6 Steps Towards Restorative Justice in Your School

In all the talk about the importance of reducing suspensions and other exclusionary discipline practices in schools, one question looms large for most educators and…

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…

5 Things Parents and Teachers Can Do to Teach Kids Critical Thinking Skills

There’s a growing premium on critical thinking. The skill of robust reasoning is increasingly crucial for work—and a successful life. People who know how to…

If We Want to Retain and Recruit Teachers, We Have to Walk It Like We Talk It

I have attended a lot of educator conferences this year. A common theme I heard over and over again is the challenge of teacher shortages.…

Kassie Benjamin’s the Kind of Math Teacher Who Sticks With You Long After You Leave Her Classroom

Here in Minneapolis, the word around town is that South High was designed by a guy who had spent his whole career designing prisons. There…

I Traveled Across 14 States and Every Student Told Me the Same Story About Why They’re Not Motivated in the Classroom

Recently I was in Dodge City, Kansas, at Red Beard Coffee on Gunsmoke Street. I walk up to a guy with a red beard—the owner—and…

The Best Way to Fight Fake News Is With Real Teaching

A couple months ago, I heard a student at my school shout “fake news!” at friends down the hallway. It’s actually a pretty common occurrence…

Coffee Break: New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year Jessica Sanders on What Brought Her to Teaching and Why She’s Staying

Once you become a Teacher of the Year, your life changes. I recently had a chance to talk with Jessica Sanders on becoming the New…

These 4 Tips Can Help Students Learn From Their Mistakes

When we learn to ride a bicycle, we make mistakes along the way, as we figure out the proper balance and speed needed to keep…

Let’s Put The Science of Reading in Teachers’ Hands, So Kids Aren’t Left Behind

Several years ago, I found myself a parent of a struggling reader. My son was attending a very well-regarded NYC public school, but the teachers…