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This story from NPR's Here and Now is about how a teacher in Louisville, KY is building relationships with students and their families by taking time each week to reach out to families with positive feedback about their student's work and progress.

A summary of conversations with teachers of color who talk about what helps them stay in the classroom/school.

School leader who had worked in "no excuses" urban schools is now rethinking that approach to urban ed--wants to create a school that gives urban students of color more autonomy and agency.

"Families don't care about their children's education." That's what Veronica Crespin-Palmer heard from fellow educators, but she knew from experience that it wasn't true. In this inspiring talk, she explains what's possible when teachers, administrators, and superintendents empower low-income families and families of color to support their children's learning at home & lead the movement for educational equity.

EdSurge did surveys and groups with 115 educators and found that teachers don't have a common understanding of what "whole child" education means, and this has implications for how they teach, how they collaborate with colleagues, and what kids of support they need.

We found this GettingSmart podcast interview with Esther Wojcicki insightful and thought-provoking - especially the sections on trusting students to do real work and raising children to be competent and confident (spoiler: we're not supposed to be too helpful).

Dillon, a former MS principal at an EL school, shares advice on how teachers and students can co-design classroom spaces that meet students' needs and reinforce specific instructional practices.

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This hour-long video describes the biologic mechanisms related to learning and healthy development, how trauma affects these processes, and how human relationships can ameliorate the effects of trauma.

We loved this example of a school that recognized things weren't working well and took bold steps to change what they were doing.

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In 2019, Ta-Nehisi Coates testified before Congress about reparations for the descendants of enslaved people. Educational institutions have a long way to go in ensuring equitable outcomes for all students (who span a wide range of difference). This was Coates' opening statement to Congress.

This article explores the efforts of several kindergarten teachers in Brookline, MA, who felt that changes to the curriculum were negatively affecting their students.

A school's approach to discipline often tells us a lot about its overall approach to relationships. We loved this video of Fort Worthington Elementary/Middle's commitment to restorative justice through yoga.

We loved NPR's idea for a student podcast challenge. Winners were announced in May and eight of the other top entries are highlighted here. Happy listening!

We appreciate this opinion piece from the New York Times, which ends with this lovely message to our children and students: "Life is not a contest, and the world is not an arena. Just by being here, unique among all others, offering contributions that no one else can give, you have already won the one prize that matters most."

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Connections, relatedness, belonging. Relationships are crucial if we want students, teachers, and entire school communities to thrive. "When students feel like they belong to a community, that they are in the right place, they are more likely to succeed academically. And they’re more likely to stay in school."

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