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Depressed african child abandoned in a corridor and leaning against brick wall.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers February 17, 2020

First do no harm: Practical ways schools can work against systemic inequities for all of their students

According to Erikson’s fourth stage of his famous lifespan theory of development, when kids reach schooling age, they face the crisis of industry versus inferiority. As we tell our graduate students, this is where teachers and schools have the most influence on students’ social and emotional development, and it’s where they can do the most harm. This harm is especially likely if a student is Black or Latino. We know that both groups are more likely to be verbally reprimanded, expelled, and suspended in comparison to White students.

Pre K - 12 Teachers September 3, 2018

Changing School Culture by Working to Change Existing Beliefs About Schooling

On the first day of school, my sister walks into her child’s second grade classroom to find that there are no desks. There’s one table with four chairs off to the side. A high-top table with a couple of chairs is near the front of the room, and on the other side is a table with no chairs, perfect for standing and doing projects. The rest of the room is dominated by a comfortable couch, an ottoman that can seat four kids, and padded chairs arranged facing different directions. It feels like an activity room, not a classroom, and the students are thrilled with the arrangement.