First Person
Teaching Profession
Opinion
We Need More Teachers of Color. Let's Scrap Exams That Keep Them Out of the Classroom
Teacher licensure exams push many aspiring teachers of color out of the profession before they have a chance to start, writes Emery Petchauer.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
For Teachers of Children Living in Poverty, The End of the Year Brings Mixed Emotions
The gap between what children in poverty need and what their teachers are able to give them is too vast for any teacher to fill.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
A Letter to N.C. Students: Here's Why Your Teachers Are Marching
Teachers have tried to tell their state legislators what schools need, and little has changed, writes Justin Parmenter. It’s time to increase the pressure.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Failure Is a Part of Teaching. Here's How to Grow From It
We don’t always approach failure with the growth mindset that we encourage in our students, writes teacher Lory Peroff.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Whole-Class Novels vs. Choice Reading: Why Not Do Both?
The interplay between these two learning experiences helps students grow a love of reading and build stronger muscles to engage with texts, writes Ariel Sacks.
Teaching
Opinion
4 Things Teachers Shouldn't Be Asking Their Students to Do
It’s unreasonable to hold students to the same standards as adults, writes Justin Minkel.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
I’m a Transgender Teacher. Here’s Why I Came Out at My School
"I wanted to pass on a message of affirmation: Believe that people are who they say they are, and celebrate it," writes Sam Long.
Reading & Literacy
Opinion
Explicit Phonics Instruction: It's Not Just for Students With Dyslexia
After a look at reading research, Kyle Redford concluded that instruction for all children should be like that provided to dyslexic children.
Education Funding
Opinion
Teachers Need More Pay, Not Merit Pay
We need to begin by overhauling how we think about all teachers’ worth, writes Ariel Sacks.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Graphic Novels Belong in Your English Class. Here's How to Use Them
Graphic novels are rich in complexity and provide a unique opportunity for literary analysis, writes library media specialist Paige Classey Przybylski.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
A Lesson for Donald Trump Jr., From a 'Loser Teacher'
When the president's son called out teachers for trying to "sell" students on "socialism," Gina Caneva decided it was a bridge too far.
Teaching
Opinion
I Have One New Student. So Why Does It Feel Like a Whole New Class?
It’s not just the new addition who will need you to summon more compassion than usual. Your other students will need more from you, too.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
I Teach Children to Read. But Can I Learn a New Language Myself?
When 1st grade teacher Emily Galle-From moved to Sweden, she was excited to learn the language. But the experience proved hard, and taught her why every struggling reader needs a guide.
Teaching
Opinion
Tricks for Surviving the Mid-Winter Teaching Blues
Winter days and mounting responsibilities can leave teachers feeling depleted after the holidays.