I Thought Watching Another Teacher Get Right What I Got Wrong Would Hurt. Instead, It Inspired.

A couple weeks ago, I had one of those days. After writing a whole post about how nice my room is, a post that included…

How We Build a Pipeline of Teachers That Know How to Talk About Race and Social Justice

Nearly 60 years ago, our nation’s students watched as leaders of the civil rights movement pushed back against entrenched Jim Crow laws and re-defined American…

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…

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…

If You’re a Teacher in a Turnaround School, You’ve Got a Friend in Me

I recently spent a weekend with two elementary school teachers. I was not there because I was from their school or even their state—I was…

Instead of Bashing Trump, Here’s the Conversation You Should Have With Your Students

Kids are angry at Donald Trump and the state of politics in America. And they have every right to be. Our president bullies his critics,…

Before I Come to Your Classroom, Let Me Show You Mine

Hi. I’m going to spend the rest of the year traveling to classrooms all over the country and talking about the things we are doing…

When Love Is Grounded in the Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations, It’s the Wrong Kind of Love

Teachers love their students. We see the joy they show every year as students return back to school, despite constant beat downs on their profession…