Center for Inspired Teaching

This week's Hooray For Monday features an interview with social justice educator Xochi Cartland of Operation Understanding DC. Xochi shares insights and advice on teaching -- and learning from -- teens rooted in her experience running the organization's Social Justice Fellowship.

As we celebrate Women's History Month (and hopefully the rest of the year, too) let's reconsider "Girl Math" and the role girls and women have played and continue to in our understanding of and curiosity in math. #WomensHistoryMonth #Math #Education

No matter what your profession, feeling connected -- and creating environments where your colleagues feel connected -- is critical to success. And who better to ask for insight into building relationships and creating community than the?2025 Washington, DC Teacher of the Year? Director of Teaching and Learning Jenna Fournel had the opportunity to speak with Jazzmyne Townsend, a K-5 Instructional Coach and?a finalist for the Council of Chief State School Officers' National Teacher of the Year award. In addition to her traditional classroom responsibilities, Jazzmyne is intentional about building programs that support?all?of her students’ needs, from “Loads of Literacy,” an event kicking off the school year with free laundry services and supplies, to “My Sister’s Keeper,” a mentorship initiative helping young girls navigate issues unique to their experience. She shares that supporting academic success in the classroom necessitates ensuring students have what they need to thrive outside of it. “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care,” she says. You can listen to their conversation on the Inspired Teaching Curiosity Challenge playlist here: https://lnkd.in/ev2GX7S2

"...every time we question the why behind a given, we grow our curiosity, and our understanding. And with that knowledge, we become better at investigating unknowns instead of simply taking them at face value." This week's Hooray For Monday celebrates pi (and pie) and explores why learning pi is important for more than just geometry. #Education #Pi #Curiosity

Can snakes sneeze? Which ingredients are necessary for the best pizza? Is #AI *really* a transformational technology or have we just aged into the "kids these days!" demographic? Join Inspired Teaching and curious minds from around the world for an informal, informative, and invigorating hour of conversation -- about any and everything that is making us say "hmm..." https://lnkd.in/eziZ5CDH #Curiosity #Learning #Conversation

We cannot expect math and reading scores to improve, or for our young people to grow into capable leaders in the future, if they are not given the opportunity to be curious, compassionate, critical thinkers today. Thank you to the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and the many organizations working this week and all year to center students' whole selves in education. #SELWeek #SocialEmotionalLearning #Education

Yes, school should be focused on meaningful learning. Students should have the opportunity to immerse themselves in learning about literature, mathematics, history, science, and the arts - and the people of all races, genders, religions, and nationalities who contributed to these fields throughout history. Students should learn to analyze information and historical events from multiple perspectives. They should learn how to think, not what to think. Students deserve a school experience that fuels their curiosity - and teaches them to approach academic content, and other people, from a place of curiosity and respect. Curiosity is the opposite of divisiveness and polarization. And we must fight for curiosity and critical thinking in schools. Now more than ever.

Young children ask?107 questions?an hour. When we’re young,?being curious?is the default. Asking “why” — about everything — is how we learn new things and discover more about the world around us. But as we get older, life can feel a little less awe-inspiring, and our responsibilities in school, at home, or in the workplace can often crowd out time for curiosity. Yet being curious supports job satisfaction, high performance, and innovation... so why not be curious?! Sign up for Inspired Teaching's Curiosity Challenge today and join us for an hour of #curiosity tomorrow! https://lnkd.in/eym-ciAF

After a recent visit to a Teaching with Improvisation Fellow's classroom, Jenna Fournel reflects on what the resolution to a PreK quarrel can teach the rest of us about trust, peace, and handshakes. #Education #Curiosity #Conflict

TONIGHT, IN PERSON ?? 5 Ways to Build Emotional Self-Awareness 4:30 - 6 PM ET | Location: MLK Library In this in-person workshop, we’ll practice 5 different emotional awareness-building activities that can be adapted to any grade level. Get ready to laugh, play, and learn more about yourself and others! There’s still time to register here: https://lnkd.in/gmFeQsbA #Education #Teachers #ProfessionalDevelopment