Dr. Brandon Garrett Thornton

Congratulations to the 2025 Illinois Teacher of the Year, Víctor Gómez! Your passion and impact inspire us all. We also celebrate the full ISTOY cohort—an extraordinary group of changemakers representing the very best of Illinois education. Thank you for all you do! 🧵

Bloomington residents discover the one event Dan Brady won't show up to.

For the last 8 years.

Right back at you! I learned a lot tonight!

Do it with intention.

A7. Make it more than a month. Make celebrating black innovation & inspiration (past, present, & future) part of your classroom culture throughout the whole school year. #T2Tchat #EduSky

I love this! Esports really is the perfect avenue for students to see their worth, and I love that higher ed is embracing it too!

A7: You are entering a very politicized profession right now, but you are prepared for the fight! Build authentic, diverse voices into your curricula all year, and do it with intention. If this is your norm, you are less likely to get pushback during BHM. You’ve got this! #T2Tchat

THIS! It is not our job to help them reach OUR dreams — which often center on grades and graduation; it is our job to nurture theirs! The grades will fall into place once you do that!

A6: I believe them. If they tell me their dreams, I believe them. It’s that simple. I used to approach this so incorrectly. I thought showing my degrees would inspire them, when really it drove a wedge between some of them. Find the thing that makes them sprout, and water it. #T2Tchat

We have a Dream Journal! They reflect on the shared sentiment towards the American Dream felt by Americans at the end of each decade, and then there is a section where they reflect on how diverse perspectives align or deviate from that sentiment!

A5: I think an emoji would work better: 🫣

Admittedly, this is an area of growth. While my intention is collaboration when communicating home, the impact isn’t actually yielding meaningful collaboration. I think it’s super important to poll families on HOW they’d like to stay involved! #T2Tchat

Journeys of Black Mathematicians | Forging Resilience | Episode 101 This episode traces the role of HBCUs and mentors in growing the community of Black mathematicians.

One of the most powerful videos I’ve watched recently is Journeys of Black Mathematicians: Forging Resilience. I posted about it recently. It’s outstanding and inspiring. www.pbs.org/video/forgin...

Yes! I’ve been leaning into the significance behind Black entertainers. We often don’t picture them when thinking about “pop culture,” but every viral phrase was coined by a Black person. Whether it’s the Grammys, the Super Bowl, or TikTok dances, we are a living history! #T2Tchat

A4: I think Black students are hyper aware of how society views them. Schools must affirm that we view them as more than a month, more than a costume, and more than a lesson. Black voices should be apart of the decision-making, curriculum, and student advocacy/leadership of the school. #T2Tchat

Black History resources Black History Resources 28 Days of Black History 28daysofblackhistory.com National Museum of African American History & Culture LEARN units for grades 3-12 National Archives African American History ...

This level of prep will help ensure that you know which sites students are using rather than sending them on a time-wasting hunt for info. Please don’t send students to search Google willy-nilly; it’s not wise or safe. Here's a few resources to support your work: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

It’s not too late to join us!

I turn to my colleagues in the history department. They’ve done such a wonderful job of incorporating Black experiences throughout their curriculum. Honestly, they helped me realize I could do the same. #T2Tchat

It really is in the design! That shows the intentionality!

A2: One way I make sure students see themselves represented in my classroom year-round is making sure the texts truly sees them as THEY feel seen. While our struggles may be similar, it’s unfair for me (and authors) to assume our lived experiences are! #T2Tchat

A2. One way I make sure students see themselves represented in my classroom year-round is through the literature I incorporate in my curriculum. It is so powerful for my students to see themselves reflected in the books available to them in my room and taught in my class. #t2tchat #EduSky

YES! I love this push for representation. I loved the literary cannon growing up, but my brother did not, and he still doesn’t enjoy reading. I wonder how different that would’ve been had he felt seen. Thanks for joining us! #T2Tchat

A2: One way I make sure students see themselves represented in my classroom year-round is making sure the texts truly sees them as THEY feel seen. While our struggles may be similar, it’s unfair for me (and authors) to assume our lived experiences are! #T2Tchat

I LOVE the idea of connecting youth to HBCUs!

A1: I teach special education junior lit/comp! In Lit, we’ve been exploring the American Dream. Rather than focus on the 1920s/Gatsby, I’ve had students track the pursuit of the Dream over the last century from different diverse perspectives! #T2Tchat

Students will explore films, poems, memoirs, and informational texts that highlight the Black experience. Far too often, the Black voice is left out of the picture unless the convo is on trauma or civil rights. We are more than our trauma, and we are more than just a month. #T2Tchat