Learning First Alliance Podcast

The convening will spotlight how efforts to dismantle public schools and cuts to key K-12 programs are undercutting efforts of educators to serve our most vulnerable learners, and what’s needed to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient public education system going forward. At a moment when public education is facing enormous strain and pressure, LFA aims to leverage its network of organizations representing 10 million members to bring together practitioners, stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers to discuss what’s needed to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient public education system and shape the next era of public education.

Public education is the great equalizer, opening doors of opportunity to all children regardless of income or background, preparing them for citizenship, work, and life. Yet despite the pivotal role it plays in American society, public education faces unprecedented threats. Cuts to core K-12 programs and disinvestment strategies are imperiling foundational education programs that serve our most vulnerable learners. At the event, LFA will bring together practitioners, stakeholders, and researchers to highlight the on-the-ground impacts of efforts to dismantle public education and discuss what’s needed to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient public education system now and in the future.

Moderator and speaker information coming soon.

The post Building What’s Next: A Stronger, Fairer, and More Resilient Public Education System first appeared on Learning First.

Academic Recovery: What does it mean to students and what does it look like to teachers and administrators?

In this podcast, Richard Long, LFA Executive Director discusses academic recovery with a student, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent.

The post Back-to-School 2023 Podcast: Academic Recovery first appeared on Learning First.

Angeludi is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) in Philadelphia and will major in Science, Technology, and Society. She hopes to pursue a career in Sports Business or Sport Technology. Angeludi is on the leadership board of the Public Interest Technology club at her university and is also a member of UPenn’s Phi Alpha Delta Premier Pre-Law Fraternity. In high school, she conducted research on the experiences of “minority” high school students on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, regarding race and racism as expressed on social media platforms. She also investigated how the terms “minority status” and “majority status” are defined and contextualizad in a space where the population is diverse and complex. In her years to come at UPenn, she hopes to explore how people from underprivileged communities in the United States and global South use computers and technology to improve their lives.

Celeste is now a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Medical Anthropology and Public Policy aiming for a career in maternal health policy. Celeste has been fighting for mental health resources in higher education and started a peer-support group on her campus to help address the mental health crisis. Additionally, she interns in UNC’s policy office, offering a student perspective on institutional policy. She has also been researching the positive outcomes of the Youth Engaged 4 Change Editorial Board in hopes of encouraging more youth engagement on federal platforms. 

Daniela Pastor Reyes is now a sophomore at Bowie State University pursuing a degree in Social Work. Daniela has transitioned into a staff role with the Latin American Youth Center/Maryland Multicultural Youth Center as the Next Generation Scholars Program Academic Advisor at High Point High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Being a Mentor, Youth Leader, and Case manager, and on the path to encouraging youth to seek higher education.

Herinah is now a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, planning to study psychology, music, and legal studies for a career in entertainment law. Herinah has been researching the extent and impact of hostile architecture on the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu.

Michelle is a first-year student at UCLA studying political science who is passionate about political literacy, education policy, and social-emotional learning. She has been recognized through leadership capacities and honors in various statewide and national organizations and is currently continuing her work with youth civic engagement at the federal level. In her free time, she loves going to the beach (and as someone born and raised in Southern California, she thinks sandy beaches are much better than rocky beaches), doing decorative hand embroidery, and playing with her adorable shih tzu, Barney.

The post Student Podcast Series: About the Students first appeared on Learning First.

Students from across the country discuss what safety in schools means to them. Learn more about the students featured in this podcast here.

Hosts

The post Student Podcast Series #1: Student Voice on Safety in Schools first appeared on Learning First.

Students from across the country discuss what engaging spaces in schools means to them. Learn more about the students featured in this podcast here.

Hosts

The post Student Podcast Series #2: Student Voice on Engagement in Schools first appeared on Learning First.

Students from across the country discuss what equitable spaces in schools means to them. Learn more about the students featured in this podcast here.

Hosts

The post Student Podcast Series #3: Student Voice on Equity in Schools first appeared on Learning First.

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Daryl Howard, Ph.D., is the equity instructional specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, a member of the NEA Foundation’s Educator’s Table, and the author of several books on equity including, Complex People: Insights at the Intersection of Black Culture and American Social Life.

How do we create an inclusive space where all students feel they belong and can learn? In this podcast, Howard and Long discuss race, equity, disproportionality, and how culturally responsive strategies and techniques can make a difference for underserved students learning in the classroom and online.

The post Creating Inclusive Learning Spaces first appeared on Learning First.

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Cathy Kedjidjian, the president-elect of the National School Public Relations Association and the Director of Communications and Strategic Planning at Glenview School District 34, discusses the importance of school communications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The post Communicating During a Pandemic first appeared on Learning First.

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Alma Lopez, the 2022 School Counselor of the Year, discusses the toll that the pandemic has taken on her students and families and the steps she’s taking to ensure they are mentally healthy and back on track academically.

The post Supporting Students’ Mental Health first appeared on Learning First.

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Steve Langford, Chair of the Board of Directors of the The Consortium for School Network (CoSN), talks about the impact of technology in schools.

The post Using Technology in New Ways in Education first appeared on Learning First.