Please read before entering an EdCo Video Call.
The Educators’ Cooperative (EdCo) is a group of classroom teachers who are growing community of connection and support. We have spent the last few years growing and tending to the development of a community of care for all teachers, public, private, and charter.
We\’ve built an essential community to help us all to grow and keep our cups full as we learn how to care for and teach our students and one another. It has become especially important in this time of crisis and great change. Opening up some parts of this community to include any teacher seeking connection is an experiment, and we are learning and adapting daily.
We have some norms and guidelines we are trying for open groups.
* Try to keep your microphone on mute until you wish to speak.
* You\’re welcome to join in the call at any time.
* The first time you share, please let everyone know what and where you teach.
* Share the airtime. Step up, step back.
* Disagree with the idea, not the person.
Speak your truth (knowing it’s only part of the truth) – be willing to take risks and be honest about your thoughts, feelings and opinions, and not just saying what you perceive others want to hear. Honor and respect each others’ truth as their own lived experience. Believe the experiences of (People of Color) POC.
Confidentiality – to support each other in our risk-taking we agree to respect the privacy of each individual’s identity and life experiences. We can share our own learning, but not the names and stories of others.
We welcome all teachers to our calls. If you would like to add your pronouns to your name on Zoom, click your name in the participants list and add them there. This is a personal choice. If someone does not have pronouns listed, please refer to them by the name displayed. If you have any feedback for us on how to make these calls a more welcoming space for transgender, gender nonconforming and gender non-binary people, please let us know.
We are not experts in any one field. Or rather, we are all experts in our own experience. It is our hope that by providing this space, we can learn how to share and hold our experiences together in a manner that is generative and illuminating. Our motto is, “When teachers work together, the future of education is greater than the sum of its parts.” We are so happy you are here!
If you are unable to commit to these norms, our video calls are not the place to let us know – feel free to email me directly at greg@educatorscooperative.com to learn more or discuss.
These norms and ideas have been adapted from Advancing Racial Equity in School Vermont NEA.