Here’s One Way to Talk With Teachers About Race in Schools

I’m five hours into facilitating a professional development on race for a group of teachers.  Overall, the morning was positive: everyone has remained engaged in…

Here’s How I Know Our Schools Need More Teachers of Color, Like Me

You don’t wash your hair every day? How often do you wash it? Every other week?!” The fifth grader with blonde hair that reached just past her…

Here’s How Teachers Can Support Their Experiences With Data to Improve Schools

Teachers aren’t asked nearly often enough what they think about the issues that are impacting our students, schools and profession. As teachers ourselves in Chicago…

If You’re Serious About Equity, Prove It by Including Leaders of Color at Your School

When I graduated from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education with a master’s degree in school leadership, I was confident I would quickly be hired as…

Our Students Have Incredible Power. Let’s Teach Them to Use It Well.

Juan moved to California from Central America last year. When he first began school, he couldn’t recite numbers in English and could only count to…

Want to Keep Teachers of Color at Your School? Recognize Their Work.

I reread it slower this time, an email sent to 40+ staff members with the subject line, “Congrats and Great Work,” from my principal. The email was…

If Your Students Can Relate, They Can Read, So Give Them Culturally Relevant Texts

As a teacher, I know that to get students learning they must first enjoy the idea of learning. Teaching English language arts may seem easy,…

Don’t Forget, Not Every Student Had Opportunities for Enrichment This Summer

This summer, my students and I learned that blue crabs are really feisty, but mosquitos are even feistier.  For two weeks in June, I chaperoned…

You Won’t Fix Providence’s Public Schools Until You Tackle the Root of the Problem

The recently-published report on Providence public schools, where I teach and where my children learn, contained just one major finding. That finding didn’t have to…

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…