When We Talk to Our Students, Let’s Focus Less on ‘Learning Loss’ and More on Their Learning Leaps

In the winter and spring of 2021, as the year of remote and hybrid learning continued, I started to notice a drop in attendance, particularly…

The Rush to Reopen Schools Comes at a Price for Marginalized Students

The growing demand to reopen schools echoes across the country, supported by billions of dollars in federal funds to help schools “build back better.” States…

Special and General Education Students Can Coexist and Benefit From Each Other in a Safe Learning Environment

“Ms. Green, did you know that I have autism?” Andrew asked as I discussed our new lesson, “Communicating with Persons with Disabilities.” I was stunned,…

We Can’t Protect Our Students From Racism, But We Can Prepare Them to Combat and Reject It

On January 6, when an angry mob stormed the Capitol, I was in the middle of teaching my 7th grade English language arts students about…

I Know What the Challenges Are for Black Teachers and How to Start Fixing Them

I will never forget the moment last year when a seventh-grade African American student came to my door and said, “Mr. Taylor, I just wanted…

We Learned a Lot About What Our Students Actually Need This Year. Now We Must Do Better.

We have all been steeped in the vivid, traumatic consequences of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with regard to a year of disrupted learning for…

My Students Deserve to Share Their Stories On Their Own Terms

I found “The Bluest Eye” on my own in my older sister’s classroom books. I was in ninth grade. I can’t remember what I thought…

Biden Is Right, We Need Kids to Go Back to School But Not Like Before

On March 13, 2020, when Governor Newsom shut down schools in California including in LAUSD where my son is now a senior, I held my…

The Only Cure for White Supremacy Is To Teach Students Real American History

On January 6, as my students were learning about the history of trench warfare during World War I, I had no idea that our own…

We Need to Provide Gender Identity-Affirming Mirrors for Our Youngest Learners

J, a seven-year-old boy in my classroom, was bright and energetic, always wanting to help and always starting the day with a smile. J liked…