The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education

By ASCD

What's The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education about?

The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education seeks to inform and engage educators, parents, community members -- and you -- about what works in today's schools. Guests include educational leaders, practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and students from around the globe who share their insights about sound education policies and practices that ensure that each student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

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The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education episodes:

05.02.2013
The New Poverty: Dealing with Economic Change
In today’s global economic state, many families and children face reduced circumstances. What are the implications of this new poverty for schools, many of which have seen drastic changes in the populations they serve and their communities?
04.04.2013
Leveling and Raising the Playing Field
Many schools have made great strides in addressing students' needs, but some schools have gone further. They have taken an issue that was initially a need and used it to enhance and improve what the school offers.
02.14.2013
How Can We Make Our Schools Safer?
Safety is and will always be a fundamental concern for schools. What do we, as educators, believe is crucial to making our schools safe -- not just physically safe, but safe places to teach and learn.
01.17.2013
Great Expectations: Transforming Practice Through Common Core Implementation
We as educators have a unique opportunity to reset the playing field and make the Common Core State Standards work for us. Now is the time for us to take control and become empowered in the process.
04.16.2012
Coordinated and Collaborative Responses to Diverse Student Needs
Essential to student success is access to personalized learning and support from qualified, caring adults -- whether those be teachers, principals, counselors, cafeteria staff, custodians, family members, coaches, ministers ... the list goes on and on. Students as learners are...
03.08.2012
Whole Child Around the World: A Good School Is a Good School
Whether your school is in Berlin, Sydney, Ramallah, or Omaha, a whole child approach to education and community engagement -- in which each child in each school and each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged -- ensures student...
01.12.2012
The Future of Assessment
In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, we discuss the future of assessment and how the current accountability model must evolve from one that is punitive, prescriptive, and often overly bureaucratic to one that is truly learning-driven, informative, promotes...
12.07.2011
Assessment 101
The true measure of students' proficiency and readiness for college, career, and citizenship must be based on more than just their scores on any state standardized reading and math assessments. It has to be based on valid, reliable information from...
11.03.2011
More than Just Gym: Integrating Movement Across the School Day
Research shows that kids who are physically active are not only healthier, but are also likely to perform better academically, and short activity breaks during the school day can improve concentration, behavior, and enhance learning. In short, school-based physical activity...
09.08.2011
Partnerships Between Home and School: The Real Missing Link?
Families are a central source of children's learning and development, and their influence cannot be ignored. Engaging with families can inform, complement, reinforce, and accelerate educators' efforts to educate the whole child. Without strategic and continual connections between families and...
05.12.2011
Beyond Our Halls and Walls: Getting to Community Engagement
There is much talk about the need for community involvement in educating the whole child. But, who is the community and what does sustainable community involvment look like? In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, learn what it means...
03.29.2011
Ready and Able: An Interivew with Jay Mathews
In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, host Molly McCloskey, managing director of Whole Child Programs at ASCD, and Jay Mathews, education columnist for The Washington Post and author, have a conversation about what it means to be college-...
03.27.2011
Ready and Able: College, Career, and Citizenship in the 21st Century
The demands of meeting all district, state, and national requirements often seem to leave no time for preparing students for anything else. Yet teaching solely to the test will leave students ill-equipped for college, careers, and citizenship. Recorded live at...
02.03.2011
Teaching in a Digital World: Connecting and Empowering the Whole Child
Unfortunately, unchecked and unfocused use of technology can result in students disconnecting from the "why" of learning and from the real-time relationships that are key to their development and success. Alternatively, high-quality integration of technology has the potential to not...
12.09.2010
PE, Recess, and Beyond: The Implications of Movement
This episode of the Whole Child Podcast examines the research about the need for physical education in schools; explores some of the recent criticism; examines the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement, engagement, and social and emotional health and...
10.06.2010
The Critical Role of the Arts Throughout a Whole Child Education
The arts play an essential role in providing each student with a well-rounded education that meets the needs of the whole child. Although classes strictly focused on music, visual arts, drama, dance, and art history are critical, integrating the arts...
09.07.2010
A Whole Child Approach to Addressing Bullying
A school and community that do not address bullying cannot ensure that each student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Bullying influences each critical dimension of a whole child approach to education because it compromises students’ physical and emotional...
06.03.2010
Summer Learning and Development
On this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, we look at how schools and communities are working to ensure that each student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged throughout the summer and why it's so critical. Our guests discuss...
05.06.2010
Developing Principals to Lead a Whole Child School
Download the May Whole Child Podcast to learn more about building the capacity of principals to lead effective and systemic school reform. Our guests discuss what kind of principal development leads to results for students and discuss the current landscape...
04.08.2010
Future Directions: Examining the Blueprint for Reauthorizing ESEA
The federal government recently released the blueprint for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, learn more about the direction of the ESEA Blueprint and what it means for the whole...
03.08.2010
Putting Vision into Action for the Whole Child
This episode of the Whole Child Podcast was recorded live at ASCD's Annual Conference on March 7, 2010, and features the winning school of the first-ever Vision in Action: The Whole Child Award, the University of Northern Iowa Malcolm Price...
02.04.2010
School Climate: Developing the Quality and Character of School Life
How can schools develop a positive school climate that fosters teaching, learning, and the development of the whole child? Research and common sense reaffirm that focusing on the social and educational atmosphere is critical to student success, yet many schools...
12.03.2009
Rural Education: Challenges and Opportunities
Rural schools are very diverse -- ethnically, socioeconomically, and geographically -- and often face a complex set of challenges. In this episode of the Whole Child Podcast, our guests share their research and experience to help us understand the diversity...
11.05.2009
Supporting Students to Succeed: Keeping Kids from Checking Out and Dropping Out
How and why do schools and communities succeed when they focus on supporting students? Creating personalized learning environments where students are supported by qualified, caring adults is crucial to keeping kids from checking out and dropping out. Research and common...
10.01.2009
Engaging Stakeholders Through Community Conversations
Join us as we explore how schools and communities are using community conversations to ensure that schools and communities are working together to support the whole child. Our guests share how community conversations have increased the understanding of the whole...
09.10.2009
Preparing for H1N1
This episode of the Whole Child Podcast features guests that shed light on the opportunities and challenges of coordinating school responses to a potential H1N1 outbreak.
08.13.2009
Partnering to Transform the Conditions of Learning: Families and Educators Together
While research and common sense tell us that families are a powerful influence on children's attitudes about learning and their success in school, we also know that educators and families often struggle to find meaningful ways to partner together. In...
07.16.2009
Data: What We Don't Know May Hurt Us
Collecting and interpreting data is essential to creating and sustaining meaningful school improvement and without it, we may not be able to address the obstacles that stand in the way of educating the whole child. July's Whole Child Podcast features...
06.04.2009
Schools + Communities = Success for the Whole Child
We know that children grow physically, socially, emotionally, ethically, expressively, and intellectually within networks of families, schools, neighborhoods, communities, and our larger society. And we know schools alone can't meet the needs of each child. So why not bring everyone...
05.07.2009
Supporting Student Voice for Meaningful Change
On this month's Whole Child Podcast, we explore how adults and children can work together to solve social or environmental problems, from school reform to global warming.
04.16.2009
Understanding the Education Stimulus Package
This special edition of the Whole Child Podcast outlines the stimulus plan for education and describe how the funds can be used for school improvement activities, including capacity-building professional development. Our guests will help educators understand and take advantage of...
04.09.2009
Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners
Over the past 15 years, school districts across the United States have experienced explosive growth in the immigrant population. The increased enrollment has strained the resources of schools -- whether they've had experience with English language learners or not. And...
03.15.2009
Closing the Believing, Doing Gap
This episode of the Whole Child Podcast was recorded live at ASCD's Annual Conference on March 14, 2009. Host Molly McCloskey tasked the two guests with providing advice on how to close the "believing, doing gap." In other words, how...
02.05.2009
How Urban Schools Work Beyond the Boundaries of Social and Economic Conditions
In this month's Whole Child Podcast, we hear from three experts about the struggles and strategies of urban school districts and how they are working to meet the needs of the whole child.
01.08.2009
Education and the New Administration
President-Elect Barack Obama and his Education Secretary nominee, Arne Duncan, face a host of education issues, with the rewrite of NCLB at the top of the list. Complicating matters are the severe budget deficits that are forcing dramatic cuts in...
12.04.2008
Beyond the Test Bubble: Accountability, Expectations, and Planning
How can we hold schools accountable, while ensuring that students receive a rich education, graduate from high school, and are prepared for the challenges of the 21st century? This month on the whole child podcast, we hear from three experts.
11.06.2008
Developing Students' Global Understanding
In our increasingly interconnected global society and economy, it's imperative that students understand the world we live in. Three leaders in international education joined us for the second episode of "The Whole Child: Changing the Conversation About Education."
10.02.2008
Join the Conversation
The premiere episode features segments on public opinion of public schools, community engagement in education, and creating healthy schools.

What's The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Whole Child Podcast: Changing the Conversation About Education episodes:

The New Poverty: Dealing with Economic Change

Leveling and Raising the Playing Field

How Can We Make Our Schools Safer?

Great Expectations: Transforming Practice Through Common Core Implementation

Coordinated and Collaborative Responses to Diverse Student Needs

Whole Child Around the World: A Good School Is a Good School

The Future of Assessment

Assessment 101

More than Just Gym: Integrating Movement Across the School Day

Partnerships Between Home and School: The Real Missing Link?

Beyond Our Halls and Walls: Getting to Community Engagement

Ready and Able: An Interivew with Jay Mathews

Ready and Able: College, Career, and Citizenship in the 21st Century

Teaching in a Digital World: Connecting and Empowering the Whole Child

PE, Recess, and Beyond: The Implications of Movement

The Critical Role of the Arts Throughout a Whole Child Education

A Whole Child Approach to Addressing Bullying

Summer Learning and Development

Developing Principals to Lead a Whole Child School

Future Directions: Examining the Blueprint for Reauthorizing ESEA

Putting Vision into Action for the Whole Child

School Climate: Developing the Quality and Character of School Life

Rural Education: Challenges and Opportunities

Supporting Students to Succeed: Keeping Kids from Checking Out and Dropping Out

Engaging Stakeholders Through Community Conversations

Preparing for H1N1

Partnering to Transform the Conditions of Learning: Families and Educators Together

Data: What We Don't Know May Hurt Us

Schools + Communities = Success for the Whole Child

Supporting Student Voice for Meaningful Change

Understanding the Education Stimulus Package

Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners

Closing the Believing, Doing Gap

How Urban Schools Work Beyond the Boundaries of Social and Economic Conditions

Education and the New Administration

Beyond the Test Bubble: Accountability, Expectations, and Planning

Developing Students' Global Understanding

Join the Conversation