IDRA Classnotes

Classnotes Podcast (July 1, 2019). In linguistics and language classes, the term “code-switching” describes how speakers mix two or more languages and speech patterns in writing and conversation. But the term has become broader to encompass dialogue that spans cultures, such as how we change the way we express ourselves depending on who’s in the room. In our increasingly diverse schools, many students still do not see themselves reflected in the curriculum or the classroom discussion.

In this episode, special guest, Dr. Martina McGhee talks with Michelle Vega and Hector Bojorquez about how schools can build inclusive curriculum that is more honest and whole and how to use code switching to help students feel encouraged and supported. Dr. McGhee is a doctoral fellow in the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) who is leading a new course on race and identity through pop culture. Michelle Martínez Vega is IDRA’s technology coordinator, and Hector Bojorquez is IDRA’s director of operations.

Show length: 27:23 min

Students explore topics of race and identity during new UTSA course

Code Switch Goes To College, NPR

Code-Switching in the Classroom, Miami University

Is Code Switching Always a Crisis in the Classroom? How to Successfully Allow or Avoid It, FluentU

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 Code-switching as a School Strategy – Podcast Episode 192 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (May 21, 2019). Students at high school in San Antonio are taking a proactive role to promote student voice on issues that impact school safety and equitable access to a quality education. These student organizers have taken leadership on concerns like dating violence, mental health services, LGBTQ student rights, and alternative discipline measures. In this episode, two of these student leaders visited our office to describe how they organize themselves for maximum impact. Melivia Mujia, a senior, and Evany Gonzales, a sophomore, were interviewed by Michelle Martínez Vega, IDRA technology coordinator.

Show length: 11:48 min

Student Advocates for Educational Equity, slide deck from presentation led by South San Antonio ISD students: Melivia Mujia, Mark Mendiola, Ebany Gonzalez, Madison Donavan at the Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Parent Institute, April 2019

Video interview of Melivia Mujia at Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Parent Institute, April 2019

Youths in Action – Intergenerational Leadership

Students Become Leaders in their Community to Support Peers on the Path Toward College

Community Projects, Youths and Academic Learning – Student Voice in Solutions to Challenging Problems, March 28, 2017

Student Activism In School Getting Your Voice Heard – Resources, Inspiration And Expert Advice For Making A Difference On And Off Campus

Youth-Led Activism webpage, The Freechild Project

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 Student Activists in High School – Podcast Episode 191 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (February 12, 2019). Most schools express within their vision that “all children will learn.” Yet, the pathway to make this vision come to fruition is filled with more obstacles for some children than for others. Inequities within schools are systemic but can be directly addressed by school leadership and classroom teachers. This podcast episode features two guests, Kenita Williams, M.A., with the Southern Education Foundation, and Cloyd Garth, Jr., Ed.S., superintendent of Hazelhurst City School District in Mississippi. The describe the SEF fellowship program, Racial Equity Leadership Network (RELN), and how it builds capacity among principals and their leadership teams in addressing issues of inequity and social injustice.

Kenita and Garth are interviewed by José A. Velázquez, M.Ed., IDRA education associate. The IDRA EAC-South provides technical assistance and training to build capacity of local educators to serve their diverse student populations.

Show length: 16:00 min.

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IDRA EAC-South

Racial Equity Leadership Network

Essential Approaches for Excellence & Sustainable School System Transformation – The Equity-Centered Capacity Building Network (ECCBN)  journal addressing systems capacity building approaches that drive both equity and excellence

Courage to Connect: A Quality Schools Action Framework – IDRA’s book shows how communities and schools can work together to strengthen their capacity to be successful with all of their students.

Leaders Turn Around Schools – Transformational Equity Focus Makes College Readiness a Priority, by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., IDRA Newsletter

Fostering Excellence through Social Justice Principles in Schools Serving English Learners, by Nilka Avilés, Ed.D., IDRA Newsletter

A Guide for School Board Members to Assess District Effectiveness, by Abelardo Villarreal,Ph.D., and Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, June-July 2010

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 Superintendent Program for Equity and Social Justice through Education – Podcast Episode 190 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (January 15, 2019). Most parents and caregivers would agree that all students should be provided with the same opportunity to learn, grow and succeed at school. As adults and leaders in our communities, we can work together with our classroom teachers and school administrators to ensure our students can learn free from fear and are protected from discrimination, harassment and bullying. LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning) students face particular challenges in our classrooms 85 percent report facing verbal harassment, more than one in four are physically harassed at school, and half are threatened by their classmates.

Michelle Martínez Vega, IDRA technology coordinator, and Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of IDRA’s Texas Education CAFE Network project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, discuss how parents can work with their schools to support LGBTQ students and their safety along the way. The IDRA EAC-South provides technical assistance and training to build capacity of local educators to serve their diverse student populations.

Show length: 12:11 min.

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Slides: Top 10 Ways to Make Schools Safer for LGBTQ Students, presented at the Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Parent Institute, 2018

PFLAG Website: Top 10 Ways to Make Schools Safer for LGBTQ Students

Equity and Justice for LGBTQ Students – Teacher Responsibilities, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., and Michelle Martínez Vega

Push Outs – Supporting LGBTQ Students Faced with Sexual & Gender Harassment, by Susan Shaffer and Phyllis Lerner

Examples of Policies and Emerging Practices for Supporting Transgender Students, U.S. Department of Education.

LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda, by G. Wimberly, AERA

Title IX at 45: Advancing Opportunity through Equity Education, National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education

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 3 Ways to Make Schools Safe for LGBTQ Students – Podcast Episode 189 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (December 20, 2018) Schools across the country are learning from experience what research is showing that zero tolerance discipline policies are pushing students away. The East Central school district in Texas took a hard look at how it was approaching attendance and truancy and made a concrete, systemic shift that has led truancy rates to plummet.

In this episode, Dr. Nilka Avilés talks with superintendent, Roland Toscano, about his district’s transformation that started by listening to the traumatic needs of students and customizing resources. The district engaged the community and placed a new emphasis on providing a high-quality education for all students.

Show length: 16:20

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EC Cares is an East Central ISD initiative that addresses important social issues that affect its students’ education, health, and wellness.

Video: East Central ISD EC Cares Program

East Central ISD Program Improves Truancy Rates – Rivard Report

Profile of an EC Graduate

Zero Tolerance Policies Push Students Away – High Attrition Rates of Black Students and Hispanic Students Are Linked to Exclusionary Discipline

Defining a Schoolwide College Readiness Culture- An Interview with Roland Toscano, M.S., Principal at East Central High School in San Antonio, IDRA Newsletter, May 2011

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 District Innovation Reverses Truancy – Podcast Episode 188 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (October 25, 2018) There may forever be a tension between what teenagers want to wear to school and what school officials deem is appropriate. School dress codes may serve a purpose, but they cannot prevent a student from expressing religious beliefs. In this episode, we look at what the law and courts have said about religion equity in the context of dress codes and what schools should be doing to avoid infringing on students’ rights. We also hear from a former student who is Muslim on her experiences in school. For this discussion, Phoebe Schlanger, the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium senior publications editor, and Nada Mousa, a research and program assistant at MAEC, join David Hinojosa, J.D., director of the federally-funded IDRA EAC-South, which provides technical assistance and training to build capacity of local educators to serve their diverse student populations.

Show length: 15:15

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Religion Equity in Schools – Protecting Students and Their Civil Rights, IDRA Newsletter, August 2018

Religion Equity and School Dress Codes, IDRA Newsletter, August 2018

Dress Codes, Anti-Defamation League

Combating Religious Discrimination and Protecting Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of Justice

A Matter of Life and Death – Two Scholars Make the Case for Teaching Religious Literacy, Teaching Tolerance, Summer 2017

Diversity, Race & Religion, StopBullying.gov

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Use IDRA’s online form, or 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 Dress Codes and Religion Equity – Podcast Episode 186 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (September 19, 2018) IDRA’s Education CAFE model takes parent involvement to a whole new level. Rather than limiting parents to be audience members or school volunteers, Education CAFE members take on projects to influence policy and practice. An Education CAFE is a parent group that is rooted in a community-based organization rather than in a single school. Its sole purpose is to collaborate with schools to improve the success of students in the community.

In this episode, Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of IDRA’s Texas Education CAFE Network project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, describes this critical third component of family leadership in education projects. He shares examples of projects some parent groups have taken on and how the process begins with a review of data about their school. Aurelio is interviewed by Michelle Martínez Vega, IDRA technology coordinator.

Show length: 12:04.

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IDRA Education CAFE – A Structure for Families Transforming Schools in their Communities, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

Education CAFE – Community Action Forums for Excellence

Steps on How to Start an Education CAFE

Co-Leading and Co-Transforming Schools – School Administrators and Family Leaders in Education, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed.

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Use IDRA’s online form, or 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 Stronger Parent Involvement through Family Leadership in Education Projects – Podcast Episode 185 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (August 16, 2018). Schools must be safe places for all children. LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning) students face particular challenges in our classrooms 85 percent report facing verbal harassment, more than one in four are physically harassed at school, and half are threatened by their classmates. Michelle Martínez Vega, IDRA technology coordinator, and Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of IDRA’s Texas Education CAFE Network project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, discuss how teachers are pivotal to supporting the intelligence and uniqueness of each student while clearly blocking and deterring harm. They outline specific classroom actions and resources for educators. The IDRA EAC-South provides technical assistance and training to build capacity of local educators to serve their diverse student populations. Show length: 12:23 min.

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Equity and Justice for LGBTQ Students – Teacher Responsibilities, by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., and Michelle Martínez Vega

Push Outs – Supporting LGBTQ Students Faced with Sexual & Gender Harassment, by Susan Shaffer and Phyllis Lerner

Examples of Policies and Emerging Practices for Supporting Transgender Students, U.S. Department of Education.

LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda, by G. Wimberly, AERA

Title IX at 45: Advancing Opportunity through Equity Education, National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Use IDRA’s online form, or 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 Teacher Responsibilities in Supporting LGBTQ Students – Podcast Episode 184 appeared first on IDRA.

Classnotes Podcast (June 4, 2018) Conversations about institutional discrimination usually take place at the macro, big-picture level. And those are important conversations about policies and practices that target or exclude hundreds of thousands of students each year on account of race, sex, gender, national origin, religion, disability, among other factors. But high school English teacher, Andres López, M.Ed., decided not to wait for structural changes.

In this episode, he describes what institutional discrimination looks like at the classroom level and what he’s doing to make sure his content is culturally-relevant. He is joined by David Hinojosa, J.D., director of the IDRA EAC-South, who describes the experience of equity assistance center’s work in helping schools rethink of relevant, equity-based strategies. The IDRA EAC-South provides technical assistance and training to build capacity of local educators to serve their diverse student populations.

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Show length: 14:43

Mexican-American Film and Literature at Stevens HS in San Antonio, Andres López, M.Ed., webpage

Sample Mexican-American Literature Book Drive, Andres López, M.Ed., classroom

Students as Co-Collaborators in Teaching & Learning – Advice from the Field, IDRA Newsletter article by Andres López, M.Ed.,

Institutionalized Discrimination… Does it Exist in Your School? by David Hinojosa, J.D., IDRA Newsletter

Six Goals of Educational Equity and Reform – Equity Ranking Scale

“Teaching To and Through Cultural Diversity,” by G. Gay, Curriculum Inquiry

“The Theory and Practice of Culturally Relevant Education: A Synthesis of Research Across Content Areas,”by B. Aronson & J. Laughter, Review of Educational Research

We welcome your comments and questions to the podcast. Use IDRA’s online form, or 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 Teacher Adapts Curricula to Circumvent Institutional Discrimination – Podcast Episode 183 appeared first on IDRA.