Bringing the Magic Back

In a job in which the sheer numbers are overwhelming, we often struggle feeling like we fight a battle that takes super human strength to win. We get so used to hearing the word "no" that we forget the power we do have, with a little creativity, to work within a broken system to say "yes." Here's a little inspiration to light your fire again so you can make learning a little magical.

Stephen Ritz: A Teacher Growing Green in the South Bronx

Stephen Ritz has a dynamic story of helping his students change their vision for their own lives and the role they play in their community. In the Bronx, an area with overwhelming statistics of crime and food insecurity, he has impacted multiple schools and yet still remains a 1:1 hero for many of his students.

While writing mission statements for my classes, I realized, my kids can not dream of an education that they have never seen. If you are looking to expand students' ideas of what learning can look like, try these student-friendly clips of his story below. Standards alignment and ideas for use are in the teacher's notes.

Student Handout including 6 links:

Teacher Notes:

Dave Eggers: My Wish: Once Upon a School

Dave Eggers re-imagines tutoring and community relationships in a way that will inspire your writing block and library decor.

Visit https://826national.org/ for the site he mentions at the end of the talk and a million spidering ideas of where your will can take you.

Mac Barnett:

Why a Good Book is a Secret Door

What do Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and mail off conversations with whales have in common? Mac Barnett causes listeners to question the role of the imagination in the things that we know that are the most real. Straight from Dave Eggers 826 Valencia comes another compelling story.