It’s a Dangerous Time to Come Out at School. And That’s Why We Must.

Every single teacher reading this needs to come out today. You straight teachers might be asking yourself, “Who me?”  Yes, you.   I invite you…

Here’s How You Can Talk About Christopher Columbus in Your Classroom

When I invite teachers to rethink how they teach Columbus at our semiannual UnColumbus Day Symposium in Philadelphia, many teachers think it’s not for them.…

Yes, You Can Give Teachers Challenging and Culturally Relevant Materials. Just Look at Chicago.

Two-thirds of Chicago’s teachers spend hours on the weekend scouring websites like Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers because they say they don’t have up-to-date, culturally…

New York Talks a Big Game on Gifted and Talented Educational Opportunities, But Illinois Is Doing Equity Better

Attacks against private school options are frequent and fervent, but what happens when public school opportunities become the point of confliction? You may have seen…

They Won’t Just Fix the Schools for Us, We Have to Make Them Do It

Dear parents, Guess what? If you hate your child’s school or aren’t satisfied with the quality of education they’re receiving, you shouldn’t expect anyone to…

Black and Brown Students Can Learn, But You Have to Want to Teach Them

We complain about what’s wrong with the public education system all the time. Admittedly, I’m probably on the long list of tough critics.  Some of…

Want to Help All Students Succeed? Here Are 6 Ways to Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

I recently learned that our building had something really cool happen this school year. A local shoe company donated shoes for students in our building.…

Democratic Presidential Candidates Aren’t Talking About K-12 Education and That’s Why We Crashed Their Debate in Houston

All eyes may be on the third round of Democratic presidential candidates’ debates happening tonight. But let me direct your attention for a second to…

Here’s Why We Must Open Schools to Authentic Parent Partnership

When I taught first grade on the Navajo Nation, I’ll never forget when one of my fellow teachers—now my wife—wanted to host an event that…

If Black Male Teachers Benefit Students, Why Are They Underrepresented?

Two percent and shrinking. It’s a statistic that may seem small enough to be insignificant … until you understand what the number represents. Black males…