Philly's 7th Ward

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There’s a Lesson for Educators in the Life of DMX

April 12, 2021
by Rann Miller
7 min read
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Rest in peace to Mr. Earl Simmons, popularly known as DMX. I pray that his soul is at rest. What fascinates me about the life of a person, particularly artists who become celebrities, are the events and moments that fueled the...

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The Lessons Some Parents Hope Their Children Learn During This Pandemic Have Nothing To Do With Academics

April 8, 2020
by Tia Mathisen
6 min read
1 Comment

I’ve always wanted to be a mom. As a teenager, I imagined I would have three kids: one girl and two boys—who would of course be fiercely protective of their sister—and they would share an unbreakable bond. I would be a...

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Coronavirus Will Impact Black and Brown People. Here Are Some Ideas on How to Protect Yourself and the Ones You Love.

March 23, 2020
by Hilary Beard
8 min read
1 Comment

The experts are conveying coronavirus warnings as though COVID-19 will impact Americans equally. More likely, this epidemic will hit the poor of all races and communities of color—and of all socioeconomic...

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If the Teachers of Color at Your School Are Invisible to You, Why Would They Stay?

January 8, 2020
by Keisha Rembert
4 min read
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I reread it slower this time, an email sent to 40+ staff members with the subject line, Congrats and Great Work, from my principal. The email was a glowing account of one of my colleagues’ recent...

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I Was A Pretty Disengaged High School Student

January 14, 2019
by Sharif El-Mekki
5 min read
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After spending a joyous weekend this past fall, at my 30th high school reunion, I reflected on the fact that I was a pretty disengaged high school student, and I don’t mean just a little disengaged either. I loved so many of my...

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It’s Non-Negotiable. We Have to Teach Social Justice in Our Schools.

January 6, 2019
by Zachary Wright
5 min read
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J. Martin Rochester, a professor of political science at the University of St. Louis-Missouri, once wrote an article raising concerns about teaching social justice in schools. Rochester’s problem with teaching social justice...

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LeBron’s New School Helps Put Out a Fire While Jalen Rose Whines That King James Didn’t Invent Water

August 1, 2018
by Sharif El-Mekki
2 min read
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Imagine sharing a loaf of bread with someone who is hungry. Meanwhile, another person with bread is whispering behind you that your compassion isn’t authentic, because, after all, you didn’t actually invent bread. Sounds...

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How a Grief-stricken School Community Tries to Mourn, Heal, and Walk With Resolve

May 15, 2018
by Sharif El-Mekki
6 min read
1 Comment

We held funeral services for one of our teachers three weeks ago. Carl Thomas Korpi was one of our most effective, engaging, and beloved educators in our school. He not only brilliantly taught our students chemistry, he taught...

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I’ve Got Some Extra Teacher Appreciation for Those Teachers Who Are Uplifting Our Black and Brown Students

May 11, 2018
by Sharif El-Mekki
4 min read
2 Comments

This week was Teacher Appreciation Week, one of my favorite weeks. After all, it honors a profession that should be considered one of the most important vanguards of our communities. They have one of the hardest and most...

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  • Accountability
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  • Equity and Justice

If You’re an Educator Who Thinks We Need to Hold Parents Accountable, You Need to Do Some Soul Searching

April 17, 2018
by Sharif El-Mekki
4 min read
3 Comments

Time and time again, I’ve heard educators say that the lack of parental engagement in their schools is what is holding them back. But, when I listen to families, in Philly or Chicago or any other urban city, I hear about the...

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