A challenge that I am currently experiencing in education is designing learning environments and experiences, across the curriculum, for the whole-child. Particularly, how are we making sure that each student feels safe, engaged, and challenged. Breaking this down: What does it mean to feel safe as a student? More than just physical, do students feel mentally safe, protected, and comfortable. Safe to be their authentic selves. Safe to express their culture and share their voice. How do we design lessons that are culturally responsive where students are celebrated and feel safe to be who they are? What does it mean to be engaged as a student? Engaged students are learning! Approaching education from a one size fits all perspective does not fit all students. Not all students are motivated the same or have the same interests. How do we reach them while ensuring equitable experiences in the classroom? How do we design with diversity in mind and how do we construct learning experiences that can engage diverse learners? What does it mean to be challenged? I think that too often certain students are not challenged enough. This could be for a number of reasons including teacher bias. Every student deserves to be in a challenging environment where growth-mindset is encouraged. Believing that we should not challenge certain students can be detrimental to student growth and lead to an inequitable classroom environment. How can we design learning experiences that are challenging for students and encourage critical thinking and growth? Why does this matter? Access! Every student deserves access to a quality education where they are valued. This can lead to having access to wealth in life. Too often, students are left behind and this means they are being denied access to a world of opportunities.