We speak with Deborah Meier and Jane Andrias, pioneers in the democratic small-school movement. Debbie founded the Central Park East Schools. Jane Andrias was an art teacher and principal at Central Park East I. Debbie and Jane discuss these ground-breaking schools, their ethical foundations, the “habits of mind” they worked to instill, and the challenges they faced.

*This is Part Two of a two part episode. Go back one episode or click here to listen to the first part.

Overview

00:00-00:41 Intros

00:41-07:30 Parent involvement

07:30-12:05 What happened to Mission Hill?

12:05-23:04 Survival of innovative, democratic schools; 

What do we have education for? Education and democracy

23:04-24:45 Justice and fairness

24:45-26:37 Community service; connections to the adult world

26:37-29:37 Choices schools make based on what they value

29:37-36:46 Documentary about impact of CPESS on graduates’ lives

36:36-38:39 Human capital

38:39-40:57 Need funding for the documentary

40:57-42:41 Films and TV about the schools

42:41- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Deborah Meier and Jane Andrias, pioneers in the democratic small-school movement. Debbie founded the Central Park East Schools. Jane Andrias was an art teacher and principal at Central Park East I. Debbie and Jane discuss these ground-breaking schools, their ethical foundations, the “habits of mind” they worked to instill, and the challenges they faced.

*This is Part One of a two part episode. 

Overview

00:00-00:43 Intros

00:43-01:52 What would a school fully focused on preparing students for a democraticsociety look like?

01:52-03:08 Impacts of curriculum and school environment

03:08-05:40 Students’ voice in what they are learning

05:40-11:01 Democratic, progressive, ethical schools: are they synonymous?

11:01-18:32 Examples of ethical dilemmas and decisions

18:32-22:07 Negative effects of tracking and what the alternatives look like

22:07-24:19 Building long-term trust

24:19-26:05 Including all school staff members in decision-making and obstacles

26:05-29:57 Including parents and students

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Robbie Torney, director of AI Programs at Common Sense Media, analyzes teachers' use of AI. We focus on AI teaching assistants, their uses and abuses, and how teachers' judgment and skills remain central. We discuss the need for school- and district-wide education and policies on using AI in teaching and learning.

Overview

Intros

Common Sense media and its AI work

Evaluation principles for AI risk

What teachers use AI for

What happens with users’ data

AI teacher assistants, risks, and advantages

AI and cultural sensitivity

AI as assistive or adaptive technology

Recognition of AI as enhancements not replacements?

Special risks of AI teacher assistants for IEPs and behavior plans

How teachers can protect against “invisible influence” risks

AI and complex historical events such as California missions or slavery

“Tools,” “functions,” and prompts

Four specific steps teachers should take when using teacher assistants

Purchasing AI: Consultation and training

Role of school boards, administrators, and state departments of education

Legislation to protect students

Importance of discussion of values and ethical questions

Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this conversation. 

References

Common Sense Media AI Initiatives: click here

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We  speak with Tom Roderick, founding executive director of the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility; Jan Zuckerman, Co-founder of Sunnyside Environmental School in Portland, Oregon; and Graham Klag, an alumnus of Sunnyside Environmental School. We discuss Tom's book, Teach for Climate Justice: A Vision for Transforming Education. Tom explains that climate chaos and social justice are inextricably linked, and proposes a program for addressing both. He centers the concept of the beloved community.

Overview

00:00-01:07 Intros

01:07-03:57 Why “Climate Justice?’

03:57-06:00 Connection between climate change and social justice

06:00-07:34 The book’s primary audience

07:34-09:30 Teaching for climate justice and SEL

09:30-11:51 Sunnyside Environmental School

11:51-15:37 Meshing hands-on learning with Oregon’s state testing requirements

15:37-16:43 Storyline

16:43-19:24 Creating a “beloved community”

19:24-21:23 Impact on Graham Klag’s life as an alum

21:23-30:10 Wolf education project with ranchers’ families

30:10-34:37 Encouraging students to be hopeful

34:37-37:22 Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST, Brazil) and “contentious co-governance)

37:22-40:00 Teach for Climate Justice Project

40:00-41:27 Civil resistance

41:27-43:13 SEL in Phoenix Talent schools in Eastern Oregon

43:13- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode.

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo teachforclimatejustice.org

We speak with Dr. Cynthia Ballenger about her recent book, “Teaching is Inquiry: Observation and Reflection as the Heart of Practice,” in which she explores the role of ethnography in inquiry-based teaching and learning, i.e., cultural practices in terms of speaking, storytelling, and conveying information. Teachers can discern a lot more about students if they listen to them in the context of their ethnic/ cultural styles of communicating. Dr. Ballenger also addresses the children she calls “puzzling.”  Each of them has something to offer, she says, even those who seemingly have social-emotional challenges.

Overview

00:00-00:58 Intros

00:58-01:45 “Teaching Is Inquiry”

01:45-08:56 Ethnography of education

08:56-11:12 “Every child has something to offer the class.”

11:12-20:45 The “puzzling child”: more stories

20:45-24:10 Cultural and individual differences

24:10-27:43 Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

27:43-30:17 “Stopping time.”

30:17-31:17 Importance of stories

31:17-34:41 Strengthening systemic support; ethical implications

34:41-36:45 Testing culture as anti-democratic and unethical

36:45-38:13 More reflections on OCD

38:13-38:37 Jerome Bruner on negotiating meaning

38:37- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Book “Teaching is Inquiry” by Dr. Cynthia Ballenger

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Dawn Hicks Tafari, Professor of Education and Coordinator of Elementary Education at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Dawn is author of "The Journey of Kamau Miller: Hip Hop Composite Counter Stories for Black Men Teachers." She uses hip hop as a way to communicate with students and composite counter stories to communicate beyond the academy.

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

- The Journey of Kamau Miller: Hip Hop Composite Stories for Black Men Teachers, book by Dawn Tafari

- If we treated teachers like Pro Athletes by Key & Peele on YouTube

- Wet Dreams by J. Cole on YouTube

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Arlene Goldbard, writer, visual artist, speaker, social activist and consultant,  whose most recent book is “In the Camp of Angels of Freedom: What does it mean to be educated?” An autodidact from a working-class background, Arlene challenges “the certainty that academic qualifications are the best measure of ability.” She interweaves the stories and portraits of her “angels,” her personal story, and a critique of standard narratives of education. We talk with her in particular about two of her “angels,” Paulo Freire and Paul Goodman.

Overview

00:00-00:38 Intros

00:38-02:41 What “In the Camp of Angels of Freedom: What It Means to be Educated” is about

02:41: 03:55 Definition of auto-didact

03:55-05:39 Project-based education/Action civics/"What Would YOU Do?”

05:39-07:12 Removing bachelor’s degree requirement from State jobs

07:12-09:03 Advice to high school students about options

09:03-10:34 When is a liberal arts education valuable beyond credentials?

10:34-20:42 Alternative ways to expand horizons beyond/in addition to college

20:42-25:28 K-12 education

25:28-27:31 Paulo Freire

27:31-31:18 Paul Goodman

31:18-32:50 Cultural citizenship

32:50- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Visual artwork by Arlene Goldbard "We Burn" (2019)

We speak with Dr. David Penberg and Adhirath Sethi about Agastya, a unique educational ecosystem serving students and teachers in 22 Indian states. Agastya has a hub-and-spokes design, with an elaborate 172-acre campus outside Bangalore and a fleet of mobile vans and bicycles delivering science and art programming to poor and rural children in far-flung towns and villages.

Overview

00:00-00:43 Intros

00:43-03:26 Agastya’s programs

03:26-04:51 Arts and interdisciplinary learning environment

04:51-07:58 Teacher training

07:58-11:10 Young Instructional Leader program

11:10-11:52 Ages of girls who started the YIL program

11:52-13:33 Where the YIL do their work

13:33-17:02 Teachers learning in the ways that students learn

17:02-18:43 Alignment with Nell Noddings’s “ethic of care”

18:43:21:48 Relationships with animals other than human

21:48-24:09 Common elements with schools like Central Park East in different settings

24:09-26:14 Agastya relationships based on trust

26:14-27:27 Agastya as a source of inspiration

27:27-29:07 Agastya’s vision of reaching more children

29:07-30:33 Relevance to U.S.

30:33-35:49 Measuring success

35:49-38:19 Adhirath’s book about Agastya: The Moving of Mountains

38:19- Outro

Transcript

Click here to listen to the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Tovah P. Klein, professor of psychology at Barnard College and the director of the Center for Toddler Development, about her book, “Raising Resilience: How to Help Our Children Thrive in Times of Uncertainty.” Dr. Klein describes how parents and teachers should build children's resilience BEFORE anything frightening or traumatic occurs. Most importantly, children and teens need to know they will never be alone, that their parents or trusted adults will always be there for them.

Overview

00:00-00:38 Intros

00:38-02:12 Building resilience proactively

02:12-04:22 Responding to traumatic situations at school

04:22-09:18 Five Pillars of Children’s Resilience

09:18-10:51 School environments that support resilience

10:51-12:48 How teachers can prepare to respond calmly to their own triggers

12:48-16:52 Responding to the temptations of screens

16:52-20:56 Secrets, including how to handle necessary secrets

20:56-24:20 Dealing with fears and threatening situations

24:20-27:36 What schools can do

27:36-30:50 Allowing kids to ask

30:50- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Elizabeth Birr Moje, dean and professor at the Marsal Family School of Education, University of Michigan. Dr. Moje discusses Detroit’s School at Marygrove, a university-school partnership serving children and families from before birth through grade 12. We talk about design-based research, Marygrove’s innovative teacher-residency program, and what being a model means to Marygrove.

Overview

00:00-00:46 Intros

00:46-03:16 How the school at Marygrove came to be

03:16-06:27 Teaching and learning in Detroit

06:27-11:05 Why this neighborhood and community for Marygrove

11:05-12:05 Demographics of the community and the school

12:05-15:20 What an ethical partnership between a university and a school looks like

15:20-18:24 Funding—current and for sustainability

18:24-20:08 Proof of concept, scale, “translatable modules”

20:08-24:17 A model for curriculum and pedagogy

24:17-29:51 Design-based research

29:51-38:36 Selecting teachers and providing professional development and support

38:36-42:13 Promoting social justice

42:13-48:29 Cell phones, distractions, AI

48:29-49:11 Centrality of inquiry

49:11-56:45 Replication

56:45- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

The School at Marygrove website

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear