Ethical Schools

Guest interviewer Lev Moscow joins Jon in conversation with Santiago Taveras, principal of Charter High School for Computer Engineering and Innovation and former deputy chancellor of the NYC Department of Education. Santi talks about false assumptions that school systems make about teachers, students, and parents. He discusses why so much professional development wastes teachers’ time, why college for all is a misguided target, and why so much DOE money gets misspent.

Overview

00:00-01:03 Intros

01:03-02:08 DOE system changes over time

02:08-03:24 Who has benefited from changes?

03:24-05:31 System’s assumptions about teachers

05:31-07:37 Assumptions about students

07:37-10:27 Purpose of school systems—what schools can/could be like

10:27-14:51 College prep and CTE 

14:51-16:07 Post-secondary education doesn’t have to be college

16:07-18:47 Assumptions about parents

18:47-24:13 Why does the system fail despite dedicated adults?

24:13-27:49 Why change is so difficult—examples from professional development, scheduling

27:49-30:15 Impact of business interests

30:15-32:50 Budgeting rigidities (and patronage)

32:50-43:37 Overrated, underrated? Charters, tech in classroom, sports & arts, small schools?

Transcript

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Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Justin Reich, director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, and host of the TeachLab podcast, about education technology. Hailed by some as the great equalizer, the beneficiaries of ed tech tend to be white and affluent. Focused on equity by design, Dr. Reich observes that when teachers learn, they have insufficient opportunities to practice. So he and his colleagues are creating digital clinical simulations, practice spaces for teachers. They’re also helping educators to figure out what they can stop doing, to allow more time for what’s useful.

Overview

00:00-00:43 Intros

00:43-02:55 Examining claims that tech is a vehicle to promote equality in education

02:55-06:33 Tickle down?

06:33-07:41 How tech introduction increases the digital divide

07:41-10:22 Better strategies for improving education

10:22-14:06 What can make a difference in creating more equitable educators

14:06-16:33 Measuring the impact

16:33-18:51 tsl.mit.edu/TeachLab podcast

18:51-19:21 Unfinished learning

19:21- Outro

Transcript

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References

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Image: twitter.com/mit_tsl

We speak with Dr. Kevin Kumashiro, a founder of Education Deans for Justice and Equity and organizer of the International Conferences on Education and Justice. Dr. Kumashiro describes how education scholars across the country are forming professional communities, both to build their capacity and to speak collectively on issues of public policy, leveraging their research to promote justice and equity. He argues that progressives must cease ceding the framework of education policy to corporate forces.

Overview 

00:00-00:47 Intros

00:47-02:15 Importance of scholars collectively addressing policy issues

02:15-05:08 Horizontal organizing

05:08-09:03 Examples of public statements on policy issues

09:03-15:35 Different nature of different stalwarts—intersection of mobilization, public education and advocacy

15:35-20:12 CareEd in California

20:12-24:22 Education Deans for Justice and Equity

24:22-26:18 “Think tank” aspects

26:18-32:02 EDJE Framework for Assessment and Transformation

32:02-40:59 “Surrender”: How progressives are losing some of the biggest battles to the corporate sector

40:59-44:12 12 International Conference on Education and Justice in October 2022

44:12- Outro

Transcript

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References

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We speak with Dr. Leigh Wedenoja of the Rockefeller Institute of Government about the benefits to students of having a teacher for more than one year. Test scores improve, behavior problems subside, absenteeism decreases. Very few schools have intentional looping policies, but many students have a teacher more than once, especially in middle and high school.

Overview

00:00-00:41 Intros

00:41-01:43 How students have teachers more than once

01:43-02:11 Data from Tennessee

02:11-03:18 Having repeat teachers, not including holdovers

03:18-04:30 Improved test scores and behavioral outcomes

04:30-05:27 Impact beyond one class; relationship aspects

05:27-06:29 Building sustained relationships

06:29-08:21 Outcomes by gender and race

08:21-09:43 Researching absenteeism

09:43-10:51 Creating positive attachment to school

10:51-12:24 Obstacles to planned looping

12:24-14:22 Areas for further research

14:22-15:30 Spillover academic effects within a classroom

15:30- Outro

Transcript

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We speak with Dr. Cecelia Traugh and Dr. Cara Furman, co-authors of “Descriptive Inquiry in Teacher Practice: Cultivating Practical Wisdom to Create Democratic Schools.” Descriptive inquiry is a structured, collaborative process in which teachers share and get practical feedback on classroom challenges. Breaking down teachers’ isolation, descriptive inquiry encourages non-confrontational conversations about racial and other biases. Teachers benefit not only from the wisdom of their colleagues but also from the safe space and supportive community.

Overview

00:00-00:44 Intros

00:44-04:18 Descriptive inquiry

04:18-07:32 How descriptive inquiry was developed

07:32-09:17 Phenomenology

09:17-09:48 Summer Institute

09:48-14:37 Developing relationships (with faculty or with parents); talking about race

14:37-19:33 Questions of race within faculty practice; looking at biases

19:33-24:01 Teasing out cultural norms; developing community

24:01-26:29 Descriptive inquiry as being value laden

26:29-31:05 Helping teachers feel comfortable sharing

31:05-36:38 Writing the book: why now and why people should read it

36:38- Outro

Transcript

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References

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We speak with Dr. Linda Nathan of the Center for Artistry and Scholarship and the Perrone-Sizer Institute for Creative Leadership about her experience in creating progressive schools. Dr. Nathan says all teachers, no matter their subject areas, should have expertise in teaching reading and students with moderate disabilities. The arts are central to her educational vision. Dr. Nathan talks about how to achieve predictable and collaborative authentic assessment of student work and how to deal with standardized test requirements when necessary. She also describes why “grit” is not enough for student success when students are caught in the insidious web of a racist system.

Overview

00:00-00:37 Intros

00:37-02:35 Changes at the Center for Artistry and Scholarship and Perrone-Sizer Institute

02:35-06:54 Why the outdoors is so important in an educational vision

06:54-08:42 Joy, wellness, and rigor

08:42-13:07 Why grit is not enough 

13:07-15:47 School systems pervaded by White supremacy

15:17-18:07 The Boston Arts Academy and Perrone-Sizer vision of education

18:07-21:44 Preparing teachers to work at a school like Boston Arts Academy

21:44-25:08 Measuring student success

25:08-29:12 Markers of success on graduation

29:12-31:15 How colleges need to better support students

31:15-36:39 How a principal can support and sustain faculty and the school’s vision in an unsupportive district

36:39-40:50 Dealing with high-stakes testing

40:50-44:58 Dialoguing with parents who disagree with what the school is doing

44:58-47:19 Steps to avoid teacher/administrator burnout

47:19-50:02 Outro

Transcript

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References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

Image twitter.com/lindanathan

Overview

00:00-00:35 Intros

00:35-01:33 Dover and its demographics

01:33-02:04 Economy

02:04-02:52 Student body demographics

02:52-03:52 Reacher recruitment challenges

03:52-05:15 Bilingual teacher recruitment

05:15-06:37 Skills needed by teachers working with new immigrants

06:37-07:15 Special ed evaluations for students learning English as a New Language

07:15-08:58 Why immigrant families come to Dover

08:58-10:23 Students with Interrupted Formal Education

10:23-11:10 Inclusivity

11:10-13:03 Schools’ central role in community with limited resources overall

13:03-14:53 Supporting youth mental health

14:53-16:17 Relationships with families

16:17-17:57 Relationships with staff and faculty

17:57-19:39 Impact of pandemic on relationships

19:39-20:27 Social emotional issues this year

20:27-22:36 Working with students and faculty during the return to school

22:36-24:19 Polarization and political discourse

24:19-25:59 Students with different views talking with each other; teachers engaging with r range of discussions as needed

25:59- Outro

Transcript

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Image: ms.doverschools.org

We speak with Hedy N. Chang of Attendance Works, who describes the long-term impact on student success of chronic absence in all grades.  Framing chronic absence as a truancy issue can increase alienation from school. Distinctions between excused and unexcused absences can unfairly penalize low-income students and students of color. Chronic absence rates may hit 40% this year. Ms. Chang discusses relationship-based strategies for mitigating absenteeism.

Overview

00:00-00:37 Intros
00:37-01:39 Definition of chronic absenteeism
01:39-04:04 How absenteeism has been viewed historically
04:04-06:16 Truancy
06:16-08:57 Reporting and monitoring chronic absences
08:57-14:37 Pandemic absenteeism rates
14:37-19:22 Absenteeism and return to schools in 2021-22
19:22-21:32 Attendance promotion strategies
21:32-25:42 Excused and unexcused absences; biases in classification
25:42-28:33 Impact of chronic absences on graduation
28:33-31:26 Strategies for understanding and overcoming barriers to attendance
31:26-36:41 Team approaches
36:41-40:01 Virtual schools—challenges and possibilities
40:01-42:18 Tiered approach
42:18- Outro

Transcript

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References

attendanceworks.org

We speak with University of South Carolina law professor Derek Black about the history of education as a core government service and the current wave of voucher laws in red states. Professor Black argues that these will permanently reduce education funding levels and threaten the very existence of public schools. We also talk about the #RedforEd resistance and the need to substantially increase funding for schools with many low-income students. 

Overview

00:00-00:48 Intros

00:48-01:38 Why “Schoolhouse Burning” is subtitled “Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy”

01:38-03:38 Importance of Reconstruction for government role in education

03:38-06:13 Commitments to education in state constitutions

06:13-08:25 Tension between schools as reproducing social structures and vehicles for social mobility

08:25-16:35 How to achieve equity in school funding

16:35-18:49 Recent voucher laws around the U.S.

18:49-20:47 Vouchers and parochial schools

20:47-22:54 Impact of proliferation of charter schools

22:54-25:02 Why now for vouchers?

25:02-27:08 Why today’s battles over charters and vouchers are undermining the concept of public education

27:08-29:07 Libertarianism and the idea of removing government from education

29:07-30:19 Privatization and race

30:19-33:29 Reducing taxes on the wealthy and long-term reduction in public funding for education

33:29-36:23 Significance of #RedforEd teachers’ strikes

36:23-37:42 Low income parents and charters/vouchers

37:42-39:57 Building a movement that can fight against charter and voucher movements

39:57-42:27 Beyond funding, need for diverse schools 

42:27-45:31 Outro

Transcript

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Soundtrack by Poddington Bear

We speak with Dr. Cecilia Espinosa and Dr. Laura Ascenzi-Moreno, co-authors of “Rooted in Strength: Using Translanguaging to Grow Multilingual Readers and Writers.” Traditionally, teachers have brought language to students rather than accepting and acknowledging children’s entire linguistic repertoires. Communities and families often have fluid language practices; when teachers impose strict separation of languages, they limit students’ creative and critical thought processes. 

Overview

00:00-00:45 Intros

00:45-02:00 Translanguaging

02:00-06:58 Why this book now

06:48-10:54 Translanguaging as transformative

10:54-17:48 An equity issue

17:48-23:31 Integrating phonemic awareness and phonics into reading

23:31-28:49 Native “non-standard” English speakers

28:49-33:10 Working with a child who is the only speaker of a language in the class

33:10-40:57 Data-driven  and student-driven assessment

40:57- Outro

Transcript

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References

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear