Buddy Outings!

Oops! This should have posted weeks ago! Better late than never.

This year, we have an awesome new assistant principal who started a wonderful program - the buddy program! With the help of my amazing team leader, the AP has planned 3 outing for our kiddos and their teacher buddies.

I'm pretty lucky because I have TWO sweet, fun, extraordinary buddies this year!

Our first outing was to a farm way out somewhere - when I cross the Cook County line, I generally have no idea where I'm going.  Anyways, this farm had a corn maze, bouncy dome thingy (that's the technical term), gigantic corn pit, a petty zoo, hayrides, fire pit, and even a mechanical bull! It's probably a good thing for everyone that the mechanical bull was already closed by the time I made it over. That may not have ended well...

On our second outing we headed to UIC to watch a Flames soccer
game! It may have been a little cold, but with the help of the hot chocolate, pizza, and laughter, we survived.  Some of our buddies even ended up being the ball kids on the sidelines.  It was really awesome!

The next outing is coming up in about a week, but unfortunately, I won't be able to make it. I will be attending a Teaching Social Justice conference (blog post on that to come).  The rest if the buddies will be heading to the zoo to decorate a tree for our school.  I love the zoo and I have a slight case of Christmas envy, so I am especially bummed to miss out, but I think I have a legit excuse.

I'm really looking forward to other events throughout this year. I think this program gives kids an opportunity to connect to an adult in a more casual, friendly, warm way. I love my buddies!

Viva La Causa

Viva la causa, or long live the cause, was the phrase Cesar Chavez coined while working for equal rights of farmer workers in California in the 1960's. We began our unit of workers' rights by learning about this Chavez and this movement for a few reasons.  One, most of my kids have at least heard of Cesar Chavez.  He is probably the most well known union organizers in history. Also, many of my students immediately made a connection to Chavez and the other farm workers.  A majority of them are Hispanic have some awareness of the struggles that immigrants face in America.

What I personally like about Cesar Chavez and the story of the farm workers is the lesson of perseverance and creativity. The fact that Chavez and his group came up with ideas, and revised them when they weren't working, rather than giving up entirely, is such an important message for my students to hear.  When striking alone didn't create the necessary changes, they went back to the drawing board.  They often looked to other great change makers, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, for ideas.  The thought of giving up was never an option.  Rather, they revised, reconstructed ideas, and continued on their mission with determination!

To learn about Chavez and the farm workers, we watched a great documentary from Teaching Tolerance (one of my favorite teaching resources EVER!) called "Viva La Causa".  Along with the video, there is also some great information to help students understand the similarities and differences between Chavez, MLK and Gandhi. This was a great introduction to the discussion of nonviolence.

After we learned some basics about unions and union organizing, boycotting, and protesting, we dug a little deeper into the world of workers' rights and began exploring sweatshops.  First, we watched an interesting video about the sweatshops that exist in the United States. The video can be found at this LINK.

Truth be told, the video was a little old, and I'm not quite sure if/how much has changed.  The optimist in me hopes that the information is so outdated that it is practically irrelevant.  If anyone has more information about the current state of sweatshops in the U.S., I would love to some information!

After a day or so learning the basics out sweatshops, my students read articles about some of the more well known international situations regarding sweatshops.  Unfortunately, there is no shortage of information about the ongoing atrocities that many garment workers are facing around the world.  We read about the fire that killed 112 people in Bangladesh, as well as the building collapse also in Bangladesh that killed over 1100 workers. Some kids also read about Nike and the many issues that have come to the surface regarding the treatment of the workers at their factories.  In addition, we looked at some poetry that also depicted the trials of sweatshops.

A few weeks ago, I met with a friend and was tell him about this unit.  He is a big union advocate, so I was interested in his thoughts.  After talking for a bit, he looked at me and said, "So are you learning about anything good that's happened?"  It may seem like we only focused on the negative side of workers rights, but we did move toward making some change.  One of the coolest things I learned throughout this unit was about a new ordinance the city of Chicago just passed.  This ordinance prohibits city employee uniforms from being purchased from sweatshops. This may seem like just another article title, but it really is a pretty big deal! Check it out HERE and see what a huge step Chicago is making in ending the exploitation of sweatshop employees!

This issue isn't as cut an dry as others for me.  Obviously, I believe the abuse and exploitation by sweatshop is inhumane and needs to be changed.  At the same time, I understand why it is such a difficult system to overhaul.  After reading the article about Chicago's new ordinance, one of my kids made the comment, "But isn't that going to cost more money?" And it all comes back to money...  As a thrifty shopper myself, I get that people want the cheapest possible prices.  But what we all need to ask ourselves is, "What is the cost on others?"

Everyone Has Their (social justice) Issues

After spending a few weeks reading and discussing homelessness, the cycle of poverty, and the minimum wage with my classes, we wrapped things up with a small action project.  At the end of the year, we will do a much bigger version of this, with a lot more student choice.  For now, we wanted to try and keep things simple.

Students were given a few different opportunities to show their knowledge about homelessness and try to engage others in creating a change.  Some students wrote songs, poems or stories depicting their newly developed ideas about homelessness and the struggles than many people face on a daily basis when trying to avoid becoming homeless.  Other students created informative videos, fact sheets, flyers, etc... A few unique projects included a powerpoint presentation informing others about the help that is out there for those living in poverty.  This group of girls decided to visit a local food pantry, volunteer, and interview the woman who ran the food program! I was so impressed with their efforts! Another group created a website.  Once most kids turned in their projects, we linked their projects to the website (this can be found under the "Other Projects" tab).  If you are interested in taking a look, here is the LINK.  Some other students also wrote letters to their principal and assistant principal asking to host a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity!

I'll forgo the suspense, and let you know that the fundraiser was approved!  We shared my students' projects throughout the week to the 6th and 7th grade students, and at the end of the week all students were allowed to wear a purple shirt (apparently the color associated with homelessness awareness) if they donated $1.  We raised $180!  This isn't too shabby for our first endeavor, but next time, I think we will aim for more!

As we wound things down in this unit, and I began to introduce the upcoming unit, I mentioned to my students that they might not feel connected or moved by every issue we discuss. Though I have some students who are sympathetic to their core, I don't think it is possible to "take on" every cause personally.  For me, the issues or hunger and homelessness are very close to my heart.  From a very young age, my mom started taking me with her when she volunteered at a local baptist church that hosted a soup kitchen once a week.  Our temple was just a few minutes away and had developed a relationship with the church.  I had a very important of my job. I passed out the to-go lunch bags to the visitors as they left.

Years later, I was able to revisit this church, which still operated a weekly soup kitchen, and continued to partner with my temple.  This time, I came with a different agenda.  I was inspecting the facility! Yes, believe it or not, before I became a teacher, I held a variety of other jobs.  One of which was an agency relations representative for The Greater Chicago Food Depository.  My job was to build relationships with the shelters, food pantries and soup kitchens that worked to provide services for those in need.  I would help them get grants for new refrigerators, sign them up for classes at our "Pantry University", make sure their monthly orders went through, and to ensure that their facilities were in good condition.

When I arrived with my clipboard in hand, I immediately introduced myself to the coordinator and explained that I was familiar with their site and had volunteered years prior.  Within minutes, before I had a chance to really know what was going on, I was serving food in an extremely efficient assembly line.

Although I no longer work at GCFD, and it is pretty impossible to serve the Tuesday lunch at the soup kitchen, my family and I volunteer every Thanksgiving day at another church in Rogers Park.   Because I was introduced to this issue at such a young age, and my family helped me understand the gravity of the problem in society, I have continued to keep this issue close to my heart.  Although I secretly hope all of my kids walked away from this unit feeling deeply, personally inspired to create change in regards to hunger and homelessness, I understand that is isn't quite possible.  But I do hope that through the course of the year, they will find one issue that truly reaches them, inspiring them to become a social justice superhero!

Reading Conference = My Wonderland

I was just having a conversation with some friends about how we find it a little strange when adults go to Disney World without children.  I just didn't get the appeal.  But then I realized, Disney is for many what a reading conference is to a dorky reading teacher - a wonderland!

                                   

(Proof that we were in Springfield: See Abe in the background.)

I had the privilege of attending the Illinois Reading Council (IRC) conference this past week/weekend. Along with many co-workers from my district, my very good friend who teaches at CPS also joined me. The last time I attended the annual conference was about five years ago.  Though many things have changed within education during this time, I was pleasantly surprised that the energy was the same.

During the 3 days, I heard some amazing authors speak.  Chris Crutcher, Wendelin Van Draanan, and Jay Asher were just a few that blew me away! Clearly, I spent way too much money buying their books for my class and getting them signed! But, when in Rome...

Getting Chris Crutcher's autograph! #authorsaremyrockstars

Along with the authors, I also sat in on a few really interesting sessions.  One of my favorites was about discussion techniques that help empower students.  It seems basic, but having a discussion in a middle school class can be nearly impossible! The balance between getting kids to actually speak, and making sure one or two kids don't take over entirely, is a challenging task.   But I got some great ideas that I am excited to try and pass on to other teachers that are interested.

Another especially great session was about vocabulary.  The presenter, Camille Blachowicz, was someone I had heard of throughout my time at National Louis University for grad school.  I really see myself being able to use some of the new ideas and techniques with our school wide vocabulary program throughout the year.


(Notes from Jay Asher's presentation - so funny!)

In addition, there were some more theoretical sessions that were not quite as exciting, but were still extremely important.  As always, I was impressed with Richard Allington and his research about the volume of reading students need to be doing.  It seems obvious, but kids need to READ if they want to improve their READING skills.  Shocking, I know.  In the same vein, Brandi Noll's session about RTI and how it often replaces instructional time, rather than being used to increase instructional time was very eye opening.  While discussing RTI, she also brought up the rather controversial research that computer based programs are often the least beneficial for students. Again, I know it is shocking to think that a computer can't teach a student as well as a real live person, but that's just what the research says!

Overall, the conference reaffirmed why I love teaching (especially reading) and rejuvenated me! I'm super excited to bring back these books, ideas and lessons to my school!

Jay Asher, from a distance.  He's one hilarious, interesting, and witty guy!

Starting a New Year

No, I'm not losing my mind (although it does feel like that sometimes).  I realize it is not January 1st. I'm not popping a bottle of bubbly or tossing streamers about.

But it is a new year for me - the Jewish New Year.  Last week we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, which literally means the head of the year.  One of my favorite traditions of this holiday is to eat apples and honey as a way to ensure you will have a sweet new year! I like apples. I like honey. And I love the idea of having a fresh, new start to the year! Since becoming a teacher, I think it is particularly nice to have this new year fall relatively close to the beginning of the school year.  It helps me align my personal, religious, and professional goals for the year.

Last night was the beginning of a second holiday, Yom Kippur. This is the day of atonement.  During the time between these two holidays, we are asked to reflect upon our last year - how we changed, what we did in our community, how our relationships changed, how we lived our lives overall, and if we have done anything we wish we could change (basically, our sins we want to atone for).

This past year was quite a roller-coaster for me.  I certainly had many adventures and exciting experiences, but it was also riddled with challenges.  I would assume that many people had a similar year.  Even amidst the most joyous times, our lives are likely to take unexpected turns, and can become turbulent, and even seemingly uncontrollable.  Due to many of these trying situations, I feel as though I may have lost my focus.  I'm not sure I was as good of a friend, sister, daughter or teacher last year as I could have been.  Although I know that many of these things couldn't be helped, I think it is important for me to recognize my shortcomings so that I can make this year better.

During our Rosh Hashanah service, the educator at my synagogue shared a lovely poem with us.  The poem, and it's message really resonated with me, and also made me think of my students.  I think it is so important to recognize that we are not always right, so that we can work on getting better.  If we are always right, where do we go from there? This is the poem:

Along with the reflection aspect of this "holiday season" (the teacher in me loves to reflect!) is the action part.  I think improvement isn't about berating yourself about the past, but rather about using those experiences to plan and guide you on a journey toward betterment.  

So, what are my plans for the this year???

1. Get more involved! I want to volunteer more this year.  It doesn't have to be every week to make a difference. Along with this goal, I want to work on involving my kiddos in making a change in the world.  Even if it's just planting a seed that they have the ability to create change is a great start!

2. Balance - I think this will be on my list every year because it is soooo hard for me! But even though it is a struggle, it doesn't mean I can avoid it.  Finding balance in all aspects of my life seems to be a true key to happiness. 

3. Take some chances! I worked on trying new things (even if it scared me to death) this past year, and I want to continue pushing myself to do this.  I have a few things brewing already...

4. Just be happy! There are too many wonderful things going on every day to simply focus on what isn't going well.

Even if you aren't Jewish and celebrating this new year, I wish you all a shana tova umetuka - have a sweet and happy new year!

Jumping Into the Issues: Homelessness

After exploring the history and concept of the Human Rights Declaration, as well as some of the specific rights, we finally began our first mini unit.

Last week we began focusing on homelessness.  I think this is one of the best issues to start off with because all students are familiar with the topic.  Some have seen homeless individuals on the streets downtown, others have watched movies or tv shows that somehow touched upon the topic, and some of my kids have personally struggled with finding a permanent home.

One of my major goals while teaching this unit is helping students realize that homelessness, hunger and poverty are not always easy to spot.  Many kids assume that someone must live beneath an underpass and wear old, dirty clothes to be homeless. Kids, along with most adult, hold a variety of stereotypes about homelessness.  While doing my own research about this issue, the most shocking fact I learned was that teens and single mothers are among the fastest growing groups of homeless individuals in America.

We also discussed the unavoidable issues of substance abuse and mental illness.  I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of maturity that most kids showed when talking about drug use is often a way for those struggling with mental illness to self medicate.

There is a great article about the myths of poverty that I stumbled across a few weeks ago.  I did not share the whole article with my kids, but we did discuss the myths. I will link the article to my resources page shortly. After going through these myths, as well as discussing the cycle of poverty, I received this email from a student:

I was surprised to see that many homeless people were homeless because of low minimum wage jobs, under the poverty line and because some of them are single parents.  Surprising to know that usually the people who are in poverty wasn't due to abuse of alcohol or drugs.  My mother always told me that homeless people were homeless because they were abusing drugs or alcohol and because they don't have jobs for being lazy or couldn't find any.  Now I know more than she does and what she said was mostly myths. 

Ok, I hope she doesn't go home and call her mom out for being uninformed, but hopefully she will share this new information and help her mom become a bit more sensitive about this issue.

In addition to sharing these myths and discussing the cycle of poverty, we also talked about the best way out of poverty - EDUCATION!  I hope my kids know that I honestly believe this to be true.  I'm not so naive to think that it is easy, or even that a good education is something every individual has access to, but I do believe it is one of the only ways to change the cycle of poverty and create change individually and systemically.

Another one of my favorite things to do while teaching this unit is to watch an episode of Morgan Spurlock's television show "30 Days".  In the episode we watch, Morgan and his girlfriend Alex move to a new city and try to live on the minimum wage for 30 days.  This proves to be challenging, disappointing and frustrating to the couple.  It is an extremely honest and thought-provoking look at the lives that many Americans are forced to live.

Before we take on our action projects, we also spent a few days reading a short story by Walter Dean Myers called, "The Treasure of Lemon Brown."  While the story is multilayered and discusses a variety of issues, it does include a homeless character and briefly delves into the events that lead to his homeless state.  While I love to have my students read non-fiction articles to really get the facts about issues, I also like the more human element that is garnered after reading a story with dynamic, relatable characters.

I'm currently away at the Illinois Reading Council Conference (aka a reading teacher's wonderland) in beautiful Springfield, but my kids are back at school beginning their action projects.  I can't wait to get back and see what they have decided to do to create some change in our community!

Bad Blogger and "Bad Feminist"

I've been a bad blogger lately. No, a terrible blogger! Even though I have added it to my to-do list every day, set reminders on my phone, and left post-its for myself, somehow in the complete and utter chaos that is the first few weeks of school, I somehow managed to fall off the blogging wagon.

But I'm back! At least for a brief blog.  Part of my struggle in the past few weeks has been the lovely assessments I have had to administer to my students.  Not only do they LOVE taking long assessments, but I LOVE losing class time, focus, and the slight semblance of normalcy that I have tried desperately to establish in the midst of pure, unadulterated middle school craziness.

Anyways, I digress...  Before these last few weeks really became chaotic, I was invited to a book reading. My amazing, intelligent, hilarious friend Cydney, also a teacher at the City of Chicago Colleges, asked me to join her. Although I didn't know the book, or the author, I went along and was thoroughly surprised by the evening.  The book "Bad Feminist" by Roxane Gay, discusses the many versions of feminism that exist, and Gay's own struggle to find her way through the conflicting ideas and images.  With a witty, at times self deprecating, sense of humor, Gay discussed her love of Beyonce and the beautiful girls of the book series Sweet Valley High.  She does not apologize for liking the people, shows, books, and music that others may deem "anti-feminist".  She likes what she likes, and can tell you exactly why.

I found her candor and openness refreshing.  It's not often that people open themselves up to the world and say, "Take me or leave me, this is what I like. And don't you dare judge me for it."  Okay, so she didn't actually say that, but that's what I took from her talk.   Though I haven't yet jumped into the book itself (it's waiting patiently on my coffee table), I loved hearing her read excepts and talk about how her own life experiences have shaped her view of feminism. I couldn't help remember a situation a few years back when I met the younger sister of a friend of mine for the first time.  We were chatting at a party, when all of the sudden, a peppy/pop/hip-hop song came on.  She immediately started dancing - clearly enjoying the song.  But then she suddenly stop, looked at me, and apologized saying, "I'm sorry. I swear, I am a feminist." I felt bad for her then, and as I look back, I feel even worse.  I should have said something.  I should have told her what I thought about feminism, and that she could shake her booty as much as she wanted and still be a feminist.  But I looked at her in sheer disbelief (and a little sadness).

I hope my girls, and boys, at school realize they can be feminists and still dance when their favorite (possibly even misogynistic) song comes on the radio.  That they can be straight, gay, bisexual, or totally confused, and still be a feminist.  That they the can want to be a stay at home parent, or kill it in the business world, and still be a feminist.  That they can watch "Bachelor in Paradise" (who watches that???) and still be a kick a** feminist! Much like enforcing the human rights declaration, being a feminist is about finding your own path, your own connection, your own voice.  Because if it's not about you, it's not going to be real.

What we talk about when we talk about human rights

How can you say one human right is more important than another? Aren't they all equally significant? Isn't it the compilation of rights that makes the Declaration of Human Rights so special?

Well, I will be throwing all of that out the window tomorrow!

Although all of these 30 human rights are important, I think it would be insincere to say that they all hold the same weight for every person.  Each individual brings with them experiences that shape how they see these rights.  Some of my students and their families struggle with food insecurity and unstable living situations.  For those students, the right to have food and shelter clearly hits home.

During our gallery walk through the 30 rights, many of my students commented and made connections to the right to move, as well as the right to seek a safe place to live.  Some had their own personal connections, as they and their families are new immigrants to this country.  Others referenced the documentary "Which Way Home" that we watched last year.  If you haven't seen this film, I would definitely check it out.  It is on Netlfix, and you can check it out on the official website: http://www.whichwayhome.net/

Other students commented on what they had seen in the news regarding immigration.  I was pleasantly surprised that some were aware of the most recent struggles immigrants have been facing, and that they were questioning how these trials could even exist if the declaration of human rights also exists.

Some students also recognized that some rights could potentially contradict each other.  One student in particular referenced the freedom of expression with the example of graffiti.  If people feel free to express themselves through graffiti, they may simultaneously be restricting another individual's right to live without being discriminated against or bullied.  They may also be destroying someones property. Clearly, teaching and discussing these rights brings up some complex issues that do not have simple answers.

Tomorrow, I will have my students watch 30-second videos about each of these 30 rights.  Afterward, they will analyze 3 rights, before choosing one right that they want to focus on and become "an expert" on.  Although I want my kids to recognize the significance of each right, I also think that it is important for them to connect strongly to one or two.  Most people who work to preserve the human rights of those around the world have a focus, while still having an appreciation for the declaration as a whole. Hopefully my kids will see to big picture, while still being able to zoom in on a right that speaks to them!      

Jumping Into Human Rights (and happiness!)

I have wanted to blog ALL week about the wonderful discussions I've had with my kids so far, but it has been crazy!  I don't know why I am always shocked by the amount of busy work, on top of real planning and problem solving, that comes up in these first few weeks.  But I have finally put it all aside for the meantime, and want to get back to real gems of the week!

First, we started off by reading an inspiring article in Scholastic's Scope magazine about a young girl battling cancer.  What made this story so powerful was this young girl's message.  She wrote that having cancer helped teach her to be grateful for what she has, even if it wasn't what she had dreamed of.  This is an important lesson for everyone, but especially for teenagers.  We all need to take time to recognize the good fortune in our own lives, and appreciate the little things that make each day special.

I have been working on this in my own life, and I know that it can be challenging.  During the summer, I was dealing with a lot of changes in my life.  So, I decided to focus on the positive aspects of those changes, as well as all of the many blessings in my life, rather than the disappointments. I began the 100 Happy Days Challenge: http://100happydays.com/   I'm not posting my daily thoughts - I'm just keeping a running list for myself.  After reading the Scope article, and taking part in the 100 Happy Days Challenge for a few weeks, I decided I wanted to start off the school year doing this with my kids!  So, we began this week and will continue this challenge for the next 100 days of school.

The next day, I introduced the topic of social justice by reading one of my favorite books, 14 Cows for America ("You say that about all of your books." - one child retorted).  If you haven't read it, you MUST!  I won't give anything away, but the last line sums it up pretty nicely: 

          “Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.” 

If that doesn't draw you in, I don't know what will!

And finally, today we introduced the Declaration of Human Rights by using another one of my favorite books (ok, maybe I do say that a lot), Every Human Has Rights and the outstanding Youth For Human Rights website http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/.  We started with The Story of Human Rights documentary, which I would strongly recommend for anyone who is interested in getting some background information about human rights. 

As I have done in the past, we took each of the rights outlined in the book, which are basically a more kid-friendly version of each of the 30 rights from the United Nations declaration, posted them around the room, and the kids did a gallery walk.  As they walked and read, each student added post-its with questions, comments, or connections to the rights.  I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this first day of discussion was for me! Watching their faces as they watched the video, reading every single right, asking questions, making connections to their own lives - it was pretty cool, to say the least.  

I'm going to leave you here, dying of anticipating, since this post has gotten way too long.  But I will be back soon with more details from our journey through human rights.

Back to school jitters

At the beginning of every school year, no matter how excited I am to get back, I always have a few minor jitters.   When I was a kid, I packed and repacked my back pack, imagined walking the halls like I was a cast member on "Saved By the Bell", and stressed about which teacher I would have that year.

As a teacher, the jitters are different, but they're still there.

Am I prepared?
Do I really know what I'm doing?
Will the kids know if I don't know what I'm doing?
Will they understand that everything I'm trying to do is meant to help them?

This year is a bit different though. I have the same kiddos from last year.  This is good thing, I think.  I already know them well, and I am so excited to see how they have grown and matured over the summer.  But, I am also worried.  Many of these kids have pretty though lives, to put it lightly.  I have thought about many of them over the summer, wondering if they are safe, staying out of trouble, or even if they have enough to eat.  This year, my jitters are more about my students and less about me.

With the worry (why am I such a good worrier!?), comes excitement as well.  I am so thrilled to start our journey together.  Eighth grade was one of my favorite years growing up.  There's the trip to Springfield, dinner dance, and graduation presentations. On a day to day basis, there is also the excitement of being the top dogs in the school.  But as Voltaire said (or Spiderman, depending on your source),  “With great power comes great responsibility”.   I want my kids to seize this year and recognize the power they have in the world.  As we learn about the great social justice superheroes that have come before us, my hope is that these kids will leave a little bit kinder, a little bit wiser, and a great deal more confident in the power they have to be the change makers of the future. 

Now do you understand my jitters??? That's a lot of responsibility on my part!  But I am ready and willing.  No, I am more than willing. I am honored.  

What is a social justice superhero?

What is a social justice superhero?

Do they wear capes and save kittens in trees?
Are they the loudest voice in the room?
Do they make everyone else feel inferior?
Are they perfect?

I guess my definition of a social justice superhero is someone who wants to make the world a better place.  This can mean someone who dedicates their entire life to creating worldwide change, but it can also be someone who lives their life meaningfully.  Someone who recognizes that they have a voice and a choice when it comes to doing the right thing.

I have been extremely lucky to grow up around a huge cast of social justice superheros, starting with my parents.  My mom and dad taught me from a very young age to treat people kindly and try to understand other peoples' ideas, beliefs and circumstances.  They also helped me realize how truly lucky I was to have my family, friends, health and so much more.  Being aware of my own good fortune, helped me develop sympathy for those less fortunate. I'm thankful for my parents, and their parents before them, for being such good models of character for me.

Another social justice superhero who continues to shape me is my good friend Elissa Froman. Elissa worked in Washington, D.C. for many years fighting for rights of women all over the world.  She helped pass laws that have truly made this country better.  But Elissa was more than the bills she worked on, or politicians she met.  She cared deeply about people - from the homeless individuals she passed on the street to the children in seemingly far away, war-torn lands.  Unfortunately, Elissa's life was cut painfully short.  Although she is no longer with us, I know her ideas, principles, and genuine kind-hearted nature will live on with the many people she touched throughout her life. 

Teaching middle school for the last few years has been rewarding, fun, and extremely exhausting all at the same time.  What I like most about teaching kids at this age is seeing them grow and realize that they have a place in this world.  My hope this year is for my students to learn about the many social justice superheroes that have shaped our world so far, and help them realize that they too can become a social justice superhero!

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