Practical Is Powerful — Because Teaching Shouldn’t Need a Manual
This is the second post in a four-part series exploring the principles behind our new brand identity—each one grounded in what teachers have told us matters most. If you missed the first post, you can read it here.
At a time when teacher burnout is increasing1 and literacy gaps continue to widen2, it’s easy to assume the resources we give teachers must be complex. But I believe the opposite is often true: what teachers need most are practical tools that just work, both for teachers and for student outcomes.
Practical doesn’t mean simplistic. It means effective. It means accessible. It means something teachers can count on—day in and day out—to meet the needs of their students without spending hours figuring it out.
It's not about being flashy—it's about solving real problems in a way that’s grounded and effective. Practical is powerful.
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Practicality Starts With Respect
Teaching is already one of the most demanding jobs in the world. There’s complexity in every corner—student needs, classroom management, instructional alignment, school policy, funding. The resources teachers use shouldn’t add to that complexity.
That’s why I believe practicality is a form of respect.
- Respect for a teacher’s time
- Respect for their expertise
- Respect for the hundreds of decisions they make every day
If a teacher has to stay late on a Friday afternoon just to figure out how to use a literacy solution, we’ve failed them. The best classroom tools address mission-critical challenges, and are always intuitive—so clear and thoughtfully designed that they empower a teacher from the first click.
As one teacher recently told us:
“It does exactly what I need it to do.”
That’s the power of practical.
What Does Practical Support Actually Look Like?
In our ongoing conversations with educators, the need for ease, flexibility, and scalability comes through loud and clear. And for good reason: the average teacher spends 7-10 hours a week searching for classroom resources.
That’s time they could be spending on connecting with students or recharging for the next day.
Practical support should meet teachers where they are—and help them move forward with confidence. That means providing:
- High-quality content that’s easy to find and clearly aligned to what students need to learn
- Flexible formats that let teachers print, project, or assign materials in ways that fit their classroom flow
- Tools that save time, rather than adding tasks, whether it’s finding resources correlated to core curriculum, assigning text to students, or simplifying lesson planning
- Professional learning that fits into real life, not something that requires hours away from the classroom
- Solutions that scale without complication, making it easier to serve more students across more settings
When a resource is intuitive, adaptable, and ready when teachers need it, it doesn’t just support instruction—it amplifies it.
In short, give teachers more of what they need and less of what they don’t.
Making Progress Easier to Achieve
When practical solutions are in place, powerful things happen:
- Teachers spend less time hunting for resources and more time focusing on instruction.
- More students get what they need to feel the joy of success.
- Teachers and school leaders see measurable progress toward shared goals.
We also see something else: teachers feel seen, valued, and supported—and that’s what keeps them engaged in their profession and fuels better outcomes for everyone.
Practicality Isn’t a Shortcut. It’s a Foundation.
Too often in education, there’s a tendency to equate complexity with rigor. But the truth is, some of the most effective teaching happens when resources are simple to use and thoughtfully designed.
When a substitute teacher or a parent can pick up a resource and use it with confidence—that’s practical. When a teacher knows exactly where to find what they need—that’s practical. And when those tools still deliver high-quality, research-aligned content tailored for diverse learners—that’s not just practical. That’s powerful.
Because when we remove the barriers between intention and action, we make meaningful learning possible.
Continuing the Conversation
We believe that practical solutions don’t just support teachers—they help them shine.
Next up, I’ll be talking about our third core principle: Research is powerful—and why following the best evidence about how students learn to read is essential to shaping what’s next in literacy.
Let’s keep building solutions that make it easier for teachers to do what they love: teach.
References:
- https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/whats-causing-teacher-burnout
- https://www.chalkbeat.org/2025/01/29/naep-reading-scores-decline-and-struggling-students-fall-behind/