We speak with Ms. Castro-Mitchell,  a middle school computer science teacher and Digital Learning Facilitator at the San Francisco School District.  She is also the founder of CASTLedu, a classroom program bringing together culture, art, science, technology, and literacy, while placing an emphasis on empathy and social justice. In this episode, Ms. Castro-Mitchell discusses how the pandemic and issues of racial justice have affected her program, her students, and her duties as an educator. 

Acorn had also interviewed Ms. Castro-Mitchell in 2019, you can find that conversation here. Please follow Ms. Castro-Mitchell on Twitter and support her work! 

In this episode we speak with an English Teacher from New Jersey, Thuraya Zeidan, who has devoted her career to “Decolonizing the Classroom”. Thuraya inspires us with her personal story and passion for promoting equity in classrooms, and brings light to the true meanings of inclusion and justice as she shares her techniques for Antiracist and Multicultural Teaching. To support and learn from Thuraya's work, visit her Website or connect with her on Instagram. 

In this episode we speak with Jomayra Herrera, a Senior Associate at Cowboy Ventures - a seed-stage venture fund based in the Bay Area. She shares her thoughts on the pandemic’s effects on the future of education, current trends in K-12 education technology, and opportunity areas for aspiring ed-tech entrepreneurs and funders like her.

A middle school computer science teacher based in Oakland, California, shares his career journey - why he chose the path that he did - and reflects on how the job responsibilities of educators have evolved with the sole purpose of addressing inequities in education brought to light during this pandemic.

As you enjoy this episode, please keep in mind that it was recorded on August 5th of 2020, so some of the content about distance learning policies and the status of covid may no longer apply. 

An Elementary Teacher and Teacher Self Care Advocate talks about the importance of embracing self-care during COVID-19 not only for teachers but also students and their parents. 

A high school teacher from Colorado who teaches FACS, aka “Adulting 101” talks about the Teacher Cadet Program, and what it means to teach in the context of what’s happening in the world today. 

Visit www.acornlabs.org to learn more!

Soundtrack Driven to Success by Scott Holmes.

A Middle School Language Arts Teacher from a rural area in Central Oregon talks about how distance learning has impacted her community - focusing on the emotional and mental well being of students and teachers. 

Visit www.acornlabs.org to learn more!

Soundtrack Driven to Success by Scott Holmes.

A High School Biology Teacher reflects on the weeks following the day when the shelter-in-place orders were first announced. Along with discussing the effects of distance learning on her students and their coursework, she details some of the challenges in planning for the next school year. She also expresses gratitude towards her students who, during the difficult times, served as her support system. 

Visit www.acornlabs.org to learn more!

Soundtrack Driven to Success by Scott Holmes.

EduPod is a podcast series elevating voices of educators and other key players working on advancing the education system in the United States. This season we are discussing the impact of COVID-19 on students, teachers, and schools.

EduPod is run by Acorn Labs, an education impact studio dedicated to empowering schools and educators. Visit www.acornlabs.org to learn more! 

Soundtrack Driven to Success by Scott Holmes. Narration by Rohan Deshpande.