Teaching
I Made Every Phone Call, Sent Every Email, Text and Tweet So My Student Could Attend the College of Her Dreams
For two years in my English class, we had talked about her dreams of becoming an intelligence analyst at the CIA. Unlike some students, this one’s dreams were realistic. As salutatorian of her...
Teaching
Here's What I Learned When I Sat Down for All the Standardized Tests My Students Take
Many people—not just students—cringe when they hear the word test because it triggers fear in some and anger in others. Educators know that tests are an important part of teaching. I tried hard to...
School Choice
A Letter to Betsy DeVos About My Student Loans
Dear Secretary DeVos, You and I have a lot in common. We're both from the great state of Michigan and have the same Michigan accent. We both have careers in education reform. In fact, we've both...
Teaching
Allowing Teachers to Lead and Collaborate Should Be the Rule Not the Exception
For nine years, I served as the school librarian at Inter-American Magnet School in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Even though there were many talented and experienced teachers there, I often felt...
student achievement
Every Teacher Tried to Get Him on Track But Only This Student Knew Exactly What He Needed
During the first seven months of this school year, I struggled to find a way to motivate a ninth-grade student whom I’ll call Ameer. Ameer is a naturally curious, bright and charismatic young man...
Diversity
Race, Reform and the Firestorm: Reflections on Our Progress a Year Later
One year ago, I excused myself from dinner with friends and returned to my hotel room to blog about my awe-inspiring experience at the NewSchools Summit in San Francisco. After two hours of intense...
