Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1426376
In the Know CALENDAR December 2020 / January 2021 J A N . 2 5 â 2 9 , 2 0 21, is The Great Kindness Challenge Week. Edu- cators can distribute checklists to students in grades pre-Kâ12 with challenges to complete 50 acts of kindness, such as learning to say hello in a new language, sitting with a new group of kids at lunch, helping a younger student, and picking up trash on campus. It's free and easy, helps prevent bullying, and creates a culture of kindness. Sign up at thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/schooledition. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service I N 19 9 4 , Congress designated the MLK holiday, first observed in 1986, as a national day of service. Make Jan. 18, 2021, a "day on, not a day off " for your students. Encourage them to serve their community by, for example, helping clean and beautify parks and neighborhoods, or volunteering at food banks. Find ideas and opportunities at pointsoflight.org/mlk-jr-day-of-service and oaklandca.gov/topics/mlk-day-of-service. Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Jan. 30 celebrates Korematsu, who was jailed as a young man for defying the WWII internment of Japanese Americans, which he contested as unconstitutional. He was finally vindicated in 1983. Teach students about him and why speaking out against injustice is so import- ant. Find curriculum at korematsuinstitute.org. Happy 2021! 2 0 2 0 I S A Y E A R that has tested us in multiple ways. Big challenges remain for educators â to reopen schools safely, adjust to new ways of teaching and learning, and adapt to a new normal, whatever that may be. But we've got this! Let's celebrate our can-do spirit, infectious optimism, and inspiring dedication to our students. Here's to a bright and healthy 2021! 8 cta.org