This Thanksgiving I’m Thankful for All the Education Advocates Who Make Doing This Work Just a Little Bit Easier

Outrage: Distractions Y’all, I’m irritated. The internet stays failing us and we believe almost everything we see and hear without doing our own research. Over…

If You’re a Teacher in a Turnaround School, You’ve Got a Friend in Me

I recently spent a weekend with two elementary school teachers. I was not there because I was from their school or even their state—I was…

If You’re a Politician and Don’t Have Education at the Forefront, Then You’re Part of the Problem

I recently had the opportunity to join with a few educators in a meeting with a prominent political official in my state to discuss teacher…

Here’s How Teachers Can Help Students Overcome Stereotype Threat

Stereotype threat describes the concept that people are at a higher risk of conforming to negative stereotypes about their social group in situations where they…

8 Million Stories Is Here to End the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Our Black boys aren’t served by the education system. Period. So many of them are sent right into the correctional industry. But that could be…

Helping My Home of Puerto Rico Get Back to School

When I was growing up, Puerto Rico was always my favorite place on Earth. Born in Boston to Puerto Rican parents, I spent my summers…

This STEM Learning Program Shows How We Can Give Every Child a Chance to Succeed

Shayla Toran is a third-grade student who thrives when presented with opportunities to discover how things work. Two years ago, she stepped into D.C.-based Eagle…

How to Save Charter Schools From the Beatdown

There seems to be an organized assault on charter schools. Legal challenges, bureaucratic barriers and smear campaigns all work to destroy their reputation, deplete their…

I Was Lucky to Attend a ‘Good’ School, But What About the Kids Who Don’t

Let me tell you a tale of two schools. As the Georgia Teacher of the Year, I visit countless schools all across Georgia—observing instruction and…

When Educators Act Like Gateways Rather Than Gatekeepers, Students Are More Likely to Get Through College

When I was in middle school, it was pretty clear what my teachers thought of me. I was placed in the slow track, literally named…