We Can Make Middle School Less Awkward, Here’s How

Many of us remember the uncertainties of being 12 or 13 years old; an evolving sense of self, increased prominence of peers and social dynamics…

This Mom Raised $20K to Help Wipe Out Student Lunch Debt in Her State

Kate Lacroix is a mom from Boulder, Colorado. She has spent the last few months living her motto, “The need to feel nourished is universal.”…

XQ’s 19th Super School Is an Oakland Diverse-by-Design Charter High School Founded by a Local Teacher

Today, Latitude High School becomes the 19th XQ Super School, and receives a five-year, $10 million grant to further its innovative work deepening students’ connections…

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…

Why We Need to Stop Thinking About Students in Terms of Strengths and Weaknesses

My son is a freshman in high school and this felt like my first report card pick up all over again. While I have access…

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…