Dear Morningside Center Friends,

Below you'll find a new blog post about honoring Native Heritage Month, as well as activities to highlight gratitude and appreciation in your classrooms.

GivingTuesday is less than three weeks away. Follow us on social: Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram to see how we are celebrating YOU and Giving Back.

And we're kicking off our December workshop series with Self-Care & Communal Care for Adults on December 3rd—get your tickets now!

Thanksgiving is Celebrated During Native Heritage Month. How Will You Honor the Day and the Month?

This month, join all of us at Morningside Center to learn together in gratitude for all that Indigenous Peoples from the lands of the Eagle and the Condor provide. We urge you to consider these fantastic lessons about Native peoples FROM Native peoples, and enrich your libraries (home and school!) with beautiful books from First Nations authors AND publishers! Read more.

November Gatherings

In case you missed it, we're sharing a gathering (a prompt or mini-activity) each weekday in November! These gatherings are a way to kick off your day, see how your students are feeling, and build community. You can see them every morning on Instagram, Facebook, or Bluesky! 

Also, just a fun note, Morningside Center pets are starring in our Friday "how are you feeling" gatherings!

Featured on TeachableMoment

Gratitude & Appreciation Roundup

It's National Gratitude Month! Here's a collection of classroom lessons and activities focused on sharing appreciations and gratitude that you can use to celebrate this month, or anytime!

For the Holidays: Handle Feelings by ‘Naming to Tame Them’  

The holidays can be a stressful time. Here are some simple steps to help us and our students handle heightened emotions - now or any time. 

December Workshops

We heard you! More workshops are coming in December—AND they’re later in the day, and take place on various days of the week. Thanks to everyone who answered surveys, and we will see you there!


• Self-Care & Communal Care for Adults (12/3)
• Understanding the Adolescent Brain (12/9)
• Exploring the Range of Emotions (12/11)

What We're Reading

Mamdani wins mayoral election. Here’s what it means for NYC schools.

"Mamdani has echoed criticisms that mayoral control gives little say to parents and educators on decisions that directly affect them. He has promised a system of 'co-governance' with existing parent councils and school-level leadership teams, though he has offered few details on how that would work."

By Amy Zimmer and Alex Zimmerman at Chalkbeat

NYC paraprofessionals are fighting for a $10,000 raise. City Council is listening.

The fight for better pay for New York City’s paraprofessionals, the classroom aides who work alongside students with disabilities, will take a key step on Thursday that could make raises a reality before the end of the year.

By Michael Elsen-Rooney at Chalkbeat

“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." 

—Lilla Watson (Murri, Gangulu) visual artist, activist and academic