This Friday, students worldwide will strike to demand action on climate change. Educators should take the opportunity to support student learning and action.
These activities ask students to engage with the question of what an equitable school calendar looks like and how to make their own school calendar more inclusive.
Marisa Fasciano is an Education Program Associate at the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding. She earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Chicago in 1992 and worked for numerous years as a social science researcher, evaluating the effectiveness of large-scale education, health, and welfare programs. Since earning her Master of Social Work from Adelphi University in 2006, she specializes in diversity and peace education.
As a fourth-grade teacher, sometimes I feel like the social director on a cruise ship. On the playground, I try to match up students with peers. “Why don’t you go and see what Alanna is doing?” Or sometimes, “It looks like Daniel and Hunter are having fun playing tag—let’s practice how you could go and ask them if you can join in.” Then in the classroom, I pair students up to accomplish tasks. “Melanie and Jorge, you’ll be working together to read for science today.”