IDRA Classnotes

Classnotes Podcast (August 25, 2014) The national PTA president, Otha Thornton, recently visited several PTA Comunitarios in the Texas Rio Grande Valley and then, at the PTA national convention, presented an award to them for their work to improve schools in their communities. As this new model of parent engagement is sweeping across South Texas, others around the country are curious. In an earlier Classnotes podcast episode on how to start a PTA Comunitario, we outlined the three main phases. In this episode, Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., IDRA senior education associate, and IDRA education associates Frances Guzmán, M.Ed. and Hector Bojorquez explore the first phase of establishing in a community base.

Show length: 14:29

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PTA Comunitario Webpage

PTA Comunitario as a Family Leadership Model – An ‘Investing in Innovation I3 Project

Hosting Superintendents, Quizzing Candidates and Marking Maps – A Fully Engaged PTA Comunitario

Community Leaders Discuss How PTA Comunitarios Give Voice to Parents in their Children’s Education

IDRA’s Family Leadership Principles

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post PTA Comunitarios are Born in their Communities – Podcast Episode 144 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (July 28, 2014) Teaching is a learning process. Teachers are constantly learning about their students and how they respond to each instructional strategy used in the classroom. With the powerful impact quality teaching has on the success of students, teachers need access to quality professional development. But traditional styles of teacher training have been weak. They often are attempts at quick fixes that in theory are designed to work across the board. But, as IDRA education associate, Paula Johnson, M.A., explains, IDRA has found that professional development works best when it is ongoing, when it values the teachers themselves and when it is designed for each school’s unique context.

Paula gives an overview of how IDRA provides professional development on site and with technology tools to tailor content and sustain successes. IDRA also has built a private online professional network of teachers who share feedback, innovations and peer support. Paula is interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., IDRA senior education associate.

Show length: 14:51

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Coaching and Mentoring for Novice Teachers

Suggestions for Conducting Effective Teaching Demonstrations in Classrooms with Diverse Learners

Aligning School-Based Factors for Student Success – Using Contextual Data to Inform Science Professional Development

Teaching Must be Culturally Relevant to be Quality

Defining Teaching Quality Beyond the Certificate

Pedagogical Content Knowledge – What Matters Most in the Professional Learning of Content Teachers in Classrooms with Diverse Student Populations

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post A Valuing Professional Development Model – Podcast Episode 143 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (June 30, 2014) Skepticism is often the first reaction elementary teachers to the idea of having students from the nearby middle school or high school come into their classrooms as tutors. But once they give it a try, they become some of the loudest advocates for Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program tutors. Dr. Laurie Walters, a first grade teacher at the NOW Academy in the Los Angeles Unified School District, talks about the two tutors who spent a semester in her classroom this year for one class period almost daily and the impact they had on the tutees they worked with. She describes how she observed the tutors gain self-confidence, build a relationship with their tutees and help them improve dramatically in both behavior and achievement.

The IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program is a research-based, internationally-recognized dropout prevention program that has kept 98 percent of its tutors in school. It works by identifying junior high and high school students who are in at-risk situations and enlisting them as tutors for elementary school youngsters who are also struggling in school. Valued Youth tutors learn self-discipline and develop self-esteem; schools shift to the philosophy and practices of valuing students considered at-risk. Results show that tutors stay in school, have increased academic performance, improved school attendance and advanced to higher education.

Dr. Walters is interviewed by Dr. Sulema Carreón-Sánchez a senior education associate.

Show length: 12:43

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Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Continuities – Lessons for the Future of Education from the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Video: Elementary teacher describes why she likes having a Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program tutor in her classroom. [00:32]

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Student Essays

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program – Strengthening Student Connections with School

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post An Elementary Teacher on Having Tutors in Her Classroom – Podcast Episode 142 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (June 3, 2014) Building college readiness involves more than focusing on cognitive learning. The affective domain also must be cultivated to enhance teaching and learning. In this episode Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate, discusses the importance of creating a school-wide culture of college readiness. She outlines a number of key competencies that educators can cultivate to prepare students not just for entering college but also for successfully graduating from college. Nilka is interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., IDRA senior education associate.

Show length: 14:58

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Creating a College Readiness Culture (presentation)

The Cognitive and Affective Dimensions of College Readiness

Defining Student Success in the Context of College Readiness

Preparing College- and Career-Ready Students: Elements of Successful Programs (pdf)

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post College Readiness Competencies – Podcast Episode 141 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (May 19, 2014) In most classrooms, the days of memorization-focused teaching are gone. Though, we are still in the midst of a transition to building students’ critical thinking skills. Critical thinking leads students to understand and apply information instead of just remembering facts. Paula Johnson, M.A., an IDRA education associate, describes how teachers can foster critical thinking through the integrated use of: substantive student conversations, visual literacy and higher-order questioning. She also gives examples of how teachers can lead structured and unstructured conversations and how to use graphic organizers and foldables to draw more out of students so that they learn to apply what they are learning to their lives.

Paula is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity.

Show length: 13:58

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How’s a Picture Worth 1,000 Words in Math and Science? (PowerPoint)

Visual Interpretation in Science – Strategies for English Language Learners

Critical Thinking in Education – Integrating Critical Thinking into Learning Activities Across the Curriculum (PowerPoint)

Substantive Conversations in the Classroom (PowerPoint)

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post Building Critical Thinking through Visual Literacy – Podcast Episode 140 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (May 7, 2014) Often, we think of preschool children learning their shapes rather than learning geometry. But of course that is what they are doing. But we can make that learning of geometry so much deeper through the use of storytelling. In this podcast episode, Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., an IDRA senior education associate, describes how storytelling can help students make observations, apply that knowledge to real-world experiences and build critical thinking skills.

She uses one of IDRA’s bilingual Semillitas de Aprendizaje stories, Dos Pollitas Listas ~ Two Smart Chicks, as a model to show how the stories go beyond literacy development to make connections to STEM learning. Nilka is interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., IDRA senior education associate.

Show length: 14:01

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Dos Pollitas Listas ~ Shaping up with Geometry, PowerPoint presentation. 

Dos Pollitas Listas ~ Shaping up with Geometry from IDRAedu

IDRAedu

Building Interest in STEM through Language Development and Storytelling

Semillitas de Aprendizaje

Using Semillitas de aprendizaje in the Early Childhood Classroom

Hickory, Dickory, Dock…Critical Thinking and an Old Clock: Cultivating Thought with a Timeless Children’s Story

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post Geometry in Early Childhood – Podcast Episode 139 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (April 28, 2014) Bilingual education and English as a second language programs have been in place in U.S. schools for several decades, but for some there is still a bit of a mystery about their purpose. And while the Civil Rights Act and the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Lau vs. Nichols case require schools to appropriately serve English language learners, educators and parents are sometimes unclear about their role and the rights of students.

IDRA education associate, Kristin Grayson, Ph.D., talks about why we need bilingual education and English as a second language programs, what these programs do and how parents can work with educators to make sure their children learn English while also learning their other subjects. Kristin is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity.

Show length: 14:01

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Bilingual Discussion Guide: Bilingual v. ESL – Los programas bilingϋes y de inglés como segundo idioma

Good Schools and Classrooms for Children Learning English: A Guide

Education of English Language Learners in U.S. and Texas Schools – Where We Are, What We Have Learned and Where We Need to Go from Here – A 2009 Update

IDRA Early Childhood Classrooms of Excellence Model

Engagement Based Sheltered Instruction

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA)

Bilingual Education Resources

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post The Role of Bilingual Ed and ESL in Our Schools – Podcast Episode 138 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (March 31, 2014) During many of the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program’s 30 years, students have written essays about how the program has affected their lives and their tutees. For this year’s anniversary celebration, we invited three distinguished authors – San Antonio Poet Laureate, Dr. Carmen Tafolla, Texas State Poet Laureate, Rosemary Catacalos and author, historian, and retired educator, J. Gilberto Quezada – to read the essays and share their impressions.

In this podcast episode, we bring you Part 2 of a panel discussion led by Dr. Tafolla and Mr. Quezada who share their own journey in becoming writers and offer tips to teachers working with students to improve their own writing. A brief intro is provided by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA senior education associate, who also moderated the panel.

Show length: 23:44

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Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Continuities – Lessons for the Future of Education from the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Student Essays

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program – Strengthening Student Connections with School

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post The Art of Writing – Tips for Teachers Part 2 – Podcast Episode 137 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (March 17, 2014) During many of the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program’s 30 years, students have written essays about how the program has affected their lives and their tutees. For this year’s anniversary celebration, we invited three distinguished authors – San Antonio Poet Laureate, Dr. Carmen Tafolla, Texas State Poet Laureate, Rosemary Catacalos and author, historian, and retired educator, J. Gilberto Quezada – to read the essays and share their impressions.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Tafolla and Mr. Quezada lead a panel discussion reflecting on the essays and how they describe an experience that is transformative for students. A brief intro is provided by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA senior education associate, who also moderated the panel.

Show length: 14:50

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Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Continuities – Lessons for the Future of Education from the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program Student Essays

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program – Strengthening Student Connections with School 

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post The Art of Writing – Tips for Teachers Part 1 – Podcast Episode 136 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (February 27, 2014) As the struggle to keep many young people in school continues to face educators, parents and communities around the country, one successful initiative, the IDRA Valued Youth Partnership program celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a leader in dropout prevention. Educators from across the country joined us for a two-day National Teacher Coordinator Institute where they reviewed the impact of the program on tutors, tutees, parents, families and campuses, as well as share challenges, learnings, highlights, and look to future innovations that will positively shape the program and its outcomes. In this podcast episode, we share with you highlights from presentations by former tutors during the anniversary reception. First in a dramatic presentation called, “When the kids see us coming, they start calling my name,” by Pablo López, followed by recent tutors read excerpts from essays written by other tutors over the years about how the program has affected them and their tutees.

The excerpts were selected by distinguished authors San Antonio Poet Laureate, Carmen Tafolla, Texas State Poet Laureate, Rosemary Catacalos and author, historian, and retired educator, J. Gilberto Quezada. This is followed by Mr. Pablo Lopez, who was a Valued Youth tutor 20 years ago, as he poignantly shares the impact the program has had on him and his life. A brief intro is provided by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, and master of ceremonies for the reception.

Note: In 2019, the program name changed from “IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program” to “IDRA Valued Youth Partnership.”

Show length: 12:56

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IDRA Valued Youth Partnership program – Overview of the program and its philosophy, research-based design, program elements, evaluation design, recognition and awards, and getting started at your school.

Continuities – Lessons for the Future of Education from the IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Valued Youth Program Student Essays

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program – Strengthening Student Connections with School

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Send an e-mail to [email protected].

To ensure you don’t miss a single episode of IDRA Classnotes, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, (download iTunes free if you don’t have it) or sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as a new show is published.

The post They start calling my name (on being a Valued Youth program tutor) – Podcast Episode 135 appeared first on IDRA.