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As teachers, we hear almost daily that we “must meet the students where they are.” It is a core tenant, a sacred truth offered as a key to successfully unlocking the hearts and minds of even the most reluctant learners.

Watching a television program featuring deaf and hard of hearing characters changed this teacher’s perspective. She wants to pass it on to her students.

During my first year as a second-grade teacher, I struggled with classroom management. I am a soft-spoken person by nature and habit. I didn't have the experience to help me set up great rules and procedures for my students. My classroom was noisy and chaotic. I think you could hear us all around the school.

On a recent field trip, I found Nashley and Bersabeh in a quiet corner of the library, sharing both a chair and a book. For an English teacher, this scene is pure gold: two ninth-graders, becoming friends, in the library, reading a book. I snapped a photo before squealing my delight. Then, I crouched down next to them to find out more about what they were reading.

Nearly 14 million children live in low-income or poor families in the United States. One of those was Devin. He had been in my English class during my first year teaching. His uniform was old and faded. He (like 95 percent of the school) was eligible for free or reduced lunch. He didn’t have much in the way of supplies. It was unclear if he really didn’t have the materials, or if he simply didn’t care.

Some of my favorite teaching moments are when I can shut up and let students teach each other. This magic happened recently when a group of high school students from one of Chicago’s most under-resourced neighborhoods came to our university campus—just a few miles—but an entire world away.

Some students struggle to see gender stereotypes, but telling personal stories can open their eyes.

Freedom’s Teacher offers opportunities to share a lesser-known story about a pioneering educator.

Students aren’t the only people who experience bullying in schools.

We asked your best advice for improving job quality and retaining teachers. Your answers reinforced the need for social justice in schools.