Bret
Turner

Bret is a writer and musician who taught elementary school for eight years. Turner earned his B.A. in linguistics from Pomona College and his M.A. in curriculum and instruction from the University of the Pacific in partnership with the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. Turner writes about education and parenting and records and performs kids’ music. He lives with his wife, Jessica (a fellow elementary-school teacher); their two kids, Alice and Louie; and their three-legged dog.

Articles by Bret

Teaching Kindness Isn’t Enough

Teaching kindness is a staple of elementary practice, but that isn’t the same as teaching justice.
Bret Turner

Teaching First-Graders About Microaggressions: The Small Moments Add Up

For younger students, understanding that identity-based microaggressions pose a heavier burden than other painful moments is critical to developing anti-racist, empathetic behaviors.
Bret Turner

Open Secrets in First-Grade Math: Teaching About White Supremacy on American Currency

Studying money is a staple of first-grade math. This teacher used it as an opportunity to educate about—and push back against—sexism, racism and white supremacy.
Bret Turner

When a First-Grader Is Called a Racist

When the word ‘racist’ brought out some strong feelings in a first-grade classroom, this teacher helped the students examine the word’s complexity.
Bret Turner

Reframing Gender Helps Kids See Beyond Other Binaries

Teaching gender as a spectrum has far-reaching consequences: Beyond helping students form a more complex understanding of gender identity, it helps them—and educators—see more nuance across a wide range of subjects.
Bret Turner