The Department of Education and a federal rulemaking committee have agreed on new regulations tied to H.R.1 that will significantly reshape graduate and professional student borrowing. The law caps federal loans at $100,000 for graduate students and $200,000 for professional students, while ending Grad PLUS loans in 2026. Because only “professional” programs qualify for the […]
Posted inDepartment of Education
Critics slam Trump administration for moving to dismantle Department of Education during American Education Week
In the latest move under the Trump administration’s plan, the Education Department has begun transferring its employees to other federal agencies with the goal of ultimately asking Congress to dismantle the Department of Education. In a press release sent Tuesday, the Department signed six new interagency agreements to transfer some of the largest grant programs […]
Posted inFeatured
The Struggle with Comprehending Nonfiction Texts
Teaching students to read nonfiction texts can be a daunting task. Nonfiction texts can be written in many different formats and styles, depending on the subject matter. Providing multiple examples of texts that we see in today’s world, teaching them how to comprehend and think critically about the content, as well as effective note-taking techniques, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
My Literary Crimes: A Defense of Teaching Storytelling
I was 25 when I read Dylan Thomas’ Lament Poem to a room of amateur poets at one of their monthly gatherings in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. As Dylan Thomas. I was 25 and a genius and these poets, the way I understood them, were a spit in the face of Poetry and the killers of the […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Kindness is a muscle; Teachers Need to Flex it Now More Than Ever
By Nosakhere Griffin-EL, Ph.D. When you turn on television it seems like everyone is being unkind to each other. Politicians are hurling insults, using dehumanizing words to blame “the other side” for government shutdown; sport analysts rant about why a player isn’t living up to his million dollar contract; celebrities trade insults in a never […]
Posted inElementary School
Exploring New Horizons: How open-ended play-based learning enhances high quality learning and teaching
“But I can express myself only through writing. I don’t know any other way,” said my 10-year-old student. “Now, how do I respond to this?” I wondered. Still figuring out within myself, I was in for a surprise when the teacher within me immediately agreed with the student. “Yes, I agree. I have seen you […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Building from Scratch: How we raised standards in a new International Baccalaureate School
Starting a new program is every educator’s dream and nightmare. You get to design everything from scratch—but you also carry the weight of every decision. In 2016, I embraced one of my greatest challenges yet: becoming the MYP Language Teacher and Head of the English Department at a new International Baccalaureate (IB) school in Amman, […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Reclaiming your peace in special education
At the beginning of my teaching career, I benefited from the fierce advocacy of veteran teachers who advocated for students and staff. I was very empowered by their support. As they retired, I often found myself being the only person willing to stand up for our most vulnerable students: students with disabilities and students from […]