Sphere Education Initiatives

Sphere Education Initiatives Sphere works with grade 5-12 educators to overcome polarization, and to promote free speech and viewpoint diversity.

"We need to start encouraging these behaviors in our students if we want to see harmony restored in our communities as a...
05/09/2026

"We need to start encouraging these behaviors in our students if we want to see harmony restored in our communities as a whole."

Jes Brosnan is a high school teacher and a Sphere Alumni Fellow who is committed to helping students engage in challenging conversations in the classroom.

She writes,
"Sphere's civil discourse strategies have been a game-changer for my classroom. I've utilized them to craft the basis of Common Ground Cafe: the civil discourse coffeehouse I created as part of my Sphere Fellowship project. During the coffeehouse, I was so proud to watch my students take on some really difficult conversations without losing their sense of respect and decency towards peers who had divergent viewpoints."

If you're interested in learning more about the Sphere Alumni Fellowship and how you can create an impactful project like this, click here to learn more: https://www.sphere-ed.org/sphere-fellowship

05/08/2026

"Fulfilling the Promise" is a new documentary from Sphere Education Initiatives, directed by Lena Popilieva. It's a timely portrait of civic education that asks a question at the heart of the American experiment: are we living up to our founding principles?

Through four schools in Brooklyn, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, Durango, Colorado, and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the film shows how teachers and students bring the Declaration of Independence to life, discussing its principles through the framework of civil discourse.

Not merely an appreciation of the history of the Declaration, this documentary explores how teachers and students play a vital role in keeping these principles alive and, as Dr. King noted in his “I have a Dream” speech, better fulfilling the promise of the Declaration as a promissory note for future generations.

Subscribe to our channel to stay updated when the full documentary drops this summer.

05/08/2026

A Civics Day that got every student off campus and into the community. A school-wide election initiative that registered and turned out hundreds of student voters. A toolkit helping administrators support teachers in facilitating hard conversations.

These are just a few of the projects Sphere Alumni Fellows are building in their schools and communities, with mentorship, collaboration, and ongoing support from Sphere Education Initiatives.

This , we're celebrating the educators who don't just teach civic engagement. They create it.

Applications for the 2026 fall cohort Sphere Alumni Fellowship are now open. If you're a Sphere alum with a project idea, this is your chance.

Learn more and apply: sphere-ed.org/sphere-fellowship

05/07/2026

The real impact isn't just how many teachers we've worked with. It's what those teachers are doing in their classrooms every day.

Allan Carey, Director of Sphere Education Initiatives, describes how he has seen Sphere educators take civil discourse from professional development into practice and how that has impacted their students.

This , we're proud to stand alongside thousands of Sphere Alumni educators doing this work.

See how Sphere supports teachers: sphere-ed.org

05/06/2026

Rose McClanahan, teacher and Sphere Alumni Fellow, explains why it matters that educators present balanced narratives and give students the space to think through hard questions for themselves.

Today is , and we're honoring the teachers who make room for every student's voice.

Explore free civil discourse resources for your classroom: https://www.sphere-ed.org/collection/getting-started-civil-discourse

04/24/2026

How do you have a productive conversation when you fundamentally disagree? Adam Michel, Director of Tax Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, shares his approach from a recent Sphere panel: start by acknowledging that you’re coming from different places.

It sounds simple, but it changes the whole dynamic. When we name our differences instead of talking past them, real conversation becomes possible.

Learn more about civil discourse and how you can foster it in your classroom today: https://www.sphere-ed.org/publication/principles-civil-discourse-primer

Behind every Sphere resource is a team of educators who make sure it’s classroom-ready. Introducing our 2026–2027 Conten...
04/23/2026

Behind every Sphere resource is a team of educators who make sure it’s classroom-ready. Introducing our 2026–2027 Content Advisory Board!

- Rachel Ng – ELA Instructor
- Sarah Xander – Instructional Coach & PEAKS Teacher
- Adam Pinkerton – AP Social Science Teacher
- Melissa Solomon – High School History Teacher
- Kymberli Wregglesworth – Social Studies Teacher
- Megan Thompson – Social Studies Teacher

These educators will create, evaluate, and test lesson materials to ensure they meet the highest standards. We’re grateful for their expertise and partnership.

Meet the educators leading the way for civil discourse in classrooms across the country. We’re proud to introduce Sphere...
04/22/2026

Meet the educators leading the way for civil discourse in classrooms across the country.

We’re proud to introduce Sphere’s 2026–2027 Educator Ambassadors!

- Carlos Romo – Dean of Students, Wauwatosa East High School (WI)
- Kendra Miller – Inquiry-Based Learning Specialist & PhD Student, Middle Tennessee State University
- Khalil Roy – Social Studies Educator & Founder, College Awareness Club
- Betty Nordengren – K–8 Multilingual Teacher & Sphere Contributor since 2021
- Nancie Lindblom – Educator & Student-Centered Learning Advocate
- Kristin Conklin – K–12 Social Studies Coordinator, Tahoma School District (WA)

These educators will bring Sphere’s professional development and resources to classrooms and conferences across the country. We’re honored to have them as part of the Sphere community.

04/21/2026

“Know thyself.” That’s the first piece of advice that Rick Holifield gives to teachers navigating polarization in their classrooms.

Rick is an educational leader and a 2025–2026 Sphere Educator Ambassador. In this video, he explains that everyone has biases, even educators.

Rick’s reminder: start with yourself before you focus on your students. And when you do turn to them, don’t aim to change their minds. Aim to educate and inspire, and let meaningful change follow.

Want more tips on fostering civil discourse in the classroom? Start here: https://www.sphere-ed.org/publication/principles-civil-discourse-primer

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