Uncommon Sense FAQ

Launched in February 2021, Uncommon Sense is an instructional best-practices blog with insights and resources that have been developed and fine-tuned in Uncommon’s 53 schools. For two decades, Uncommon has observed its strongest teachers and codified their practices for the entire network. The result? Consistently high achievement results that last beyond college.

Since opening our doors to 75 middle schoolers in Newark, NJ, nearly every Uncommon alumni has received a college acceptance and are on pace to graduate from four-year colleges at higher rates than students from wealthier households.

Uncommon Schools has a long tradition of sharing best-practices and this continues to be an organizational priority. In previous years, we have shared our work through on-site professional development trainings with local district partners, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to take a new approach.

Through our teacher and school leader trainings, workshops, and best-selling books, Uncommon has impacted more than 25 million students. Uncommon Sense will allow us to continue the work of sharing key insights and resources to support educators and their students.

While our primary audience includes classroom teachers and school leaders, Uncommon Sense is for anyone interested in elevating their teaching practice—including parents of homeschooled children, parents interested in up-to-date instructional practices, youth mentors and after-school program leaders, educational organizations, and more.

You can subscribe to the blog here. Once you subscribe, you will receive a welcome email and begin receiving new blog posts directly to your inbox.

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The contributors to Uncommon Sense are all expert educators with years of experience as teachers and school leaders focused on one thing: providing a great education to every child. Our contributors support our schools in a variety of roles, from content and curriculum development, to overseeing positive school culture.

Our contributors will cover just about every topic imaginable related to school culture, leadership, curriculum, and more.

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit charter management organization that operates 55 schools and serves more than 21,000 students in grades K-12 in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

Our mission is to close the achievement gap and prepare students from low-income communities to get to and graduate from college so they can achieve their dreams.

Learn more about us here.