EDL 640: Module 4

February 17, 2025 

Daily Peace Action: Declutter Your Spaces

When out students come to middle school they often have difficulty managing their lockers and materials. This means that we often have to battle with students to not leave piles of books on windowsills, in corners, etc. For this sessions' peace action, I had students take 3 minutes at the end of class to find their materials and organize them by putting them into lockers.  They helped each other get organized if things didn't fit into the allowed spaces. This made our room less messy but also made it possible to fully open the windows on a sunny day.  It has been very cold and rainy and having some sunshine and the space to enjoy it was regenerative in the middle of the week! 

The perfect AI representation of our clean classroom.

Daily Reflection: The Power Paradox

Following the Day 4 meeting, I found myself deeply curious about the book The Power Paradox. As I began reading, I was struck by how much the book challenged my thinking and offered insights that felt both eye-opening and deeply relevant. It left me reflecting not only on the concept of power itself, but also on how I perceive and navigate power in my own life.

Some of my main takeaways:

• People who perceive themselves as having power often show less empathy and compassion compared to those who see themselves as having less power.

• People with less power often have more health issues and are more likely to experience povery.

• Young people in positions of power, such as being in a higher socioeconomic class, are more likely to engage in shoplifting and risky sexual behaviors.

Reading and understanding the power paradox seems to be important to my role as an educator. Teachers often hold power and influence over their students, and it is important not to abuse that power. Giving a voice to students who may feel powerless is a good way to uplift students and create an environment where everyone feels safe and supported.