As someone who has loved connecting with @jessenathaniel.bsky.social online for some time + learned a ton from his perspective, it was a joy and privilege to finally have this conversation. Unsurprisingly, he had SO many worthwhile things to share: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

If you believe in people, believe in them publicly. Mrs. Francesca Wasserman was just named NYSEC Director of Excellence 2025. She advocates with conviction for kids, empowers us to think boldly, and creates genuine belonging for all. Congrats!

Had a great convo with Logan Taylor on Class in Session—belonging isn’t theory, it’s the game. It’s how you build classrooms where kids don’t just show up—they show out. Wanna lead cultures that transform schools? Hit play. Link below: youtu.be/OPmGg4f2lZg #edusky #studentengagement

When I started teaching, I promised I’d do it differently. This year we went full Mighty Ducks. The best part? Even when it’s rough—hurricanes, Covid, life chaos—this team stays resilient. Halloween scaries, always. Sunday Scaries? Never. #edusky #keynotespeaker

A lot of what Marcus shares is timeless, but I felt this column and podcast are particularly valid in this moment we are grappling with.

Just dropped a 🔥 convo with Logan Taylor from y.b.normal2016 - this guy gets belonging at the grassroots level, moving thousands of kids nationwide, the same way I’m doing with educators. He broke down our Bridges program like no one ever has. Full episode’s live. #edusky youtu.be/OPmGg4f2lZg

Everyone wants a team of rock stars. I’ve been working with them for yearsselling out venues and dropping hits daily in the Red Wing of our middle school. Trust. Resilience. Community. I’m lucky, and your dream team might be right in front of you too. Link below. #edusky #middleschools

Halloween Throwback: We went all in as the Friends cast—wigs, props, even Ross’s spray tan (which I completely overdid). But it mattered. Every 13-year-old loved Friends, so we stepped into their world. Connection isn’t accidental. Sometimes it takes too much bronzer. #Edusky #studentengagement

It’s Halloween Week. Year two. Day one, I told them, “We’re all calling each other Chef. Like The Bear.” It stuck. Every kid. Every teacher. “Yes, Chef.”Now someone yells “Chef?” and we all know who they mean. That’s community. Not a secret. Just intentionality. Go cook 🔥 #edusky #middleschool

Student teaching is hard. Having a student teacher? Harder. But this guy leaned in, took bold stands for our students, and made middle school English look like a Marvel movie. Doctor Strange would be jealous. Grateful for mentors, moments, and this work. 🎃 #edchat #middleschool #edusky

Belonging isn’t a buzzword. It’s the foundation of every great classroom. Had an incredible time with educators at Molloy University digging into how we build it. When teachers lead with reflection and intention, we become unstoppable. #edusky

Want project-based learning that builds real community? In The Branding Project, students work with local businesses—pitching, editing, and designing for authentic audiences while building resilience, leadership, and real-world skills. #edusky #studentengagement

Hear me out: if we want authentic writing, we have to give authentic feedback. Stop outsourcing that to AI. #studentengagement #belonginginschools #englishteacher #edchat

Want to show them that you trust them? Don't lean on on the same handful of responders. Cold call. Want to create resilient students? Then refuse to accept "I don't know," Cold call. Want to build belonging in your school? Now accepting cold calls. 😆 #classroomculture #edusky

Confession - I've never had the Sunday Scaries. I know. I'm nuts. The reason I speak to educators is to share what renews and refreshes me. A big part of that is people like @mrneibauer.bsky.social Here he discusses "why" we get it and how to solve it: adrianneibauer.substack.com/p/sunday-sca...

oh you’re a nihilist? name zero things that matter

Belonging isn’t online. It’s built in the rain outside Anfield. Laughter, resilience, strangers turned family. Back in New York, I’m ready to build that same community in classrooms, conference halls, anywhere. Let’s go. #YNWA #Liverpool #Community #belonginginschools #edusky

you hate what your students love, don't be shocked when they tune you out. The moments they let you know what they rock with are a chance to build lasting relationships, and this is a relationship business. What's something your students or teacher put you on to? #edusky #studentengagement

Pumped to get in front of these Long Island educators at Molloy on Friday! We’re gonna talk about belonging, we’re gonna talk about buy-in, and most importantly, we’re gonna talk about how we connect with each other. This is the stuff that matters. This is where the real work happens!

Community isn’t convenient. It’s showing up when your couch is calling and leaning into the awkward with new faces. That’s what Bridges is about: kids from different districts learning to lead, serve, and grow through discomfort. This is how you build bridges: with intention. DM for more #edusky

Intentionality isn’t just a plan. It’s a roadmap that turns every interruption into a chance to show up, have fun, and build real community. Grit N Wit gave us that today. It wasn’t just a day of resilience. It was a day of belonging. #edusky #middleschool #resilience #belonginginschools

Stop trying to be the “funny teacher.” Funny doesn’t scale. Fair does. You want kids to trust you? Be consistent. Keep your word. Build systems. Hold them accountable and love them through the tough days. Play the long game. #studentengagement #newteacher #middleschool #classroommanagement #edusky

Male teachers are down to 23%. That’s crazy. Shout out to my mentors and the student teachers already schooling me. Get a mentor. Be a mentor. Stop waiting for someone else to fix it. #studentengagement #edusky #classroomculture #schoolleadership #belonginginschools #menwhoteach

If you believe in people, believe in them publicly. A journalist called me about our principal last week, and I couldn’t wait to brag. She’s building real community, embracing tech, and proving middle school can be about values, not just skills. Big congrats to her! #edusky #middleschool

Whenever Marcus and Adrian chop it up you know good things are going to happen. Even when discussing the intersection of issues we all are feeling, the conversations are about solutions.

How you spend your time is an expression of value. If you're trying to save time/be efficient, you're signaling it doesn't have as much value as something else. And people notice. (Especially students.)

School isn’t just grades; it’s belonging. 9/11 gave our students space to reflect on resilience & community. Legacy is built when lessons move beyond class & into their world. Thanks @longislandherald for spotlighting this. #BelongingInSchools #ClassroomCulture #September11th #edusky

The team’s back.
The culture’s strong. The key to growth is what you do when things are already good.
You push anyway. A year of belonging that’s there if you want it. Let’s talk.
#studentengagement #middleschool #classroomculture #schoolleadership #belonginginschools #edusky

I started speaking to bring real tools from a teacher still in the classroom. Here’s one that’s free and flips culture instantly: 👉 Anonymous surveys. Trust kids by letting them give feedback #classroomculture #teacherlife #belonginginschools #professionaldevelopment #edusky

The reflections from this have been inspiring. We loop, so same kids as last year. But they hit the ground running as we asked them to do something a little advanced for middle School kids. #edusky #studentengagement #classroomculture

Powerful piece by @mrneibauer.bsky.social about the challenges of teaching today. It should illuminate for everyone--not just teachers--how resisting conformity, standardization, and authoritarianism by promoting creativity, community, and communication in our workplaces is essential right now.

Bridges is back and bigger than ever. Catch my chat with @DarrinPeppard on Leaning Into Leadership, where we break down how our program builds real community. Want this in your district? Let’s make it happen. #studentengagement #middleschool #classroomculture #schoolleadership #edusky

If you think kindness is just being “nice,” you’re missing it. Kindness is truth, consistency, and action, even when it’s inconvenient. Wrote about it for Chris Culver 👉 www.orangesparrow.org/the-kind-voi... #edusky

9/11 may feel distant to students but poetry and perspective keep the legacy alive. We've used poetry and book clubs to reflect in the past. Will share what we did this year soon. #studentengagement #september11th #middleschool #september11 #edusky

The first thing we read to begin the school year in my 10th grade English class? A poem. The first thing we read to begin the school year in my AP Literature class? A poem. Poetry is the absolute, absolute best. thebrokencopier.substack.com/p/why-i-love...

Can't teach storytelling and not write your own stories. Seeing my favorite bad since eighth grade was well worth less sleep for the first day of teaching it. Oasis fans are different. #classroomculture #studentengagement #middleschool #belonginginschools #edusky

Stop starting school with rules on the board. Start with trust. Period. It’s the warm-up before the workout. You don’t skip it if you want to go the distance. How are you building trust day one? #schoolleadership #belonginginschools #studentengagement #edusky

My friends say I disappear every summer. They’re right. This year I built a keynote, stretched myself, and still found time for beaches, friends, and screaming Oasis. Belonging built. Belonging found. #BelongingInSchools #SchoolLeaders #edusky #ConnectedClassrooms #EduLeaders

My friends say I disappear every summer. They’re right. This year I built a keynote, stretched myself, and still found time for beaches, friends, and screaming Oasis. Belonging built. Belonging found. #BelongingInSchools #SchoolLeaders #edusky #ConnectedClassrooms #EduLeaders

For those who don’t have the privilege of working with adolescents: Now more than ever, kids are looking at the world around them and seeing that something is missing. They crave connection in ways that are becoming increasingly scarce in our society. School should be that place to reclaim that.

Kindness isn’t about being liked. It’s about being real, even when it’s hard. It’s intentional.
And it builds trust way faster than “nice” ever will. I wrote a guest post for Dr. Chris Culver about this.
Link’s below if you want to rethink how kindness shows up at work.
👇 Let me know your take.

Tools like these have been instrumental in my classroom; both in teaching kids to receive feedback and get them to progress as writers. As I loop back with the same group it's rare we see the same issues present themselves. The reflection is there, even in thirteen year olds.

I gave my students toilet paper on the first day.Kids laughed. Adults panicked.
But it worked. Sharing more trust-first moves like this all year.
👇 Drop your favorite. #studentengagement #middleschool #classroomculture #schoolleadership #belongingintheclassroom

Cold calling isn’t cruelty. Avoiding it is. Here’s the truth: resilience is reps. If we don’t let kids sit in discomfort, they’ll never trust themselves, or us. 👉 This is how we build cultures resilience AND belonging. If you want that for your school, let's talk! #edusky #backtoschool

She was a student on my first team. Now I’m a guest at her wedding., and she’s a teacher paying it forward. That’s community. That’s belonging. Forget slogans. What we build with people outlives the walls of our schools. Let’s make that happen in every classroom this year. #edusky

Excited to share that Dr. Christopher Culver ,kindness expert, has featured me on Orange Sparrow's blog. Here's the article below. More to come! www.orangesparrow.org/the-kind-voi... #belonginginschools #studentengagement #edusky

As we get started on a new year it's so cool to see what everyone I've met through spaces like this is up to. Teaching is an island; great to see people like Adrian starting with trust, platforming identity, and throwing in an engaging poem to get started. Read more of his week one. #edusky

Once you understand that a driving principle of American politics is there is no such thing as a compassionate solution that's cheap enough or a cruel solution that's too expensive, a lot of things click into place.

Two of the worst potential consequences in one, de-skilling and self-alienation. Foreseeable from the beginning.

You can’t fake trust. It’s built when students don’t expect to see you—but you show up anyway. Ball games. Quiet concerts. Board meetings. They remember who was there.
That’s how you build belonging. #edusky #belonging #classroomculture