Ethical Schools

We speak with Drs. Isabel Nuñez and Jason Goulah, editors of “Hope and Joy in Education: Engaging Daisaku Ikeda across curriculum and context.” According to Ikeda, the internationally-famous Buddhist philosopher, education should first and foremost engender happiness and instill habits of global citizenship. Drs. Nuñez and Goulah talk about implications for teachers’ classroom practice.

Overview

00:00-00:52 Intros
00:52-02:14 Daisaku Ikeda
02:14-05:10 Ikeda’s central ideas on education
05:10-09:30 Relevance of his ideas to non-Buddhists
09:30-14:41 Concept of global citizenship and teachers’ practice
14:41-20:26 Self-love
20:26-25:35 Inner transformation and social change
25:35-29:57 Relationships of humans to other animals and to future generations
29:57-33:35 Ikeda’s Buddhist humanism and John Dewey’s pragmatism
33:35-36:46 Religion and spirituality
36:46-42:50 Bringing hope and joy into classrooms in 2021-2022
42:50-45:31 Teachers working collectively to create hope and joy
45:31-48:30 Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcript of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo sokaglobal.org

Bob Moses died this week. In memoriam, we repost our interview with him from February 2020. The Algebra Project founder and president–and lead organizer of the famous 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer voting rights campaign–talked about math literacy as an organizing tool to guarantee quality public school education for all children. He described the Algebra Project’s strategies to connect math to students’ life experiences and everyday language.

Overview

00:00-1:15 Introductions

01:15-15:05 Math literacy as an organizing tool; experiential learning; Willard Van Orman Quill’s “regimented language”

15:05-16:45 Literacy across the curriculum

16:45-20:35 Logistics of working with schools

20:35-25:53 Bottom up movement; involving students and parents

25:49-32:07 Funding as a critical issue: District 13 in Brooklyn, Miami/Broward County; need for direct federal investment

32:07-48:15 Quality education as a Constitutional right; Who are “We, the People?”; Circular 3591; Douglas Blackmon, Slavery by another name; equitable funding

48:15-50:12 STEM funding, National Science Foundation (NSF)

50:12-43:39 Establishing math literacy and educational quality as a Constitutional right

43:39-55:37 Next Gen curriculum; math texts become obsolete as soon as they are printed

55:37-1:02:57 Flagway game/sport

1:02:57-1:10:07 Relationship of Algebra Project to Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Framework; fundamental metaphors and concepts that can anchor math education

1:10:07-1:15:25 Nicholas Lemann’s “Transaction Man”; coming together at the intersection of different interests around a common problem; Math Literacy Institute at University of Ohio, Mansfield

1:15:25-1:17:17 Calling attention to the need for a national approach

1:17:17 Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcript of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo: algebra.org

Zahava Stadler, Policy Director of EdBuild, explains how housing discrimination and state funding policies disadvantage Black and low-income districts. EdBuild has reported on funding schemes throughout the country, documenting a $23 billion annual funding gap between White districts and districts of color. Ms. Stadler describes how states could allocate education dollars more equitably, benefitting at least 70% of students.

References

Access EdBuild’s knowledge base and tools on the website: edbuild.org

Overview

00:00-00:48 Intros

00:48-02:26 How schools are funded in most of the country

02:26-05:02 How reliance on property taxes shortchanges Black and other communities of color; impact of housing discrimination

05:02-08:23 Gerrymandering of school districts to advantage affluent communities

08:23-11:14 Examples of Indianapolis and Columbus school districting boundaries

11:14-13:44 Micro districts

13:44-16:23 Shifting school district funding to county or state levels to eliminate some of the inequalities; 70%+ of students would benefit

16:23-20:12 Funds from outside the formulas exacerbate inequalities

20:12-23:42 Problems with funding formulas

23:42-27:41 What EdBuild accomplished before closing and what is left to do

27:41-30:46 EdBuild reports and tools

30:46-32:39 Relationship of school funding issues to Movement for Black Lives; $23 billion annual funding gap between predominantly White districts and districts of color

32:39-34:30 Outro 

Transcription

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode.

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

In our guest episode of Lev Moscow’s podcast, A Correction, Professor Walter Mignolo of Duke discusses decoloniality, a radically different way of thinking and teaching which rejects the “naturalness” of racial capitalism and its development. Lev and Dr. Mignolo discuss what this can look like in high school and college classrooms. 

We speak with Shayla Ewing, English and drama teacher in Pekin, Illinois, about supporting teachers experiencing secondary and primary trauma, which the pandemic intensified.  We also talk about the how and why of teaching about white privilege in an all-white classroom.

Overview

00:00-00:44 Intros

00:44-02:23 Becoming a Pekin High School English and drama teacher

02:23-03:40 Teach Plus Illinois

03:40-04:46 “Compassion fatigue Is overwhelming educators”

04:46-06:54 Symptoms and contributing factors of compassion fatigue

06:54-10:46 Recommendations for compassion fatigue healing, including things to do and not to do 

10:46-13:19 Healing for teachers’ own trauma

13:19-16:38 Support for teachers and students in crises

16:38-20:29 Rewards for working unsustainable hours

20:29-24:05 Incorporating educator well-being into educational initiatives

24:05-29:04 Talking about white privilege in all-white classes

29:04-32:57 Students’ reactions

32:57-35:21 Parents’ reactions

35:21-40:11 Outro

Transcription

Click here to see the full transcript of this episode. 

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear