In our quest to provide diverse and inclusive texts to our students, we must also be intentional about how we use texts that address social inequality issues. If we use our lessons to only focus on the characters or the craft, we miss an important opportunity to help them understand the world around them. When we lean into the complexity of a book, young people can be exposed to tough...
Of course, educators want students to develop into lifelong readers and learners. We want our students to find genres, authors, series, information, and perspectives they are eager to dive into. We also know that the minute we assign something or grade something, it reduces our students’ motivation. So how do we show our students we value their journey into reading for enjoyment without...
STEM and social justice are deeply intertwined. When we show students how STEM can be mobilized in ways that can help (or harm) groups who have been marginalized, we are doing more than just teaching skills, we are planting seeds for social change through STEM. While it is increasingly common for STEM classes to include projects about solving real-world problems, when you apply a social...
One of the myths of making that I addressed last month was if you want a makerspace, you need expensive tools. Low-tech tools and recyclables are some of my favorite materials. I find that it can actually be less constraining for students than some robotics and other electronics. It also provides them with a much lower barrier to entry—just about anyone can make something with...