By Alexander Denham
In 2024, Pew Research Center released a report titled “What’s It Like to Be a Teacher in America Today?” While reading through the data contained within the report, three main points stuck out to me:
- Around half of teachers are recording that students are not meeting their academic goals;
- Teachers are identifying that parent involvement is not as impactful as in previous years;
- Students are not finding value in their educational experiences.
I believe all three of these data points have a common connection: a lack of hope.
Alexander Denham is a North Carolina educator with a MEd in Urban Education. His passion for infusing hope in educational spaces has led him to be a teacher, coach, and behavior systems specialist. He spends his free time with his family and friends, traveling with his wife, and hiking with his dog.


