Many school leaders see teacher buy-in as a prerequisite for implementing meaningful change. But professor of educational leadership, Robert Feirsen, argues that the emphasis on buy-in overshadows a deeper and more community-driven form of participation among teachers--psychological ownership--that facilitates more effective school improvement…

These three practices can help educators align their school's professed beliefs with its actions. Do your beliefs about social justice align with school policies and student experiences? Are you examining social justice on a systems level and drilling down to the root causes of disparities in student learning and success? Erica Buchanan-Rivera…

In a candid conversation, two preeminent education researchers discuss the state of the field and their own methodological differences. Matthew A. Kraft, an influential education scholar and former K-12 teacher, talks with John Hattie, renowned author of Visible Learning. They debate their different viewpoints on effect sizes, discuss how evidence…

A veteran educator tells stories of four children she taught who each struggled with trauma and were at risk of disconnecting from school and sliding into tragic life outcomes. She shares lessons she learned from reaching out to each child and general lessons about helping students with trauma--including to never go it alone.

Authors and education consultants Jane Kise and Ann C. Holm explore how teachers and leaders can treat challenges facing their schools as "polarities" which require regular work and attention to the needs of the entire community, as opposed to quick, one-time fixes. This approach not only provides more effective solutions to ingrained…

Perhaps the greatest tragedy to come from COVID-related distance learning would be "not" learning from this experience to improve teaching when teachers and students physically return to classrooms. A robust discussion of the evidence of success during this pandemic school could be a major boost to the process of teaching and learning.…

Educators can take specific steps to better connect with and support newcomer families. Long-time teacher of newcomer students and English language learners-and now a consultant and founder of Diversified, Louise El Yaafouri explains what educators and schools need to be aware of and ways they can sensitively connect the families of newcomer…

It's hard to imagine anything more devastating than a deadly shooting at a school. The setting (often thought of as among the safest places in our communities) and the ages of both victims and perpetrators are particularly troubling. The intense media coverage that typically follows a school shooting reinforces how disturbing such events are. As…

Determining the who/what/why/where/how of a cruelty incident in schools is crucial to determining context--is the act an isolated incident or bullying? But how do you determine that when the incident occurs online? Englander discusses the complexities behind determining context in cyberbullying and highlights new research in the area for how…

Educators should take care to make all students, especially immigrant students, feel safe and welcomed in their schools. Garibay outlines several ways that educators can build relationships with their immigrant students and their families, including home visits, informative community talks, providing know-your-rights information, and advocating…

When we feel like we matter, we can do our jobs better and feel more fulfilled. For educators, this can make the difference between staying in teaching or leaving. Researchers Shelly Wilfong and Ryan Donlan look at eight elements of the concept of mattering and how they can enhance a teacher's sense of efficacy.

By the year 2045, demographers project that the United States will become a minority-majority nation--and in our elementary schools, this shift is already playing out. With these demographic changes also comes shifts and segregation in our neighborhoods--the compositions of public schools are strongly linked to individual housing choices, and…

Innovative teaching means the teacher is the creator, but unfortunately it does not necessarily mean the same for the students. Innovation is not just "doing" something new; it is "thinking" of new ways to improve a product, a method, or an idea. How can educators teach students to become better innovators themselves? This…

K-12 educators often face the dilemma of how to respond to a student who makes a threatening statement. They must decide whether the threat is credible and the student poses a real danger, as well as how to respond to keep everyone safe. In such situations, a team of professionals often does a "safety assessment" to learn more about this…

Authors William H. Parrett and Kathleen M. Budge, who work with high-poverty schools and have researched their success, share key elements of such schools' "transformational journeys." Even during the pandemic and its aftermath, some high-poverty schools have kept building their staff's capacity and confidence and gradually lifted…