I Got Rid of Course Requirements for My AP English Class and I Don’t Regret It

“So you’re just going to let anyone into your AP English class?” she quipped with sarcasm and snark.  “Uhm … yeah,” I responded with cool…

Black Teachers Face Extra Scrutiny While White Teachers Often Get a Pass

When we hire White teachers, their quality is generally assumed rather than questioned. But when we look at Black educators, their quality is generally questioned.…

4 Tips for Parents to Get the Most out of Parent-Teacher Conferences

Many schools are preparing for their first conferences with parents. Unlike Back-to-School Night where parents receive general information about the school, a conference with your…

Your Voice Matters. Your Students Need You. Speak Up.

I had a classroom with three walls when I first started teaching. A bookshelf separated my classroom from the neighboring one. My students ranged from…

She Has a Plan for Everything, So Where Is Elizabeth Warren’s Plan for K-12 Education?

I love a woman with a plan! And, Senator Warren, it seems like you have a plan for just about everything. There are currently 50…

If You Are Latina and They Say You Can’t Achieve, I’m Here to Say Si Se Puede!

As a sixth-grader, I stood near my new school’s entrance, trying to find solace in a corner. It was my first day attending school in…

The ELL Population Is Growing, But Where Are the Teachers to Help Them Excel?

Your first year of teaching isn’t usually filled with victories, but I’ll never forget the brightest moment of mine. It was a Friday in early…

We Can’t Just Teach About Heroes and Holidays and Call It Culturally Responsive

In a recent training on culturally responsive teaching, I was introduced to a theory called the “Stages of Multicultural Transformation.” It goes something like this.…

This Fight Isn’t About Charter Schools, It’s About Justice for Our Students

“We’re in the fight of our lives,” according to a number of chartered public school educators with whom I met at the recent National Alliance…

Effective School Discipline Starts With Your Classroom Culture

School discipline will always be a hotly debated topic. As an advocate, I have argued for more proactive, inclusionary practices that address prevention rather than…