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Morning Meetings
First, read this book–
Morning meeting was a part of the school day when teacher/principal/changemaker Lucianne Carmichael and her team envisioned an innovative approach for New Orleans public school kids in the Little Red Schoolhouse in the French Quarter. This was adopted by my elementary school John Dibert on Orleans Avenue. This was a special time to build community. We performed, acknowledged accomplishments, wished each other good luck, or happy birthday, and started the day with all of the stakeholders— students, teachers, principal, staff, parents. The only one who often didn’t join us was Ms. Alfred, the largest heart on the planet disguised as a school secretary, but she, too, would sneak away from the phone calls and tasks to celebrate with us.
When I later returned to Dibert, it was as a first grade teacher (with about six months of teaching experience under my belt), but there was Wiley Ates (former principal) and my first, second, third, and fourth grade teachers: Peta Leblanc, Angela Rattler, Linda Swindle, Myrtis Dennis, and, despite the many changes to the school (that I will discuss in future publications), there was morning meeting. Teachers need this connection just as much as the kids do, especially novice ones.
When Students Design Their Education
Way to go, Erin!
Click here for an article in Tulane News featuring our very own Erin Weisman. We are proud of Erin’s hard work and look forward to what is certain to be her bright future. 
Design Thinking for Educators Workshop hosted by Dr. Frady
Ashoka U Exchange 2016
Our Changemakers
We had the privilege of participating in the Ashoka U Exchange last week. Below you will find a link to some of our photos and brief summaries of the experience from our faculty members.
For a Flipagram of some of our photos, click here: ASHOKA U: Building Relationships
Dr. Carol Whelan:
The Ashoka U Exchange was the sixth one I have attended and the BEST! Working together with the Taylor Center leaders, the Tulane Teacher Certification faculty and staff and students as well as Lusher School staff and faculty to help make it a success made the Exchange even more engaging. Visiting the classes at our partner changemaker school, Lusher Charter Elementary, with folks from England, Singapore, Ireland, and the US, made me realize how fortunate we are to have such a great partners. Also, in our session, I remember a quote used by Greg Van Kirk, the Ashoka North America Empathy Leader who shared an African quote: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Together we are making empathy a priority in our program and it is making a difference in many positive ways.
SEL and Arts Integration
Our partnership with Dr. Amy McConnell Franklin continues to blossom. Our faculty spent the day with Dr. Franklin Monday, exploring ways to improve our program and to meet the social and emotional needs of ourselves and of our students. Later, at the New Orleans Museum of Art, Dr. Franklin presented strategies for creating a richer, more nuanced vocabulary to describe our emotions. Students, faculty, educators, and community members joined us to explore works of art in the museum in an engaging emotional literacy activity. We came together as a whole group to discuss how the activity challenged us to integrate new vocabulary. The evening wrapped by composing a quick list of fifteen things for which we are grateful. As Dr. Franklin stated, there’s no faster way to put ourselves in a lighter frame of mind than creating this list.
DT Crash Course with Panamanian Teachers
Dr. Robert Connor, Director of Tulane’s English as a Second Language Program, is currently leading, teaching, and learning from Panamanian teachers who are here visiting through Tulane’s TESL courses, which provide abroad learning opportunities for Panamanian, Rwandan, Arabian, and Chinese students. This program offers a reciprocation for local teachers in the form of fully-funded teaching stints in Panama or Rwanda this summer. The Panamanian visitors are here for six weeks, touring the campus, learning from our faculty, and thanks to some thoughtful placement strategies by Monique Hodges, they’ve have opportunities to visit local schools.
TPCP’s Dr. Kathy Frady and intern Diondra Rhinehart facilitated one of their learning experiences. Diondra expressed interest in the Design Thinking activities that Dr. Frady integrated into her course, and she teaches at Bricolage, a school that is quite familiar with the Design Thinking cycle, so Dr. Frady invited her to co-facilitate a Design Thinking Crash Course for the Panamanian teachers. The teachers explored challenges that they face back home with their own students. As the photos indicate, a fun time was had by all!
DT Challenge at Lil Lusher by Dr. Templet
I attended a Caring Counts meeting at Lil Lusher. The discussion turned to communication. The faculty discussed the school newsletter and website, tossing around ideas to enhance both. Since they were familiar with Design Thinking, I suggested I could have my class participate in a DT Challenge, and the issue would be the communication component of their school. They liked the idea, so I created the challenge as the final project for EDLA 2000 Education in a Diverse Society. Through discussions, we decided the class would present their ideas to the faculty of Lil Lusher at the end of the semester. I needed time to introduce DT to the students and allow them to practice the process before they began working on the real project.
After the mid-term, I introduced DT, and the next two weeks were devoted to the process and DT literature. I set up a tour of the school, so that the students could become familiar with Lusher. I wanted them to see how the school functions and have the opportunity to get to know the students and faculty. In the meantime, we were learning about SEL and discussing how Lusher is an Ashoka Changemaker School. It was also important for the students to understand the role of SEL at Lusher.
“How Might We…?”
What’s a local, relevant problem?
Students in Dr. Templet’s Education in a Diverse Society use design thinking to help Little Lusher with their communications and website issues.
Summer 2016 in Dublin
We are offering Classroom Management, Education in a Diverse Society, Children’s and Adolescent Literature, and The Culturally-Responsive Classroom in Dublin, Ireland June-July 2016. Psychology and SISE courses are also available! Click here for details: http://tpcpsummerabroad.wix.com/tulane