“Our people have made the mistake of confusing the methods with the objectives. As long as we agree on objectives, we should never fall out with each other just because we believe in different methods, or tactics, or...
Category - Let’s Talk About It
“I have experienced a lot, but that doesn’t define all that I am.” -High School Student Many students across our city and country experience trauma that is pervasive and unrelenting. Often these experiences go unspoken and...
“After 30 years of doing such work, I have concluded that classroom teaching…is perhaps the most complex, most challenging, and most demanding, subtle, nuanced, and frightening activity that our species has ever invented. The...
I often wonder what it will take for Black children in our communities to attend high-performing schools. According to many anti-school choice opponents, the only choices that Black, Brown, and poor families should have a right...
There are not many who choose to stand up for children. It’s just not that type of country. We are known as a place that promotes democracy, yet places kids, especially Black and Latino children, at risk. Despite what people...
Much has been said about the need for more diversity in our teaching force. I have written about it here, here and here. The US Secretary of Education, HBCU presidents and others have also pushed our country to diversify. Also...
The morning after the election, Philadelphia was fresh off a six-day public transit strike. Now our students, who had demonstrated high levels of grit and resilience to get to school despite the lack of transportation, were faced...
There is a lot of anxiety developing around the country about the lack of teachers in the pipeline and the rate of resignations amongst current teachers. Admittedly, some of the numbers are contextual-states may have an abundance...
Although I have almost 15 years as a principal under my belt, I entered the profession almost kicking and screaming. It wasn’t that I didn’t think I would enjoy the principalship. I had a healthy level of self-efficacy and I...
My fervent desire to serve my community is what led me to a career as a teacher. But, it was anything but a straight path. I have previously alluded to one of the main reasons I ended up choosing teaching as my desired profession...