"Teach Like a Diamond" Dynamic Teaching for Today's Teacher!
Producing Excellent Educators one facet at a time.
A Manual For Teaching after 2020
Kingdom Minded Educator Monthly Prayer Calls
Last Thursday of Every Month- March 28th 7pm EST
I always wondered why Christian Educators didn't come together to pray more. So instead of searching for the space, I decided to create one!
We should have regular spaces to practice our faith on behalf of our calling. Join us once a month for 30 minutes to come together and petition our heavenly father. Feel free to drop your prayer requests in the chat, share them verbally, or leave them on the "Prayer Requests" form below.You can come tired or weary, no pressure to turn your camera on. Let us come together in unity!
My MLK Tribute
"Dear Students, I cannot be your Teacher"
Every year I send my students and their parents this email with the subject line "Dear Students, I cannot be your Teacher". Below is the body of the message:
55 years ago a young woman like me may have said these words to you, or your child.
55 years ago segregation was a legal fact in our nation.
55 years ago a young black woman with 3 degrees was a novelty, or illegal in some places.
55 years ago integrated schools were still considered an experiment.
55 years ago I would be disqualified to teach you simply due to my hue.
55 years ago you all may not have been “allowed” to be friends with each other, ride the same busses with each other, or be in the same room eating with each other without fear of rejection, ridicule, or physical violence.
55 years ago I would be subject to verbal abuse, physical abuse and lynching for attempting to go to school with white children.
55 years ago I would be subject to verbal abuse, physical abuse and lynching for simply attempting to teach white children.
55 years ago my parents would have been subject to loss of employment, dignity, and life for encouraging me to do so.
55 years ago Martin Luther King Jr. have a speech at Riverside Baptist Church here in our city of NYC with the message of the “Fierce Urgency of Now”. He spoke about the problems of poverty, racism and militarism. Are we in a better place now?
55 years ago Martin Luther King Jr. was targeted by the KKK and the US government for wanting equality.
55 years ago the pandemic of COVID.19 was inconceivable, but the pandemic of racism and white supremacy thrived.
55 minutes ago I contemplated and hesitated in sending this correspondence in order to preserve your day off, preserve your emotions, preserve your innocence.
55 seconds ago I concluded that denying my heart and conviction would not only do you a disservice, my dear student; but would be disrespecting the very legacy we pause to reverence.
55 minutes from now you may have forgotten these words.
55 days from now you may forget when Black History Month is.
55 months from now we may not even have this day off ….
But every single day - we MUST stay Resilient, Encouraged, and Empowered to survive, independently and as a community.
55 years from now I will still be the color I am, the gender I am, reflecting on what change can/has been made in 55 years.
55 years from now I will still be proud to have had the privilege and the right to be your teacher.
Dear Students: I will Forever be your Teacher, Your Advocate, and an example of what can happen in 55 years. I do this in hopes that you will have a memory that at least one Black Life matters.
As we continue the work to “desegregate District 3” pause and reflect on your role in this process. If you ever wondered what side of the picket fence you would have been on in 1967 - take a look on what side you’re on today in 2022.
55 years have changed, laws have changed- but have “We the People?”
Can we fix a system that has always been broken?
People of Color in America have been thrust into a journey that makes us demand that America lives up to the beliefs that were written in the Constitution.
Do not take your freedom or education for granted. Trust me my Dear Students- it has NEVER been free…
Mrs. Diamond Emerald Williams (nee Skinner)
(Proud descendant of AFRICANS who were enslaved and tortured for hundreds of years, then were tenacious enough to become AMERICANS who define and defend Democracy.)
MLK arrest. Lest we forget the cost.
MLK photo Courtesy of google images & designed in Canva.
GEMs - God/Good Vibes, Education, Motivation
God: Prayers 4 Teachers
Online Teacher Church! Hymns, scriptures, and prayers for my fellow teachers. Look no further for your online teacher church!
Good Vibes: GEMs
Good Vibes, Education, & Motivation! Weekly GEMS to inspire your Teaching Week! LISTEN NOW!
Let's keep it real!
Education: Tech Savvy Teacher!
How to Zoom Like a Boss!
This Virtual Course shows best practices for Remote Teaching!
Differentiate, Take Notes in New Ways, & Learn how to Slay your Parent-Teacher Conferences!
Motivation: Teacher Don't Quit!
Motivation for Teachers though COVID.19.
This playlist features 82 videos/songs- One for each day since schools closed May 13th, 2020 until the buildings reopened in the fall. Find songs to bring joy to any day! Teachers need encouragement in and out of pandemics. It's right here for you!
Gemstones: Meditations for Students
SEL (Socio-Emotional Learning) for Hybrid Learning: Give your kids 2min of meditation time while you take attendance or breathe! These "Daily Meditations" for students include an African Principle, words of motivation, and 2 min of song to meditate or move to. Videos do not include the day of the week or date in the video itself- so feel free to play the video you and your kids need for the day!
As Featured In...
Podcast with Josh Brown !
Welcome Event for Disctrict 3's UFT !
Connect Beyond with A'Maiya Allen !
Podcast which takes you into the heart behind THE NEW BOOK and the "Shine Brite" Framework!
Connect Beyond with A'Maiya Allen !
Welcome Event for Disctrict 3's UFT !
Connect Beyond with A'Maiya Allen !
Miss Illinois Teen USA 2019, who is now representing at Howard University as a Collegiate pageant winner, spent time with Diamond Emerald and discussed the NEW BOOK. Check out why A'Maiya said, "You're making ME want to be a Teacher" !
Welcome Event for Disctrict 3's UFT !
Welcome Event for Disctrict 3's UFT !
Welcome Event for Disctrict 3's UFT !
WE MADE IT! Listen to Diamond Emerald's intro speech for the End of the Year celebration. This is For You Too! CONGRATS TO US!
About Me
Speaker & Teacher -Equity/Biases/CRSE
I lead Equity and Biases training sessions for NYCTF, the DOE and my home school MS245. I'm a featured Motivational speaker at the NYC Teaching Fellows Welcome events. I've also spoken at events for Teaching Matters and the UFT. I am the "Teacher Motivational Speaker" for District 3. Invite me to come to your school!
Learning Specialist
Teacher 1st- I serve as the Special Educator for all 6/7th graders with IEPs at MS245. My content of focus is Social Studies. I've also co taught ELA, Science and Art. I am skilled at different differentiation strategies for students who are categorized as having learning disabilities as identified in IDEA Law. Here are my colleagues in the SS department.
Teacher Coach
My work with the NYC Teaching Fellows, in addition to my work as a Professor at Hunter College and the DOE makes me skilled at coaching new and developed Teachers to push their practice to the next level! Shine Brite! I help Fellows enter the field, help 2nd years pass EDTPA and help those with sped 5-7 cert get 9-12 certiciation.