You Can Call It a ‘Lost Decade,’ But I See a Lot of Good Things Happening

WHAT WE GOT RIGHT: The spin never stops when it comes to education and it goes into overdrive with the close of a decade. Amidst all the hype of a lost decade and the need for humility from education reformers, I see a glass way more than half full.…

Here’s Why You Should Be Podcasting in the Classroom

Six years ago, my school, Ames High School went one-to-one and handed every student a laptop. This was a major shift for many of our…

School Choice and High Standards Aren’t Enough, Here’s How We Focus on What Each Student Needs

On an early fall day a few years ago at a local playground, my friend Sarah and I watched as her three children reveled in…

How This Music Program Is Helping Incarcerated Youth Tell Their Stories

More than 60,000 young people are incarcerated in secure facilities, residences and group homes, learning in alternative education settings designed to keep them in school…

Want a Winning High School? You’ll Need a Winning School Board.

In 2016, then-24-year-old Cipriano Vargas became the youngest person ever elected to the Vista Unified School Board in California. After graduating from California State University…

I Didn’t Think Personalized Learning Would Be Right For My Classroom But I’m So Glad I Was Wrong

In my first year of teaching I had the opportunity to teach in a school that was piloting personalized learning. As I got more comfortable…

In 2019, Education’s Getting More Personal, Memorable and Connected Than Ever

A new year brings new possibilities and new enhancements, particularly to educators across the world looking to implement unique techniques and technologies into their classrooms.…

Here’s Why Homeschooling Isn’t Just the Latest Fad, It’s the Next Wave of Parent Choice

What do inner-city Black cultural enthusiasts, suburban Catholics and Silicon Valley techies all have in common? Almost nothing, except that they choose to homeschool their…

Personalized Learning Done Right Can Close the Technology and Achievement Gap

Personalized learning, or personalization, is the idea that every student learns differently, so educators should adapt the pace and instructional approach to meet the needs…

Here’s What Happens When You Incorporate Equity Into Every Part of a School

In 2015, I co-founded Kingsman Academy Public Charter School. We welcome all high school students and center those who are overage and under-credited, who have…