I am a native Washingtonian, born and raised in Anacostia, D.C. I went to DC Public Schools (Ketchum Elementary and Kramer Jr. High in SE and then to Banneker Academic High School for high school). Back in the 70’s and 80’s, D.C. was definitely “Chocolate City.” My...
I don’t have an overwhelming need to surround my kids with people who look just like them. I believe that kids should be familiar with all types of people, customs, and cultures. Children’s perceptions of other people and cultures should not be solely from the...
I sometimes think about how things might have turned out differently for my son if I knew 21 years ago what I know now about the resources available to children in DC’s public schools, the rights I have as a parent, and how I could use my voice to improve his...
The criminalization of Black kids in schools continues with a new disturbing story coming out of Florida. A middle school student there was recently arrested in a "disturbance" resulting from his refusal to stand for the pledge of allegiance. On February 4th, the...
It’s February which means its Black History Month. It’s the time of the year in which we focus on the often-forgotten contributions of black Americans. Schools all over the country are rushing to cram lessons and programming into their schedule. This is a good thing,...
The following ten intangibles of good teaching are in no particular order. However, feel free to prioritize based on your needs. 1). Be reflective in your practice. It takes teachers at least four years to learn the curriculum, and become good at managing students. In...
I have five areas of certification on my teaching license, and one certification happens to be library/media. This school year, I transitioned into a new role as an elementary library/media specialist. Although I love my new role, I am fully area this job is hard to...
I’ll never forget the interaction with a parent of two boys who came to a school closure meeting to have her say about our district’s plan to shutter what looked like a failing school. I was suit-and-tie school board member full of school reform vigor. She was a...
With a tentative agreement in place following a marathon bargaining session and three days of striking, Denver educators returned to their classrooms today. The teacher strike makes Denver the latest city to see educators hitting the picket line as a wave of similar...
Ayo Scott is a New Orleans painter who can teach us all something about the importance of connection, community and art as education. I first met Ayo at a community paint day at Xavier University. The room was crowded and bustling with art amateurs of all ages who had...
