Sarah Cole is a proud product of Kansas City, MO, where she was born and raised. Once a Middle School English and social studies teacher, she currently serves as both the Instructional Technology Coordinator and the Equity Coordinator at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. In addition to serving her school community, Sarah works as an EmpowerEd Equity Fellow, advocating for an end to high stakes standardized testing in D.C. She is passionate about working with students, families, and fellow educators to design a schooling experience that leaves Black and Brown kids feeling loved, competent, capable, and purposeful. She holds a Master’s of education in learning and teaching from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts with a special concentration in ducation and American Society from Harvard College.
WHAT THEY ARE PRESENTING
Was "In-Person" Ever Working? Developmental Considerations for a Return to the Middle School Classroom
In-Person Session
The pandemic upended the education system as we know it, shining a light on its weaknesses, and forcing us to reckon with our system’s deficiencies. Transitioning back into normal schooling will be especially hard for our adolescent learners, whose developmental needs the middle school structure already often fails to meet. Returning to in-person schooling will not be effective for students who have not been in classrooms on a regular basis for so long unless we are intentional about how to make this work. Through the lenses of developmental psychology and antiracist social emotional learning, this session aims to help attendees take advantage of the restart presented by COVID-19, and create plans to guide their students into a classroom that meets their actual needs.
