Better Kids Better World

"How does one child, born into many, turn out bad?"

see video version here

enjoy...

Justin welcomes Paul Goren, Director for Northwestern University's Center for Education Efficacy, Effectiveness and Equity.

Paul is a life-long educator who has worked at the intersection of education practice, policy and research. Most recently he was superintendent of schools for Evanston/Skokie District 65. He currently directs a center focused on producing usable knowledge at the Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy.

Justin's favorite antectode from the podcast:

Paul, whose mother was a teacher on the far south side of Chicago, would very affectionately and very proudly call Paul and say, "Oh, Mr. Inside the Beltway Fancypants, what have you done for us today?" Meaning teachers, principals, social workers, folks in the front line.  

No doubt influenced by a loving and supportive mother who worked on the front lines of American education, Paul has dedicated his life to being that authentic bridge between thoughtful, research-based policies and practical execution by teachers.

Guest:  Dr. Michael Allen

As a school principal at Oakton Elementary School near Chicago, Dr. Allen recognized the huge need for reading materials that depict young Black boys in a manner that is authentic and relatable as well as positive and life-affirming. Named the 2020 Elementary Principal of the Year (North Cook Region) by the Illinois Principals Association, Dr. Allen tirelessly advocates to end policies that hold students of color down and replace them with trauma-informed practices, equity, emotional intelligence and mindfulness in schools. To that end, Dr. Allen recently founded Wholistic Equity (WE) Leadership Consulting, where he empowers and equips educators, administrators, and all types of leadership teams to center racial consciousness in their work.

We hope you enjoy :)

Guest:  Alisha Bacchus

As a first year teacher who joined the profession in the midst of the pandemic, Alisha had to hit the ground running. Certified in English as a Second/Other Language she has instructed students in kindergarten through 4th grade, in addition to working as an executive assistant.

Alisha shares how difficult it has been for her students to learn both english and the core curriculum during the pandemic.

As a second generation immigrant (Guyana), Alisha can empathize with the struggle her students will likely face as they form their identities within American culture.

We hope you enjoy!

My son was a straight A student for 3 straight quarters this school year.  Then I got a 4th quarter progress report with four F's on it.

I responded by sending my son 3 classic "Dad" texts:

The reply was unexpected and jarring.

I hope you find this short episode valuable and thought provoking.

You can reach me at:  [email protected] 

In this special episode, the debut of a brand new podcast is shared. 

The M&M Charity Podcast, hosted by Miles & Marley, highlights 1 new charity each episode.  

In this episode, M&M discuss Wine to Water, a global organization that empowers communities with sustainable clean water technology & education.  

Towards the end of each episode, M&M try to convince 1 adult to donate $100 to the charity they are discussing.  

In this episode, they try to persuade their Dad to donate $100.

Enjoy!

In this episode, Justin welcomes 2 of his 3 children for a Halloween special.  At least that's what it became.  

This dinner table conversation began with Justin asking the kids what they imagined the personal lives of their teachers to be.

It then took a turn for the dark and slightly twisted as the kids pointed out 3 strange experiences while zooming with their teachers.

Zombie daughters, imaginary husbands, government abductions, farting teachers & boyfriends held captive.  See what happens when you combine real zoom observations with the unfiltered imaginations of 2 kids & their father.

Justin welcome his oldest brother, Jason Lyons, to the podcast.  

Jason is a proud father of 3 girls, as well as a graduate of the University of Notre Dame & Northwestern's Kellogg MBA program.

For the past several years, Jason and his wife have chosen to home school and/or alternative school their children.  Jason discusses why he chose this learning path and how it still has a long way to go to be within mainstream reach. 

While reflecting on getting in trouble as kids,  Jason shares the memory of how how one method of childhood discipline ended when the ping pong paddle broke on his butt.

How many kids get left behind?  

How many beautifully talented & multidimensional kids are we apathetically shoving through uniformly designed square holes.

With so many islands and chiefs in education, is surprise so many kids struggle with their Identity?

The most valuable asset a child has is a healthy, strong & balanced sense of self.

This identity is the story they form of themselves, each hour of each day.

This podcast explores the struggle to secure identity in American education.