Recently, I revisited my favorite spot for acupuncture, a place that always feels like a reset button for my mind and body. During my conversation with the doctor, I shared something I’d been reflecting on: after a trip to Hawaii, I experienced an in...

In October, I facilitated a session on Reaching Students Who Are Experiencing Poverty in Illinois. We discussed how poverty impacts the brain and learning. We explored ways teachers can foster positive relationships with families and students experie...

Three days ago, one of my teenage boys asked me if I had heard that Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) was a guest on InfoWars. This far-right-wing political site espouses conspiracy theories and promotes non-factual news.

I had not known this, but I...

Last week, I worked with educators in Illinois on “Reaching and Teaching Students Experiencing Poverty.”  As with every session related to topics that ask participants to share and reflect on their own experiences, I explained four agreements that I ...

We all know that trust is a cornerstone of any healthy relationship. Yet, how often do we intentionally talk about it—especially with students?

We want to trust our students to:

• treat one another with respect and dignity,

• act responsibly when ...

In the first season of the SELinEDU podcast, we had the great pleasure of interviewing Jodi Friedman. As an assistant principal and equity leader, Jodi’s work as an anti-racist leader includes co-creating the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Facilita...

One of my kiddos is writing his essay for the Common App for colleges.

He came out of his bedroom to tell me that the app recommended that they not end with "...and they all lived happily ever after."

I laughed and said, "Learning doesn't always en...

You may know I have three sons - two biological and one bonus son (stepson). They are my daily motivation to put good energy into the world, inspire me to be and do better, and model for me what authentic growth entails. 

Jared and I had a conversat...

Written by Guest Blogger and Educator, Kristin Nori

For 14 years, I taught elementary school and used a clip chart for behavior management. It was what was being used at the time in all classrooms, in most schools. Charts typically had four colors; ...

As I write this, I am heading home from a two-week trip that included traveling to Hawaii and Florida. I was fortunate to mix bits of vacation time while working in a school in Hawaii and presenting at the Florida Learning Forward Conference. 

I rec...

I was in third grade when my family moved to a new school district. It was just after winter break, and my new classmates had already settled into their routines, inside jokes, and lunch table rituals. I arrived as "the new kid"—unsure of where to si...

When Dr. Peggy McIntosh first introduced the “Invisible Knapsack” concept in 1989, her focal point was based on the basic diversity, equity, and inclusion issues of the times, focusing on the differences primarily in race and gender. Using that same ...