Articles and news stories are constantly pushing me to consider something new, broaden my perspective, or change the way I look at an issue. My husband likes to joke that my brain explodes with something new on a daily basis. These articles – and the brain explosions that result from them – are so beneficial for me that I wanted to create a place where I could share them, in case you might want to read them, too. Learn more about Things that Made My Brain Explode – and see past posts – here. 

Here’s a recent batch of Things that Made my Brain Explode:

• For the first time in history, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss America are all Black women. Hail to the Queens!
• Got a kiddo going through puberty? Stare in awe with me at the amazing, honest, and respectful conversation this mom held with her son about what’s happening in his brain, why it’s so hard to navigate, and how they can get through it together. How do I tell my wonderful 11 year old son, (in a way that won’t tear him down), that the way he has started talking to me (disrespectfully) makes me not want to be around him (I’ve already told him the bad attitude is unacceptable)?
• Building Diverse Collections of LGBTQ-Inclusive Children’s Literature to Expand Windows and Mirrors for Youth. A great guide to expanding your collection of LGBTQ-inclusive books, whether it’s in your home, classroom, or library.
• Jason Reynolds has a new book coming out and I. CAN’T. WAIT. Look Both Ways: Check out a preview of Jason Reynolds’ piercing new book.
• This school district went eight years without a high school library. The changes they saw were so dramatic, they fought to bring it back – but then realized that just physically having the doors open wouldn’t solve their problems. Denver Teacher Librarian Brings Students Back to Library. Major kudos to this brave and hard-working librarian.

• What To Do When You’ve Tried Book Clubs In Your Classroom, and They Just. Didn’t. Work.

• “The California company, Wonder Hoodie, produces the bulletproof protection in smaller sizes for young children and teens after the rash of school shootings in the U.S.” This is how we live now: Woman creates bulletproof hoodies for all ages due to widespread shootings.

• Wow – City School Board presentation on Quest to include letter on segregation. How do you work with a gifted program that was initially created to preserve segregation? I’m glad it’s being talked about openly, and eager to see what comes next.

• How Working In A Public Library Changed My Perspective On What Librarians Actually Do.

• “An elementary school library is one of the more magical places in a child’s life. Imagination is born from books, and what about the kids who don’t get that enrichment at home? I feel like we’re going the wrong way in America when libraries are at risk.” In L.A. Unified elementary schools, library books could be off-limits to many students.

• “I take pride in my disability,” she says. “It gives me a certain strength. I don’t see it as a deficit or a problem.” This Georgetown sophomore wants to change how we view and talk about disabilities.
• Curious about Ramadan? I found this super helpful: Ramadan in the Workplace.

• ‘Queer Eye’s’ Karamo Brown Announces New Children’s Book With His Son. “The story of the book is meant to empower stories like theirs, who some might deem as “abnormal,” following a father and his son in an empowering ode to modern families, particularly those with LGBTQ+ parents.”

• Sign of the Times: Rep. John Lewis Admits He’s Less Hopeful in 2019 Than He Was on Bloody Sunday.
• “Students today are distracted, they’re under a lot of pressure and they’re suffering from mental health issues more than ever before. […] In the last few years, terms like “whole child” and “social-emotional learning” have become buzzwords. Behind the buzzwords are programs, often led and managed by schools, that take into account all the different things a child needs to be able to learn and grow, even if those things reach outside the traditional roles of a school.” It’s so true that children need these tools, as the world around them changes – but why does this fall to teachers? It’s just one more role that educators are forced to take on without any training, time, or remuneration. Why Social-Emotional Learning Is Suddenly in the Spotlight.
• I think I’m too old for Instagram now. It all happened so fast! The Instagram Aesthetic Is Over.
• How do I deal with a kid that hurts other students? I love the Kid Whisperer.