homeroom

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Renée, a learning specialist and educator—about her earliest memories of teaching herself how to read before 4 to receiving various interventions in schools for … yup, reading. We talk about the family members and school teachers and staff who helped to identify the help she needed to find academic success, and how—in a full circle moment—she became an interventionist who helps to identify students’ unique needs and collaborates with teachers and parents to develop individualized learning plans.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Renee Pena Lopez is a passionate Learning Specialist and a proud native New Yorker. She is a licensed special education educator teacher who has a deep passion for children and their quirks. Renee pulls from her creative background in dance and her vast experience in an array of classrooms from museum education to progressive to play-based models. She truly believes that #playmatters in the lives of Littles and for it to matter it must be purposeful and work for the learner that it serves which is why she teaches guided play. Its her mission that learning be impactful for neurodiverse learners that create strong foundations that moves them to be their best selves. You can find out more information about Renee on her website at www.themagicoflittles.com.

—

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Juan-Felipe, engineer, policy officer, and CEO of Join a Town—about the 180° change in his journey when his straight-A and honors* track record changed for the first time during college. Juan-Felipe discusses the transformative impact that observing the significant disparities in living conditions between himself and marginalized populations within his own city had on his life trajectory. Check out this important episode that will make you check your privilege.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Juan Felipe is a passionate leader with a diverse background in business and social innovation. As CEO and Co-Founder of Join a Town, he's driving positive change through a unique platform which brings together an ecosystem of social entrepreneurs and individuals.

Previously, he leveraged his financial expertise at Amazon, managing multi-million dollar budgets and spearheading cost-saving initiatives across Europe. He also served as a Social Innovation Policy Officer at the French Ministry of Labor, demonstrating his commitment to creating a more equitable society.

Juan Felipe's dedication extends beyond his professional career. He's a recognized leader as a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum and a One Young World Ambassador, actively contributing to global conversations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanfelipemesa

—

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Eden, an art ethnologist, educator, and artist—about her journey of finding her voice. We talk about her earliest memories of being a “difficult student” to changing her ways after seeing what impact that had on her teachers. We also discuss how her early introduction and experimentation with art helped her process her lived experiences, and how that led to her pursuing the career that she did. I ask her what she thinks we can learn from teaching our children to find their own perspectives and opinions, and I’m certain you’ll benefit from hearing her response. I’d like to warn and mention that this conversation contains potentially triggering content including mentions of abuse. That prefaced, here is our edited conversation.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Dr. Eden Reff-Presco is an art ethnologist/educator/artist whose work is informed by the concept of personal space and boundaries that navigate the intersection of cultural agency, symbolism, and access. Her research examines visual culture and its impact on artists of the African Diaspora and East Asia. Dr. Reff-Presco is known for delivering profound lectures and presentations to elevate the capacity of viewers and critics about underrepresented artists. A proud native of New Orleans, Louisiana, she currently resides within the Washington, DC area. https://www.instagram.com/globalartspeak

—

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Savanah, a senior health analyst and health education specialist—about her earliest memories of being homeschooled before attending a public school for the last 4 years before college. We talk about what subjects she enjoyed, what subjects she enjoyed less, as well as the challenges of navigating peer relationships in and out of schools. We also discuss what she appreciated about being homeschooled, and the gratitude she has for her mom about the commitment that entailed, and what education related dreams and goals she has for her own children going forward.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

References

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (book)

—

Savanah is a Senior Health Analyst with EMI Advisors, specializing in the intersection of social determinants of health, care planning, and health information technology. Savanah is Certified in Public Health (CPH) through the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). She believes that public health is more than policy and advocacy but strongly rooted in communication and universal design.

Savanah graduated from Towson University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology before pursuing her Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Florida in 2019. She enjoys qualitative research, exploring whole-person health, family health and dynamics, and community programming. Savanah also has a background in clinical health settings providing patient care and volunteered as the Digital Media Coordinator at a local non-profit. Savanah uses these grassroots perspectives to influence her public health work today.

Savanah resides in the US with her husband and two children. https://www.linkedin.com/in/savanah-b-mueller/

—

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Kentaro, a math teacher, curriculum developer, and teacher trainer—about his early memories of being an internally motivated child and student. I ask him about the cultural and socioeconomic differences between his home life growing up, and the private high school he went to after attending public schools through the 8th grade. We talk about his journey back to the classroom for 16 years as a math teacher, and how that experience led to him earning what he calls his mid-life crisis doctorate at Harvard to make a more system-wide impact. We also discuss how he and others have humanized how math is taught by examining and tackling power structures, and also the promising strategies that current research is telling us about how to close the achievement gap. This is an important conversation about both the tangible practices and mind shifts we need to apply in measuring the success of our students going forward.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Kentaro, the son of immigrants from Japan, experienced first-hand the dissonant extremes in our education system, attending failing public schools through 8th grade and then an incredibly resourced private high school on scholarship. These disparate educational experiences highlighted the stark contrast in our schooling system and compelled Kentaro to provide the highest quality education to students furthest from the center, driven by a deep call to equity and social justice. A math teacher at heart with 16 years of classroom experience, Kentaro relentlessly sought out instructional approaches that worked with his students out of a deep sense of desperation. While department head at the fifth lowest performing high school in California, Kentaro increased AP math enrollment by 400% while also increasing passing rates on AP math exams. In 2011, Kentaro was honored to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching at the White House. Kentaro led statewide math initiatives and trained over 2000 math teachers and leaders while director at non-profit ConnectED. He wrote math curriculum used by over 350,000 students for Agile Mind through the Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Kentaro has served as co-chair of Harvard’s Data Wise Network, as a founding member of the Racial Equity Council at the NewSchools Venture Fund, and as adjunct faculty at San Francisco State University. Kentaro is National Board Certified and holds a BA from Stanford, a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard, and a Superintendent’s License from Massachusetts. Most importantly, Kentaro is a husband to an amazing special educator and father to two remarkable teenagers.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentaro-iwasaki/

https://www.concentricmath.com

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/edcast/24/03/math-great-potential-equalizer

—

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

—

References

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Sonia, an educator, podcaster, and career coach—about her earliest memories of growing up as the youngest daughter of immigrant parents, to becoming an educator and advocate for defining what success looks like for the next generation. We talk about the mentors in her life who saw great potential in her at an early age, and how those experiences ultimately became the emotional foundations of helping students meet their own potential. We also discuss what financial success looks like, including what it doesn’t look like, and why we need to develop the next generation’s interpersonal skills if they really want to make in the future.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Sonia is a seasoned career and business strategist dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses to reach their full potential. As a skilled career counselor and coach, Sonia specializes in guiding students and young professionals towards successful career paths. By providing essential skills, experience, and a growth-oriented mindset, Sonia helps clients secure lucrative first jobs and outshine their peers. As a skilled small business navigator, Sonia supports entrepreneurs and startups in building strong foundations, scaling operations, and overcoming challenges. Through strategic guidance and community building, Sonia empowers businesses to thrive in today’s dynamic market. With a vision to foster a supportive network, Sonia advocates for the power of connections. By leveraging meaningful relationships, Sonia helps individuals and businesses unlock new opportunities, accelerate growth, and build a thriving community. https://www.instagram.com/discoveru.career.coach

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Adrienne, a senior marketing executive, lifelong reader, and mom of two, about her education journey as the first person in her family to go to college. We talk about how her childhood love of reading fiction and memoirs translated to her studies in business school and the world of finance, and what Wharton taught her about surviving in the real world—along with what it didn’t. On that note, we also discuss what it means to be a mom who has to juggle parenting and career, and what she thinks we need to do better to prepare the next generation for the future ahead.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Adrienne is a results-driven leader with over 25 years of experience across diverse industries. She has a proven track record of propelling growth, securing critical funding, building strong partnerships, and orchestrating impactful events. From launching multi-million dollar capital campaigns to scaling startups, Adrienne thrives on driving success and fostering a culture of inclusion.

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Sun, an entrepreneur and storyteller, about his education journey from Korea to the US, California to New York, and engineering to film school. We talk about his socio-emotional development from being the good kid to eventually overcorrecting to protect himself from the bullies. We also discuss what it means to be a good storyteller, and why vulnerability is the key to successful marketing—not only in business, but in life and relationships, especially. There are lots of insights in our conversation, not only about how to own your story, but also about how to be a good friend. And on that note, I’d like to credit and thank Sun for yelling at me last year to finally start this podcast I’d been “planning” for years.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Sun Yi is an entrepreneur, storyteller, and TEDx speaker. He is the founder of Night Owls, an award-winning digital agency in New York City. In 2022, he started Night Owl Nation, a global community of entrepreneurs and creators who practice storytelling together.

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Reena, a TV producer, podcast host, and mompreneur, about her earliest memories of experiencing both social connection and disconnection in schools, as well as both shock and ultimately the push she needed to find her own voice. We talk about her career in TV and entertainment including working as a producer on the Jerry Springer show, and her journey toward starting her own podcast, Better Call Daddy. We also discuss what it means to raise children who aren’t afraid to assert themselves, while not harming relationships and friendships along the way. This is a vulnerable conversation packed with lots of hidden gems about finding your way…that you definitely don’t want to miss.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Reena is a television producer, podcast host and mompreneur. Over the course of her career, she’s worked on reality TV shows such as The Jerry Springer Show and Court TV. She’s booked sensational and hard-to-get guests such as Howard Schultz, Barbara Corcoran, and Derek Sivers on Cathy Heller’s Don’t Keep Your Day Job Podcast and boosted the downloads from 4M to nearly 15M. She’s been a host on her own show “Better Call Daddy” since 2020 and produced 350+ episodes. She’s interviewed guests like Evan Carmichael, Jerry Springer, Nanny Yvonne, James Altucher, Aleeza Ben Shalom, and many others. She coaches entrepreneurs on finding their first clients, and helps people produce their own podcasts. https://www.instagram.com/reenafriedmanwatts https://www.instagram.com/bettercalldaddypodcast/

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

—

References

1. Petals of Support (podcast)

homeroom is an international podcast bridging the education gap between the classroom and the living room by starting conversations impacting the next generation.

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Charli Kemp, an educator and social impact-maker, about her high school memories of selling candy, evading tardy sweeps by hanging out in the counselor’s office, and negotiating her grades with her teachers…before becoming an educator herself. We talk about her nonlinear journey of discovering her place in education including stops at USC to earn her MBA, and Harvard to earn her doctorate in education leadership. We also discuss her philosophy on academic and economic success, and why connection and collaboration are the ultimate keys to it.

Check out our conversation, join our ongoing discourse on social media, and subscribe for more. https://www.instagram.com/homeroomed

You can also find a computer-generated transcript of our episode at https://www.homeroomed.com

—

Charli believes “music is the universal language of the soul” and a panacea for societal problems. She is a curator of transformative, musical-learning experiences that empower individuals to create positive systemic change. Utilizing education as a vehicle for activism, Charli is driven in her desire to end inequitable systems, to create opportunities and access for underserved communities. With Change The Tune, she seeks to reimagine the learning space by creating revolutionary extended learning spaces that provide radical and transformational learning experiences in partnership with communities. Previously, Charli worked for Green Dot Public Schools, where she developed the organization’s first social-emotional learning framework. Before earning her MBA in 2014 from the University of Southern California, Charli was a Teach For America Fellow and taught middle school mathematics and science in New York City for five years. As a teacher, she built strong communal relationships while helping her schools to reimagine their extended learning programming. Charli Kemp received her BA from Spelman College, and recently finished her doctorate in education leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.instagram.com/changethetune

Rée is a visual storyteller and educator exploring the consequences that mass education has on creativity, identity, and interpersonal connection. https://www.instagram.com/theinterdisciplinarian

—

References