My School’s Dual Language Immersion Program Helps Immigrant Students Blossom Into Leaders

It’s the first week of the 2018-19 year in my second grade classroom at Munger Mountain Elementary School, and one girl sits apart from the…

Here’s How Teachers Can Help All Students Thrive, Even After Trauma

Fall has always been my favorite season. Having the opportunity to join hundreds of educators at the recent LEAP InnovatED Summit, just days before most…

When a Student Says, ‘The President Is Going to Take My Parents Away’

In my fourth-grade classroom in Houston, Texas, the morning after Election Day 2016 was quiet. As students filed into the classroom, I asked them to…

A California Charter School Gave Me a Lifeline. Don’t Take That Away From Other Students.

If charter schools had been an option when I was young, I believe my mom would have been wise to choose them for me, given…

Teachers Can’t Take Care of Their Students If They Don’t Take Care of Themselves First

I remember vividly the first time I put my head on my desk and cried during my lunch period. The bell to end the fourth…

By the End of My Third Year, I Was in Therapy. We Must Start Taking Teachers’ Emotional Health Seriously.

We all know the female elementary school teacher stereotype, perhaps best portrayed by the iconic Jessica Day from New Girl: bubby, cheerful, exquisitely put-together, good,…

Social Emotional Learning Needs to Become How We Do School Not Just Another Thing We Do at School

Earlier this month, the fire alarm went off at my school as students were entering the building in the morning. For most people, this signifies…

Our Students’ Truth Matters and We Must Listen

As an English teacher, I encourage students to take risks as they dive into learning and embrace failure. I encourage them to share their struggles,…

How Educators Can Keep Their Kids Stress-Free and Learning

Trauma is a silent, but very prevalent problem in the classrooms of today. In fact, recent reports by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services…

Even in Death, Black and Brown Students Are Dehumanized

In my second year of teaching, I had a notorious student we’ll call Israel. After the first day of class, we sat down and discussed…