Kids Need to Write More. A Lot More.

Growing up with teachers for parents, my siblings and I were taught that writing is an indispensable skill. We attended rigorous schools and enrichment programs…

No Justice for Kindergartners, Or Any Kids, This Year

Cheltenham School District just released a letter to the community confirming that after months of internal and external discussions, surveys of stakeholders, and feedback from the board,…

Education Advocates Need to Look in the Mirror When It Comes to Equity and Racial Justice

As protests give way to policy debates in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, while a true and full reckoning with our country’s original sin…

Teachers, We Need to Get Our Knees Off Our Students’ Necks

Debate is raging across the country on how to return to school in the fall. The Trump administration, considering their abject disregard for the health…

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…

City Year Offers Schools a Research-Backed Guide to Plan for Next Year

When our students return to school this fall, it won’t be “business as usual” for them—or for any of us. Student success—particularly during this disruptive…

To Teach Black Children Superbly Is a Revolutionary Act

Dear Freedom School Literacy Team 2020, Across the nation, we started the summer of 2020, lighting up the streets with rage. We rage for George…

From West Philly to the Jersey Suburbs, We Can All Take Steps to Change the World

I remember my years at The University of Vermont (UVM) in the early 2000s as days of idealism—passionate people driven with passionate resolve to change…

My Students Want to Learn, But They Don’t Have Access to the Internet

As an educator, I learned early on that relationships are key to learning. I’ve always genuinely looked forward to coming to school, greeting my students…

I Used to Like Dr. Oz, But Now He’s Coming for the Children

Dr. Mehmet Oz says we need our mojo back! This week he appeared on “The Sean Hannity Show” to pontificate a possible plan for the…