We Have to Teach About What Happened at the Capitol Yesterday

I sat yesterday after school watching the news, Twitter and my email, mortified by the actions unfolding in our nation’s capital (and across the nation),…

Who’s Asking the Questions in Your Classroom? If It’s Not Your Students, Think Again

Teachers often tell their students that there is no such thing as a bad question. It’s true of course—students should never be embarrassed to ask…

I’m Empowering My Students to Lead Conversations About Race

In late September, I began my class with my usual prompt: Is there anything in the news you’d like to share? My students would generally…

We Can’t Avoid Politics. Here’s How to Bring Them Into the Classroom

Only days after the projected presidential results, a microphone unmutes with shuffling in the backdrop, and a doubtful guise on the face of a teenage,…

Even Remotely, I Still Plan to Lead a Student-Centered Second Grade

As we settle into this school year virtually, I’ve been a little nervous, but I am committed to providing my second grade students with the…

The American School System Must Push Back on Fascist Ideas

I am going to share a dirty little secret. For over 20 years, I have been a frequent viewer of “Fox & Friends.” The blame…

‘Black Boys’ Can Help You Reach African American Males in Your Classroom

The week that it was Black History Month, I grabbed two assignments. One from a district that was serving mostly white kids, and they were…

Dear Black Students, Your Freedom Will Not Come From What You Learn in School

The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. Audre Lorde Dear Black Students:  I understand how frustrating it must be to see all the…

5 Ways School Leaders Can Begin to Better Equip Themselves to Deal With the Challenge We’re Facing

One of my mentors begins each interrogative problem-solving conversation with the same question, “Who knew what, when, and what did you do about it?” The…

If We Want Citizens Who Are Critical Thinkers, We Need to Support Them in Becoming Readers and Writers

In March, the National Education Policy Center published a policy statement claiming that policymakers “should realize there is no settled science of reading” and should…