Thread by @lizziefortin

I went to the [insert word that's bigger and more descriptive than amazing] @CarlaShalaby session Imagining Classroom Management as an Abolitionist Project @FMFPconference #FMFP2019

Whew. I cannot begin to describe the nuance, the level of community and love that I felt in that space. I am going to share the slides and some of my thoughts. AND. You must read the next tweet.

This has no answers. No strategies. No quick fixes. She said so many times that she doesn't have the answers.
Her actual answer is - LISTEN TO KIDS, ESPECIALLY THE LITTLEST ONES. THEY KNOW THE ANSWERS.

What would classrooms look like if we believed in no throw away people?

How do we teach skills to young people when we don't have them as adults?

Thinking about classroom management as a curriculum, a set of lesson plans that teach kids different things.
We are way too unintentional in this area.
We need to think about WHAT DO WE WANT TO TEACH?

We did this powerful exercise with others - looking at the Logics of Classroom Management.
When we do *this* - what do they learn.

All the same patterns that occur in the world, happen in the classroom.
The classroom can be a safe place to practice.
Where do we see this same problem out in the world?

We have to build an abolitionist logic - using concrete things/actions that intervene on harm. It's not just about what we are stopping but what instead?
Then we began to build that.

And honestly, that was mind blowing. I have to really process it and all the work we did as a community in this. This isn't just saying/doing the opposite - it's not as easy as going from some kids are bad, to all kids are good, right? It's way fuller and more important than that

She left us with the reminder that we are teaching something through our classroom management. Practicing skills for the world we want.