I am living proof of the OneGoal motto: “College graduation. Period.” I’m a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University (SIU) of Carbondale where I stu
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By the End of My Third Year, I Was in Therapy. We Must Start Taking Teachers’ Emotional Health Seriously.
We all know the female elementary school teacher stereotype, perhaps best portrayed by the iconic Jessica Day from New Girl: bubby, cheerful, exquisitely p
Read MoreIf Your Students Seem Unmotivated, Maybe It’s Time to Go Deep on Why
Most of us don’t think about motivation on a day-to-day basis. It’s when we want to change habits or accomplish something new and bold that we once again b
Read MoreHow Teachers and Families Can Help Students Build Reading Fluency Over the Summer
Summer is a time for trying new things. Summer can also be a time for falling backward on academic skills like reading fluency. Research shows that kids in
Read MoreTo Defeat Implicit Bias, Try Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning is a very powerful practice for accelerating important learning for Black, Brown, and low-income kids. It provides “voice and choice
Read MoreI Knew It Was Time to Leave My Classroom. I Hope 20 Years Was Enough.
Every tough decision comes with some measure of remorse for what could have been. As I finish out my 20th and final year as a teacher and prepare to move i
Read MoreI Knew I Wanted to Teach Kids Whose Backgrounds Looked Just Like Mine’
Nylah Newkirk, Da´Montae Neclos and Dionte Edmonds fall out laughing while describing the unforgettable morning when their math teacher taught them about q
Read MoreI’m One of the Most Well-Known LGBTQ Teachers in the US and I Was Called Out by a Fourth-Grader for Failing to Be Gender Neutral
I messed up today. I messed up, and a nine-year-old called me out. In front of the whole class. That’s right, one of the most well-known LGBTQ teachers in
Read MoreThe Discomfort of White Adults Should Never Take Priority Over the Success of Our Black and Brown Students
“I didn’t come here to teach those kinds of kids.” It’s alarming to think that adults charged with helping students of color succeed in school would hold s
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