Culturally Responsive Teaching

Want a National Effort to Combat COVID Learning Loss? Study Your Black History.
We know all too well Black and brown students in marginalized communities are now bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s effect on schools—with inadequate technology,…

Educators Who Consider Themselves ‘White Allies’ Are Dangerous When It Comes To Developing Anti-Racist Classrooms
“I am a white ally,” the 30 something-year-old white teacher declared emphatically in the diversity and inclusion professional development session. She snapped her fingers to…

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…

Students of Color Are Depending on You November 3. Don’t Throw Away Your Shot.
On the eve of America’s 244th birthday, the critically acclaimed play, “Hamilton,” debuted on Disney+, making the cultural touchstone available to millions in the midst…

School Boards Have Too Much Power They Aren’t Using to Fix Education
Considered me triggered. Again. This past Sunday my 8 Black Hands crew did a show on the missing importance of school boards, and then this article pops…

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…

A Student Who Is Ineffectively Taught by an Anti-Racist Teacher Is Not Receiving Justice
Last Sunday educators, students, and families marched in Philadelphia demanding a long overdue anti-racist action in the city’s schools, insisting that anti-racism “be the overarching…