Ethical Schools

We speak with Amanda Jones, a school librarian in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. Ms. Jones is the author of “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America.” The book recounts how speaking out for race- and gender-related books in libraries led to her being targeted and threatened by book-banning extremists. She describes initial abandonment by friends and colleagues who were afraid to speak up. But nationwide, librarians and their constituents are fighting back.  Ms. Jones includes tips for librarians and teachers facing attacks.

Overview

00:00-00:47 Intros

00:47-01:35 What a Library Board of Control is

01:35-02:16 What Amanda Jones said at Board of Control meeting

02:16-02:33 Trevor Project

02:33-03:19 Board of Control members’ responses

03:19-04:48 What happened then

04:48-05:38 Reactions by friends and neighbors to attacks 

05:38-06:16 Reactions from school administrators and colleagues

06:16-07:02 Changes over time

07:02-09:09 Impact on children of marginalized communities of books with characters like them

09:09-11:19 How decisions of what books to purchase for school libraries get made

11:19-11:53 Guidelines

11:53-13:58 Processes when there are book challenges

13:58-14:45 Decision process in public libraries

14:45-15:30 Appeal to courts

15:30-18:39 Impetus for book banning campaigns

18:39-20:49 Efforts to ban Palestinian books and informational events at libraries

20:49-21:41 Censorship efforts are everywhere

21:41-24:10 Where librarians can turn for help

24:10-26:01 Organizations of parents who are under attack and other supporters

26:01- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this conversation. 

References

A Librarian from Louisiana fights book bans and the “haters” – The New York Times 

Put Kids’ Interests First, This Librarian Insists – The New York Times

PAHO Policy on the Prevention and Resolution of Harassment in the Workplace

Get Ready Stay Ready: A Community Guide Toolkit 

Amanda Jones’ Linktr.ee

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo by © Emily Kask

The authors of a recent Chalkbeat analysis discuss the Department of education’s 2023 high school survey, which shows girls, especially girls of color, have much higher stress levels, and feel less supported, than boys. Michael Elsen-Rooney, an NYC public school reporter; Kae Petrin, a data and graphics reporter; and Liza Greenberg, a Bronx High School of Science senior, unpack the data, which the DOE has largely disregarded.

Overview

00:00-00:51 Intros

00:51-03:10 Annual NYC Dept. of Education student survey

03:10-03:42 Chalkbeat

03:42-06:13 Takeaways from citywide data

06:13-06:39 Biggest gender gaps: “Stress” and “Worried about Learning” 

06:39-08:06 Differential attention in taking the test?

08:06-10:36 Causes of girls’ stress?

10:36-11:33 Reported differences in teacher attention and support

11:33-12:44 Black and multiracial students consistently report most negative experiences

12:44-13:46 Response to Chalkbeat article from NYC Department of Education

13:46-13:46 2024 student survey

13:46-15:57 Using the data to improve academic and social-emotional experiences

15:57-17:16 How the DOE can make the data more accessible to the general public

17:16-18:29 More details on data

18:29-22:27 Why hasn’t the DOE used the data to create guidelines for schools/teachers?

22:27- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Read the article in Chalkbeat NYC girls outperform boys in academics. But they’re unhappier in school.

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Sam Finesurrey, assistant professor of history at Guttman Community College, and three 2024 graduates of School in the Square (S2), a charter middle school in Washington Heights, Manhattan.  Dr. Finesurrey worked with 14 students on a research project studying S2 students’ social emotional learning, including reactions to the pandemic and faculty turnover.  Dr. Sam and the students talk about the process, what they found, and how the school modified policies in response to the study’s findings.

Overview

00:00-00:50 Intros

00:50-02:22 Critical participatory research

02:22-04:21 Participatory oral history project at School in the Square

04:21-06:12 Meaningful findings

06:12-10:05 Follow up on the results

10:05-11:17 School in the Square’s response to the findings

11:17-13:16 Role and impact of staff member Ms. Lilly

13:16-14:17 Public presentations

14:17-17:31 How the researchers have changed as a result of the project

17:31-18:45 Effects on interviewees

18:45-20:12 Confidentiality

20:12- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Sam Finesurrey, assistant professor of history at Guttman Community College, and three 2024 graduates of School in the Square (S2), a charter middle school in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Dr. Finesurrey worked with 14 students on a research project studying S2 students' social emotional learning, including reactions to the pandemic and faculty turnover. Dr. Sam and the students talk about the process, what they found, and how the school modified policies in response to the study's findings.

The post Middle schoolers as scholars: Critical participatory action research first appeared on Ethical Schools.

We speak with Dr. Diana Turk, Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning and Director of Teacher Education at NYU. Students in NYU’s unique teacher residency program work full-time in classrooms, for which they are paid, making it possible for students without a lot of money to attend. By design, the program attracts BIPOC students. Students receive support from NYU faculty, both on location in their schools and online. They attend classes in the evenings, virtually. The program is uncompromisingly justice- and equity-centered.

Overview

00:00-00:34 Intros

00:34-02:28 Educating all students as a subversive activity?

02:28-10:12 What makes NYU Teacher Residency different among teacher ed programs

10:12-12:16 Infusing the curriculum with justice and equity

12:16-15:48 Input from school communities

15:48-17:46 Why teacher demographics are important 

17:46-19:50 Recruiting a diverse teaching force

19:50-26:35 Outreach to prospective students

26:35-27:49 Demographic composition of residents

27:49-32:42 Achieving this demographic mix

32:42-35:22 Choosing school locations

35:22-36:44 Teacher mentors

36:44-40:46 Structuring the course load

40:46-43:50 Synchronous virtual classes

43:50-45:23 Graduation rate

45:23-49:21 Danielson and Feet Frameworks

49:21-51:25 AACTE award for Best Practices in Multicultural Education and Diversity

51:25-56:39 School locations

54:06-56:39 Integrating special education into all curriculum modules

56:39- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo facebook.com/NYUSteinhardt/

We speak with Danielle Bryant, Director of Equity at Capital Region Educational Service District 113. Ms Bryant helps to break down isolation of Black educators and supports Indigenous educators and schools on reservations. A District program facilitates paraeducators becoming certified teachers. 

Overview

00:00-00:30 Intros

00:30-01:43 Educational Service District

01:43-02:57 Areas served in Washington State—urban and rural

02:57-03:42 racial and ethnic composition of students and teachers

03:42-07:16 Recruitment and retention of teachers of color

07:16-09:31 Issues that Black teachers in particular face

09:31-11:31 Support for Black, Indigenous, & other teachers of color

11:31-14:38 Indigenous teachers and Indigenous schools

14:38-15:27 Reservations and Indigenous Nations served

15:27-18:39 Engaging in depth with Native communities

18:39-21:10 Program to help paraeducators become teachers

21:10- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Capital Region ESD 113 website

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Photo esd113.org

We speak with Adam Grumbach, social studies program coordinator of the New York Performance Standards Consortium, and Naseem Haamid, a law student who attended Fannie Lou Hamer High School. We discuss inquiry based learning, Performance Based Assessment Tests, Habits of Mind, and self-directed, interdisciplinary portfolios, as alternatives to standardized-test driven curricula.

Overview

00:00-00:54 Intros

00:54-02:04 NYS Performance Standards Consortium

02:04-03:54 Potential effect on Consortium of elimination of Regents exams as graduation requirement

03:54-05:09 Inquiry- and literacy-based education

05:09-06:27 Creation of curricula

06:27-07:39 Students’ input into what they focus on

07:39-10:54 Naseem’s transition from a test-oriented school to Fannie Lou Hamer HS (FLH HS)

10:54-10:39 The most valuable things about FLH HS for Naseem

10:39-14:31 Transition from FLH HS to more traditional college and law school classes

14:31-17:21 Performance based assessment tests (PBATs) and other assessments

17:21-19:26 Rubrics

19:26-20:09 Grading of PBATs

20:09-24:45 Portfolios

24:45-28:25 College and career planning

28:25-32:56 Selecting and supporting teachers

32:56-35:35 Lessons for teachers elsewhere from the Consortium

35:35:36:31 “This is what education should be like”

36:31-38:15 Distinctive way Consortium approaches introduction to post-secondary careers

38:15- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Ansharaye Hines and Mimi McKee of the Center for Black Educator Development discuss how the presence of highly qualified Black teachers supports students’ educational success. The Center advocates for educational equity and provides multiple teaching pathways to encourage and support Black high school and university students to become teachers.

Overview

00:00-00:43 Intros
00:43-03:53 The Center for Black Educator Development
03:53-06:53 Education as a justice issue
06:53-12:19 Quality education as a Constitutional right
12:19-14:10 Roles and goals for Black educators in classrooms
14:10-17:40 How Black educators can thrive and hopefully make change
17:40-23:15 Teaching pathways
23:15-27:10 Freedom School Literacy Academy
27:10-29:44 Center plans for the future
29:44-31:09 We Need Black Teachers campaign
31:09- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Center for Black Education Development website

Photo x.com/CenterBlackEd

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We continue our conversation with Harry Feder of FairTest. This time, we discuss high stakes tests in K-12 schools. Harry explains how tests and the prep for them came to dominate education and the consequences for students, teachers, and schools of high or low scores. He also describes how the same companies dominate textbooks and testing, and suggests some alternatives to high-stakes tests.

Overview

00:00-00:50 Intros

00:50-06:35 How testing became such a huge part of the K-12 experience

06:35-09:31 Amount of testing autonomy of districts and schools

09:31-14:23 Consequences and benefits of test scores

14:23-16:32 Impact on teaching as a profession

16:32-19:51 Test score use for middle and high school admissions

19:51-23:42 Relationship between commercial testing companies and textbook companies

23:42-26:36 PISA—Program for International Student Assessment

26:36-30:01 Fairtest’s proposals for alternatives to current testing system

29:45- Outro

References

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Harry Feder of FairTest, an organization that advocates for fair and open testing, about the reinstitution of standardized test requirements at some “Ivy Plus” colleges, and why it matters. We discuss how testing choices affect inclusion and exclusion in admissions and what most non-“Ivy Plus” schools do. In a follow-up interview with Harry Feder, we will discuss standardized tests in K-12 schools.

Overview

00:00-00:46 Intros
00:46-05:06 History of college admissions tests
05:06-08:33 What the SAT purports to test and what it tests
08:33-10:33 The SAT, admissions, and math
10:33-12:52 Standardized tests and reading
12:52-18:41 When colleges moved toward test-optional and test free
18:41-24:40 Colleges reinstituting test requirements
24:40-30:52 Admissions policies and a more democratic society
30:52-34:50 The issue of grade inflation
34:34- Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 

References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear