Literacy of Love with Cari Matejka
Today’s conversation was an extra special one because it was with someone that I have known for a very long time. Someone who we started our teacher careers very close to one another in the same school. And this conversatioin is just such a great reminder that there are people that all of us work with that are doing amazing things. And if we’re curious, if we take time to listen and ask questions, we can learn so much! This week’s conversation is with Cari Matejka. She is a fifth grade teacher and founder of Literacy of Love through which Cari has created a foster home in Uganda that’s mission is to help destitute, abused, abandoned, vulnerable, and orphaned children in Uganda find hope and a future. In this conversation listen to Cari as she explains her mission and all the life lessons and experiences that she shares from her work in Uganda, listen as she talks about building compassion and creating ripples within your classroom, listen as she talks about creating a common vocabulary that students identify with, and so much more.
Topics discussed:
1. We need true and authentic interaction with one another
2. Literacy of Love’s mission is to provide a safe nurturing home, education, and provide sustainability.
3. When you sit with someone and go through something with them it becomes a whole new reality to you.
4. Trust takes time to build.
5. It’s amazing what you can do with very little.
6. The perception of the value of learning matters.
7. Share other’s stories
8. Children will be compassionate if you give them the platform to be compassionate
9. Students want to be involved, they want to help out.
10. Students feel powerful if they can put their care into action.
11. Students will not know any different if we don’t share stories that would open their eyes.
12. If you act interested and care about something they are like sponges and latch onto it.
13. Valuing something and carrying it throughout the year. Language of the virtues
14. Share it, practice it, talk about it - things that matter to you
15. Have a language of your classroom
16. Start the ripple effect right inside your own classroom
17. Positive ways that you can effect the world.
18. If you get one child to care who gets one other child to care
19. Use yourself as an example
20. You cannot put a price tag on the value of human connection - a smile, a kind word, being willing to listen
Literacy of Love website:
https://literacyoflove.org
Connect with Cari:
Instagram: carmatejka1
Facebook: Cari Matejka