This article describes an unexpected playground experience that occurred between the author, a reading educator and former middle grades teacher, and his six-year-old granddaughter. The experience became the inspiration and impetus to provide an introduction to, and a rationale for, the concept of text clusters to middle grades teachers. The…

American higher education has recently embraced a new tool for advancing its commitment to "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI). Many colleges and universities are now engaged in "DEI cluster hiring," a practice which ultimately embodies higher education's turn toward political and social activism. Unfortunately, it has…

In recent years, employers have expressed concerns that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates, though proficient in their academic disciplines, lack the critical skills necessary for success in the workplace (Karimi & Pina, 2021). Additionally, many non-STEM majors do not develop the basic STEM competencies that…