Kelly Baggins is a high school American Sign Language teacher that has a strong passion for language and culture.  She works hard to tailor her teaching to fit her students' needs.  Kelly has the superpower of voice.  She not only calls attention to a language and community that is seldom thought about, but supports her students by providing a safe place for them to share opinions and find comfort in their own skin.  Aside from her various academic duties, she volunteers at the high school as a Link-Crew and GSA counselor.  Kelly gives voice to various demographics in her community that need additional support and guidance.  

Now that we are bouncing back from a pandemic, will education go back to the way that it was before?  Teachers are preparing for a year in an environment that we’re not used to.  Teachers focus a lot of their lessons based on the senses.  Teachers are constantly having to reassess and evaluate their craft.  With no time and new technology platforms teachers are struggling to stay afloat.  It's like we're waiting for the other shoe to drop… what else can 2020 bring?  Education is pivoting and teachers have to be flexible. Now that the children are not physically present in the classroom, how do teachers create a tangible experience in a digital format?    

What is happening with our teens mentally? Are we raising them to be empathetic, good people?  Parenting with children and living in an age of social media is a very delicate dance!  While we want our adolescents to take chances and feel confident about their choices, parents want to instill a sense of responsibility and forethought.  The ‘fight or flight’ amygdala is in a constant battle with the ‘calming’ prefrontal cortex.  This conversation was very educational and I was fascinated to learn about the adolescent brain.  It was a privilege to sit down with this middle school counselor extraordinaire! 

Here are some of the resources Amiee recommended:

• Dan Segal - Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain
• Growth Mindset
• Mindfulness - The Calm App.
• John Moffit - Local