I’m a Teacher Not a Boxer, and I’m Tired of Being Beat Up by My Students

I had a job interview recently. Even though I am pretty well known for my work with older students I was interviewing for a K-2 classroom. There are lots of reasons for the change but there is one reason I have kept to myself. I’m kind of ashamed to say it.…

I Thought I Knew How to Support Students of Color Until I Learned This

A few months into my time as Oregon’s Teacher of the Year I was asked to speak to the largest gathering of teachers in my…

I’m Sick of Being a Token, It’s Time for Some Real Student Voice

With the surge of student activism after the Parkland, Florida, mass shooting, such as student walkouts, students have entered a critical moment: Are decision-makers finally…

Stephen Hawking Showed Us That Every Student Has Hidden Talents, Even Those With Profound Disabilities

Last night, I heard the news of Stephen Hawking’s passing. He and I had been corresponding these past few weeks and I knew he had…

This Story About Justin Bieber and Mac and Cheese Is Why I Love Teaching

I want to tell you a little story about macaroni and cheese and the battle of Lawrence Welk versus Justin Bieber. I could not write…

Teachers, We Are Failing Our LGBT Youth. But There’s Something You Can Do Right Now.

I’m a numbers guy. I love a good debate or emotional plea, but nothing moves me more than good old solid math. If you want…

How States Are Approaching School Accountability

For the most part, what states measure for school quality has already been decided by federal law under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Every state,…

Here’s What I Learned When I Sat Down for All the Standardized Tests My Students Take

Many people—not just students—cringe when they hear the word test because it triggers fear in some and anger in others. Educators know that tests are…

Want to Know If the New Standardized Tests Are Working? Ask the Students.

Few could deny the need for assessments in education. States use them for funding and accountability. Districts and parents use them for comparison. Administrators use…

Her Daughter Was in ELL Classes for Nine Years and She Had No Idea

I’m an education policy expert, but I know that the real experts when it comes to schools are parents. Recently, over 40 parents of public…