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Teacher Spotlight
Asha Vasudeva
Each month, TC spotlights a teacher who excels at cultivating inclusion or antiracism in their classroom. This month, Asha Vasudeva shared some insight.
FFE: How long have you been teaching and what grades do you teach?
AV: I teach elementary special education. I co-teach ELA and Math for 4th grade and work one-on-one with kindergarten students. This is my first year with my own classroom! I was a long term sub last year. Prior to that, I was a paraprofessional (one-on-one aide for special needs students) for 3 years.
FFE: What’s your favorite way to cultivate diversity, inclusion, or anti-racism in your classroom?
AV: I love incorporating books into my classroom. Resources such as NewsELA are also wonderful. They provide kids with appropriate news articles about current events in the world. For example, my students read an article about how Kamala Harris paved the way for Black women, and that having her as our Vice President is a really big deal. They loved it! We have read books about different individuals of many races and ethnicities, giving students a chance to see how people of other races have impacted history and current events in our country. During Black History Month, my students learned about a new individual each day. They got to present their facts to their teachers at the end of each day. The students were very engaged in this activity..... Read More Here
*Nominate a teacher by emailing Britta at brittalivengood@gmail.com
Meet Miguel Cardona
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President Biden recently selected Dr. Miguel Cardona as the new secretary of the Department of Education. Here are some important things you should know about him.
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Cardona spent two decades as a public school teacher and administrator.
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After that he became the education commissioner of Connecticut’s public school system.
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He has been a fierce advocate for Connecticut’s most vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, low income families, and English language learners.
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A recent quote from Cardona states, “We have to accelerate our efforts because COVID accelerated disparities.”
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The work for his $68 billion-budget will go to implementing policies for federal financial aid, collecting and disseminating data on America’s schools, prohibiting discrimination, and ensuring equal access to education.
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He wants to expand access to community colleges, training, and public four-year colleges and universities to improve student success and grow a strong, more prosperous, and more inclusive middle class.
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He is not Betsy DeVos.
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