Articles and Spotlights

Make Way for Reading Skills: Are Your Students’ Reading Ducks in a Row?

posted 4 days ago
Make Way for Reading Skills : Are Y our S tudents’ R eading D ucks in a R ow? By Robin Quick Have you ever seen a mama duck and ducklings walking along a creek? They stay in a line moving steadily forward , each duck following closely behind the next. But if one duck slows down or stops, the entire line is affected: the others must ...

Member Spotlight: Mrs. Janna Kirby

posted 8 days ago
Meet Janna Kirby , an elementary teacher with Bauxite School District in Bauxite, Arkansas, and a member of the Alpha Alpha Sigma Chapter at University of the Ozarks. Since first joining KDP in 2007, Janna has remained committed throughout her career. This year, she celebrates another milestone as she earns her master’s degree from Henderson State University in Educational Leadership. ...

Member Spotlight: Dr. Lucijan Jović

posted 9 days ago
Meet Dr. Lucijan Jović, an educator, researcher, and KDP United Nations Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Representative who is committed to advancing equitable education for all learners. In the classroom, he teaches 8th-grade English and Writing, along with high school students in grades 9–12 with limited English proficiency, helping them build language skills, confidence, and academic ...

Mother’s Day Is Coming. Here’s How to Make It Work for Every Student.

posted 9 days ago
You’re planning a fun Mother’s Day activity. You’ve got the materials ready. What you might not know is that for at least one student in your class, this week is really hard. A student’s mother might have died. She might live in another state, be deployed, or be incarcerated. Her whereabouts may not even be known to her child. These aren’t rare situations. They show up in classrooms every year, often ...

Pariendo Chistes: ¡¿Who Knew Homophones Could Be So Funny?!

posted 18 days ago
Pariendo Chistes : ¡¿ Who Kn ew Homophones Could Be So Funny?! By Mitch D. Ingram “ Se nos nació ” as we say in Spanish. It was just born, naturally , out of the activity that we were doing about homophones in class. One of my favorite go-to assignments every spring as a bilingual elementary teacher for ...

Member Spotlight: Ms. Nakesha Patrice Robinson

posted 23 days ago
KDP member Ms. Nakesha Patrice Robinson is a dedicated Early Childhood Educator and member of the Alpha Epsilon Gamma Chapter at Grand Canyon University. For her teaching is more than a career—it is a daily opportunity to build a foundation for the next generation. Nakesha’s journey is fueled by a commitment to creating spaces where the youngest learners can find their voice and their confidence. ...

Member Spotlight: Ms. Maria Cleofe Palma

posted 23 days ago
For Ms. Maria Cleofe Palma , a teacher member of the Alpha Kappa Tau Chapter at the University of the Southwest, the classroom is more than a place for formulas—it is a laboratory for life skills and a bridge between cultures. As a High School Special Education (SPED) Math Teacher and J-1 exchange teacher, Maria brings a global perspective to her work, fueled by the belief that every student can flourish ...

From 'Time-Crunched' to Tech-Savvy: A Teacher's Guide to Learning Experience Design

posted 03-31-2026
From 'Time-Crunched' to Tech-Savvy: A Teacher's Guide to Learning Experience Design By Colton H. Clark Closing the “Knowing-Doing” Gap Imagine this scene: you deliver a fantastic lesson on primary sources. The exit ticket shows that your students can define "primary source" perfectly. Success! But the next day, when you ask them to analyze a 1920s political ...

Member Spotlight: April Federico

posted 03-26-2026
Meet April Federico, a member of the Epsilon Rho Chapter at Rhode Island College. For April, the classroom is a place of profound transformation, and she doesn't just teach subjects; she unlocks potential. “I’m inspired to teach because I believe education has the power to change the trajectory of a person’s life,” April shares. “That moment when a student understands something new, feels seen, ...

Legacy Member Spotlight: Mr. Theodore Timms

posted 03-26-2026
For Mr. Theodore Timms, the path to becoming a teacher was not easy. “Based on my SAT and ACT scores, I was not meant to be in college, let alone graduate,” says Mr. Timms. “There were many naysayers. To them, becoming a college graduate was impossible.” He proved them wrong in 1986, becoming a first-generation graduate of North Texas State University. “That accomplishment was the best I had ...

5 Tips to Create a Classroom Community of Care

posted 03-17-2026
5 Tips to Create a Classroom Community of Care By Katherine Horlock and Cindy Melton A classroom community rooted in care lays the foundation for student success and academic growth. When teachers demonstrate trust and encourage a sense of belonging in the classroom , students feel safe, connected, and encouraged to learn. A caring classroom enhances ...

Member Spotlight: Mrs. Yauheniya Kakhno

posted 03-12-2026
Meet Mrs. Yauheniya Kakhno , a new KDP member, art educator, designer, and founder of the creative design school ConceptART. Through her work as both a teacher and artist, Mrs. Kakhno helps students discover their creativity and develop confidence through art and design. Mrs. Kakhno earned her higher artistic education from the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, where she built ...

Laureate Member Spotlight: Dr. James A. Banks

posted 03-12-2026
For nearly 60 years, Dr. James A. Banks has worked to change a simple but powerful idea: whose stories matter in school . A KDP Laureate member and one of the leading voices in multicultural education, Dr. Banks dedicated his career to expanding educational opportunity and ensuring that students from every racial, cultural, and linguistic background are seen and supported in the classroom. He served ...

Simplifying Differentiation: The Power of Knowing Your Students

posted 03-03-2026
Simplifying Differentiation: The Power of Knowing Your Students By Erika Flynn, Ellie Glover, Halle Haigis, and Kim McCormick As future educators, we are beginning to realize just how complex and rewarding teaching can be. During our time as preservice teachers, we’ve often heard that every student is unique but experiencing that firsthand ...

Member Spotlight: Hannah Colwell

posted 02-26-2026
For Ms. Hannah Colwell , teaching isn’t just about lesson plans or standards. It’s about people. A graduate of Western Governors University and a KDP member of the Alpha Epsilon Sigma Chapter, Ms. Colwell is currently pursuing her master’s degree while continuing to grow as an educator. She says KDP has played an important role in that journey. “KDP connects you with experienced teachers ...

Why Teaching Cursive Still Matters: For Access, Identity, and Equity

posted 02-17-2026
Why Teaching Cursive Still Matters: F or Access, Identity, and Equity By Lisa Delgado Brown Do you know how to read cursive ? If so, consider yourself lucky. There are swaths of children and adults worldwide who no longer know how to read cursive . The problem has become so prolific that t he US National Archives recently issued a call for volunteers ...

Lunar New Year 2026: What it is and mini-lessons you can teach tomorrow

posted 02-16-2026
Lunar New Year is one of the most joyful, story-rich moments to build belonging in a classroom. It’s also an easy “win” for busy teachers: you can teach it thoughtfully in short, low-prep bursts (without needing to be a cultural expert). In 2026, Lunar New Year begins on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 , and the traditional celebration period lasts about 15 days , ending with the Lantern Festival on ...

Member Spotlight: Dr. Pede Intong Casing

posted 02-12-2026
Meet Dr. Pede Intong Casing , a KDP teacher member and mathematics educator with more than sixteen years of experience teaching in both the Philippines and the United States. He currently serves as a Mathematics Teacher at Alamogordo High School in the Alamogordo Public Schools District in New Mexico, where he is known for his commitment to student success, innovative instruction, and service beyond ...

Laureate Member Spotlight: Dr. Christine Sleeter

posted 02-12-2026
Meet Dr. Christine Sleeter, KDP Laureate Chapter Member Dr. Christine Sleeter has spent nearly 50 years working in education. As a member of KDP’s Laureate Chapter , her career reflects decades of teaching, research, and leadership focused on improving learning experiences for all students. After graduating from college unsure of her next steps, she began student teaching in Seattle ...

Creo En Ti: 5 Tips For Working With Multilingual Learners

posted 02-03-2026
Creo En Ti: 5 Tips For Working With Multilingual Learners By Gina Stevens (Above) teacher Gina Stevens believes in her students and fosters biliteracy. “You shouldn’t go into teaching. You’d have to retake the ACT, and you just don’t have the grades.” It wasn’t easy hearing this from a college ...