Category: In the News
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Graduation – Sound Discipline’s Identity and Values
What is the story of the 2021/2022 school year? Heads nod when I sum it up this way – this was a year like no other. The return to in-person learning as the pandemic raged on meant doing the best we could under constant stress, strain, and uncertainty. Teachers and administrators worked harder than…
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Staff Interviews – Aaron Norikane, Facilitator
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month and we asked our Sound Discipline colleagues to share the stories of their family heritage and the people who have inspired them in their lives and careers. Thank you to our Facilitator, Aaron Norikane, for sharing this inspiring story of your family! What is your…
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Staff Interviews – Alan Wong, Facilitator
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month and we asked several of our Sound Discipline colleagues to share the stories of their family heritage and the people who have inspired them. Thank you Alan for sharing this inspiring story of your family! What is your heritage? I am a mixed-race person of…
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An Interview with Tonya Wilson
“It would be easy for someone to have looked at my mom’s life and to look at all effort expended on her behalf as wasted resources.” – Tonya Wilson, from her 2015 TEDx Talk Cracked Sidewalks On March 15, 2022, from 12-2pm PST, Sound Discipline is hosting our next We Belong & Matter Community…
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Dr. Jody McVittie Reflects on a New Phase
January 2022; We are on the threshold of a new year, and I am also on the threshold of a new phase of life. Beginning in February, I am shifting from my role as Director of Strategic Partnerships to a transitional role as part-time Strategic Advisor. For the next 6-9 months, I’ll focus on a…
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The Power of Shared Purpose
Every day, we live in the tension between immediate practicality and purpose. Sometimes scary obstacles, challenges, distractions, and habits of mind obscure or induce amnesia about our deep purpose. What’s worse, the more aware of purpose we are, sometimes the more agonizing it is to struggle between our defaults and a response that connects with…
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Taming the Brain’s Negativity Bias with Gratitude
Schools — places chartered to support young people to reach their full human potential — can instead be places where adults get stuck in negativity bias — perfectionism, hurt, fear, cynicism. It’s our body’s default response to stay safe. Our brains are wired to notice danger, threats, and problems. Because of this, we sometimes simply…
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Shifting from Power-Over to Power-With When Working with Young People
“If I could wave a magic wand, my students would understand how thrilling it can be to take control of their learning. My co-workers would understand how much more of an enriching experience it is for both us and the humans who are our students to buy in to their learning.” Sara Wozniak-Randall, 7th grade Pacific…
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What Happened to You?
When I was a kid in the late 1960s and early 70s, I attended St. Rita’s school in a little town called Sierra Madre. The culture was corporal punishment and shame. It wasn’t until 5th grade that I had a teacher who did not use physical violence or terror. None of this seemed unusual. My…
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Repackaging Consequences Does Not Create Equitable Learning Communities
As the new executive director of Sound Discipline, I spend a lot of time studying everything I can about education equity, and social emotional learning. A few weeks ago, I read an article that I found disturbing: “How Novice and Expert Teachers Approach Classroom Management Differently.” Citing a 2021 study, the author asserts that it…