The Stories Blog

Native American Heritage Month

When Disney’s 'Frozen II' Represents Indigenous Peoples Better Than Elementary Schools, There's a Problem

As I sat with my 7-year-old daughter and her friends in a movie theater for a showing of "Frozen II," I was fascinated. No, it wasn’t with the autumn scenery, or Olaf’s comedic retelling of the first...

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Chicago

I’m Teaching My Students How to Read and Think Beyond the Headline

We’ve all been there. A tempting headline, a picture too startling to keep our fingers at rest. We skim through the article. We write a quick caption and click share. We later realize there’s more to...

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Civil Rights

Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Most Effective Cabinet Member? The Answer May Frighten You.

Two winters ago, Kaitlyn Kirk, one of my premier students, came into the library with her eyes glued to her phone. Headphones in, she sat down focused on what I thought was “Fortnite” or “Game of...

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Chicago

Here Are Three Reasons for Chicago Public Schools' Success

With Chicago’s school closings, enrollment declines, funding issues and problematic special education reforms dominating the headlines for the past five years, it’s difficult to trust the research...

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Achievement Gap

Here's What Trump's Words Actually Mean to My Students

As a Chicago public high school English teacher and teacher-librarian for the past 14 years, I often give my students famous speeches to analyze. As I listened to President Donald Trump’s first State...

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