Tackling tough topics.

• Author: Zack, Ian
• Position: Teacher's Guide

Dear Teachers,

It's always a delight when we can report genuinely good news, like this issue's story on the global decline in extreme poverty. The fact that the extreme poverty rate is approaching single digits--after hovering above 40 percent as recently as the 1980s--is something to celebrate. We hope that our coverage helps your students understand the economic changes, advances in medicine and technology, and humanitarian efforts behind this trend (as well as the grim reality that millions still have not escaped extreme poverty).

Two other features will help your students tackle particularly tough, complicated questions: Why is the Middle East so plagued with violence and conflict? And is the Republican Party on the verge ^ of breaking apart as we head into Election 2016? Tackling topics like these can be a challenge, even for veteran teachers. That's why we put a lot of thought into how we cover them. You can count on Upfront to:

* Provide context. Knowing the historical roots of an issue or event helps students make sense of it.

For example, this issue's Times Past examines how an agreement signed during World War I created new borders in the Middle East--and...