Highest Aspirations

In this episode of Highest Aspirations, Sandra Medrano-Arroyo speaks with Georgina Owen, Indian Education Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Education, about advancing authentic and equitable education for Native American students. Georgina shares how collaboration with tribal nations has shaped Colorado’s culturally grounded curriculum, strengthened trust, and ensured that Indigenous voices guide classroom instruction. Listeners will learn about innovative initiatives supporting Indigenous language and culture, efforts to refine identification processes under Title III, and strategies for sustaining meaningful partnerships between schools and tribal communities.

Key questions we address:

1. How can state education systems authentically collaborate with tribal nations to create accurate, culturally grounded curriculum?
2. What challenges and opportunities exist in identifying and supporting Indigenous students under federal education policy?
3. What systemic steps can strengthen culturally relevant instruction and ensure Indigenous voices remain central in education?

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.

• Information on Colorado’s American Indian Education

• Resources from History Colorado

• Register for IMPACT 2025! 

• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Community Brief

In this episode of Highest Aspirations, Sandra Medrano-Arroyo speaks with Dr. Michelle Benegas about building sustainable, schoolwide support for ELs. Michelle shares insights on empowering teacher leaders, creating effective infrastructure for multilingual learner programs, and strategies for strengthening both direct and indirect support. Listeners will learn how to foster collaborative, capacity-driven approaches that help educators expand their impact and ensure lasting success for all ELs.

Key questions we address:

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.
• Order Dr. Benegas’ book Language of Identity, Language of Access
• Visit T⁠ESOL’swebsite
• Register for IMPACT 2025! 
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Community Brief
• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

In this episode of Highest Aspirations, Sandra Medrano-Arroyo speaks with Paula Polk about her journey from classroom teacher to language coach and district leader. Paula shares insights on coaching with integrity, empathy, and justice, strategies for supporting multilingual learners, and practical approaches to building teacher expertise. Listeners will learn how to expand their impact in education while fostering collaborative, student-centered learning environments.

Key questions we address:

In this episode of Highest Aspirations, we speak with Dr. Margo Gottlieb and Dr. Gisela Ernst-Slavit about the powerful concept at the heart of their new book, Academic Languaging. They challenge the traditional view of academic language as a fixed code to be mastered, redefining it as an active, student-driven process that empowers multilingual learners. The conversation dives deep into the crucial role of student agency, exploring how authentic voice and choice can transform the classroom. 

Key questions we address:

In this episode of Highest Aspirations, we speak with Sarah Whitfield, an ML Instructional Specialist, about the summer Newcomer Academy she directs. Sarah shares the intentional structure of the program, which is designed to build a strong sense of belonging and identity for middle and high school newcomers. She details a profound shift in her approach—moving from "family engagement" to true "family collaboration"—and discusses a simple yet transformative practice of asking parents about their hopes and dreams for their children. This conversation provides a practical roadmap for creating welcoming environments and building authentic, lasting partnerships with newcomer families.

Key questions we address:

1. How can a summer newcomer academy be structured to build a strong sense of identity and belonging for students?

2. What is the difference between "family engagement" and "family collaboration," and what does this shift look like in practice?

3. How can a simple question about a family's "hopes and dreams" for their child transform the relationship between home and school?

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.

• Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations: Elevating Home Experiences and Classroom Practices for Collective Care

• Family and Caregiver Packet

• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Community Brief

• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

Sarah Whitfield is an ML Instructional Specialist for Cabarrus County Schools in NC, and adjunct faculty at Greensboro College in the Department of Education. With over 15 years of experience in education, Sarah supports multilingual learners, their families, and the educators who serve them. Her work spans instructional coaching, newcomer summer program design, and teacher preparation. Her work is grounded in the belief that collaboration and asset-based thinking are key to meaningful change. She is especially passionate about supporting new teachers and creating inclusive spaces where both students and educators feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Season 15 of Highest Aspirations begins with Dr. Carol Salva, author of Boosting Achievement. In this episode, Dr. Salva shares updated strategies from the new edition of her book designed to support English learners, newcomer students, and students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). She discusses practical tools educators can use to accelerate language development, build student confidence, and create welcoming classroom environments that foster belonging and success.

Key questions we address:

1. Why was a second edition of the book Boosting Achievement necessary?
2. How can educators best support multilingual learners and maintain hope during challenging societal times?
3. What does an "authentic learning experience" look like in practice, and how can teachers create one?

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.

• Dr. Salva’s website: https://salvac.edublogs.org/ 

• DIY PD a Guide to Self-Directed Learning for Educators of Multilingual Learners by Katie Toppel, Tan Huynh, Carol Salva

• ML Summit

• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Community Brief

• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

Carol Salva is an award-winning educator with proven success working with unschooled/under-schooled, multilingual learners classified as SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) or ELD (English Language Development) students. She is a key Seidlitz Education consultant for training, coaching, modeling, and supporting program leaders. Dr. Carol Salva is a co-author of Boosting Achievement: Reaching Students with Interrupted Our Minimal Education and a co-author of DIY PD: A Guide to Self-Directed Learning for Educators of Multilingual Learners. She has taught elementary, middle, and high school.

Carol holds a doctorate in education in the area of ethical leadership from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. She also has her Masters degree in Education Administration. Along with her ESL certification, she is a Certified Gomez & Gomez Dual Language Trainer and a Certified Abydos Writing Trainer. Dr. Salva is a Kahoot Ambassador and the co-chair of the NAELPA professional learning committee.

This episode of Highest Aspirations features Carly Spina, an author and passionate advocate for English learners, as she shares her inspiring journey and groundbreaking work.

Join us to hear how Carly's upbringing profoundly shaped her deep commitment to ELs, tracing her path from early experiences on Chicago's North Side to becoming a leading voice in education. We'll delve into her impactful work at the Illinois Resource Center, where she dedicates herself to supporting educators in creating more equitable and effective learning environments for these students. Discover the core philosophy behind her first acclaimed book, Moving Beyond for Multilingual Learners, and get an exclusive sneak peek into her new book, Igniting Real Change for Multilingual Learners. This latest work aims to spark even more profound and urgent action within the field. This powerful episode offers a vital call to action for anyone committed to championing all students.

Key questions we address:

1. What is the deeper, systemic responsibility of educators beyond compliance when serving English learners, and how can we "do right" by them and their families?
2. What instructional strategies and philosophical shifts are necessary for content-area teachers to effectively serve and include newcomer English learners in mainstream classrooms?
3. How can school systems and educators move beyond inherited or problematic practices to genuinely "ignite real change" for English learners, fostering their growth and ensuring their equitable access to advanced opportunities?

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.

• Learn more about the Illinois Resource Center.

• Purchase Carly Spina’s first book Moving Beyond for Multilingual Learners.

• Pre-order Carly Spina’s new book Igniting Real Change for Multilingual Learners.

• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

Carly Spina has two decades of experience in Multilingual Education across various roles. She is currently a multilingual education specialist at the Illinois Resource Center, providing professional learning opportunities and technical assistance support to educators and leaders across the country. Her first book, Moving Beyond for Multilingual Learners, was a 2023 Equity in Excellence Award Winner. Her second book, Igniting Real Change: Equity and Advocacy In Action, will be published in June of 2025.

This episode of Highest Aspirations features Sarah Nandi, Alaina Peterson, and Thomas Hekma—former educators who now work at Ellevation—sharing how their classroom experiences shape the way they support educators across the country.

Tune in to hear how their journeys from teaching multilingual learners to working in edtech help them build tools and resources that are relevant, empathetic, and grounded in real classroom needs. Learn how they stay connected to what matters most for teachers and students, and how their roles at Ellevation allow them to amplify the impact they once made in a single school or district.

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.

• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

This episode of Highest Aspirations welcomes Alice Collins from the Colorado Department of Education and Dr. Esther De Jong from the University of Colorado Denver to explore the dynamic landscape of bilingual education in the state. Discover the innovative programs designed to support Colorado's growing number of multilingual learners and the crucial initiatives aimed at building a strong pipeline of qualified bilingual educators.

Tune in to gain insights into the collaborative efforts between the state and universities to equip teachers with the specialized skills needed to serve multilingual students effectively. Learn about the various courses and programs available that empower educators to create inclusive and successful learning environments for all students, fostering academic growth and linguistic development.

Key questions we address:

1. What types of bilingual education programs are available for Colorado's multilingual learners?

2. How does the University of Colorado Denver support the training and development of teachers for multilingual students?

3. What are the key strategies discussed for supporting and retaining qualified teachers of multilingual learners in Colorado?

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.

• Newcomer resources course - Free 1-hour webinar

• Online, self-directed newcomer course with deep dives (ideal for Professional Learning Communities)

• Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity

• Discover, Connect, Respond

• Finding Me: A Memoir

• T-PREP: The Partnership for Rural Educator Preparation at University of Colorado Denver 

• Learn more about the Ellevation Scholarship and how to apply. 

• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

Alice Collins is an ELD Senior Consultant with the Colorado Department of Education serving the state of Colorado in the office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. She partners with districts across the state to ensure quality language programming for the Multilingual Learners. Alice has many years of experience serving MLs, some of those roles include, teacher, CLDE Specialist, Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal, and CLDE Director. She has received multiple Teacher of the Year awards as well as CLDE Director of the Year. Alice is dedicated to providing every opportunity possible for ML students to succeed in education.

Dr. Ester de Jong is a Professor in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education and Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Advanced programs at the University of Colorado Denver.  Her research interests include two-way bilingual education and other integrated models for language minority schooling, educational language policy, and teacher preparation for bilingual students.  Prior to UC Denver, she was the Director of the School of Teaching and Learning and Professor in ESOL/Bilingual Education at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. She has been in the field of ESL/bilingual education for over thirty years, as a practitioner and a researcher. Her research focuses on preparing teachers to work with bilingual learners in K-12 schools, and integrated approaches to the schooling of bilingual learners, including two-way bilingual education. Her book, “Foundations of Multilingualism in Education” lays out a principles-based approach to educational equity for bilingual learners.  Dr. de Jong was President of TESOL International Association (2017-2018). She is the co-editor of the Handbook of Research on Dual Language Bilingual Education (Routledge, 2023) and co-Editor of the Bilingual Research Journal.

Elise White Diaz, a passionate advocate for trauma-informed multilingual education, joins Highest Aspirations to discuss practical strategies for connecting with and supporting students who have experienced trauma or come from challenging backgrounds. Drawing on her extensive work in diverse settings, Elise emphasizes the power of understanding students' experiences and building trust as foundational elements for effective teaching.

This episode explores the impact of trauma on learning and language acquisition, highlighting the importance of emotional attunement in the classroom. Elise introduces her "Discover, Connect, Respond" framework and the practical "Four S's" routine as actionable ways for educators to create safe and supportive environments. Learn how fostering secure connections and responding empathetically to student needs can unlock their potential and promote growth.

Key questions we address:

1. What are some key principles of trauma-informed practice that educators should understand when working with multilingual learners who may have experienced adversity?
2. How does trauma impact a student's brain and their ability to acquire language and engage in learning, and what are some practical classroom strategies to address these challenges?
3. Why is the concept of attachment theory particularly relevant when supporting multilingual learners with trauma histories, and how can educators foster secure connections in the classroom to promote healing and growth?

For additional episode and community resources:

• Download the transcript here.
• Learn more about Elise and her work with Seidlitz here.
• Pre-order Elise’s upcoming book Discover, Connect, Respond. 
• Dr. Dan Siegel’s video How our Relationships Shape Us.
• Order book by Jonathan Haidt The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.
• Learn more about the Ellevation Scholarship and how to apply. 
• For additional free resources geared toward supporting English learners, ⁠visit our blog.

Elise White Diaz is well-versed in the challenges facing students from hard places. Her journey in trauma-informed education began in Honduras, where she dedicated herself to a school for child laborers in the city's garbage dump. 

Elise brought her global experience to a diverse district in North Texas. There, she integrated principles of culturally relevant, trauma-informed education with language acquisition strategies, driving substantial growth in student performance. 

As a consultant with Seidlitz Education, Elise travels nationwide to assist districts in fostering language development and cross-cultural connections. She is honored to keynote state conferences and is the author of the forthcoming book, Discover, Connect, Respond: A Practical Approach for Trauma-Informed Education.