As we end the year and continue to build on our foundation, I wanted to take a moment to share how excited I am to be part of THENCE. As co-founder I can attest to every brick that’s been laid and will continue with your communities in mind. I say this with full confidence knowing that though each of our learning communities have their unique differences; we all share the same challenge of not only rebuilding and restoring, but reviving our schools. Just three years post pandemic; we are making up for so much more than learning loss.
Andrea Patterson
Author of this THENCEForth Blog, Andrea is the Co-founder of THENCE, and also Founder of partner company Art of Living Collective which brings in-person applied theater to schools that promotes Social and Emotional Learning and development. Andrea is also an Obie Lifetime Achievement Award winning actor.
So where do we start or rather continue? There’s a quote hanging in my family’s kitchen that my 8 year old daughter read out loud this morning. As she counted the sections of her orange she said, “If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” Though The original author is thought to be Banksy, whose street art pops up quietly overnight ; I was grateful that today, however, it came from my daughter. A little girl who struggled deeply with online instruction at age 5. I listened to her, so happy to have those days behind us.
As we inch closer to the end of the semester and calendar year, a time where we all get to pause from the day to day of teaching, facilitating, devising, and developing; I hope that we can do just that- rest. At THENCE we think a lot about teachers and how these frontline alchemists need so much support. Specifically we think about what kind of support and how to keep it going. One of the things we’ve come up with is to simply share our ideas. Deciding firmly that by sharing our efforts we become a rich and evolving resource.
Recently our founder Dr. Katherine Schlatter had the opportunity to interview Ashley Causey-Golden scholar, thought leader and founder of Afrocentric Montessori in Atlanta, Georgia. As usual, Katherine sent the interview out to the team for review and as I watched I was immediately compelled to share my thoughts with our readers.
Scan to listen
Andrea Patterson recorded this special greeting for the Holiday Wellness Webzine Scan the QR code to listen, or click the link below.
During the interview one of the most exciting things I experienced was JOY. As a teaching artist serving in the schools, I find myself sitting in teachers lounges every day. I listen to teachers as they struggle to make their way through constant challenges.
Watching this interview with Katherine and Ashley, I thought not only is this INCREDIBLE content full of information and perspective, but also HOPE. It has become increasingly true that educators need more resources and infrastructure than ever...but to get a surge for HOPE is rare. This interview is especially for YOU our teachers. May you find rest when quitting feels easier.
The THENCE Team has put this interview and other morsels of interactive media and downloadable classroom activities from our vast library of interactive micro lessons into a webzine to meet faculty, school staff and administrators as they transition from the busiest time of the school year to the school holidays in coming weeks.
Please take a few moments to enjoy this encouraging conversation, and the other interactive media as we launch our "Holiday Wellness" webzine.
Holiday Wellness
Holiday Wellness Webzine is ready to bring discovery and cheer to the classroom in the run-up to the Holiday Season and School Break.
Lastly I want to say a special thank you to all the THENCE PARTNERS who wove so much HOPE into the making of this video. It feels like the missing piece to all the other content out there. I can't say enough how important this is - how vital this is to all our learning communities.
Hope.
Happy holidays everyone!
Warmly,
Andrea Patterson, Co-Founder of THENCE
Founder of Art of Living Collective, a THENCE Partner company