Yes, Politics Do Belong In The Classroom

As I reflect on a controversial piece I wrote shortly after Donald Trump Jr. referred to educators as “loser teachers,” I remember one specific comment…

Give Students the Media Literacy Tools They Need to Fix the Internet

Our public square isn’t what it used to be. But, if schools lead the way, media literacy education can help us rebuild civic society.  If…

We Need Native American Lit in High Schools Every Day, Not Just Around Thanksgiving

The romanticized narrative of Thanksgiving continues to thrive in many schools, but “Native Americans have been speaking out and writing back against the colonialist narrative…

Here’s How to Help Your Students Find the Voices Missing From the Traditional Thanksgiving Story

In the elementary classroom, teachers often shy away from teaching a more critical viewpoint of “traditional history” for fear of how this shift will be…

Here’s Why You Should Be Podcasting in the Classroom

Six years ago, my school, Ames High School went one-to-one and handed every student a laptop. This was a major shift for many of our…

Want to Build a Wise, Engaged Citizenry? Read Banned Books in Schools, Especially by Authors of Color

Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison’s words would have made her a literary giant no matter what, but her position as one of our country’s ‘most-banned’ authors…

Reading the Right Books, Not Just the White Books, Will Help Black Students Succeed

Dear Black Students:  I want to tell you something controversial, something different from the messages most people will give you. I want you to know…

How This Music Program Is Helping Incarcerated Youth Tell Their Stories

More than 60,000 young people are incarcerated in secure facilities, residences and group homes, learning in alternative education settings designed to keep them in school…

Starting a Debate Team Helped Unlock My Students’ Potential and It Can Do the Same for Yours

After teaching middle and high school history for almost 15 years, I believe deeply that rigorous history education has the potential to empower young people…

To Defeat Implicit Bias, Try Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is a very powerful practice for accelerating important learning for Black, Brown, and low-income kids. It provides “voice and choice” for the students…