Big Ideas and Solution

The Multilingual Child: Toward a Pedagogy of Linguistic Belonging

Dec 107 min read

The Multilingual Child: Toward a Pedagogy of Linguistic Belonging

What if education stopped asking multilingual children to fit into a ready-made world and started building a world ready for them?

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Who Gets In: The New Politics of College Admissions

David Kirkland

Dec 210 min read

Who Gets In: The New Politics of College Admissions

The Supreme Court banned affirmative action, and universities claimed standardized tests would expand equity—why does it all feel like a lie

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David Kirkland

Nov 216 min read

Equity Matters

Equity matters, and this perspectives article explains why and why we reaffirm our commitment to equity work.

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Where Have Our Children Gone? Chronic Absenteeism and the Disappearance of Black, Latinx, and Economically Less Advantaged Students Post-COVID

David Kirkland

Sep 247 min read

Where Have Our Children Gone? Chronic Absenteeism and the Disappearance of Black, Latinx, and Economically Less Advantaged Students Post-COVID

In a system designed to educate, it's ironic that so many students are learning how to disappear.

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Revisiting Race, School Integration, and the Future of Education

David Kirkland

Sep 1627 min read

Revisiting Race, School Integration, and the Future of Education

As we congratulate ourselves on 'progress,' this 5-year-old podcast reminds us real conversation on race never happened.

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Can We Talk? A Critical Examination of Cellphone Bans in Schools

David Kirkland

Sep 910 min read

Can We Talk? A Critical Examination of Cellphone Bans in Schools

After relying on cellphones to save education during the pandemic, schools are now banning tools that could someday transform learning.

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Courageous Confrontations: Why We Must Preserve DEI Work

David Kirkland

Sep 28 min read

Courageous Confrontations: Why We Must Preserve DEI Work

The future of DEI must be one of continuous evolution, informed by the lessons of the past but unafraid to innovate for the future.

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Reclaiming Possibility: An Intentional Focus on Black Boys This School Year

David Kirkland

Aug 268 min read

Reclaiming Possibility: An Intentional Focus on Black Boys This School Year

Let us enter this school year with a renewed commitment to our Black boys, knowing that by lifting them, we become titans, lifting our world

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Strategies for a New Era of Reading Instruction

David Kirkland

Aug 197 min read

Strategies for a New Era of Reading Instruction

While the science of reading provides valuable insights, it must be integrated with a deep understanding of the social, emotional, and cultu

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David Kirkland

Aug 127 min read

A Dignity-Driven Approach to Curriculum

In a dignity-driven curriculum, our children are given chances to see and be seen as they look into both mirrors and windows.

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Project 2025 and Its Implications for Education Equity

David Kirkland

Aug 56 min read

Project 2025 and Its Implications for Education Equity

As we face the challenges posed by Project 2025, it's crucial to remember the progress we have made and the work that still needs to be done

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David Kirkland

Jul 294 min read

The Arc of Pedagogy

The pedagogical arc is a structured approach to education that emphasizes a beginning, middle, and end in lessons, units, and individual act

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David Kirkland

Jul 229 min read

What is Dignity-Driven Education?

Dignity-driven education is more than equity (how we respond within an inequitable system). It pivots to belonging (how do we create systems

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How to Disagree Better: Lessons from My Equity Work

David Kirkland

Jul 156 min read

How to Disagree Better: Lessons from My Equity Work

The problem isn’t that we are not the same; it’s that we need to learn to live together within our differences.

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David Kirkland

Jul 85 min read

Beyond Disproportionality

While it’s essential to acknowledge disproportionality, we must not fixate on it. It’s more important to recognize that equity can exist, an

333 views0 comments

David Kirkland

Jun 255 min read

Relationships Over Rigor

“Relationships Before Rigor, Grace Before Grades, Patience Before Programs, Love Before Lessons.”

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Freedom Teaching and the Pedagogy of Juneteenth

David Kirkland

Jun 174 min read

Freedom Teaching and the Pedagogy of Juneteenth

Juneteenth is not merely a celebration of past emancipation but a reminder of our ongoing struggle for true freedom.

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David Kirkland

Jun 34 min read

After Equity

How do we safeguard equity by adopting strategic approaches that transcend shallow appearances in this moment of entrenchment?

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MT4S and the Power of Strengths-Based Design

David Kirkland

May 289 min read

MT4S and the Power of Strengths-Based Design

Transform education with MT4S by shifting from fixing students to celebrating them and their strengths.

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