I'm the kind of person who does well with themes--ideas that tie my focus, actions, and thoughts together. The pandemic has made me rethink my themes for the upcoming weeks. What's important? What will I do?
Response to Racism
As I've written about before, I believe that we all have to act to end the heinous racism that exists in society--we can't tolerate brutality, bigotry, and hate that ends lives and limits opportunities for people simply because of their skin shade. I believe we all deserve opportunity and that we all deserve to life free lives in a safe and supportive society. I have decided that my response to racism will include the following acts:
Response to Racism
As I've written about before, I believe that we all have to act to end the heinous racism that exists in society--we can't tolerate brutality, bigotry, and hate that ends lives and limits opportunities for people simply because of their skin shade. I believe we all deserve opportunity and that we all deserve to life free lives in a safe and supportive society. I have decided that my response to racism will include the following acts:
- Hosting book groups related to the book, White Fragility.
- Using what I learn in the book groups to work against racism in all aspects of my life with real time action and commitment
- Voicing support and potentiallyworking for candidates who support an anti-racist, opportunity-for-all agenda and working against political candidates and policies that are self-serving, lawless, ignorant, and bigoted.
- Doing what I can in the school community to support anti-racist teaching and positive opportunities for all students.
Health and Happiness
While I often choose a game of online Scrabble, reading a good book, watching a good movie, writing, and researching over healthy outdoor adventure, I do love being outdoors in nature so my second theme of the summer will be increasing my ability to be healthy and happy outdoors. Spending time in nature is a good response to this pandemic summer and that will be my second theme.
Family Time
As always, family takes center stage in my life, and as I heard a friend of my husband's say yesterday, I want to look at family anew this summer and think about new ways that we can spend time together in response to pandemic restrictions and constraints.
Professional Efforts
Overall I was very pleased with our remote teaching and learning efforts this spring. I want to spend some time this summer think about what we did and thinking about how to make it better, then working on my skills and outline of the betterment ideas. Of course, I will plan this in conjunction with state and local protocols and policies related to the pandemic response.
It's good to have some themes to focus on in the weeks ahead. In real time these themes will be evident in the following events:
- White Fragility Book Group
- Anti-racist school/student meetings, support, planning
- Time in the mountains
- Time at a lake
- Dinners for my at-home and extended family in socially distanced, appropriate ways
- Reading, research, planning, and writing for the teaching/learning year ahead
In many ways, more of the same, but a good framework nevertheless.