Want More Student Activism? Be Ready to Listen.

The weeks preceding the holidays are busy for any school principal. There are evaluations to be completed and parent events that require attention. Yet, in…

A Teacher Asked About My Child’s Hopes and Dreams and It Changed Everything

As a child in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, I did not have a good experience in school. My teachers did not understand my ADHD, and I…

Here’s How Cutting-Edge Charter School Leaders of Color Engage Families for Student Success

For decades, parents and charter school administrators have cultivated best practices to build inclusive, welcoming and student-centered school communities across the country. From single-site schools…

How to Teach About Impeachment Without Pissing Parents Off

Times are tough for social studies teachers. We are living in a historic moment no matter which side of the aisle, but teaching controversial and…

Given the Conflict of Visions in Education, Who Can We Trust?

In his book, “A Conflict of Visions,” Thomas Sowell describes the common disagreements we see in politics today as being rooted in the “different visions…

A Calendar, a Plan and Friends Can Make Unexpected Time off Rewarding and Productive for Your Kids

Gil Gibori recently launched The House Tutoring Lounge, a space in Chicago’s northern suburbs where teens can study, prep for college entrance exams and socialize,…

Thank God for Parents Who Refuse to Be Gaslighted by the Failing Education System

Last week I attended a community town hall in Nashville organized by my friend Vesia Hawkins, a relentless and faithful community servant who brought together…

Parent-Teacher Conferences Might Suck, But We Still Have to Show Up

David McGuire, a school leader in Indianapolis, asked the Twitterati this week what does it take to get parents to attend conferences with their children’s’ teachers? I…

Every Parent-Teacher Conference Should Look Like This

I have a confession to make. I am an educator who doesn’t enjoy participating in parent-teacher conferences as a parent. Our son is a junior…

4 Tips for Parents to Get the Most out of Parent-Teacher Conferences

Many schools are preparing for their first conferences with parents. Unlike Back-to-School Night where parents receive general information about the school, a conference with your…