Reflecting on White Fragility as a Montessorian – Our Excuses

One of our struggles as educators is grappling with the messages we received in our trainings and realizing that what may sound innocent and wonderful is actually problematic and needs to change.

How many of these statements, or versions of these statements, have you made?

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National Geographic Kids Spring Books #Giveaway Ends 7/4 @NGKidsBks @HomeJobsByMom

I was always on the hunt for quality books in my classroom. The science area, in particular, was one I put a lot of focus on in the later years, eager to add as many realistic books as possible to engage the interest of the children and to whet their appetites for learning even more. The Nat Geo Kids books easily fit that bill. Read on to find out more about them and then enter to win a set for you to keep at home or to donate to a classroom! Continue reading “National Geographic Kids Spring Books #Giveaway Ends 7/4 @NGKidsBks @HomeJobsByMom”

Reflecting on White Fragility as a Montessorian: Black History Month

Every February, we eagerly celebrate Black History Month and tend to focus on the “firsts” – the first Black fill-in-the-blank. In White Fragility, Robin Diangelo uses Jackie Robinson as an example. We celebrate him as being the first Black man allowed to play major league baseball. A great achievement, right? But on page 26 of my paperback copy, she makes this eye-opening observation/statement:

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Reflecting on White Fragility – As a Montessorian: Learning From Past Mistakes

Reading through the introductory portions of White Fragility really sent my brain into overdrive. And this is only the appetizer to the real meat of the book. One particular incident really jumped out in my mind, a situation I didn’t handle as gracefully as I should have. And now I know better.

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Should we still be celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in school?

I’m sure there are dozens of opinions on this topic with as many hotly contested answers. I’ve evolved my opinions over time. I’m going to share my history and thoughts on this.

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