Teaching About Race Does Not Make You Un-American

“The Holocaust was an atrocity.” This was the example I gave my eighth graders as we were learning our words of the week. And with…

No English Teacher Gets to Tell Me How to Understand Toni Morrison

This week, the entire nation is mourning the death of writer Toni Morrison. Book lovers of all races, ethnicities, genders and sexualities recognize the genius…

What If Black People Had a ‘Green Book’ for Finding the Schools Our Kids Deserve?

Black families should not be forced to choose between schools that challenge them academically and schools that nurture and love them for who they are.…

How Do We Bring Magic Into the Classroom? Georgia’s New Teacher of the Year Shows the Way.

For 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year Tracey Nance Pendley, the road to teaching was not easy. Pendley’s mother was a drug addict who was…

Here’s Why President Trump’s Tweets About ‘The Squad’ Are Nothing New for Black Women in Education

On Sunday, the 45th president of the United States told four congresswomen of color to “go back” to the countries from which they came.  ….and…

Here’s What I Wish White Teachers Knew When Teaching My Black Children

Dear White Teachers of My Black Children: I am a Black mom and I have two children who are now in high school. Raising them…

Ava Duvernay’s ‘When They See Us’ Is Unfolding Right in Our Schools

When you see them, they may be laughing, talking loudly, listening to music that is not your music. They may be dressed in clothes that…

Having a Mock Slave Auction Isn’t Teaching Students About Slavery, It’s Just Racist

As an educator, I am sometimes left with more questions than answers. One question that I have is how come conducting a mock slave auction…

If Your Students Seem Unmotivated, Maybe It’s Time to Go Deep on Why

Most of us don’t think about motivation on a day-to-day basis. It’s when we want to change habits or accomplish something new and bold that…

Dear White People: When it Comes to Educational Equity, You’ll Have to Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

Is the public school system rooted in White supremacy culture? Damn right it is. And This brings me to question why teachers in New York…