EXPLAINED: The Truth About Critical Race Theory and How It Shows Up in Your Child’s Classroom

What is critical race theory? Critical race theory (sometimes abbreviated to CRT) is an intellectual approach to looking at U.S. society with a belief that racism…

We Can’t Protect Our Students From Racism, But We Can Prepare Them to Combat and Reject It

On January 6, when an angry mob stormed the Capitol, I was in the middle of teaching my 7th grade English language arts students about…

Here’s How Culturally Sustaining Curriculum Roots Students in a Legacy of Strength

I started my teaching career teaching music. I’d been a professional musician for a decade—performing, touring and recording jazz and Latin music. With some experience…

Schools Need to Teach the Hard History of Asian Americans

Like so many Asian Americans, I was not surprised when I heard the news that the mass shooting in Atlanta targeted six Asian American women.…

It’s Time to Add Multicultural Literature to the Academic Equation

The teaching population in the United States is 87% white female, the typical educator a blonde or brunette under the age of 35. Dominating the…

My Teacher Didn’t Know How To Be Culturally Responsive, But These Standards Will Help the Next Generation of Teachers

When I was eleven, my teacher divided our class into groups of four to complete a project on the United States Constitution. The three other…

To the People Pushing Back on Culturally Responsive Teaching During Black History Month

A war has been waging in my home state of Illinois, and the battle lines have been drawn. In one corner of the ring—the “uber…

An Inclusive Curriculum Matters All Year Round

Although the United States has always had a diverse population, public school curricula are overwhelmingly built around a white, male perspective. Students are learning a…

Students Don’t Just Study Black History, They Are Black History

*Mic check* (Ahem). Educators: Are you aware that this month is Black History Month? Have you asked your students, specifically your Black students, what they’d like…

You Aren’t a ‘Woke’ Teacher if Your Students Aren’t Learning

The recent “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunion show had me in my feelings. It was great to see the cast again and it was cool…