Blogs

In 2003, the United States Senate declared April “Financial Literacy for Youth Month.” A year later in March 2004, the United States Senate passed Resolution 316 to officially recognize April as “National Financial Literacy Month.” While some may greet the event in celebration, for the majority of America – such as the roughly sixty percent of working age individuals who do not own any retirement account assets – it is a call for action: an educational intervention for financial literacy to be taught, at the least, in all public schools… and yes, as a requirement. ...

Like many other teachers (I’m sure), I sometimes find myself rolling my eyes at the latest trends in social media. Whether it be a brand new “challenge,” or a YouTuber who gets paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for “unboxing” the latest and greatest makeup, I usually don’t buy into it. My seventh graders will ask me if I know what a new acronym means or if I watch some famous YouTuber, and react in pure shock and laughter when I respond with, “what?” or “who?”

Students can use the internet for everything these days, and much of their time seems to be consumed by social media. They can text each other without phone numbers. They can meet people from all over the world while they play a video game as a miniature car that plays soccer. They can edit their pictures with apps to make their teeth whiter or give themselves dog ears. Their options for engaging online are endless. ...

As a second grade teacher, my students are in the early stages of their education. Over the past few years, I have observed young children feeling anxious about coming to school, not feeling like they belong, and at times even having surprisingly low self-esteem. Four years ago, I made the transition from being a special educator in both self-contained and resource settings to a classroom teacher. Each of the classrooms in my school have different names for themselves: The Sullivan Superstars, Glorious Garcias, and Potter Magicians. Right away, the idea of The Kind Squad came to me. I knew my mission as a classroom teacher would not just be to teach the curriculum, differentiate instruction, and attempt to create lessons that touch upon all the modes of learning. My mission would be to create a classroom culture of inclusion, kindness, and positive self-esteem. ...

Creating a culture that prioritizes Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and the elements of a Choose Love Culture: Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion in Action, leads to a caring and respectful environment where students, educators, and families feel valued, supported, and safe.

As a 33-year veteran health and physical educator, I was anticipating the greener pastures of retirement. Enjoying my grandchildren, traveling, and having some “me time” was an exciting prospect. But that mindset changed one special day when I met Scarlett Lewis, founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement. I am inspired and feel the excitement of a new teacher again. ...

We have entered into a new age of technology that is creating a new set of problems for society and for our students. “Social” media has become a somewhat ironic term, since it is making our society very unsociable. People can’t seem to understand or respect the viewpoints of others, or have civil discourse. The ability to have our voices heard via various social media outlets has turned less into a virtual discussion than a viral shouting match of insults and anger. “Fake News” or to call it what it is, biased and inaccurate information, has infected our democracy, and it is imperative for us to step back and recalibrate. In order to form a society that is empathetic, we must shape our students early and offer them counsel. They need to understand others, to understand information… and the solution is a very old, very reliable one: the Library. ...