Racist Incidents are Increasing. Can Ethnic Studies Address the Problem?
If you’ve been following the latest education policy news from the Minnesota State Capitol, you know that the House Omnibus […]
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Kara Cisco : Archive
Four Qualities of an Effective Ethnic Studies Teacher
The new draft of Minnesota’s social studies standards requires students to learn ethnic studies at every grade level. Students of all backgrounds […]
Read MoreStudents Don’t Need Mindful Moments. They Need Change.
White Supremacy with a hug. That’s what educator, activist, and founder of LiberatED Dena Simmons wrote in an article for […]
Read More5 Things Educators Can Do in the Middle of a CRT Controversy
This past May, I co-wrote a blog for EdAllies offering advice for when people in your life have questions about […]
Read More6 Responses for People in Your Life Who Want to Ban Critical Race Theory
This piece was co-written by Jen Goepfert, Cristina Benz, Jill Merkle, and Kara Cisco It is possible that in the last […]
Read More5 Things You Can Do Now to Prepare to Address the Chauvin Trial in Your Classroom
With the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd approaching, teachers in Minneapolis, as well as those across […]
Read MoreCriticality, Neutrality, and the State of Civics in America
Teaching after tough days—moments of crisis, pain, tumult, and uncertainty—can be some of the most simultaneously rewarding moments in an […]
Read MoreFamily Engagement Will Never Be the Same—and It Shouldn’t Be
This post is the seventh in our Education at a Distance series, centering the voices of students, parents, and educators […]
Read More5 Lessons for Civics Teachers Navigating an Election Year
You’ve heard it ad nauseam this election year: Young people (yes, students) have the power to make a difference. But […]
Read MoreImplicit Bias in Distance Learning: Students Weigh-In on Educators’ Expectations
This post is the fifth in our Education at a Distance series, centering the voices of students, parents, and educators […]
Read MoreDistance Learning Pulls Back the Curtain on What Teachers Have Always Known
This post is the fourth in our Education at a Distance series, centering the voices of students, parents, and educators […]
Read More5 Things I’ve Learned So Far in the Dash to Distance Learning
Imagine you were about to start an online high school. Think of all the questions that you would have to […]
Read MoreCan We Measure Student Engagement? Yes, and We Should!
Like many fourth-grade parents across Minnesota, I received my daughter’s third-grade MCA scores last month. And frankly, it’s easy as […]
Read MoreNot Your Grandma’s Book Club: Unsettling the Status Quo in Education
Any number of things come to mind when you hear the word “book club,” but sparking disruption the education system […]
Read MoreWhy We Must Decolonize Civics
There’s an adage I use with my students often that the roots of our country will show up in its […]
Read MoreGraduation rates are up. Are our expectations?
Last month, local media reported that four-year graduation rates in Minnesota were up. Not just up, but at an all-time […]
Read MoreInstead of Locking Our Classroom Doors to Students, Let’s Give Them the Key
Every year, like clockwork, my colleagues and I debate how to address the issue of student tardies. I have little […]
Read More3 Simple Ways to Make the Most of the MCAs
As a 15-year veteran public school teacher and a parent, I know just how important the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments are. […]
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