I am a teacher in southern West Virginia, a region defined by stereotypes and hit hard by America’s opioid epidemic.

Teaching art history in an entirely online environment has brought a new set of challenges and opportunities that I’ve come to embrace with enthusiasm.

In my classroom, I focus on taking the time to intentionally and thoughtfully form positive and meaningful relationships with my students.

The teacher candidates in our Bachelor of Education program were about to embark not only on a professional journey, but also an actual journey, to teach abroad.

Over the years, I’ve found one of the best ways to help kids understand how an economy works is to have them take an active role in managing their own money.

"What do you mean, we have rights as minors?” Thirty pairs of quizzical eyes met mine. Brows furrowed in confusion. “Aren’t rights made by adults, for adults?”

The world is in the midst of a technological revolution that has surpassed expectations, and I’m witnessing firsthand how growing up in this digital age is impacting our students.

I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that rules without relationships lead to rebellion. Yet today, relationships with students seem to be feared instead of embraced. Over the years, quite by accident, I have discovered that this precept from days gone by is critical to classroom rules and to learning itself. Relationships are an essential part of learning, especially relationships between teachers and students.

In my role as a Black counselor in an educational setting, I am tasked with the unspoken responsibility of “handling” Black children.