Dear Mighty Metro Atlanta Family,
I didn’t get much sleep this week, and I imagine many of you might not have either. Atop of the recent power outages caused by Zeta last week, these past few weeks and days have been far less than “typical” or “normal” even for these already uncertain times. I am keeping and holding each of you close as we collectively move through this time of uncertainty together.
As the votes continue to be counted and we await final election results, I wanted to reach out first and foremost to thank you for the work you’re doing on behalf of your students and our metro Atlanta community each and every day. Your commitment keeps me hopeful for the future and inspired to fight hard every day for our students. I also want to thank those of you who took civic action in this historic moment. As we grapple with economic, health, and racial crises, your commitment to advancing our community has never been more important. It’s a moment where the fundamental nature of our democracy is being tested. But if anything is clear after the last six months, it’s that we are best prepared to tackle any challenge when we stand together, support each other, and keep our eye on the future of our students.
The presidential election was not the only item on the ballot this week. Up and down the ticket – nationally and locally – the outcomes will have an enormous impact on the quality of our schools, determining everything from a school’s curriculum to its allocation of limited resources. Locally, we hope that our state will continue to consider ways to expand equitable resources for K-12 education. And as we move forward into the next year, I firmly believe that TFA and our members has a critical role to continue to advocate for our students, our teachers, and our education system at every level.
There is hard work ahead – and none of it will be successful if we’re not also taking care of ourselves and each other. Teacher wellness is incredibly important, and maintaining health and resiliency is even more critical. Know that the TFA community is a supportive shoulder to lean on as we face this challenging year together. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or our team if you have any needs. Additionally, you can also review this election Wellness Kit pulled together from our organization.
Most critically, students are sure to have a wide range of questions about what’s happening in this election and what it means in their lives. As teachers, educators, care-givers and community members, each of you play an outsized role in helping youth process and understand this news. By having civic discussions with kids, we can begin to alleviate their fear of the unknown while also helping them understand that their voice matters. Below are a few resources worth considering as you prepare to have these discussions.
As always, we will continue advocating for our students and pushing for greater access to excellent and equitable education – and your work in the classroom and beyond every day is the cornerstone of that work.
In solidarity,
Khadijah & the Mighty Metro Atlanta Teach For America Team
Resources for students and children
- Teach For America put together this document with several resources to support our students following the election.
- This Day After Election Guide from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities is designed to help educators prepare for these discussions in the classroom.
- iCivics has a number of lesson plans, infographics, and games to help educate students in its Election Headquarters.
- Scholastic’s Elections Collection includes a number of resources to help teach students about the importance of democracy.
- Study the history and process of presidential elections, explore voting rights, and engage in classroom discussions with the PBS Election Collection.
- The New York Times has curated a selection of writing prompts, challenges, and lesson plans for teachers in its Teach and Learn with the 2020 Election.
- PBS Education: Teaching About Elections During an Election Year
- Education Week: Is the Election Still a Teachable Moment?
- From Provocative to Productive: This resource packet from NewseumED features suggestions for leading tricky conversations about politics and other controversial subjects with students.