I Became the Teacher I Needed By: Erica Battle E ducation saved me. But not in the way you think. It wasn’t my experience as a student that helped me understand my passion for fighting for equitable education for marginalized students, but rather my experience as a first-year teacher. Y ou see, if truth be told, I hated school and everything it stood for. School, for me, was pleasant until middle school. From eight grade and beyond, school was not a safe place for me which ultimately led to me not graduating on time. I dreaded going to school for many reasons. It was traumatizing in a sense because I didn’t feel a sense of belonging with my peers nor with the teachers I saw each day. I vividly remember my eighth-grade principal vowing to keep me off the cheerleading squad and making sure that I didn’t get to go on any school-sponsored trips. Not only did she make that vow, but...
How to Communicate Clearly and Effectively with Your Teenager Written by: Erica Battle When we as parents think about the joys of parenthood, communication with our teen probably ranks at the bottom. Communicating with this young person who is trying to find their voice and exercise some independence can be as daunting of a task as watching paint dry. You can either have a teen that won’t open up and talk at all, the teen who tunes you out completely, or the teen who lashes out because they are angry and don’t agree with something you said which leaves us searching on what to do next. As a mom who has raised two sons through the teenage years and with one currently in the teen years (16 to be exact), I can tell you it does get better you just have to be patient. Below are five tips that can help you improve how you and your teen communicate. Start Early Good communication does not start in the teen years, but it begins as soon as you...