The #2PencilChat is a weekly conversation about educational technology. As we enter a more student-centered age, let's talk about using all the tools in our toolboxes to be innovative and dynamic teachers.
Hey there #2PencilChat Pals! Sean in St. Augustine here. 5th Grade Math and Sci. I'm excited to learn from all of the brilliant people who join us tonight!
Hello #2PencilChat! My name is Zarin and I’m from Virginia. This is my first time participating in a live Twitter chat. I can’t wait to see how teachers involve Black History Month within their classrooms 😊
Q1 What do our students - no matter their ethnicity or background - gain from learning the accomplishments of African Americans in school?
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Thank you, Sean! Disclaimer: I’m not a teacher so I don’t have much to share except my own thoughts and opinions on the topic - but I’m always ready to learn! #2PencilChat
A1 Representation matters, and it's important for students to see themselves in our country's story. It's also important for all of our students to realize that there are heroes in our story from all ethnicities and backgrounds.
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A1: I believe that learning about as many cultures as possible has countless benefits to children. Gaining understanding of others' cultures and backgrounds helps kids to fight racism. What we are familiar with is less likely to spark negative reactions. #2PencilChat
A1: No matter what a child's background/ ethnicity, we need to provide them heroes/ impactful people from all walks of life. Doing anything else would be a social injustice #2PencilChat
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Representation is often misinterpreted and unrealistic in media. Teachers have the opportunity to share the truth so that students can understand their culture and history. #2PencilChat
A1 Representation matters, and it's important for students to see themselves in our country's story. It's also important for all of our students to realize that there are heroes in our story from all ethnicities and backgrounds.
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A1:Presenting and listening to their stories with genuine interest and enthusiasm is so important! Truly caring about who they are and where they came from is essential to our profession. ❤️❤️❤️ #2PencilChat
A1:Presenting and listening to their stories with genuine interest and enthusiasm is so important! Truly caring about who they are and where they came from is essential to our profession. ❤️❤️❤️ #2PencilChat
&& to further that, also being open to learning about their culture/ ethnicity/ race. I will never be able to experience the same things as a little black girl but I can listen & learn from her #2PencilChat
A2: Simply "fitting it in" can make it seem inferior to other cultures' history and can cause students that are African American to feel ashamed of their own background. #2PencilChat
It's incredibly important to give a voice to a population who have been silenced throughout our nation's history. So I believe we should take special time to celebrate these people while also genuinely working in their history / stories into our library & curriculum #2pencilchat
Looking back I realize that my education just focused on a timeline of events, only focusing on black history during slavery which is a grave injustice to this group of people #2PencilChat
Finally have water, but came home to no lights in half the house. It’s older, so I expected some things to pop up. Thanks for asking. Hope you are well! #2PencilChat
A2: I think it’s important to talk about Black History because it gives the opportunity to highlight the best history and culture, which then creates awareness. We get to focus on different aspects of a narrative that feels like it’s usually forgotten #2PencilChat
A2 it has to be taught in the context of the events and history of the time. Kids need the perspective to understand the great risks some of these important people took. #2PencilChat
As much as slavery, segregation, and civil rights are an important part of history, I always hope to highlight heroic stories, triumph, artistry, and awesomeness. Inspiration is so important!
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A2 I think it's also important to give students time to reflect on, write about, speak about, and share about what they've learned. History is ongoing, and our students' stories are part of it. Teaching them to share their voice well is giving them that respect. too. #2PencilChat
A3 One that's stuck with me since freshman year of hs is how Rosa Parks actually wasn't the first woman to refuse to move her seat but she fit the look the NAACP was going for... Was just reading a link: https://t.co/TIoIuMFQHt#2PencilChat
A3. I was blown away by the book #HiddenFigures! I hadn’t ever learned about any of that part of @NASA history. So glad I read it—and I haven’t watched the movie because the book moved me so much. #2PencilChat
I can relate to that. I live in Canada, so it is a little in a different way, but I also feel that a lot of significant events were left out of my Canadian history education at many grade levels. #2PencilChat
In reply to
@msiwanicki, @nathan_stevens, @MagicPantsJones
A3: It's also not a story but "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria" by Beverly Tatum really opened my eyes & really made me check my privilege, esp. going into schools with populations of students of color #2PencilChat
A3 how do you pick one or even ten? They all have importance. The Greensboro sit in is one I like to talk about. Makes for a great LEGO activity. #2pencilchat
A1-They learn about struggle, love, passion, perseverance, integrity and hope. They also learn about mistakes from the past, so we don’t make them again. #2PencilChat#blackhistorymonth
I never knew this...Definitely going to be spreading the word. Thank you so much for sharing the link. Apparently it was her birthday yesterday too! #2PencilChat
I loved sharing the story of Viola Desmond with my students last fall. I grew up next to Canada in the Detroit area, but had never heard her story.
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In reply to
@danicafehr, @msiwanicki, @nathan_stevens
I never would’ve known about the book if it wasn’t for the movie. It’s crazy how much is kept from us, but I’m glad media has found some way to shine a light to shine on some history #2PencilChat
A3: I realized I also struggled coming up with an answer for this question. That's a reminder to me to expand what I'm reading to include stories by/ about Black characters or Black histories #2PencilChat
A3 I love the story of DJ Kool Herc, how he brought the dance parties of his home in Jamaica to his new home in the Bronx, started hip hop, and worked to bring something to do for the youth in his community.
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I love how amazing picture books are becoming and introducing me and my students to some pretty amazing people. If only I had an unlimited supply of funds to buy books. Big sigh. #2pencilchat
A4 We've been covering this ground well, but there are SO MANY great picture books and kids' novels to help bring stories to kids with relevance. My students have also enjoyed getting a first look at stories through @Flocabulary videos.
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A4: I think that personally interviewing people is a great source of information. Having guests visit your class and speak of their culture can be a great way to start. History videos and newspaper articles are pretty interesting resources for many topics as well. #2PencilChat
A4. I think @_HISTORYChannel does a decent job with information. Web searches, of course. And, check the electronic library in your state. Should be free through the public library system. Great resources! #2PencilChat
A3. I believe that the abolition of slavery is a story that must be todl because of that abolition were born many celebrities that brought great things to the nation #2PencilChat
Q5
What are your the best projects, strategies, and plans for helping your students to connect to the stories we learn about in African American history?
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Thank you #2pencilchat and the wonderful @MagicPantsJones for a terrific Tuesday night chat! This is such an important topic and I always learn so much! Take care!!!
A5 I tend to fall back on discuss, respond, & make artwork as my strategies for approaching a lot of learning. I think that choosing broader communication or action based responses can likely be more powerful.
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A5. I find, sometimes, that sharing great stories and having discussions about them inspires students to want to learn more independently. #2PencilChat
A5: Get students directly involved in telling the story. Have them research and interact with the material. Try to emphasize the impact that African American history has had on their own lives. #2PencilChat
A4/5: Open to any suggestions about these two questions. Incorporating more social studies into my teaching is a goal of mine for next year & would like to start implementing ASAP! 1st grade teacher here too #2PencilChat
I think that with littles, reading about people, and creating homage artwork - drawing, painting, writing, songwriting - is a great way to go! When it's positive, inspiring, and fun, that teaches them a lot!
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I love you SO MUCH, #2PencilChat Pals! Thank you for joining us tonight. I hope that our conversation helped you to find some resources to help you and your students to learn stories that need to be told!
