Blog
Changing the world one student at a time.
My focus for teaching and learning is inspired by and grounded in the core practice and design principles of Expeditionary Learning as a model for engaged multi-tiered learning and in critical literacy, hands-on, art-infused, placed-based strategies that meet the needs of all learners regardless of language, learning or behavioral challenges.
I am an artist, constructivist-reading teacher, and special education teacher by training and a social-reconstructivist and bibliophile by nature. I believe that multi-sensory learning and place-based teaching foster the capacities needed for a successful, purposeful, and joyful life, ignite an intrinsic passion for learning, and inspire responsibility for self, community, and the world. My social-reconstructivist pedagogy emphasizes and addresses social questions and strives to create a better society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education. I believe that when children (or an adult’s inner-child) get smarter and/or healthier, the world becomes a better place. See my blog, “One Social Re-constructivist’s Journey on the Road to Building a More Just and Ecologically Resilient World” to read more about this.
Creatively yours, Sasha
Our latest blog posts
Are Those Kids Off-Task Again? One Trick to Change Off-Task Behaviour
"...when students are off task they often get check marks, they lose privileges or get phone calls home. It was always about the student, and what was wrong with the students and how we could use coercive and persuasive [...]
Reading is NOT optional
I just read a short blog post by Bill Feterriter entitled "A message from Myers: Reading is not optional." Funny how this blog thing works ... he said, he read, he wrote, I write, you read. So here it [...]
Building a Library with Joan and Friends at BridgePointe
The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt If we are to develop lifetime readers and writers we [...]
The Politics of Language and White Privilege
It is easy to underestimate the importance and power of sociopolitical aspects of language... Interaction, negotiation, interpretation, intended meanings, misunderstandings, and pragmatics all underscore those roles. When such considerations are extended into communities, regions, nations, and continents, the political [...]
The Star Fish Thower
When my friend, Sara told me about her work with InsideOut Literary Arts Project, I was really interested. I am always interested in the work that she does with her high school aged students. It is work that I [...]
In My Book, Writing a School Improvement Plan IS NOT Busy Work
After a full-week of coming home and staying up past midnight (including two weekends) working on the state mandated School Improvement Plan, we submitted a hard copy to our school district where it will undergo an approval process before [...]