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Every week I write a quotation on the board and ask my students to write responses to it in their journals. One of our favorite quotes is by William Butler Yeats: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." This quote aptly captures the reason why I teach. A group of minds in a room–thinking through problems together–can generate amazing heat and ignite a fire.

Activists and allies from a variety of identity groups work hard to dismantle exclusionary conceptions of gender. In the classroom, teachers have an opportunity to extend this work, one sentence at a time.

When 10-year-old Julia Alvarez immigrated to New York, she learned the power of words.

Teachers have the power to change the practice of celebrating Columbus to a practice of celebrating indigenous peoples’ presence, endurance and accomplishments. This blogger suggests how to do just that.

What’s your go-to text by an indigenous author? This educator calls attention to the limitations of using only Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko, and offers a detailed list of suggested additional readings.

Meet two innovative educators who help students face their communities’ painful histories and envision brighter futures.