomes


May 02, 202206:41
SmallBites: Teaching Truth about Columbus and Conquests

SmallBites: Teaching Truth about Columbus and Conquests

Did you ever stop to think that Christopher is an anglified name? An Italian explorer would have been named Cristoforo Colombo, in Spanish he would have been called Cristóbal Colón. That’s the funny thing about the truth. Depending on your perspective, it might be different. Not more or less true, just different. Europeans called this side of the Atlantic the “New World”. But in fact, when looking at a timeline of civilization, Europe itself was once the new world. 

As I lay on the beach on the island Columbus named Hispaniola, when his ship sunk, I looked at the people there. The Dominican people look like me, like my son. People spoke Spanish to us there. But the Arawakan, or Lokono, language, the Taino people, what had they been like before the European invasion and enslavement? What would the island be like today if the Taino had been able to keep their resources and flourish as a people? The Yale Genocide Project gave me some answers, but not all. I only knew that I was in the place where European conquest changed changed the trajectory of nations. As I stared out over the ocean Columbus once sailed across, it made me sad.

What would the Taino have told of that fateful landing in 1492? Would they be grateful to have been discovered? Taino Leader Jorge Estevez provides perspective on a missing side of the story in this National Geographic article. What do we tell our students when teaching about 1492 and the discovery of America? How do we advocate for the integration of truth when the fables we learned as children have become our national narrative? For this and any other historical facts taught from only one perspective, we can ask our students the following:

1. Whose stories are centered?

2. Whose stories are missing?

3. Who is telling the story?

Every author has a perspective and a purpose, and by examining varied perspectives, we can get a fuller picture of the truth. Just as a doctor listens to your lungs and gets and xray to make a diagnosis, all of the pieces are needed to see the whole picture. #TeachTruth


Further reading:

Edmund S Morgan setting the record straight:

 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/columbus-confusion-about-the-new-world-140132422/


Columbus simplified:

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/christopher-columbus




Apr 25, 202207:26
#SmallBites Will Be Back Next Week!

#SmallBites Will Be Back Next Week!

SmallBites is taking a short break this week and will return next week. Meanwhile, as you celebrate your faith, if you do, reflect over whether or not you may be judging others for being different in their expression of faith or identity. Let's make faith count!
Apr 17, 202201:14
SmallBites Meets Cult of Pedagogy

SmallBites Meets Cult of Pedagogy

If you have not yet found your way to Jennifer Gonzales' Cult of Pedagogy, please use this as your gateway. In this small bite of our interview, you'll hear one of the 8 questions below that you can use to challenge yourself on your way to becoming a more empathetic, inclusive educator. For the entire podcast and show notes, please visit https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/blindspots/. While you're there, click around. I know you'll find resources you can use to better your practice. For additional resources, pr to get your copy of FInding Your Blind Spots, please visit Hedreich.com.

  1. How diverse is your personal circle and why does it look like it does? While not having a diverse circle doesn’t mean you are racist, elitist or any other -ist, it probably does mean that you don’t have much experience with people unlike you.
  2. Who are the ‘others’ in your life? Make a list of 10 people you consider “us” and 10 people you consider “them.” These could be family members, work colleagues, neighbors, students, or anyone with whom you have fairly regular contact. In what ways are the people on your “us” list different from you? How are they similar? What about your ‘others’—how are they different? How are they the same? You can make lists, Venn diagrams, sketchnotes or any other representation to show differences and similarities.
  3. How often do you use generalizations? Take a week and intentionally keep track of the times you use “they” to describe people of a certain color, culture, identity, gender, etc. One common campus generalization is “the Special Ed kids,” as though students under this umbrella are homogenous. Another is the admin/central office “they.”  Teachers often see admin as others. Keep track of “harmless” generalizations as well–”the students,” “the neighbors,” “the football team,” etc.
  4. What is your initial perception when you talk to someone with an accent different from yours, for instance, a customer service rep, parent, or even a student?
  5. Do you consider the integration of diverse historical perspectives best practice or divisive politics? One example of multiperspectivity is looking at different narratives between the European settlers and Indigenous people in the colonial U.S. For instance, the Thanksgiving story is usually told from the perspectives of the Pilgrims and mainly portrays their struggles for survival. Rarely do we hear of the hardships that the Wampanoag Indians endured or how they were holding feasts of thanks years before the Pilgrims even arrived. Another example of a lesser-known narrative is that of the Powhatan confederation, the Indigenous peoples who lost both land and life due to colonization in Virginia.
  6. Who is on your “free pass” list? We tend to be more forgiving of those we like and are in agreement with. List five people–friends, students, public figures–whose failings you tend to excuse or write off. Explain also why you tend to “go easy” on them.
  7. When do you tend most toward non-acceptance and judgment? Are your triggers cultural differences? Ideological and religious dissimilarity? In-group/out-group challenges?
  8. How much cross-cultural literature, TV, and movies do you consume in order to familiarize yourself with what for some is an uncomfortable shift to a more diverse community?
Apr 11, 202207:35
From Church and 'Colored People' to People of Color

From Church and 'Colored People' to People of Color

This week’s SmallBites is a round table with Jonathan Reidenouer, Hal Roberts and Emily Witt, three people shaped by the fundamentalist Christian community who have come to embrace the need for representation and cultural literacy.

Why is it so hard for people from the Evangelical movement to embrace what some in the community call “woke” ideologies? Why do some church organizations draw a line when it comes to having uncomfortable conversations on topics like race, gender and American History as learned in schools, even as they ensured that all students are seen and represented?

In this round table, we follow the journey of three school and community educators as they talk openly about their journey from evangelical church circles to understanding the importance of representation and cultural literacy.

You can follow Jonathan Reidenouer at @JReidenouer

After 15 years working in restaurants, Jonathan got his graduate degree in Education in 2011 and has not looked back. Since then, he has worked as a math teacher in an alternative school and as a substitute teacher in both public and private schools. Self-employed for seven years now, he is a professional tutor who specializes in math, test prep, and writing. Last year marked 15 years of marriage to spouse Dayna, who is a copyeditor and fiber arts enthusiast. Since first gaining access to the internet, Jonathan has spent time learning all things about American history that weren’t taught in school.

You can follow Hal Roberts at @HalLRoberts

Hal Roberts is a retired superintendent after serving for 38 years in education, with 30 of those in leadership. Hal taught students in grades 4-12, coached boys and girls 7-12, served as athletic director, elementary principal, high school principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. He has spent the last six years researching both leadership and neuroscience and how those relate to each other.

You can follow Emily Witt at @witty_witt93 or view her work at https://www.emilylwitt.com/

Emily is an Austin-based playwright and communications professional working for Texas Freedom Network, a multi-issue progressive & advocacy organization. Previously, she worked at CASA of Travis County, helping to expand the diversity of their volunteer base to better serve children and families within the child welfare system. She earned her BFA in Playwriting from Chicago’s DePaul University, where the mainstage production of her play about our country's barriers to abortion access, Mrs. Phu’s Cleansing Juices (and also salads), received a Distinguished Achievement Award for Playwriting from The Kennedy Center. She spends her free time volunteering at SAFE (an org serving sexual assault and domestic violence survivors), going to as much live music as possible, and hiking with her dog.

Link to Geronimo

Link to Indigenous Peoples’ History of the US

Apr 04, 202248:36
SmallBites: SCOTUS Nominations and the Danger of Tropes

SmallBites: SCOTUS Nominations and the Danger of Tropes

Seeing the highlight clips of the Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmation Hearings morph into full blown defamation and attacks from pundits on the right made me wonder if indeed, Judge Jackson was singled out. This was, of course, due to the popular assertion that “we” think everything revolves around race. The “we” happens to be any Black or Brown person that made a statement about the fact that much of the questioning bore little resemblance to that of previous nominees. Do "we" still think that this hearing showed that we have to be twice as good to get half as much, like our grandparents taught us? I know it made me think so, and it was uncomfortable to watch. Unless Judge Brown was running for school board, or unless she had passed some ruling or sentencing protocol down on the use of Antiracist Baby--which was also sorely misrepresented--this was at best a political stunt, at worst, slanderous denigration.

Sadly, this lack of respect for the record and qualifications has also been overlooked before. Think Amy Coney Barrett. Ted Cruz asked her about piano lessons and distance learning for her 7 children. While not as glaringly antagonistic—nor as dangerous—as his line of questioning with Judge Jackson, the subtle mommy track questions were just as insulting. In both lines of questions, the nominee was little more than a trope, a 2- dimensional caricature. Neither woman was considered worthy of questions befitting accomplished legal scholars.

Why is this type of thinking dangerous and how does this apply to you? In your mind’s eye, when you see your students and staff, how many of them are archetypes? Do you see the ‘coach’ the ‘theater teacher’ or the ‘TA’ as representations of ‘their kind’? How about your students. Do you see the emo kid and the SPED kid as monolithic representations? Chances are, in some cases, that you do. Knowing that is half the battle.

How can you better connect with students whose characterizations you need to round out? Whether it’s having a lunch date or making it a point to listen better, recognizing that no-one is just one thing can help you avoid pigeonholing your students in the way that Ted Cruz  pigeonholed the SCOTUS nominees. #RelationshipsMatter



Mar 28, 202206:42
SmallBites: Talking to you Students About the Russian-Ukrainian War

SmallBites: Talking to you Students About the Russian-Ukrainian War

I don’t know about you, but I don’t understand war. 'Let’s just all point guns at each others heads so you won’t get more than I have' seems frightfully ineffective. Oh, and actually, 'let’s send my kids to fight your kids to solve the disputes of wealthy, power hungry regimes' makes even more sense. If this doesn’t make sense to you, it may be hard to answer questions about a war in a far off land, especially when you’re a couple of your students say they missed school yesterday because momma couldn’t afford to put gas in the car. 

We'd love to think that our kids are too self involved to pay attention to the newscast running in the background, but they aren't. Further, they have their own news sources in the form of reels and Tiktok posts. How do we answer their questions when we have so many of our own?

As I pondered Russia’s attack on the Ukraine and the world’s response to that attack, I came up with more questions than answers. My research led me back to WWII, the formation of NATO and the varying success and ineffectiveness of sanctions on a global level. I gathered a lot of information but nothing that made me see the logic of land power grabs.

If you, like me, tend to have difficulty seeing the logic of fighting  ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶o̶y̶s̶ wars over borders, hopefully this allegory will help you to at least make peace with it. Moreover, it is a read-aloud that you can play for students of every age. Below are also reflection questions you can use for class discussion or journaling. 

Questions for littles:

How did Jenna, Natalie and Natasha feel when they heard things about the war they didn’t understand?

Do you hear things about fighting that you don’t understand? Where do you hear it, on the radio in the car? TV? Adults talking?

Who do you talk to when you feel afraid or confused?

What could countries do to solve conflicts, besides go to war?


Questions for middles:

What is this story a metaphor for?

Why are the names Natalie and Natasha used? Who might those names represent?

Why the name Stoli and who might that name represent?

Who do you think is represented by “the small group of families” who watch out for each other?

What could countries do to solve conflicts, besides go to war?


Questions for older students (in addition to the questions above):

What is this story a metaphor for?

Why do the people on the south side of the sea need to be concerned about what happens on the north side of the sea?

What are the economic ramifications for independent homeowners if the Rich Family begins an unchecked practice of taking over the homes of others?

What could countries do to solve conflicts, besides go to war?


The first two people to email me at 5SmallBites@gmail.com with the correct answers to the middle school questions will win a copy of Finding Your Blind Spots, available on Amazon and SolutionTree.com


If you would like to deepen your knowledge and provide your students with further context, here is a comprehensive resource from Albuquerque schools on all things pertinent to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

Mar 20, 202209:27
SmallBites: Just Why DO We Need to Highlight Women?

SmallBites: Just Why DO We Need to Highlight Women?

Many who think of gender equality think of Women's Suffrage and perhaps yesteryear's fight for equal pay. One little known fact is that gender equality in the workplace is still an issue, with women earning, in some cases just over half of what White males earn. 

As we highlight diverse stories for Women's History Month, it's important to discuss with your students why we have the need for a Women's History month at all. It is also important to highlight not only the strides women have made, but also the gains still needed, particularly economic and career gains. 

While I am not a fan of cultural and heritage months, they offer an immense opportunity to open discourse with your students on cultural and gender norms. There is history and then there is African American History, Women's History, Native American History, Asian American History, all as seeming adjuncts to just plain old, regular history, which continues to be largely dominated by figures who are male and of British and Middle European descent (White).

This month--and during every cultural month--be sure to discuss the need for such months and why multiperspectivity is not the norm and why everyone's stories are not woven into one great big beautiful tapestry called history.


For classroom resources and lessons on the world's global goals for gender equality, visit the World's Largest Lesson.

For Census Bureau stats and facts on women in STEM, click here.

To read the good news on home ownership by women from Urban Wire, click here. 

Get a gender wage gap overview from the Center for American Progress here. 

Visit Hedreich.com for additional resources. 

Mar 14, 202204:07
SmallBites: Was Macht Hedreich?? A conversation in English and "Schweizerdeutsch"

SmallBites: Was Macht Hedreich?? A conversation in English and "Schweizerdeutsch"

This week, I got to speak with educators in my second home and was reminded that people are interested to know what I do now. So I'm interrupting the regularly scheduled programming to have a conversation with 3 friends and educators about my work as a writer and consultant. The podcast is in two languages and describes my work as a consultant and author seeking to give every student a voice and create change one small bite at a time. 

In case you don't know, SmallBites is important because it gives educators a context for the devisiveness around identity politics in the country and across the globe. It helps others recognize that everyone's journey is not the same and that prejudicial treatment because of color, culture and identity still exists, especially in classrooms. My work through SmallBites, in particular Finding Your Blind Spots, provides educators with a framework to mitigate the behaviors and biases that creep into our work, making us less effective at building the kinds of relationships that improve academic and mental health outcomes for our students. 


Diese Woche habe ich mit Pädagogen in meiner zweiten Heimat gesprochen und wurde daran erinnert, dass einige Leute in der Schweiz daran interessiert sind, zu erfahren, was ich jetzt mache. Also unterbreche ich das regelmäßig geplante Programm, um mich mit 3 Freunden und Pädagogen über meine Arbeit als Autor und Berater zu unterhalten. Der Podcast ist in zwei Sprachen und beschreibt meine Arbeit als Berater und Autor, der versucht, jedem Studenten eine Stimme zu geben und einen kleinen Bissen nach dem anderen zu verändern.

Falls Sie es nicht wissen, SmallBites ist wichtig, weil es Pädagogen einen Kontext für die Abwege in der Identitätspolitik im Land und auf der ganzen Welt gibt. Es hilft anderen zu erkennen, dass die Reise nicht für alle gleich ist und dass es immer noch Vorurteile aufgrund von Hautfarbe, Kultur und Identität gibt, insbesondere in Klassenzimmern. Meine Arbeit durch SmallBites, insbesondere Finding Your Blind Spots, bietet Pädagogen einen Rahmen, um die Verhaltensweisen und Vorurteile zu mildern, die sich in unsere Arbeit einschleichen und uns weniger effektiv beim Aufbau von Beziehungen machen, die die schulischen und psychischen Ergebnisse unserer Schüler verbessern.


Special thanks to Monika Burges, Simon Gisler and Irene Siegrist for taking out time from their schedules to conduct this interview. 

Besonderer Dank gilt Monika Burges, Simon Gisler und Irene Siegrist, die sich die Zeit genommen haben, dieses Interview zu führen.

Mar 07, 202208:14
SmallBites: Black History and White Diversity

SmallBites: Black History and White Diversity

Black History Month is over, but the need to elevate the stories and achievements of Black Americans to their rightful place in American history books and curricula is still in its infancy. In actuality, history has been dominated by the achievements of White Males to the exclusion of many other important voices, stories and heroes. Remember the old adage, know better, do better? When I found out butter was better than margarine and olive oil was better than both, I began to use my oils in different settings, but all have a place in my cupboard. Likewise, now that we know Beethoven and Bach are not the only classical composers, van Gogh and Dali are not the only famous artists and Newton and Einstein weren’t the only scientists, I can go looking for the achievements of people from diverse communities so that my students who are not white or male can see themselves reflected and know that the world is theirs for the taking.

Representation Matters

It’s important for my Black kids to know they can be more than rappers and athletes, so I make sure they see Mae Jemison and Bryan Williams. My Hispanic kids may not see themselves as artists so I make sure they know Frieda Kahlo—and that Picasso was Spanish. My White kids may also not know that Newton, Einstein, Beethoven and Bach all had countries and heritages that may be similar or dissimilar to their own. Newton was English, Einstein Jewish, Beethoven and Bach German. Side by side, Germans, Jews and the English may all have similar amounts of melanin, but culturally they are quite different, even having fought on different sides of great wars.

Since navigating teaching truth in schools these days is akin to navigating a minefield, perhaps we should instead look at Google and ask our students why the representation of any search for famous_____ yields largely males of European descent. Their answers might surprise you.

Why is "White" "White"?

We can also ask them how WWII enemies came to be one cultural group. If we’re going to amplify diverse voices, let’s have a talk about what diversity really means, whose narratives are missing and whose narratives continue to play a starring role. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ask you why everyone’s story should not be told.

Goodbye Black History, Hello History

Meanwhile, as we close out one more Black History Month, remember that stories matter, representation matters. Do what you can to make sure your kids learn truth. Unlike Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who were deemed subversive in their day but proclaimed heroes by history, those who seek to silence truth may not be remembered so kindly. As much as you can, be on the right side of history.

For a look at ‘whiteness’ and the map of ethnic groups in America, go here.

For more resources https://linktr.ee/Hedreich

Feb 28, 202205:50
SmallBites: I Babysat Bryan Williams the Math PhD
Feb 21, 202205:17
SmallBites: Black History's Ida B. Wells

SmallBites: Black History's Ida B. Wells

I actually planned to talk about entertainer extraordinaire, Cab Calloway, but a little thing like my low-key childhood shero got in the way. 

I remembered the name of the first Black female writer, Ida B. Wells from my childhood. I decidedly did not remember that she was so much more than just a journalist! She was a teacher, an advocate, a fierce leader who refused to be content with the status quo. I think of women like Patrisse Cullors, Sara Parker Remond and others like them; women who at great personal cost have advocated for civil rights only to be misunderstood and vilified. You see, Harriet Tubman did not have a cheering fan club either. 

Only when we look back in time, when we see our mistakes and inhumanity towards others, do we set those powerful women in their rightful place as civil rights leaders, as leaders for all of us, who push us toward the as yet elusive 'liberty and justice for all'. 

As I read more of Ida's story, I thought about my books on Krause's banned book list. Is that my cross? Will there be more indignities to bear? Will more people write that "there is a place in hell for people like me" because I try to ensure a more inclusive society in my small way? 

I'm sure that Ida only did what was in her heart. She sought a fair and free society for people who looked like her. Now, 130 years on, her vision is still in danger, the stories of Ida and women like her, being erased. While that makes me sad, it also emboldens me. Although there are those who want to turn back the clock to a time when diverse stories were yet unknown, you can't put the cat back in the bag. I'm heartened to know that

if Ida did it;

if Sara did it;

if Patrisse did it;

I can do it too. Teachers, we can do it too. #TeachTruth

Feb 14, 202206:30
SmallBites: Chicago's Bronzeville

SmallBites: Chicago's Bronzeville

This week is part two of the SmallBites Black History series. It could aptly called "Beyond the Struggle". When I think of June and Pride celebrations, there is so much joy. Yes, there is talk of Stonewall and the fight for human rights, but there is a joy that we are missing in February. I believe that comes from the focus on our civil struggle and a lack of knowledge about the many achievements of people from the African diaspora in America.

I invite everyone to take time, this month especially, to celebrate all that Black Americans have accomplished in the face of insurmountable odds. Did you know that most enslaved people were freed with no education, no restitution and no path to transition from enslavement to freedman in a hostile environment? And yet, there have been notable achievements in every sector, achievements that are not widely known. Since this month is dedicated to Black History, allow your students to research Black business owners, scientists, writers, inventors, choreographers, educators, politicians, generals, etc. Discuss who they find and allow your students to take the lead. I'm hoping that will be acceptable even in today's climate. 

If you do find someone especially interesting, I'd love to interview one or two Black History super sleuths this month for SmallBites. Message me at 5smallbites@bluewin.ch


You can read more about Bronzeville in one of 3 of my social justice titles for Cherry Lake Publishing, From Black Wall Street to Allensworth

You can read more about the humanitarian crisis of emancipation from Professor Downs' book, Sick From Freedom.


Feb 06, 202205:20