Teach

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KIND WORDS FROM MY STUDENTS

Theo Prineas, 2016 — Elizabeth Ayers, 2017 — Maya Djalali, 2018 — Tai Caputo, 2023 

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Screen Shot 2020-04-09 at 3.48.58 PMSOCIAL MEDIA STATEMENT

FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS

If you use social media, feel free to connect with me on social media at Twitter @AliBG (mostly inactive following the advent of Elon Musk), OR on instagram/tiktok @sweetandarch.

Please note that these are my own accounts, but they are set apart for professional use; they are primarily dedicated to reading, writing, and teaching. I use them to offer resources, thoughts, and ideas. Nothing on these accounts reflects the positions or opinions of my literary agent, my school, or my school district.

I continue to give students access to these social media accounts because I believe that this access

  • Offers a meaningful way to connect teens to real world opportunities, like live writing classes, free seminars, authors, book giveaways, etc.
  • Provides a safe place for “brags” about our wonderful students, our school, our town, and the broader writing/teaching community.
  • Helps me to stay abreast of thought trends from professionals in my field and from teen students around the world.
  • Allows me to model appropriate use of social media for my teen students, many of whom are accustomed to “living online” but haven’t yet learned to set appropriate boundaries.

Per district policy, I will NOT “follow” or “friend” students until after graduation. If you message me, I will likely return the message and ask you to take any messaging over to school email.

Screen Shot 2020-04-09 at 3.58.30 PMTEACHING STATEMENT

I teach literature, reading, and writing to empower and affirm students in living meaningfully and significantly.

In my work, I strive to:

  • Equip all students to read, to think, and to communicate with curiosity, creativity, and critical skill.
  • Facilitate engagement with a variety of texts, authors, speakers, performers, and thinkers from a diverse array of perspectives based on political views, religious expression, culture, class, gender/sexual identity, etc.
  • Advocate for anti-racist practices and LGBTQ+ Equity at every possible level (classroom, building, district) with a clear and unequivocal voice. This includes maintaining the posture of a learner toward the BIPOC thinkers and leaders who are graciously showing white teachers the way forward. It also involves being open and forthright about my own identity as a member of the LGBTQ+ Community.
  • Bring compassion and mindfulness to the classroom daily by collaborating with colleagues who can teach students mindfulness practices, and by encouraging students to extend compassion to themselves & those around them.
  • Create meaningful work that uses real world technologies, opportunities, questions, and problems.
  • Promote exceptionally high academic standards for all students, expecting that every single student can and will grow beyond their current skill levels.
  • Translate and scaffold the expectations of high stakes tests, academic/AP experiences, the publishing industry, and the future workplace so that students understand exactly how to achieve their goals.

linkLINKS

I am no longer permitted to provide general links to open school district sites, which might accidentally imply employer endorsement. For any & all classroom needs, please see our Canvas Site or Daily Agenda on Google Slides. Parents who have never used canvas, the instruction manual can be found here.