When students are given scaffolding—time, tools, and support to climb the ladder of learning—they don’t just survive Shakespeare or Poe, they enjoy them. From Wimpy Kid to Julius Caesar to The Tell-Tale Heart, I’ve seen students connect when teachers have the freedom to adapt. Scaffolding isn’t extra; it’s the bridge that makes real learning possible.

Being real: school can feel like a burrito explosion—messy, confusing, sometimes even hostile. But education is still your sharpest defense against people who want you docile. Frederick Douglass said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” That’s the survival skill. AI won’t replace your brain, but if you use it wisely, it can help you learn faster, think sharper, and protect your freedom of thought.

Commentators are seizing on the Minnesota shooter’s transgender identity to fuel culture-war attacks. The evidence tells a different story: supportive school climates, restorative practices, and safe gun storage prevent violence. Scapegoating trans kids does not.

AI won’t know your kids—but it can help you prep smarter, adapt lessons, and even brainstorm feedback when your brain is fried. The trick is steering with better questions. This post explores how teachers can use AI as a copilot—saving time, sparking ideas, and modeling responsible use for students. Don’t panic. AI isn’t replacing you—it’s waiting for your instructions.

AI isn’t magic—it’s a tool, like a car, and it only goes where you steer it. The real secret isn’t in faster answers, it’s in asking better questions. From dinner ideas to lesson plans, the sharper your question, the sharper the result. We may be in the democratized age of AI, but access isn’t the same as power. Don’t panic—practice curiosity, clarity, and courage in your questions, and remember: you’re the human.

Before I had the words for grief, neurodivergence, or belonging, PBS gave me a window into what community, curiosity, and kindness could look like. Now that Congress defunded public broadcasting, I want to say thank you to the shows that raised me.

Alan Turing helped end WWII early by cracking the Nazi Enigma code. His reward? Arrest, chemical castration, and eventual suicide—because he was gay. His story reminds us: being different isn’t the danger. Erasing difference is. Comfort isn’t morality. Kindness is.

Frederick Douglass knew the truth: literacy makes people unfit for slavery. As Juneteenth approaches, here's why real education still threatens unjust power.

Summer reading shouldn’t feel like homework—it should feel like freedom. This joyful guide shares fun, engaging picks for all ages and celebrates the kind of reading that builds lifelong habits: relaxed, curious, and totally self-chosen. Read what you love. Love what you read. And pass it on.

It’s May—when we celebrate both teachers and graduates. In this post, I reflect on the impact of being trusted as an educator, offer a free Raven unit built with universal accommodations, and finally reveal my own interpretation of Poe’s haunting poem. Plus, I’m introducing a Graduation 2025 collection honoring effort, resilience, and identity. Trust teachers. Celebrate growth. And if you’ve ever wondered what Edgar Allan Poe's Raven really is—now you’ll know.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how I use AI to process ideas, plan next steps, and bring clarity to creative projects that matter....

My first draft of the " Pace and Space Communication Guide " was created as a small act of support. Cover of the free "Pace and Space...

Our kids aren’t broken - outdated systems are. This is a call for fierce parents to resist shame, reject broken infrastructures, and reclaim a thriving future through healthcare and education reform. Our ruins end with us. The future begins now.

American teachers are being pulled in every direction—undervalued, overburdened, and politicized. This blog is a call to support those still showing up with strength and purpose, and a challenge to build something better: a model grounded in evidence, equity, and the shared mission to educate greatness. If you’re ready to resist, reflect, and rebuild—we need you in the room. The future of education depends on it.

Autism isn’t a flaw to be fixed. It’s a different way of seeing, sensing, and surviving in a world that’s shifting fast. This post explores why we need autistic minds now more than ever, pushes back against harmful myths, and challenges the urge to track and "correct" neurodivergent people. What if the problem isn’t the child—but the system they’re asked to conform to? It’s time to stop diagnosing difference and start building better.

Supporting All Learners: Embracing Processing Differences in the Secondary Classroom As educators, it’s essential to create classrooms...