How schools show up in this work matters now more than ever. — Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in schools and school systems have been a paramount focus for years, garnering attention more recently amidst backlash regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT). As of late July, 28 states have introduced legislation to limit the teaching of racism, bias, ethnic studies, and/or CRT specifically. …

Celebrating student agency, privileging creative ways of thinking, and trading control for vulnerability in our school systems. — For educators, this has undoubtedly been the most trying year of our careers. As we pack up our classrooms (physical and virtual), we look forward to a reset and a fresh start in August. …

“The library card is a passport to wonders and miracles, glimpses into other lives, religions, experiences, the hopes and dreams and strivings of all human beings, and it is this passport that opens our eyes and hearts to the world beyond our front doors, that is one of our best hopes against tyranny, xenophobia, hopelessness, despair, anarchy, and ignorance.” — Libba Bray — There has always been something indescribable about walking into a school library — I can’t help but think about the incredible young hearts and minds that have walked those same halls, and touched those same books. The ethos of a library is unlike the other spaces within school walls. Of…

On asking the difficult questions, leading with empathy, and imagining how things might be otherwise. — As signs of spring emerge and we enter our final trimester of the 2020–2021 school year, it’s natural to begin looking forward in anticipation of what the next year will bring. There have been many significant lessons along the way (I’ve written about these lessons here), but in our state…

Will we disregard this year of remote teaching and return to business as usual, or will we treat this school year as a year of intentional learning? — It has been nearly a year since we closed our schools and began teaching and learning across screens. Our nation and schools have been through turmoil, to put it mildly. Now, numerous districts look to transition to a hybrid model, with some students attending school in smaller numbers and others…

“There are uses to adversity, and they don’t reveal themselves until tested.” — Sonia Sotomayor — Last week, I sat in on a second grade Zoom class and observed students deftly muting, unmuting, and working independently while the teacher coached several on their writing after the class lesson. While so much of the setting looked vastly different than brick-and-mortar teaching (the teacher gently reminded one student…