“What I came to grasp as my years studying under Asa Briggs went by was how much more than excellence in the writing of history he had to impart. Much of his thinking is reflected in the books that Royal Fireworks produces—books that expect students to expand their horizons.” – Dr. T.M. Kemnitz

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world, in part by disrupting educational systems across the globe. But education is arguably the key to preventing future pandemics. We offer problem-based learning units that can help teach children how to problem solve issues of public health and safety—an invaluable tool both for themselves and for societies around the world.

“The stories of these mathematical pioneers show that math is done by real people who lived real lives. They didn’t start out knowing everything. They had to study and learn, making both discoveries and mistakes along the way. By following the paths they took, readers can uncover the human side of mathematics.” – Robert Black

“Not only does ‘Amazing Ants’ teach ant study, but it also teaches inquiry-based science in a way that both parents and science educators can easily implement. Far too many science texts and classes shy away from true inquiry-based learning, but this book doesn’t do that. And it is written to go directly into the hands of students.”

“Why do students have to keep doing four-level analyses in every level of the MCT curriculum once they know how to do it? This is a good question. But four-level analysis is different because it is an expansive inquiry into language; it is investigating something that is not concrete or simple but that is essentially bottomless.” – Michael Clay Thompson

“My central concept for ‘The Word Within the Word’ is that it is a profoundly interdisciplinary vocabulary curriculum, interweaving the vocabulary of science, mathematics, history, literature, art, and more into a great vocabulary fabric that will make students better in every subject and prepare them for the future like no other curriculum ever has.” – Michael Clay Thompson

“From time to time, it is healthy for us, as educators devoted to optimizing differentiated education for gifted children, to reexamine our most fundamental assumptions. The assumption I would like to discuss can be expressed in a question: Is gifted education a dream or a goal?” – Michael Clay Thompson

“I want philosophy to be a lifelong friend for my children—and for all of their friends, and for all of their friends’ friends, and for the whole next generation. As they venture into civilization, philosophy will be their defense against me and all of the teachers, role models, bosses, and societal influences who, well-meaning or not, give too many suggestions and with too heavy a hand.” – Dr. Sharon Kaye

“We must advocate for real reading. There is nothing else in education—nothing—that is as educational as reading. By reading serious literature, both fiction and nonfiction, students experience the full range of intellectual experience. They grow in their reading power and can read better and deeper, with more comprehension and enthusiasm for important stories and ideas.” – Michael Clay Thompson

“For many people, learning math mostly involved working a seemingly endless set of exercise problems. Such drills have their place, but if that’s all students do, they’re missing a big part of what math is about. In fact, they’re missing the most important part: the opportunity to see math as a creative, collaborative experience, full of possibilities for exploration and discovery.” – Robert Black

“Black History Month is a celebration of important people and events in the history of African-Americans and is commemorated in the United States in February. But both black and white critics raise the question: Is Black History Month still needed?” – Richard Beck

“As a classroom teacher, I always tended to have high standards, and to give enormous assignments and challenges, but to be generous about grading. I think, deep down, the generosity was based partly on appreciation and admiration of the work the students were doing, but also on deep concerns about the reliability and validity of evaluation. And yet—here’s the thing—we have to do it.” – Michael Clay Thompson

“In my language arts classrooms, I did not teach reading; I taught literature. I assumed that students knew how to read the literature we tackled, and for some students, that assumption was true. But for others, it was not. Teaching sound literacy skills not only will create successful language arts students, but it will create successful science, social studies, and math students, and it will create successful employees in all industries.” – Steve Loe

“If we are to have something truly worthwhile to offer children, it seems to me that it needs to be not just child-centered but life-centered. We humans have vast individual differences, which is, arguably, how we have survived on this planet as long we have. Life here operates on the principle of biodiversity. Every difference has a place. Every life has meaning. EVERY life.” – Stephanie Tolan