Educators at PS 66 in Richmond Hill, Queens are striving to find the balance between encouraging English language learners to preserve their native language abilities and nurturing them in their burgeoning English skills while educating them alongside their native English-speaking peers.

Even as student collaboration and group work are embraced in the modern classroom, some teachers are exploring the idea of redefining introversion as a source of strength.

“The goal is to help children improve by helping teachers improve,” says Tagrid Sihly, a reading coach in the DOE's University Literacy initiative.

What should homework look like? How long should it take? Should it even exist at all?