Support for Trans and Non-binary Students Creates Equitable and Inclusive Learning Communities for All – Four Things Educators Can Do
All young people deserve and require acceptance and support from their communities to learn and thrive. Prioritizing building inclusive classrooms for all students, regardless of their identity, can quite literally save lives. According to Child Trends, a recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health demonstrates the power of affirming transgender youth’s identities: For…
DOOL Youth Inspire Educators to Share Power and Create Equitable Learning Environments
On October 8th a diverse crowd of educators filed into the Laser Dome at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center. However, none of them were there to see a laser show! They had all come to experience an immersive workshop designed and facilitated by youth from Sound Discipline’s DOOL program. DOOL (Designing Our Own Learning) is in its…
Five Ways to Encourage Student Voice and Share Power in the Classroom
As educators, we may (often unconsciously) hold on to the power in our classrooms. But we do have the choice to share power with our students. Sharing power and prioritizing student voice strengthens students’ sense of belonging and diffuses power-over dynamics between educators and young people. When we let go of some control, we are…
Classroom Routines Help Everyone
The start of the school year is a perfect time to co-create routines with your students! Routines help everyone get back into the swing of a structured school day. Investing thought, time, and energy into establishing routines creates a less stressful classroom for educators and students. When you involve students in developing, practicing, and improving…
Focusing on Connection and Belonging this New School Year
We are all feeling a variety of emotions, from anxiety to fear to joy, as we gear up for the start of this new school year. Transitions are always challenging. But we may be feeling it even more given that the last three years were extremely unpredictable for school communities. We invite educators to focus…
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…
Student-centered Ideas for Wrapping Up the School Year
As this school year comes to an end, you are probably feeling a range of emotions! Your students are certainly also feeling a range of emotions, from excitement to anxiety. You and your students worked hard all year building community, getting to know one another’s strengths and areas of growth, and centering student voice and…
It’s Teacher Appreciation Month and We See You
What a school year this has been! By many accounts, this year proved even more challenging than the previous two years, leaving many educators exhausted and discouraged. And yet, you keep showing up. You continue to be present and attentive to the needs of your students. Even though you may feel depleted, you keep dipping…
5 Simple Ways to Show Appreciation for Teachers (Anytime, Not Just the First Week of May!)
The first week of May is Teacher Appreciation week. It’s a great reminder to take a moment and show support for educators. They have such a profound impact on our kids and our world! Ask any teacher and they will tell you that simple, heartfelt gestures go a long way. Here are several ways to…
