#181 Why Do Teachers Get Fired for Asking Questions? (William Reusch pt.2)

Hello everyone! I am so excited for you to hear this episode. Not just because it’s a great talk (and a deep one), but because it is a timely discussion about civil discourse, in a world where we can’t (with good conscience) even allow kids to watch a presidential debate. If you missed part one, grab it here. But if you are here for part two of this fantastic talk, then buckle up—we are getting heavy in this one.  When I spoke to Dr. Manuel Rustin on episode #176 of the podcast a few weeks ago, he brought up how teachers have been fired for representing Black Lives Matter in some way. In this continued talk with Will today, he brings up how teachers message him weekly about having a fear of bring fired for questioning or even offering up a different point of view on authors who support critical race theory. So which is it? What are we not allowed to discuss as professionals and academics? Or perhaps a better questions is, why are we being punished at all for having thoughts about the real issues of today? To ask and probe through these questions, I have brought on William Reusch, a history teacher and podcast host in LA. This episode addresses big ideas, and is sure to make you think. I don’t know if we have ever done an episode quite like this one, but I think you will enjoy it!     This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their professional book, Risk. Fail. Rise. A Teacher’s Guide to Learning From Mistakes by Colleen Cruz. You’ve likely heard the adage, ‘Everyone makes mistakes.’ But knowing why we make mistakes can help us learn from them and improve situations once we’ve made them. In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their responses to others’ mistakes. Colleen Cruz shares what research says on mistakes as part of learning and what that means for teaching. If we can create school cultures where we talk honestly about mistakes, then we can grow and create opportunities for children to grow in all the ways they deserve. And we deserve those opportunities too. Risk. Fail. Rise. is available as a book and ebook. Look for the audiobook in early 2021. To learn more visit Heinemann.com.