Articles and Spotlights

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

posted 8 days ago

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 8 days ago

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 12 days ago

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 12 days ago

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 22 days ago

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 ...

Board Spotlight: Mr. Khalil Roy

posted 26 days ago

As KDP National Board Director-at-Large and a Social Studies and Career & Technical Education (CTE) teacher for grades 8–12 in Central Louisiana, Mr. Khalil Roy brings both lived experience and deep commitment to his work in education. His path to teaching was driven by a clear purpose: to be part of the solution in closing educational gaps—especially in rural communities like the one that raised ...

Member Spotlight: Ryan Zelinski

posted 26 days ago

Ryan Zelinski has been a proud KDP member for five years. He teaches in the Exercise Science Department at Wheeling University, where he enjoys working closely with students and supporting them as they pursue big goals. When he’s not in the classroom, you’ll find him on the baseball field serving as an NCAA college baseball umpire. Being part of the KDP community reminds Ryan why he became ...

Navigating the ESL Maze: Finding the Right Approach for Multilingual Learners

posted 01-20-2026

Navigating the ESL Maze: Finding the Right Approach for Multilingual Learners By Daniel Malakowsky Back To School Imagine it's your first week of school. You've greeted your students, gathered assessment data, and now face the challenge of meeting the diverse literacy needs of students . A mong your students are multilingual learners (MLLs) who ...

Member Spotlight: Brooke Tiano

posted 01-13-2026

KDP is proud to spotlight one of our newest members, Brooke Tiano, an ESE Support Facilitator whose passion for inclusive education and student-centered teaching makes her an incredible addition to her KDP community. Finding Connection and Purpose Through KDP As a special education teacher and new KDP member, Brooke shares that joining KDP has already been transformative. ...

Board Spotlight: Dr. Joi Patterson

posted 01-13-2026

Meet Dr. Joi Patterson , who serves as a Director-at-Large on the National Board of Directors as a Director-at-Large. Dr. Patterson currently serves as Chief of Institutional Engagement and Excellence at Governors State University, where she reports directly to the President and sits on the President’s Cabinet. An Unexpected Calling “I never imagined I would become an educator, ” Dr. ...

Family Knowledge Matters: Reframing Engagement with Emergent Bilingual Communities

posted 12-09-2025

Family Knowledge Matters: Reframing En ga gement w ith Emergent Bilingual Communities By Grace Kibe Parents of emergent bilinguals (i.e., multilingual learners; formerly referred to as English language learners ) are often misunderstood and sometimes perceived as negligent regarding their children’s academic performance due to lower ...

Board Spotlight: Dr. Leah Carruth

posted 12-04-2025

Meet Dr. Leah Carruth, who serves as KDP’s President-Elect, teaches as an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at Angelo State University, and mentors future educators as the chapter counselor of the award-winning Mu Gamma Chapter. A Surprising Path Into Education For many who knew her growing up, Dr. Carruth’s career in education may have seemed unlikely. Naturally quiet and reserved, ...

How to Recognize Children’s Grief Awareness Day in Your School

posted 11-20-2025

If you’re a preservice teacher, student teacher, or in your first few years in the classroom, you might feel like big schoolwide initiatives are someone else’s job. But when it comes to Children’s Grief Awareness Day, your voice and ideas matter— a lot . Children’s Grief Awareness Day happens every year on the third Thursday in November (November 20, 2025). It’s a reminder that grieving students ...

Board Spotlight: Mr. Matt Bova

posted 11-18-2025

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 10 years of experience in finance and accounting, Matt Bova brings both expertise and heart to his role as KDP’s National Board Treasurer. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Accounting at Verizon Communications in Lake Mary, Florida, where he leads a team responsible for consolidating, closing, and reporting for all of Verizon’s companies. ...

Congratulations to Nicholas McCoy, the 2025 Dr. Marilyn Nicholas National Student Teacher of the Year!

posted 11-18-2025

Each year, KDP and the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) select the Dr. Marilyn Nicholas National Student Teacher of the Year to celebrate the exceptional contributions of a student teacher who demonstrates remarkable dedication, skill, and passion for the teaching profession. This prestigious recognition honors those who not only excel in classroom management and instructional strategies ...

KDP Board Spotlight: Dr. Nichelle Cook and Dr. Jeremy Coleman

posted 11-17-2025

Celebrating the Service of Dr. Nichelle Cook and Dr. Jeremy Coleman, Two Outstanding Directors-at-Large As we celebrate the close of a chapter, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to two remarkable leaders who have completed their service as Directors-at-Large on the KDP Board of Directors: Dr. Nichelle Cook (2020–2025) and Dr. Jeremy Coleman (2022–2025). Their contributions have ...

“I Don’t Know What to Say”: A Grief-Aware Mindset for Teachers

posted 11-13-2025

Picture this: You’re in your first year of teaching. You’ve just learned that one of your students’ caregivers died over the weekend. You care deeply, but your brain instantly panics: What do I say? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make it worse? If that feels familiar, you’re not alone. Most educators never received formal preparation on how to support grieving students—yet almost all ...

From Social Media to the Classroom: Assessing the Fit of Classroom Management Practices You Find Online

posted 11-12-2025

From Social Media to the Classroom: Assessing the Fit of Classroom Management Practices You Find Online By Cynthia Deaton and Lydia Beahm Have you ever scroll ed through TikTok, Reddit, or a teacher blog and found a fun classroom management idea? Do you think you need to refine your current classroom management strategies to better engage and support your students ...

Board Spotlight: Mr. Mitch Pletcher

posted 11-05-2025

As a Director-at-Large on the KDP National Board of Directors, Mitch Pletcher sees his role as both an honor and an opportunity to give back to a profession that has shaped his life in countless ways. For Mitch, education isn’t just a field. It’s a lifelong inspiration. With a mother who taught for over 40 years, he grew up witnessing the incredible dedication, creativity, and resilience that teachers ...