This Weekend Students Across the Globe Are Coming Together to Recognize Our Collective Power

November 8, 2016. I was 17 years old. Like all other Americans, I had thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears regarding the election. But because I…

Explaining Social-Emotional Learning to Families Can Be Tough. Here’s Three Things You Should Know.

Eighty-two percent of Americans think it’s very important for schools to help students develop interpersonal skills like cooperation, respect and persistence. Despite this, schools have…

We Don’t Need Saviors, We Need Leaders Who Are Ready to Form True Partnerships With Families and Communities

I’ve traveled a lot for work this year, and as I’ve gone from the mountains of Peru to the rural regions of Haiti to the…

History Is Not a Spectator Sport and It’s My Job to Engage My Students

In March 2007 I was finishing my second month of student teaching at Charters Valley High School in suburban Pittsburgh. I had completed drafting a…

This Transgender Awareness Week, Let’s Create Change, One School District at a Time

As the parent of a transgender child, I’m really not surprised by the Department of Health and Human Services’ recently leaked memo. This attempt to…

When Enrollment Is Declining, Let Communities Decide Next Steps for Schools

Urban school systems all over the Northeast and Midwest are facing declining enrollment and struggle with the challenge of downsizing without shortchanging students’ education. Unfortunately,…

I’m a Teacher and I Stopped Saying the Pledge of Allegiance a Long Time Ago

Good morning students. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the…

Yes, We Need to Fund Our Schools, But Only If We Update This 100-Year-Old Education System

Here in New Mexico, we’re about to get more money for schools, but we don’t know yet how that will translate into better learning for…

How I’m Using My Story as a Homeless Student to Help Students Turn Trauma Into Strengths

By the time I was 15 years old, I was living on my own, and mostly homeless. My parents were undocumented immigrants. I didn’t know…

How My School Blocked Me From Teaching ‘The Hate U Give’

While “The Hate U Give” is a best-selling book and top-rated film, I’m getting some real pushback from my administration about having my students read the…