by California Casualty | Educators |
Our Education Blogger is a public school teacher with over a decade of experience. She’s an active NEA member and enjoys writing about her experiences in the classroom.
Helen Keller once said “The highest result of education is tolerance.” Tolerance is the ability to accept and respect other religions, ideas, and races without judgement. Teaching tolerance begins with learning about the many differences in one another and celebrating those differences. We are all different in a variety of ways. Differences can include religion, food, socioeconomic status, clothing, customs, language, and disabilities.
Teaching students to be tolerant of differences in others is a critical piece of an effective anti-bullying program. Often, bullying occurs because of intolerance. We can teach students about tolerance in the classroom by teaching empathy and helping students discover their differences.
Start by teaching students about empathy. Empathy is “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Here’s a quick way to get students thinking empathetically: journal or discuss using “How would you feel if . . .” prompts. Some examples include: How would you feel if you didn’t have a bed to sleep in at night? How would you feel if your parent(s) spoke no English? How would you feel if your family didn’t have a car?
Help students discover their many differences. This can be in the form a class discussion, a survey, graphs, partner interviews, etc. Ask students about the foods they eat at home, what languages they speak, which hand they write with, or if they prefer to wear socks to bed. There are many topics from which to choose that are “safe” for the classroom.
When we teach students to be empathetic, to be aware of their many differences, and to be tolerant of differences in others, we lay a foundation for tolerance. Most importantly, we must practice what we preach.
Be the example you want to see in your students. Talk about tolerance daily in your classroom. Accept and celebrate differences in your school.
Online Resources
Teaching Tolerance
Southern Poverty Law Center
One World, One Heart Beating
Start Empathy
Books that Teach Tolerance (from Scholastic.com)
Preschool
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
When a mouse with an unusual name begins kindergarten, the class learns that “different” can be beautiful.
People by Peter Spier
Spectacular drawings and simple text celebrate the richness and excitement of a diverse planet.
Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra L. Pinkney
Photographs and whimsical metaphors showcase the beauty of different skin tones.
The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss
Seuss spotlights the silliness of prejudice and fear of the unfamiliar.
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
A baby bat with a bird “mother” tries to fit in while preserving her true nature.
Two Eyes, a Nose, and a Mouth by Roberta Grobel Intrater
Rhyming text and photos emphasize the similarities and differences of people’s facial features.
Yo? Yes! by Chris Raschka
Two boys — one black and one white — explore the joys and insecurities of conversation as they learn to connect and communicate.
Early Elementary
All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka
Children of many ethnicities come together to play, laugh, and enjoy life.
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
An African-American gradeschooler longs to play Peter Pan in the school play, but has to prove a black girl is right for the role.
How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman
An American sailor and his Japanese girlfriend try to learn each other’s eating style in secret.
Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni
Friends of different colors bring their families together in an abstract look at the way hues blend.
Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen
A Russian immigrant teaches her classmates the true meaning of “pilgrim.”
Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye
Despite national and language barriers, a girl shares a strong bond with her Palestinian grandmother.
Wings by Christopher Myers
A boy who’s “different” finds the courage to be true to himself and others.
Upper Elementary
The Big Book for Peace by Various Award-Winning Authors
A collection of writing and art that explores peace, war, and conflict resolution across the globe.
Children, Just Like Me by Susan Elizabeth Copsey, et al
Photographs and stories depict the daily lives of children around the world.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Displaced from a life of privilege to one of poverty, an adolescent discovers respect for herself and others.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Lord
A 1940’s Chinese immigrant connects with her new country and classroom through baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
A boy with an extraordinary talent transcends racism in his segregated community.
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Photos, quotes, and her own words describe Ruby Bridges’ integration experience.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
A 1687 Puritan girl risks becoming an outcast in order to help her Quaker friend.
Middle School
Everywhere by Bruce Brooks
Two boys of different races join together to try to help one’s grandfather recover.
The Journey: Japanese Americans, Racism, and Renewal by Sheila Hamanaka
A retrospective exploring the intolerance in America during WWII.
My Heart is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl… by Ann Rinaldi
Forced to assimilate into the “white” world, a Native American girl tries to preserve her past.
Samir and Yonatan by Daniella Carmi
A Jewish teen forges an unlikely friendship with a Palestinian and fellow patient in an Israeli hospital ward.
The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East by Naomi Shihab Nye, ed.
Over 100 Middle-Eastern artists explore life, love, war, and peace across their homelands.
Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
When a young girl plants lima beans in a deserted lot, she grows a sense of community in her multi-ethnic neighborhood.
Witness by Karen Hesse
Sixteen different characters offer their points of view to racial crisis in a 1924 Vermont town.
by California Casualty | News |
There is much debate about what millennials think and do. Many experts have predicted that they won’t stay with a company very long, and with their swift acceptance of the sharing economy, millennials are the generation that won’t buy homes or cars. That appears to be far from reality. In fact, it appears they are tremendously misunderstood.
“That doesn’t match my life at all,” said Sarah W. I’m in the process of buying a home and I see myself staying at this place for the duration. Sarah is in her second year as a customer service advisor with California Casualty.
Elizabeth C. shares Sarah’s enthusiasm. She and her husband have just bought their first home. She is flourishing as a sales consultant. “I just graduated college in December and California Casualty was one of my first picks,” she said. “It really helps knowing the average person here has been with the company 12 years and many have 20 to 30 years of experience. Most other companies have high turnovers and people aren’t happy. Here, people are happy and they enjoy their job.”
Elizabeth thinks she will be with the company for many 
years.
Sarah concurs, adding that she anticipates staying with California Casualty for decades. She loves working with quality people and doesn’t want to be “one of those who say I worked a year here and a year there.” She added, “People are happy working here and that’s why they stayed.”
California Casualty, provider of auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement professionals, firefighters and nurses, is also looking to prove the so-called “experts” wrong about the millennial generation. The company is now hiring in Leawood, Kansas; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Phoenix, Arizona, looking for young, motivated people who yearn for a well-paying career with longevity and stability.
Longevity is the Norm
California Casualty is entering its 104th year as a family owned company. It is guided by the California Casualty Code, written more than 50 years ago, which spells out how clients should be treated. The Code has helped cement long-standing business relationships with the members of the affinity groups that California Casualty does business with.
“I love working for the company because I get to help first responders and American heroes protect their most valuable assets,” stressed Robert H. He can’t imagine working anywhere else, adding, “They treat employees right, and I plan on being one of the long-time veterans.”
Robert and others say it’s impressive how California Casualty values its employees, many who have 25 years or more years with the company.
Deana P. is in her 40th year with the company. What’s the secret to her longevity? “The great culture and so many people living up to the California Casualty Code,” she said. “That and how everyone chips in to help others when there is a coworker in need.”
Steve A., a veteran of more than 30 years, says the family atmosphere is the key. “I like the size of the organization because it allows for individual recognition and there is a sense that individual contributions truly do make a difference. As a privately held company the atmosphere seems less corporate and more personal, and the company is currently headed by a descendent of the founder of the company, who formed the company over 100 years ago. When Beau Brown, our CEO, visits with me, the conversation often involves our families and personal interests. The leadership is supportive, encouraging and professional with ethics being of utmost importance.”
Beau Brown is the fourth generation CEO from the Brown family. He makes it a point to meet and greet as many of the employees as possible. He can often be seen saying hello and catching up with each person, checking to see how their job is going. Providing a quality work/life balance is extremely important to the company, which also allows for casual dress and promotes employee social activities for team members at its service centers, located in Colorado, Kansas and Arizona. Employees are recognized every five years for work anniversaries, and Beau and other Operating Committee executives host and serve an annual lunch at each of the three service centers located in Colorado Springs; Glendale, Arizona; and Leawood, Kansas. Beau feels it’s important that every member of the California Casualty family is thanked and shown appreciation for the hard work they do. The employee-focused approach is resonating with younger workers.
Tiffany L. remarked, “I can’t wait to say that I have worked with this company for so many years. I feel proud to work for a company that lives with integrity and doesn’t just talk about it.” Tiffany, into her second year with the company, owns her own home and cringes at those throwing money away on rent each month.
California Casualty wants to share its promise of stable, rewarding employment with people who value helping those who serve our communities.
And, for members of the younger generation who want to buy a home and drive a vehicle they own, California Casualty is ready to offer a career that can span decades. Are you ready for a rewarding career with California Casualty? Check out opportunities and apply at https://www.calcas.com/careers.
by California Casualty | Educators |
Our Education Blogger is a public school teacher with over a decade of experience. She’s an active NEA member and enjoys writing about her experiences in the classroom.
Organize your classroom on a budget. From labeling to sorting supplies, this list of must-have, inexpensive classroom organization hacks will help get your school year off to a great start and keep it tidy all year:
Colorful Plastic Caddies
Plastic caddies have multiple uses in the classroom. Place materials in them for easy science experiment or art station set up. If your students sit in groups, use the caddies to store necessary, daily utensils and supplies. Use them for art supply storage, math manipulative storage, or to simply organize your desk. I purchased my caddies from Target in the dollar bins ($3 each). I have also seen them at various dollar stores.
Milk Crates
Milk crates are a perfect fit for folders and files. I use one of my crates to store Student Data Folders when we are not recording in them. When I need to lug around supplies, I tend to use a milk crate. When topped with a homemade cushion, milk crates make great seats and benches (see Pinterest for millk crate seat ideas and tutorials). Stack them for use a classroom library (ziptie each crate together for stability and don’t overfill). I found some durable milk crates on sale at Target when all of the college dorm items go on sale.
Binders
Binders are great way to organize just about anything paper-related. Use them to file away your master copies, one binder for each subject or hour you teach. A substitute binder makes preparing for your absences a cinch. Archive student work in student portfolio binders. Store absent work and extra copies in a classroom binder for students to access as needed. Binders also make tracking student data simple. Label your binders with these free, editable, printable binder covers and spines from Curriculum Corner. 
Labels, Labels, and More Labels!
This will help you and your students locate supplies and materials around the classroom in a jiffy! In my experience, if it is labeled, I’m more likely to use it; I simply forget it’s there! I found several free, editable, printable labels on TeachersPayTeachers.
Polka Dot Labels
Black and White Chevron Labels
Rainbow Mixed Design Labels
Brights and Black Labels
Plastic Drawers
While plastic drawers aren’t inexpensive, you’ll see them as a savvy investment down the road. I purchased 4, 3-drawer units and will never go back to my previous method of organization. Label the drawers with each day of the week and place your lessons, materials, and other items for the day inside. Set aside drawers to label as “To Copy” and “To Grade” to help organize your piles of papers. I also use one drawer as the “Emergency” lesson plan drawer in case of an unexpected absence. Plastic drawers are helpful in storing and organizing manipulatives, art supplies, extra work, absent work, and copies for future lessons/units. Don’t forget to label your drawers!
Shoebox-sized Clear Bins
This one is a no-brainer. I never seem to have enough of these around. Small, plastic bins are one of the most versatile organization items in the classroom. Use them to store extra supplies, manipulatives, craft items, and games. Use labels to help identify what’s inside. They are easy to stack and easy for even the youngest of students to access. Dollar stores usually have these, but they aren’t great quality. I go for Sterilite and Rubbermaid brands when I can get them on sale. I also ask for these from parents in my Teacher Wish List at the beginning of the school year.
What are your favorite tricks to organize your classroom on a budget?
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
Coffee and donuts are a cliché associated with cops. But much like surgeons and pilots, officers are needed for their immediate detailed focus and alertness. The lack of either can make a difference between success and failure, life and death.
Along with physical fitness and mental health mindfulness being the largest factors of law enforcement success, hydration must be a daily choice. We all have our vices, like coffee and sweets, but water will give the most benefit, especially if you’re sweating all the time. Replenish, replenish, and replenish. Dehydration not only causes fatigue, but can lower blood pressure, weaken joints, dry mouth, dizziness, and headaches. It’s time to know that it’s something to take seriously and just how important it is to your job safety, and the safety of others.
Hydration improves not only your mental health and physical performance, but also your decision-making skills, brain function, and attention span.
On an average day, men need to drink about 13 cups of water and women 9 cups. Or another way to see it is, drink half your body weight in ounces. If it sounds like a lot, we have ideas on ways into tricking yourself to drink more water.
- Sneak water into your morning routine: If you drink coffee in the morning as soon as you wake up, then drink a glass of water right before your coffee. Studies say to do it in the same space in the same routine.
- Get a water bottle. Get a goal. : First, find a new larger water bottle to carry with you. Next, grab a marker and draw lines across to make as time goals. (See picture). This will create a challenge to see how much you need to drink by a particular time of the day. Bonus: you can also get friends to do this with you too.
- Make it a game: If you friends just got new water bottles too, turn it into a match. Try this. The last person to finish their water bottle by lunch time buys lunch.
- Add water flavors: If water sounds gross or not a craving, add some water flavors to it. It’s another great way to trick yourself to drink water, especially if it doesn’t taste like water.
What ways can you sneak water into your daily routine? Do you know a co-worker or friend who would take the water challenge with you? How about just adding some flavor packets to the water bottle? We can all have a donut and coffees, but first a glass of water.
by California Casualty
Promise to Drive Focused Giveaway from California Casualty Educators You Might Win a 2017 Ford Focus! California Casualty understands the hard work and dedication that all educators put in daily. We also want to make sure that you drive focused. Make the Promise to...
