Stories

Teaching

Here’s How We Can Attract, Prepare and Support Teachers to Improve Student Outcomes

Becoming a teacher isn’t sexy. For one, there is no economic incentive; for many people, completing teacher preparation programs means taking on even more student debt than they already have,...

anti-racism

We're Teaching Black History Month All Wrong

News flash: We have been celebrating Black History Month all wrong. Black History Month (originally "Negro History Week") was started by Carter G. Woodson in 1915. He had a very simple theory to...

equity

Why Are Black Families Leaving Chicago? Maybe They Can't Afford to Wait for Better Schools.

My hometown of Chicago has touted itself as a progressive city for many years. We’ve stood firm in our position as a sanctuary city and recently moved towards the legalization of marijuana—pushing a...

Teaching

More Than Anything, I #LoveTeaching for the Relationships We Build Along the Way

When I divulge to strangers that I am a high school English teacher, I am typically met with skepticism. “You teach teenage brats all day? How do you deal with their attitudes? I would never subject...

California

I #LoveTeaching Because It's So Much More Than What Happens Within the Classroom Walls

I began my career in education 13 years ago, with hopes that I would earn the credentials and experience needed to develop employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. I didn’t really have...

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 shoulders practically had to blink to keep her green...