Classroom Conversations with LaShona Dickerson

Learning is not limited to the confines of physical space. Therefore, I am broadening the conversation and expanding the classroom. Conversations will no longer be limited school talk. Let's converse about LEARNING! Learning is ubiquitous. It happens everywhere. If you are living you should be learning and if you are not, well you need to be evaluated. Over the past few days, I have truly been rejuvenated as I held intercontinental discussions with diverse groups of professionals. The topics were authentic, the challenges were common, and the approaches to resolve were works in progress for all. My take away from London was inclusivity. While the focus was on digital inclusion, the conversation took me to mental places that were dormant. Now I want to be sure that I "unforget" the individuals and topics that have somehow faded in the background. The fabric of life and the fullness thereof is in the uniqueness of those that are brave enough to open their hearts and min...

What is it, what is its impact and how can I build it for my students? As I explore the streets of London at the ripe age of 45, I connect with topics I recall not understanding as a young girl. I finally made the connection! As an Educator, I always believed in the power of building background knowledge to give individuals a perspective on what they were about to learn. This gives them perspective and a connection. With a connection, the learning experience is different and more engaging because they now have something to reference. POWERFUL! We must set the stage when introducing topics to students. We owe it to them to give them perspective, a connection that some will never have the opportunity to gain otherwise. With the use of technology, this is possible. Videos are great but won't work for every child. Virtual Reality, however, can place students in actual environments where they gain real perspectives on topics. I've read stories of Paddington Bear many times but...

As we guide young people to adulthood, I can't help but observe the behaviors and expectations on the journey. On this journey, there will be plains, plateaus, hills, valleys, and mountains of varying depths, heights, and distances. Each journey with different expectations. Each journey personal. Now if we know all of this to be true or possible why do we set expectations for children on a path filled with plains and plateaus according to a path of hills and mountains. That makes no sense! We set them up for failure before their journey begins. I get it, there are a set of common expectations in life, those essential qualities, and skills we need as humans, but that's foundational. School systems, schools, and teachers are using one measurement for all students. Why? Why do you , as school system leader , demand that schools perform according to only the state metrics? Celebrate growth no matter how small. Why do you , as principal , evaluate teachers using a prescript...

I recently had the opportunity to listen to Angela Maiers speak about bravery. As I received the message I began to ponder about what that looks like in my life, the lives of my children and in the classroom. Brave is not some adjective on reserve for the superhero you see in the movies, doctors, firefighters, or civil right activists. Although these individuals display bravery, it's not the picture we should paint for our children. We all have the capacity to be brave. In order to demonstrate it or bring it out, we have to first define it. What does brave mean to you? How can you display bravery? Watch the link for my definition and example. Share yours in the comments..... Be Brave

It takes a village to .... "raise a child."  Let me add to that statement, "and educate a child." The days of sending your child to school to be returned to you with the knowledge and skills to become successful adults are long gone. Learning does not occur only during the hours of 7:45 and 3:30. It is continuous. Therefore, the village has to be prepared and committed to invest in the wonderful human resources we are so privileged encounter. Learning is continuous and there are so many aspects we have to develop. Children require emotional, social, intellectual, and kinesthetic stimulation and development. Which means, we have to build their knowledge about subject matters, teach them how to behave and interact with others, and how to be mobile beings. Who is the "Village?" The village is the parents, teachers, administrators, custodians, bus drivers, extended family, business owners, and community members. No individual teacher can prepare students ...

Schools across the nation are now in session. Along with the initial hustle and bustle of a  new school year, are placement tests and academic reviews and updates. Papers are being sent home for your signature, and routinely you sign. But WAIT! don't allow your child's academic review and updates be a part of that routine.  We mustn't be passive with something that has a huge impact on children's success in schools.  Let me get a bit more specific and personal. I just received my son's notification for SBLC Meeting (School Building Level Committee). My son is a junior in high school and is ADHD.  In the education system, they label it 504 and he is required to have an IAP (Individual Academic Plan). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 grants rights to students with disabilities. These disabilities include ADD, ADHD, vision and hearing impairment, behavior disorders, academic difficulties, broken limbs, and etc.  Some classifications of 504 are t...

Words have the power to hurt or heal, to encourage and empower or destroy. What we say has a lasting impact on the spirits of our youth. From a personal experience, I watched one of my sons work hard in math at an early age (1st grade to be exact) to feeling defeated the moment he entered a math classroom.  This was the imprint on learning that his 1st-grade teacher left by saying he wasn't good in math. He believed her because after all, she was the teacher. That comment resonated in his spirit and still does. It didn't matter that he always scored well on the standardized test because in class he felt defeated. Communicating with students should be no different from communicating with any other human being. While we are to be firm and clear about our expectations of them, we must allow respectful expressions of self.  I have observed teachers speak to students as if they were mindless beings taking up space. When the students responded (not reacted) with respectful ...