Middle school students aren’t exactly known for being the most empathic people in the world. Comedians like Bo Burnham and John Mulaney have both specifically called out 8th graders (my students’ grade) for their ability to be mean to one another. I see it in the hallways, in our classrooms, and on their phones every … More Teaching Empathy
Justice. When someone talks about “doing justice” or “getting justice” or “seeking justice,” it’s always about settling a score. After someone is harmed and they call for justice in anger or grief, they are asking for a similar harm or equally hurtful one to be placed against the offender. Our “criminal justice” system is set … More Introduction to Restorative Justice
In one classroom, all students hold a copy of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. For this particular unit, the teacher sits behind her desk with a clipboard watching the students digest the nuances, symbols, and allegorical elements of the book in complete silence. Every day for the couple weeks the unit takes, the students sit for 45 minutes … More Giving students reading choice
The spring of my junior year of undergrad, my boss at the time Dr. Robert Pyne met two women for lunch. These two women – teachers, mothers, and now grandmothers – came with disappointing news. An education program they had founded and championed for more than 15 years was ending officially, and they were heartbroken. … More The Project
Last month, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society debuted on Netflix and strangely catalyzed several similar emails coming to me. One person after another started to “follow” and “favorite” a Guernsey fanfiction piece I started in 2012. I haven’t updated in years, but occasionally I request a new password to see the reviews and stats, momentarily feel … More Abandoned Writing Projects
Mary M. McConnaha 