Find Connection in Holidays and Traditions

  This time of year, when many significant holidays converge, reminds me of how traditions foster connection. Last week, I was on a staff call during which Leading Educators team members shared their winter traditions. It became apparent that many of us share traditions centered around similar things…whether that’s food, an activity, or ways we … Continued

Podcast Feature: Unlocking the Science of Reading

Leading with the Head and the Heart “My calling is so that children can one day stand on their own without scaffolds, that children will one day reap the benefits that literacy is liberty, that children will one day be able to teach someone else the power that only literacy can bring.” In recent years, … Continued

Talking to Kids About Racism

When the news breaks our children’s spirits, how will we fuel their hope? When I picked up my daughter from school, the first thing she asked was, “Did you hear the news?” I didn’t need her to clarify. I knew she was talking about a Wisconsin jury’s decision earlier in the day to acquit Kyle … Continued

How to Navigate a Once-in-a-Generation Equity Moment

Chong-Hao Fu is the Chief Executive Officer of Leading Educators, which “partners with school systems to build and sustain the conditions, teaching, and leadership to ensure that the students furthest from opportunity succeed in school and in life.” A former teacher and founding school leader, Chong-Hao is a leading expert in teacher leadership and professional … Continued

Bringing an Equity Lens to Data Reviews: Part 2

Data reviews can serve multiple purposes and may be structured in a multitude of ways. To match the structure and format to the purpose, get clear about what you want to accomplish, how you want participants to show up, and how you plan to use the time. How to use your time When planning for … Continued

Bringing an Equity Lens to Data Reviews: Part 1

Data reviews are an important part of the instructional planning process. They offer educators an opportunity to not only reflect but also put values into practice. Young people bring many different identities and experiences to the classroom. Teachers must then build on those experiences as strengths while providing the right mix of grade-level instruction and … Continued

Not a “Math Person”? Teachers Should Tell You Otherwise.

Expanding Representation in Math Instruction Type “mathematician” into a Google image search. What do you notice? Recently, I asked a group of Charleston-based math educators to follow these directions in a professional learning session and describe what they saw. “Old,” “male,” and “white” were the most common adjectives. Say that instead I asked you to … Continued

Do More with Teacher Appreciation

Since 1984, our country has celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week for five short days to recognize how teachers shape our world. Do a quick Google search and you will see dozens of pages broadcasting limited-time deals for teachers and gift ideas—I happily received my fair share of cards, mugs, and baked goods as a teacher and … Continued

Bridging the gap between antiracist activism and pedagogy

This piece originally appeared on the EDNET blog, an initiative of the Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation. What I teach and how I teach it can either contribute to or deviate from systems of oppression that impact our students of color and their families. That’s the system-level view that Leading Educators (LE), a professional learning partner with my … Continued

Virtual instruction isn’t going away. Let’s make it great.

Demystifying Virtual Teaching Schools face challenging decisions about reopening as the coronavirus vaccine becomes more available. Many education and political leaders have concluded that virtual instruction is a poor—if not harmful— substitute for traditional teaching. However, significant numbers of families and teachers do not trust that in-person schooling will be sufficiently safe. That means millions … Continued