Ethical Schools

Pragmatism in the classroom: Lessons from Dewey, Maxine Greene, and Eleanor Duckworth

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Susan Jean Mayer about her recent book, "Practicing Pragmatism Through Progressive Pedagogies: A Philosophical Lens for Grounding Cl...

The pioneers: Democracy front and center (Part Two)

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Deborah Meier and Jane Andrias, pioneers in the democratic small-school movement. Debbie founded the Central Park East Schools. Jane And...

The pioneers: Democracy front and center (Part One)

25 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Deborah Meier and Jane Andrias, pioneers in the democratic small-school movement. Debbie founded the Central Park East Schools. Jane And...

Technology and ethics: AI and the classroom

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Robbie Torney, director of AI Programs at Common Sense Media, analyzes teachers' use of AI. We focus on AI teaching assistants, their uses and abuses,...

Climate justice: A transformational education and engagement project

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We  speak with Tom Roderick, founding executive director of the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility; Jan Zuckerman, Co-founder of ...

Teachers as Interpreters: Listening to Every Student

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Cynthia Ballenger about her recent book, “Teaching is Inquiry: Observation and Reflection as the Heart of Practice,” in which sh...

Hip Hop in the classroom: Reaching students where they are

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Dawn Hicks Tafari, Professor of Education and Coordinator of Elementary Education at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolin...

Challenging credentialism: An alternative vision of education (Encore)

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Arlene Goldbard, writer, visual artist, speaker, social activist and consultant,  whose most recent book is “In the Camp of Angels of...

Mobile Creativity Labs: Scaling STEAM Across India

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. David Penberg and Adhirath Sethi about Agastya, a unique educational ecosystem serving students and teachers in 22 Indian states. Ag...

Resilience: Preparing Children to Weather Traumatic Events

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Tovah P. Klein, professor of psychology at Barnard College and the director of the Center for Toddler Development, about her book, “...

Marygrove School: Place- and project-based teaching and learning

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Elizabeth Birr Moje, dean and professor at the Marsal Family School of Education, University of Michigan. Dr. Moje discusses Detroit...

Honesty: What it means and how to teach it

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We talk with Sarah Stitzlein, author of "Teaching honesty in a populist era: Emphasizing truth in the education of citizens." Dr. Stitzlein, a profe...

Creating democratic learning environments: Educators in conversation

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Linda F. Nathan and Jonathan Mendonca, two co-editors of the recently published book, "Building Democratic Schools and Learning Envi...

Teaching from core values: Practical wisdom at the crossroads of philosophy, education, and teacher ed

01 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Cara E. Furman, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Hunter College, about her book "Teaching from an Ethical Center: P...

Historical accuracy and nuance: Teaching African American studies in Kentucky

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

  We speak with  Ahenewa El-Amin, who teaches AP African American Studies in Kentucky, a state with a law restricting teaching about the leg...

Successful Teaching Careers: Empowering Non-Traditional Candidates

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Kathryn Spence, Director of the School of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson Unive...

“The hate level is unreal”: fighting book bans and protecting librarians

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Amanda Jones, a school librarian in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. Ms. Jones is the auth...

NYC high school surveys: Disparities in student stress and support

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The authors of a recent Chalkbeat analysis discuss the Department of education’s 2023 high school s...

Middle schoolers as scholars: Critical participatory action research

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Sam Finesurrey, assistant professor of history at Guttman Community College, and th...

Equity by design: residency-focused teacher education

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Diana Turk, Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning and Director of Teache...

Supporting Black and Indigenous educators: Creatively developing community in Washington state

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Danielle Bryant, Director of Equity at Capital Region Educational Service District 113....

Going deep: Student-directed learning in Performance Standards Consortium schools

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Adam Grumbach, social studies program coordinator of the New York Performance Standards...

Rebuilding the Black teacher pipeline: Advancing justice and academic outcomes

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ansharaye Hines and Mimi McKee of the Center for Black Educator Development discuss how the presence ...

High stakes: Teaching to the tests in K-12

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our conversation with Harry Feder of FairTest. This time, we discuss high stakes tests in...

SATs and the illusion of fairness

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Harry Feder of FairTest, an organization that advocates for fair and open testing, abou...

Early intervention: Model assessment center reduces youth arrests

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Steve Evangelista, longtime NYC educator, and Anthony Celestine, director of the Office of Juvenile J...

What Would YOU do? Walling Out or Welcoming In?

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What boundaries should a school set on student speech, if any, in order to foster social-emotional le...

Elevating undervalued professionals: Support for substitute teachers

04 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Megan M. Conklin, who designs and implements professional development for substitutes i...

Enriching student life: Art for all

06 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Andrea Siegel and Michelle Vitale of Hudson County Community College about the ways...

Solving teacher shortages: It’s not just pay (Encore)

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drs. Katherine Norris and  Kathryn Wiley, colleagues at Howard University’s School of Education, s...

What’s real and who/what matters: Sentientism in schools

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Jamie Woodhouse, UK educator and thought leader on sentientism.  An ethical worldview ...

Climate change education: Meeting NJ’s mandate hands-on

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with the New Jersey School of Conservation’s Kerry Kirk Pflugh and Tanya Sulikowski, and G...

Celebrating students’ “superpowers”: What tests can’t measure

20 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Peter Hughes, superintendent of New Jersey’s Cresskill School District, an affl...

Cultivating layups, confidence, and community

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dave Crenshaw, founder and coach of Team Dreamers NY in Washington Heights; Blanca Batt...

Inquiry and interpretation: Learning US history from primary sources (Encore)

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Lee Schere, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Office of K-16 Initiatives of CUNY...

Creating the conditions: Sustaining “caring for” education

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Chris Lehmann, founding principal of Science Leadership Academy, inquiry-driven and pro...

Solving chronic absence: A whole-school approach (Encore)

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Hedy N. Chang of Attendance Works, who describes the long-term impact on student su...

Developing public communication skills: Speech and debate team

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Denver English teacher and speech/debate coach Anna Steed about the benefits of speech...

Experiential learning: Where human history and nature connect

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Jackie Broder, director of the Mamakating Environmental Education Center in New York’...

Cultural responsiveness: is music optional? (Encore)

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Anne Smith, longtime music teacher in Northern Virginia, about accommodating cult...

The “Name Game”: racialization in a suburban high school (Encore)

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drs. Tony de Jesus, Anthony Johnston, and Don Siler of University of St. Joseph recount their interv...

What Would YOU Do?

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re here to invite you to watch our new video podcast series “What Would YOU do?”. Cr...

Paying it forward: a peer-staffed program for navigating college admissions

26 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Michael Sanchez, executive director of Circle Match (formerly TCAT), a program that hel...

Solving teacher shortages: It’s not just pay

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drs. Katherine Norris and  Kathryn Wiley, colleagues at Howard University’s School of Education, s...

Opening up: Recreating schools as a community

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drs. Landon Mascareñaz and Doannie Tran, co-authors of “The Open System: Redesigning Education and...

Surveillance in school: Invasive technology, junk science

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Albert Fox Cahn and Sarah Roth of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, or S.T...

Inquiry and interpretation: Learning US history from primary sources

24 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Lee Schere, Director of Teaching and Learning at the Office of K-16 Initiatives of CUNY...

School district battles: Protecting education from bans

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Mike Gottesman, founder of New Jersey Public Education Coalition (NJPEC), a grassroots ...

Critiquing the “science of reading” movement: Teaching reading is “both/and” 

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lynne Einbender and Susie Rolander, reading and literacy faculty at Bank Street College, talk ab...

“Parents’ rights” campaigns: Targeting school books and curricula

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Melissa Deckman, CEO of PRRI, Public Religion Research Institute, analyzes current “parents’ ...

Towards the school you want to see: Plan, Act, Reflect, Repeat

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Justin Cohen, whose work focuses on the intersections of education, race, privilege, an...

Challenging credentialism: An alternative vision of education

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Arlene Goldbard, writer, visual artist, speaker, social activist and consultant,  whos...

Restorative Justice: Cultivating cohesive communities

04 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Sarah Eblen and Reginald Berry Jr., former middle school teachers and now district coor...

Intersections: Supporting Black LGBTQIA+ students

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, NBJC, abou...

ChatGTP: Cheating optimizer or force for teaching transformation?

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Lev Moscow and Richard Miller, veteran high school teachers, about the panic around the...

Climate anxiety: a generational plague

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Lian Zeitz, co-founder of the Climate Mental Health Network, which promotes wellness in...

Norman Fruchter on the pioneering alternative high school he and colleagues built in Newark in the 1970s (Encore)

07 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Norm Fruchter, long-time educational activist and thought leader, about Independence Sc...

Gender and sexually diverse students: Creating comfortable schools (Encore)

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer of the University of Colorado about ensuring that K-12 schools...

Climate education: not just for science class (Encore)

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Deb L. Morrison, research scientist at the University of Washington School of Educa...

Undocumented students: Keeping secrets, navigating obstacles

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Gerardo Mancilla, associate professor in the School of Education at Edgewood College and host of ...

Practicing ethics: Case studies (Encore)

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Meira Levinson, Professor of Education at Harvard, about her website justiceinschools....

Recruiting teachers of color: What works

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Elizabeth Steiner, education policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, about diversify...

Cultural responsiveness: is music optional?

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Anne Smith, longtime music teacher in Northern Virginia, about accommodating cult...

The purpose of education: Educating for a solutionary future?

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We welcome back Zoe Weil, president and co-founder of the Institute for Humane Education, to speak ab...

Early childhood classes: Crucial (and endangered) developmental support

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We talk with Lesley Koplow of the Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice at Bank Street College a...

Reimagining the school system: Centering children, families, and teachers

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Guest interviewer Lev Moscow joins Jon in conversation with Santiago Taveras, principal of Charter H...

Technology: What’s hype and what helps 

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Justin Reich, director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, and host of the TeachLab p...

Going public: Education scholars as policy advocates

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Kevin Kumashiro, a founder of Education Deans for Justice and Equity and organizer ...

Looping: It’s all about the relationships

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Leigh Wedenoja of the Rockefeller Institute of Government about the benefits to st...

Descriptive inquiry: Teachers talking about hard subjects

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Cecelia Traugh and Dr. Cara Furman, co-authors of “Descriptive Inquiry in Teacher...

Holistic education: Joy, wellness, and rigor (Encore)

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Linda Nathan of the Center for Artistry and Scholarship and the Perrone-Sizer Ins...

Evolving demographics: Rural schools in transition

25 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. David Fine, school superintendent in Dover, a mostly white small town in rural D...

Solving chronic absence: A whole-school approach

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Hedy N. Chang of Attendance Works, who describes the long-term impact on student su...

The attack on public education: Will public schools survive? (Encore)

05 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with University of South Carolina law professor Derek Black about the history of educatio...

Translanguaging: Inviting the whole child into the classroom

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Cecilia Espinosa and Dr. Laura Ascenzi-Moreno, co-authors of “Rooted in Strength:...

Challenging censorship: Student journalists fight back

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Hillary Davis, who runs the New Voices program at the Student Press Law Center, and...

School behind bars: Meeting the needs of traumatized kids

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Melissa Svigelj-Smith, graduate fellow at University of California at Santa Cruz, abo...

Students speak up: NYC Youth Agenda

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with students Eugenia Bamfo, Alexandra Rouvinetis, and Mukilan Muthukumar, members of the ...

Why Geoffrey Canada is wrong: Defending schools as democratic spaces

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Brian Jones, director of the New York Public Library’s Center for Educators and S...

Supporting student civic activism: Social studies on steroids (Encore)

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Alan Singer, Dr. Pablo Muriel, and Gates Millennium Scholar Dennis Belen-Morales, three generatio...

Abolitionist education: Creating liberatory spaces (Encore)

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Swarthmore’s Dr. Edwin Mayorga, who explains how abolitionist classrooms and school...

Gender and sexually diverse students: Creating comfortable schools

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Elizabeth J. Meyer of the University of Colorado about ensuring that K-12 schools a...

Indigenous erasure: The battle for inclusive state standards in South Dakota

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sherry Johnson, tribal education director for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, an Oceti Sakowin treaty ...

Students doing original research: Project-based learning in Ohio (Encore)

23 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with middle school teachers, Debbie Holecko and Claudia Bestor, and their former student, ...

National Sex Ed Standards: Equity and expanded comfort zones

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Brittany McBride, Associate Director, Sexuality Education at Advocates for Youth, who ...

Dismantling bias in schools: A multiyear model

05 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. John Pascarella, Chief Academic Officer of K-12 Professional Learning at USC Race ...

Mentors and passages: The power of teen-centric programs

29 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Al Kurland, longtime leader of out-of-school-time programs in Upper Manhattan’s Washi...

From Skinner to computer-based education: Can machines teach?

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with independent journalist Audrey Watters, author of “Teaching machines: The history of p...

Radical care: Leading with love

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen, associate professor of leadership studies at Lehman College,...

Efforts to ban books escalate: Tips for resistance

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Richard Price, associate professor of political science at Weber State University, ...

Systemic racism in special education: Parent participation legitimizes inequities (Encore)

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our conversation with LaToya Baldwin Clark of UCLA School of Law. Dr. Baldwin Clark e...

Policing attendance boundaries: Education as private property (Encore)

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. LaToya Baldwin Clark, assistant professor at UCLA School of Law. Dr. Baldwin Cla...

Climate education: not just for science class

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Deb L. Morrison, research scientist at the University of Washington School of Educa...

Distortions and fabrications: The state of climate education

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Katie Worth, investigative journalist and author of Miseducation: How Climate Change is...

Doing democracy: School participatory budgeting

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. Daniel Schugurensky and Tara Bartlett of Arizona State University and Madison Rock ...

Gender Inclusivity: Where Science and Ethics Intersect (Encore)

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with high school science teachers and trans men, Sam Long and Lewis Maday-Travis, who have d...

Changing school culture: The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our conversation with Dr. David Osher of the American Institutes for Research, delving d...

The right to thrive: Expanding our definition of equity

13 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Dr. David Osher of the American Institutes for Research. Dr. Osher explains his view o...

Anna Allanbrook on Brooklyn New School: Centering children, marginalizing tests (Encore)

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak with Anna Allanbrook, longtime principal of Brooklyn New School (BNS). Learning at BNS is in...

The People’s Education: Freire, dialogue, and democracy

30 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our conversation with Dr. Carlos Alberto Torres, Distinguished Professor at UCLA and Foun...