So obviously what has been going on in the news recently with George Floyd, Amy freakin Cooper and even past stories of Breonna Taylor and Ahmad Arbery are absolutely terrible and weighs heavy on my heart. I wanted to share some social media posts about it. I wanted to write a blog on how these news stories impact our students and what educators can do on their part.

But this weird thing happens in the education world. You are regularly advised to stay in your lane. That you shouldn’t talk about race, religion, or politics. And while sometimes I agree on the last two. I disagree with us, ignoring discussions around race. Literally, racial inequities are impacting students’ education. Ummmm, I’m going to talk about that. How could I not?

What The Business Says

But like I mentioned, a lot of “business” advice I get is to stick to one thing. If your thing is math, just talk about math. It’s even been suggested to niche down. Meaning Math is too broad; pick one thing in math; that’s your jam. That way, you become the “go-to person” in that area. For example, maybe I should promote myself as the “word problem queen”, or the “high-quality task guru”. Ummm, no.

That’s just not going to work for me. You want to know why, because I go against the grain. And I honestly think that’s what makes me a great educator. I can teach fractions like the best of them but also talk about strategies to help our ELL students. Why can I do that? Because I put in the freakin work. And I’m continually growing as a learner and as an educator.

Is It Really That Bad To Be Considered A Jack Of All Trades?

Many have said, “Rosalba, you don’t want to be perceived as a Jack of all trades and a master of none.” You know what’s interesting about that figure of speech is that it was initially “Jack of all trades.” Originally intended as a compliment to multifaceted people. Then along the way parts were added and turned into a negative connotation “jack of all trades, master of none,”
But the full sentence is “Jack of all trade, master of none, certainly better than a master of one.”

My belief is that people should pursue all kinds of knowledge and develop several types of abilities.
Now I’m not implying that I am a Renaissance woman. Even so, being a Renaissance man/woman suggests that people are limitless in their capacity for development. Is it terrible that I view my own education and what I’d like to share as endless? Don’t we give our students that message? What you accomplish is limitless.

Do We Really Just Teach Math?

Let’s get real Math teachers really don’t just teach Math.

As educators we touch on E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! Education is more than just the standards. Part of education is addressing social emotional learning like trauma or self esteem, even gender inequalities, racial inequalities, socio economic disadvantages  etc. This is what our students experience or will experience. These issues are part of education. Until they’re not, right? Until things change. 

So I don’t see my company as the place to get meditation tips on how to deal with exponents (even though it’s called Zenned Math). Diversity is a part of math. Gender is a part of math. Poverty is a part of math. Because they are all a part of the education system. The way I see Zenned Math is that it’s a place that helps you by cutting through the chaos and noise out there and provide some clarity of some of these topics while supporting you along the way. I learn , I test strategies out, modify them along the way, and share them with you.

And you know what, maybe everyone else is right. Perhaps the best business move is to concentrate on one area, stay in that lane, and talk about that one thing until I die. And that very well may work with everyone else. It’s just not going to happen with me.

I care about students’ education and their WORLD. And so much of what’s happening in the world today contributes to their education. I will do all I can, to learn all I can, to help them have a chance at a better life.
It’s not just about the kids. I also care about teachers not being bogged down with BS. I want to help them take the time to concentrate on the one thing that’s going to improve their work. That’s what Zenned Math boils down to.

So this gal right here will not be a one-trick pony. I will go against the grain daily if it means bringing to light the issues that affect our children. 
You may not love all the things I share. You may gravitate towards some things more than others. And that’s just fine. But Zenned Math will be a place of balance. Yes, let’s talk about Area and Perimeter, but let’s also talk about advocacy and diversity.

Well, this transitioned nicely to my next point. Next week’s blog will be about how we can be allies in our workplace and with our students when racial injustices occur.