MAGAZINE THE EDUCAT$RTHE EDUCAT$RTM Sajdah Ali Everyone Deserves to Shine: Finding and shining your light unapologetically. VOLUME 5
Teresa B. Howell Talk Show Host, Sony-Orchard Distributor, and Award Winning www.tproductions.orgWriter/Producer.
Teresa B. Howell Founder and CEO, The Educator Magazine FOUNDER and CEO Teresa B. https://tbproductions.orgHowell EDITOR David R. Navarro CREATIVE design&print CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Teresa B. Howell David R. Navarro Andrea U. Petifer Denise M. Walker ADVERTISING & PROMOTION TB Productions Media MauriceTeresaBProductions+ads@gmail.comGroupScriber
As I rose to the top in education from an ordinary special education teacher to National Board Certification, to School Administrator, to Sped Director, there was still something missing. In my early years of life, I wanted to be a singer, a writer, a poet…and in 2014, the floodgates of creativity opened. Before I knew it, I had become an educator with extraordinary gifts that were being displayed outside of the classroom. From there, the concept of this magazine began.
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The Heat Seekers Magazine is owned by Teresa B. Howell and Teresa B. Productions. The magazine, its staff and writers, has made sure that content is accurate on the date of publication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the author(s)’ opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content is published in good faith.
Letter from the Founder and CEO
As the Founder and CEO of this publication, my goal is to spotlight educators who are also gifted outside of the classroom. I want to show the world that not only can they teach the children of tomorrow, but they can balance other gifts and remain in the air, flying high. I am proud to be an educator as I have touched the lives of thousands of students. But I am also proud of being a writer, singer, talk show host, playwright, magazine CEO, and mother of 2.
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I am an educator…with extraordinary talents. So help me celebrate the others within this publication that have extraordinary talents too.
In 2005, I decided to leave my fortune 500 job in accounting and take a leap of faith into the classroom. I had once worked in an elementary school in 1998 as a bookkeeper and it was there that the principal pushed me into the field. He said: “The children with disabilities gravitate towards you. Maybe you should consider becoming a special education teacher?” So I went back to school and sought out the dream. I listened, I conquered, I accomplished. Unfortunately, that principal(Harvey Sadoff) died a few years after speaking into my life. But I made it happen and I will be always grateful for “the push” he gave me.
COPYRIGHTS
CONTENTS Putting Practice Into Perspective - Volume 6 by Andrea Use Your Gift by Denise M. Walker Interview with Andre Robinson COVER FEATURE: SAJDAH ALI POETRY Beauty is Pain by C. Dewayne Hinnante Educator Spotlight Dione Daniels 2 13-169-116-74512
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A few weeks ago my husband and I were watching the track and field world championships. Both of us as former athletes paid special attention to how each of the competitors started their event. No matter the type of race, on the field or on the track, there was a specificity in intentionality of each participant. Outwardly it was easy to observe the preciseness in positioning of their body-measured steps, alignment and angling of shoulders, shifting of breathing techniques, placement of their hands and feet, all of which prepared them to start strong.
Vol. 6
Just like the athletes, as school and teacher leaders, we must purpose ourselves in having a strong start to each new school year.
By Andrea U. Petifer
I encourage you to incorporate this simple three step strategy in your faculty meeting, at your open house, and with your students on day one. I’ve included a few findings I’ve gleaned over the years below. I promise this fifteen minute activity will help you start strong!
Each month this column will explore lessons I’ve learned throughout my almost twenty year journey of teaching and learning. My aim is to share tangible takeaways that are real and relevant, that spark reflective practice, and ready you to enact change.
Follow me on Twitter @AndreaPetiferED
Start Strong
Follow me on Twitter @AndreaPetiferED
Begin by asking yourself: What does a strong start look like? What does a strong start feel like? What does a strong start sound like?
Putting Practice Into Perspective
These three simple questions will not only support interpersonal growth, but it can also lead you in discovering trends in perspectives and priorities across populations. Think about the similarities and differences you will find among your professional learning community members, students, support staff, and families. What will such re sults reveal about the culture and climate of your school community?
Andrea Petifer is a tenured educational leader highly skilled in curriculum development, cross-functional collab oration, and consulting. Adept at instructing elementary-aged through collegiate level students, she is applauded for her ability to implement change management plans with care and creativity. Andrea is a past teacher of the year, district level assistant principal of the year, and union president.
These are only a few ideas for expanding your gifts to assist others, even while you continue to make an impact in your elementary, middle, or high school classroom. Don’t worry. You don’t have to prepare. You are already equipped. Now take the leap!
As educators, we are extremely creative. We design activities and come up with creative ways to engage our students all the time. Some teachers are great with technology, creating classroom themes, or even writing cur riculum. In my previous articles, I shared how I took a leap of faith and became a teacherpreneur. This one is to give you a boost.
Here’s another example. We all know that many of our professional development workshops are too fast and sometimes leave us more confused than before we attended, or is that just my experience? Therefore, if you are great with technology, you could offer trainings to teachers by setting up a Facebook Group or Instagram page. You could charge a fee and set scheduled trainings to help teachers better use technology. You could even host training workshops to show how to use a product you created.
Why not design your own products to support parents, other educators, or schools? Many teachers are being inno vative these days. You can use your gifts and passion to start your own business as well. No, you don’t have to stop teaching. For example, social studies has always been the most boring class to me. However, if you are a social studies teacher, and you create your own activities to better engage students. Take some time to do some research on how to publish your work and make money in the process. For example, there are thousands of teacher-made products on the Teachers Pay Teachers website and many also have their own Etsy shops. You could easily join as a seller. Don’t think like I did at first, There’re so many people already doing this. I promise there is room for you. You could create workbooks with strategies to help social studies teachers create more engaging lessons. You wouldn’t have to start from scratch because you are already using them.
Use Your Gifts
By Denise M. Walker
Also, if you feel led to write your own children’s books. The process is rather easy to do. You could create books based on your science standards. Each book could cover a different standard. You could create picture books that highlight youth empowerment topics or be creative in showing children how to understand certain math concepts through a picture book.
Finally, you could create your own podcast. I love having my own podcast. I get to organize it how I choose. It is easy to launch a podcast. You may want to talk about improving literacy, empower teachers or parents, or it may not be school related. The first step in creating a podcast is identifying your passion.
Author, educator, podcaster, speaker, writing coach, and copy editor. Owner of Armor of Hope Writing & Publishing Services, LLC
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Andre
Robinson 6
The Educator: Give a scenario of your best and worst experience in the classroom?
The Educator: How do you balance the classroom and other duties?
Andre Robinson: I have decided to become an educator since I was in the 3rd grade and I wanted to become an educator because of the major influence from my teach ers.
The Educator: Name at least 2 people that you influenced you to become an educator?
The Educator: How long have you been in the profes sion?
Andre Robinson: I had 3 teachers who influenced me to be an educator whom taught me when I was a student at Maury High School in Norfolk, VA. My Spanish teacher, Ms. Williams, brought structure and challenged me. My Choir teacher,Ms. Debra Newton, brought empathy and nurturing. My History teacher, Mr. George Rhudy, made the classroom fun and exciting. Those elements help run an effective classroom.
The IA we always wanted.
Andre Robinson: I was interested in education because of my lifelong love for education.
The Educator: Why were you interested in the education field?
Andre Robinson: Some things may go back to the way it used to be and in some cases it may be a blessing in disguise. Respect goes a long way for the education pro fession.
Andre Robinson: Church, Music, Sports, and Dining Out.
Andre Robinson: andre_robinson@dpsnc.net
The Educator: What other hobbies do you have out side of education?
The Educator: When and why did you decide to become an Educator?
Andre Robinson: My best experience was last year when I was an Instructional Assistant at Lakewood Elementary. I had a situation where a student was choking and there was not a nurse so I performed CPR and saved her life.
Andre Robinson: I learn to prioritize and think win-win. At the end, it is what is best for the students.
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Interview by The Educator
Andre Robinson: I have been in education for 21 years (17 in Virginia and 4 in North Carolina) and this is my 2nd year in Durham Public Schools as I am currently an Instructional Assistant at Lucas Middle School.
The Educator: What would you like to see happen differently in Education?
The Educator: Describe how you have helped stu dent beyond the classroom… past, present, and future?
Andre Robinson: When I first started teaching, I had a young man who I mentored. His mother said I was his son’s favorite teacher. I was invited to his mother’s wed ding. Few years later, he almost died in a fire. I tried to hold my tears but by the grace of God, he survived.
The Educator: How can others reach you if they need support or advice?
https://linktr.ee/baileyelora Photo by Ricky Zastrow @coloradophotoworks Bailey Elora
Sajdah Ali Everyone Deserves to Shine: Finding and shining your light unapologetically. 9
Sajdah Ali: I LOVE to travel.
Sajdah Ali: Working in the field of education came to me at a very young age. I was a summer camp counselor for students with disabilities in high school. I remember how much I enjoyed working with the smaller children and overall helping them find their own joys in learning. That’s when I got the “teaching bug” it manifested from there.
The Educator: What do you do outside of education for fun?
The Educator: Who inspires you in education and why? Sajdah Ali: The matriarchs in my family; my maternal grandmother and mother. My maternal grandmother met Mary MeCloud Bethune once when she was a very young woman. My grandmother shared in her story that Ms.Bethune encouraged her over and over to read at all times to her children and fight for education opportuni ties for them whenever she could and that’s exactly what she did. My grandmother was integral in segregating the school system in her hometown of Hendersonville, NC. Because of that my mother was one of the first students to attend a predominantly white school in town, breaking the system of institutional white supremacy in the school systems. That experience led her down many roads and journeys in implementing social justice reform for people of color and those in poverty, especially children and ed ucation. I’m very proud to be a part of and an addition to that legacy.
The Educator: What motivates you to continue to sup port and advocate in the educational field?
Sajdah Ali: Seeing how my work makes a difference to those I encountered!
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various disabilities named George Diverse Learning Cen ter. It was the first and only of its kind, especially for that country. The turnout was well received and clientele grew very very quickly. Creating possibilities and opportunities for others who are considered less valued by an unfair and unequal educa tion and health system (regardless of country) is some thing I take pride in.
Sajdah Ali: Over 25 years.
Sajdah Ali: My personal story during the pandemic is an interesting one (LOL) I was actually stuck in another country due to world wide border closures. I left the U.S. in January to develop special education programs in the Caribbean for 3 months but couldn’t leave the island un til the end of that year once they opened the borders up again. After getting over the shock of it all, I created a service facility for those who were less likely to receive adequate services and resources in the community during that time. I ( and my partner at that time) established a city wide learning center for students with learning and
Interview by The Educator
The Educator: When and why did you decide to become an Educator?
The Educator: How long have you been in the profes sion?
The Educator: What is your favorite subject area to teach?
Special Education from the classroom and beyond!
This type of work is NOT easy and often it’s common for someone to get discouraged. The needs seem to outweigh the resources and solutions. However, I’ve experienced that for every 5 losses there is 1 win that makes the differ ence and keeps the fight for childrens equity in education better and more sustainable. That’s my motivation.
The Educator: How did you handle your duties in educa tion during the pandemic?
Sajdah Ali: My area of expertise has always been special education or some related service area connected with it. I found that working with marginalized populations pro vided me with the opportunity to make a difference and larger impact within a community. That understanding guided my passion in other fields of education such as DEI and social justice reform.
The Educator: What is the key to success in the edu cational field?
The Educator: If you had a superpower, what would you change in education?
Sajdah Ali: I believe the field of education is like a house
with many doors. Not all of them have the same key to open with, and that’s intentional because each space be hind that door serves a different purpose. Education is much like that because it serves diverse students of all kinds and thost students have different goals, ambitions, dreams and experiences. Finding the particular key that unlocks the particular door to that particular student is the way it should be. Although it sounds like a lot of work, the key is there. Trust me!
Sajdah Ali: How funding is acquired and disbursed. As an entrepreneur and owner of several businesses, I’ve learned quickly how money is ultimately the deciding factor of what programs are accepted and how they are managed and supported. Programs like special education are always underfunded which causes for legally entitled resources to not be provided, offered and sometimes con sidered. It’s a domino effect from there and in the end the children suffer. Having the superpower to equitably disburse funding in education would greatly make a dif ference.
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Sajdah Ali: I’m available for all types of contract work and projects. I’ve just opened my services for 1:1 consulting for parents and public speaking events. They can reach me via email at sali@sajdahalicoaching.com They can learning more about what I do at sajdahali coaching.com and on LinkedIn: Sajdah Ali, M.Ed
The Educator: How can others reach you if they need support or advice?
The Educator: What other talents do you possess out side of the classroom doors?
The Educator: Name two educators that lead the path way for you?
Sajdah Ali: Up until college, most of my teachers didn’t expect much from me, or at least that’s how I felt. When I got to college, all that changed! Every professor from freshman to senior year gave a DAMN! and let me know it, too. I learned how to match my work ethic with my passion and that with my creativity. The professors at NC A&T SU were huge contributors to who I am today. AGGIE PRIDE!!
Sajdah Ali: Business development and entrepreneurship. Writing, cooking, and my friends tell me I have great en tertaining humor. LOL
Everyday is a struggle to control my freakouts The damage on my face has me going insane Beauty is Pain
I will always value it and never treat it with disdain Because I know my Beauty is my Pain
It’s not meant to be deceitful or a ruse My makeup never runs, but my scares leaves stains Beauty is Pain
Each morning I beat my face with makeup
I Believe in myself But I have doubts
To cover the beatings I’ve had to face Hiding my abuse is how I maintain Beauty is Pain
I am Beautiful
The color I wear is red
Despite the beating I’ve endured Going through torment and tortured My beauty is my strength Peace comes at great length
I love my Eyeshadow Because it hides my black eye I use it as a disguise The hurt is always there and never wanes Beauty is Pain
It represents the blood I’ve shed Punches have left my lips swollen and needing to drain Beauty is pain
My Lips are popping
I wear concealer to cover my bruise
No one hears my crying My heart aches and is slowly dying The face you see is filled with worry and strain Beauty is Pain
I am Gorgeous
I am Confident
POETRYBeautyisPain
C. Dewayne Hinnant
I am Strong
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EDUCATOR SPOTLIGHT 13 DIONE DANIELS
myself as a passionate special education teacher that has the compassion to stay in this field throughout the turmoil teachers are facing today. It all began in a small town named Rock Island, Illinois located on the Mississippi River bordering Iowa. During my childhood I had many different thoughts of what I wanted to be when I grew. Over the summers as a child, I’d play school with my sisters and cousins and of course, I was the teacher. I was interested in becoming a lawyer when I grew up. As I got closer to finishing up my bachelor’s degree in Political Science my mindset had shifted. After graduating from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, I entered graduate school and began to work on my master’s in special education. I complete the teacher’s education program in the morning and my master’s degree at night. Don’t ask me how, I just got it done. In 2005, I completed a second master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Northeastern Illinois University, my certification to become an Applied Behavioral Analysis in 2019 from the University of Denver and I’m currently working on clinical hours to become a BCBA (Board Certified Behavioral Analysis) to focus my attention on working with children who have autism.
Why I chose the path I chose?
What have I learned along the way that must be Ishared?wouldtell anyone entering this field to make sure you have a support system to help with your mental,
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On the days I wasn’t in class, I would substitute teach at the kindergarten school close to my apartment. I fell in love with working with children who had special need. They needed extra support and nurturing to learn basic concepts and new skills. This was my first encounter with autism. Autism was a new term that was becoming prevalent in the field of special edu cation. I worked with children along the autism spectrum until completing my master’s degree in 2000. I wanted to change the lives of students in a manner that would encourage them to do something positive and productive in their lives. I wanted to make a dif ference in the lives of children that needed a teacher who cared and wanted to see them grow academical ly, socially and emotionally. I found myself being the voice for the students with communication deficits.
Being a strong advocate for children with special needs is my calling. My teaching career began in Champaign, Illinois the fall of 2000. I always want ed to teach in a school with more African American children because I had lacked that experience of
Special Education from the classroom and I’dWhereInterviewbeyond!byTheEducatordidallbegin?liketofirstintroduce
attending a school with few African-Americans as a child. I didn’t get the rich culture of my roots taught to me and really felt as if I didn’t even know who I was or where I came from. In 2002, I moved to Chicago, Illinois and began teaching at Scott Jo plin Elementary School. I loved every moment of it and learned a lot of African- American history. Over the past 22 years in several states including Hawaii, Colorado, and Tennessee. I’ve spent most of my years teaching in my home state Illinois. I’ve learned a lot about different cultures and cher ished every bit. It takes a strong-willed person with a solid foundation to withstand all that is put upon you in the classroom. I’ve had a lot of interesting experiences these past 22 years and I wanted to share my experiences, so I recently launched my first book, “Upside Down and Inside Out, That’s What Teaching is All About.”
Dione Daniels: I’ve been in the teaching profession for 22 years.
Dione Daniels: I have a true compassion for students that are struggling. I saw how I could be a benefit to the student and advocate for the parents. It’s very reward ing to see students’ milestones and academic growth.
Dione Daniels: I had a low-incidence class with stu dents along the autism spectrum kindergarten to third grade. One of my students was learning how to write so, I created dotted lines, letters and shapes for the student
The Educator: Give a scenario of your best and worst experience in the classroom when dealing with spe cial needs?
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to trace daily. The other students used visual motor in tegration to copy from the board. One day, I hadn’t made the dotted paper to give to the student and a blank piece of paper was on the table. While the other students be gan to trace, this particular student grabbed the blank sheet of paper and began to copy from the board. He shocked me and let me know he had learned how to copy from the board. I forgot to mention, he was non-verbal as well. My worst experience in the classroom happened in this classroom as well. At the end of the experiment, some of the students ate the marshmallows. One of my assistants put a marshmallow into a student’s mouth that was inexperienced with using his jaw muscles. He began to choke. The assistant panicked and ran out of the room. I began to perform the Heimlich procedure. The student’s eyes began to roll back in his head and he finally began to vomit. He was also non-verbal.
The Educator: Name the people in education that influenced you the most?
Dione Daniels: I’m an author and curriculum de signer. I create curriculum materials for other teach ers and myself. I like to travel with my husband and children, sew, garden. I love to read and exercise.
Dione Daniels: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He said ed ucation is not necessary but, it is an equalizer. Jane Elliot for not tolerating people but, recognizing, ap preciating and valuing them. Ralph Ellison by mak ing it clear that education is a matter of building bridges. W.E.B. Dubois who emphasized education cracks. The standard was much higher then. Now, there’s a website with teacher made materials that are not scientifically researched or collaboratively from tested methodologies. Technology is used for everything. It’s challenging to keep students’ atten tion, engagement and focus. Students come needing more everything and parents expect us to do it all. Districts put a huge demand on teachers which is causing teachers to burnout.
The Educator: How long have you been in the profession?
The Educator: When and why did you decide to become an Educator?
The Educator: Why were you interested in the special education field?
The Educator: What other hobbies do you have outside of the special education classroom?
Dione Daniels: When I was a young child, I played with my sisters and my cousins. We would always play school and I was always the teacher. I started off with my mind set to become a lawyer until I worked on campus at the law school. I saw the stress the students were under when they needed to check materials out at the library. I changed my mind and decided that is not what I want ed to do. During graduate school, I began substitute teaching in the special need’s classroom, and that’s when I began my journey to become a teacher. I knew that was my calling.
Dione Daniels: Balancing teaching and day to day life is challenging. I try to organize my week on Sun day which always ends up with a hiccup. I send a lot time on Saturdays early in the morning planning before anyone wakes up. I try to spend my planning at work for planning which works only 50% of the time.
emotional and social well-being, a mentor if you are entering the field of teaching for the first time, an optimistic mindset that will allow flexibility, growth, change, resilience, ongoing professional development, love, care, compassion, and the most important thing is to make time for yourself. Always do a self-evaluation, reflect and ask ques tions when you are on the fence about something. Always keep the kids’ best interest in front of you because there will be bumps in the road and stumbling blocks. Seeing a child show the slightest bit of improvement makes it all worth it.
When my professional life is turned off, I spend my time with my daughter who’s a junior in high school, my son in junior high and my very supportive husband of 17 years. I enjoy reading, garden ing, week-end get aways and vacationing during my free time.
The Educator: How do you balance teaching and day to day life experiences?
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Dione Daniels: An accomplishment achieved with students is building up their self-worth, self-esteem, and feeling of worthiness when they may feel all hope is lost. I feel after teaching this period of time, I have encouraged seen students graduate and go on to college. Students who were struggling and receiving special education support proved it to themselves that they could do it.
The Educator: How can others reach you if they needed support or advice concerning special ed ucation?
The Educator: Describe the accomplishment achieved with students?
Dione Daniels: I can always be reached at my email address: dreducate748@outlook.com ,Instagram: Dionewellsdaniels
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