Have you met Valerie Groth? She is a committed Chicago educator and community leader whose work is making a meaningful difference for young people across the city. As a teacher and Chicago resident myself, Valerie’s initiative resonates deeply. Chicago is a vibrant, culturally rich city, but persistent community violence has created urgent challenges for families … Read more

LinkedIn has named Robyn D. Shulman the #1 Top Voice in Education, recognizing her influence and consistent contributions to conversations about teaching, learning, and innovation. With a following exceeding 200,000 education professionals, parents, and entrepreneurs, Shulman uses her platform to highlight the intersection of education and entrepreneurship and to surface practical ideas that support teachers, … Read more

By Leilani Cauthen Hoarding Is Out, Sharing Is In Understanding the essential differences between generations is crucial for effective staff management and for grasping the evolving education landscape and its career implications. The divide between pre-digital and post-digital generations centers on values and expectations—particularly around information, authority, and the practice of sharing. When Tim Berners-Lee … Read more

Discovery Education Releases Practical Guide for Cultivating Student Curiosity Discovery Education is offering a new, free resource to help educators place curiosity at the center of teaching and learning. Titled A Practical Guide for Cultivating Student Curiosity, the guide outlines clear, classroom-ready approaches to awaken and sustain learners’ natural inquisitiveness. The resource is designed for … Read more

Don’t go to jail for Ed‑Tech. Quid pro quo arrangements can have serious legal consequences. By LeiLani Cauthen Pay‑to‑play events in the Ed‑Tech sector remain a persistent problem. Various organizations — some quasi‑public, some for‑profit — continue to invite school superintendents and other district leaders to resort‑style meetings, covering travel and lodging and sometimes offering … Read more

By Jamie Bricker and Jack Barclay Balancing End-of-Year Management and Long-Term Leadership The role of a principal is always multifaceted, but no time demands more simultaneous attention to short-term management and long-range leadership than the closing weeks of the school year. Decisions made now affect the successful completion of the current year and set the … Read more

By LeiLani Cauthen Technology now dominates discussion about education. It can close gaps in language learning, widen access, and automate feedback so precisely that systems can pronounce words for a student, correct pronunciation and context, and allow private practice without embarrassment. On-demand apps can connect learners with native speakers anywhere for immersive practice. Language learning … Read more

Guest article written by: Maria Wang My journey into teaching began in November 1993 when I became a volunteer literacy tutor. Trained as an English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor, I worked one-on-one with adult learners from many countries who arrived with little or no English. Those early volunteer hours were both humbling and … Read more

By Mike McGown News and updates that affect a school district can quickly turn into a game of telephone. A small incident can spark a bubbling rumor; a larger event can generate widespread confusion. Without a proactive communications strategy, misinformation spreads fast and leaders end up firefighting perception instead of guiding it. A more effective … Read more

Guest article: Jill Drum When my son was one year old, he loved taking video cassettes out of their boxes. To encourage him to help clean up, I would ask him to hand me a tape. If I picked up a Barney box, he would hand me the Barney tape from a jumble of twenty. … Read more