Lessons in Adolescence

This episode features a conversation with Alex Usher and Alex Seeskin from the University of Chicago. Alex Usher is Associate Director for Data Research at the University of Chicago’s To&Through Project and Senior Research Analyst for the UChicago Consortium on School Research. Alex Seeskin is Director of The To&Through Project, which is housed at the UChicago Urban Education Institute. UChicago’s Consortium on School Research and the To&Through Project have been at the forefront of research into data that can determine whether students in elementary, middle and high school are on-track for on-time graduation and successfully transitioning into postsecondary options.

In Part 2 of the conversation, Alex Usher, Alex Seeskin and Jason talk about the power of on-track indicators to show real-time trajectories of students; the two most critical thresholds across student grades and attendance that drive those trajectories; how educators can use these data to influence big picture school wide educational issues as well as interventions for individual students or specific groups of students; how think about moving the needle on student trajectories; and, what are some new research interests for the middle grades on the horizon.

Additional Readings and Resources

• University of Chicago To&Through Project
  • Milestones Data Tool
  • Middle Grades Network
  • “Elementary On-Track: Elementary School Students’ Grades, Attendance, and Future Outcomes,” Alex Seeskin, Thomas Massion, and Alexandra Usher, University of Chicago Research Report, October 2022.
  • Foundations for Young Adult Success: A Developmental Framework, Jenny Nagayoka, et al., University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, June 2015.
  • “The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation,” Elaine Allensworth and John Q. Easton, University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, 2005.
• Consortium on Chicago School Research
• Network for College Success
• Chicago Public Schools

This episode features a conversation with Alex Usher and Alex Seeskin from the University of Chicago. Alex Usher is Associate Director for Data Research at the University of Chicago’s To&Through Project and Senior Research Analyst for the UChicago Consortium on School Research. Alex Seeskin is Director of The To&Through Project, which is housed at the UChicago Urban Education Institute. UChicago’s Consortium on School Research and the To&Through Project have been at the forefront of research into data that can determine whether students in elementary, middle and high school are on-track for on-time graduation and successfully transitioning into postsecondary options.

In Part 1 of the conversation, Alex Usher, Alex Seeskin and Jason talk about the To&Through Project and its unique partnership with Chicago Public Schools to access and analyze student data to understand performance, achievement and the educational experience; the underlying research behind on-track and early warning indicators; and, a new report from the University of Chicago that offers a research-based tool for middle grades educators to group students according to key factors that influence their long-term educational trajectories.

Additional Readings and Resources

• University of Chicago To&Through Project
  • Milestones Data Tool
  • Middle Grades Network
  • “Elementary On-Track: Elementary School Students’ Grades, Attendance, and Future Outcomes,” Alex Seeskin, Thomas Massion, and Alexandra Usher, University of Chicago Research Report, October 2022.
  • Foundations for Young Adult Success: A Developmental Framework, Jenny Nagayoka, et al., University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, June 2015.
  • “The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation,” Elaine Allensworth and John Q. Easton, University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, 2005.
• Consortium on Chicago School Research
• Network for College Success
• Chicago Public Schools

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Johari Harris, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Kennesaw State University. Johari is also the director of Educating for Democracy, an initiative housed at the University of Virginia designed to combine the science of adolescent learning and development with the teaching of critical histories and supporting justice-oriented civic engagement.

In Part 2 of their conversation, Johari and Jason talk about the Educating for Democracy Project, the resources that teachers can use in their classrooms to expose students to the many narratives that make up American history and civic life, how young adolescents are absorbing current events around the state of democracy and how to inspire them to be engaged citizens to shape a more just future. 

Additional Readings and Resources

• Educating for Democracy
  • Teacher Toolkit
  • Middle School Units
  • Profiles of Resistance
• Kennesaw State University
• Harlem Children's Zone
• Social and emotional learning
• Social Cognitive Domain Theory
• Larry Nucci, University of California at Berkeley
• “What Kind Of Citizen? The Politics Of Educating For Democracy,” Joel Westheimer, University of Ottawa and Joseph Kahne, Mills College, excerpted from “What Kind of Citizen? The Politics of Educating for Democracy” American Educational Research Journal. Volume 41 No. 2, Summer 2004, 237-269. 
• Joanna Lee Williams, Associate Professor, School Psychology, Rutgers University
  • Lessons in Adolescence, Episode One: Lessons with Dr. Joanna Lee Williams

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Johari Harris, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Kennesaw State University. Johari is also the director of Educating for Democracy, an initiative housed at the University of Virginia designed to combine the science of adolescent learning and development with the teaching of critical histories and supporting justice-oriented civic engagement.

In Part 1 of their conversation, Johari and Jason talk about her research on the impact of social identity and cultural values on the development of social and emotional competencies among young adolescents of color, and how to best partner with educators to support the teaching and learning process while producing research that is relevant and usable in classrooms, as well as how to teach effective anti-racist curriculum.
 
Additional Readings and Resources

• Educating for Democracy
  • Teacher Toolkit
  • Middle School Units
  • Profiles of Resistance
• Kennesaw State University
• Harlem Children's Zone
• Social and emotional learning
• Social Cognitive Domain Theory
• Larry Nucci, University of California at Berkeley
• “What Kind Of Citizen? The Politics Of Educating For Democracy,” Joel Westheimer, University of Ottawa and Joseph Kahne, Mills College, excerpted from “What Kind of Citizen? The Politics of Educating for Democracy” American Educational Research Journal. Volume 41 No. 2, Summer 2004, 237-269. 
• Joanna Lee Williams, Associate Professor, School Psychology, Rutgers University
  • Lessons in Adolescence, Episode One: Lessons with Dr. Joanna Lee Williams

The production of our third season is officially underway! Our first episode will be available for listening on your preferred podcast platform later in October. Season Three will be packed with new guests, more lessons, and fresh showcases of research, practice and advocacy all focused on young adolescent learning and development.

Before we dive into Season Three, let’s listen in on some of the conversations we had with educators, researchers, and advocates in the field during Season Two. This is the second of two recap episodes for Season Two. Timestamps with the names and associations of our Season Two guests you’ll be hearing, as well as the full episode they are featured in, are below. And to get a full listen of the content we covered last season, be sure to look out for Part One of our Season Two recap series.

• 1:44.19 - Dr. Nathaniel Kendall-Taylor from FrameWorks Institute - Episode 24
• 2:34.72 - Dr. Daren Graves from Simmons University - Episode 20
• 3:16.10 - Joyce Pae from The Chicago Academy - Episode 27
• 3:49.45 - Yolanda Luna-Mroz from High Jump - Episode 19
• 4:43.04 - Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg from The Center for Parent and Teen Communication - Episode 29
• 5:36.01 - Dr. Clark McKowan from xSEL Labs - Episode 25
• 6:48.02 - Oscar Newman from The Chicago Academy - Episode 27
• 7:36.12 - Dr. Nathaniel Kendall-Taylor 
• 8:42.74 - Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg 
• 10:22.58 - Dr. Nate Pietrini from High Jump - Episode 19
• 11:32.29 - Oscar Newman 
• 12:06.45 - Dr. Clark McKowan 
• 14:04.93 - Dr. Daren Graves 
• 14:43.90 - Youth Participants from Mikva Challenge - Episode 21
• 17:44.88 - Dr. Nate Pietrini 
• 18:57.08 - Yolanda Luna-Mroz 
• 20:15.63 - Youth Participants from Mikva Challenge - Episode 21
• 23:00.73 - Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg 
• 24:26.64 - Dr. Daren Graves 
• 29:08.46 - Dr. Clark McKowan 
• 30:11.57 - Dr. Jillian Baker from The Center for Parent and Teen Communication - Episode 29
• 32:06.53 - Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg 
• 32:21.75 - Dr. Jillian Baker 
• 32:38.37 - Yolanda Luna-Mroz 
• 33:03.29 - Dr. Nate Pietrini 
• 33:21.84 - Dr. Daren Graves 
• 34:11.46 - Dr. Nathaniel Kendall-Taylor 
• 34:25.49 - Shelby Hildreth from LiberatED Way - Episode 27
• 35:29.16 - Dr. Clark McKowan 
• 36:12.44 - Joyce Pae 

The production of our third season is officially underway! Our first episode will be available for listening on your preferred podcast platform later in October. Season Three will be packed with new guests, more lessons, and fresh showcases of research, practice and advocacy all focused on young adolescent learning and development.

Before we dive into Season Three, let’s listen in on some of the conversations we had with educators, researchers, and advocates in the field during Season Two. This is the first of two recap episodes for Season Two. Timestamps with the names and associations of our Season Two guests you’ll be hearing, as well as the full episode they are featured in, are below. And to get a full listen of the content we covered last season, be sure to look out for Part Two of our Season Two recap series.

• 1:48 - Nyasha Rusununguko from Higher Achievement - Episode 16
• 2:28 - Joel Daniel Harris from TomTod - Episode 28
• 3:33 - Julie DiPilato from Barnstable Public Schools - Episode 22
• 4:23 - Ashley Hemmy from American Student Assistance - Episode 22
• 5:53 - Julie Lammer from American Student Assistance - Episode 26
• 6:56 - Nyasha Rusununguko from Higher Achievement - Episode 16
• 8:20 - Joel Daniel Harris from TomTod - Episode 28
• 9:23 - Nadia K Selby from Citizen Schools - Episode 18
• 10:49 - Dr. Christine Bae from Virginia Commonwealth University - Episode 17
• 12:30 - Michael Stange from Chesterfield County Public Schools - Episode 17
• 13:24 - Nadia K Selby from Citizen Schools - Episode 18
• 14:37 - Tracyee Hogans Foster from Richmond Public Schools - Episode 17
• 15:20 - Michael Stange from Chesterfield County Public Schools - Episode 17
• 16:59 - Nadia K Selby from Citizen Schools - Episode 18
• 17:27 - Tracyee Hogans Foster from Richmond Public Schools - Episode 17
• 19:20 - Joel Daniel Harris from TomTod - Episode 28
• 20:42 - Nyasha Rusununguko from Higher Achievement - Episode 16
• 21:35 - Joel Daniel Harris from TomTod - Episode 18
• 23:14 - Dr. Rahaul Choudaha from Morning Consult - Episode 26

In the Lessons in Adolescence podcast we feature conversations with researchers, practitioners, program developers and advocates. Drawing content from our past two seasons of episodes, we are offering a series of Mini Lessons on important topics relating to positive early adolescent development and effective middle level education. This mini lesson is about Belonging.

Vital to the learning and development of adolescents is a sense of belonging. A positive personal identity can play a big role in how confident and comfortable students feel in an academic space. In this mini lesson, we dive into how to best cultivate this experience for middle school students. 

Featuring excerpts with Rob Jagers, Vice President for research at CASEL from episode 3, and Chris Balme, Founder of Spark, Millennium School and Argonaut from episode 4.

In the Lessons in Adolescence podcast we feature conversations with researchers, practitioners, program developers and advocates. Drawing content from our past two seasons of episodes, we are offering a series of Mini Lessons on important topics relating to positive early adolescent development and effective middle level education. This mini lesson is about Career Exploration.

Research has shown that middle school is the best time to introduce career exploration programs. The key to this experience is curating real-world experiences and interactions for students in the learning space. In this mini lesson we explore the wide variety of career exploration opportunities that are being made increasingly available for middle school students.

Featuring excerpts with Ashley Hemmy, manager of program engagement at Boston-based American Student Assistance from episode 22, Nadia Selby, Vice President of Programs at Citizen Schools from episode 18, Daquan Oliver, Founder and CEO of WeThrive from episode 23, and Julie Lammers, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Corporate Social Responsibility for American Student Assistance from episode 26.

In the Lessons in Adolescence podcast we feature conversations with researchers, practitioners, program developers and advocates. Drawing content from our past two seasons of episodes, we are offering a series of Mini Lessons on important topics relating to positive early adolescent development and effective middle level education. This mini lesson is about Out-of-School-Time.

When looking at the adolescent years, there’s often an emphasis on in-school academics. But a huge part of student growth also involves what happens outside of school. We spoke with various leaders of innovative after school programs to learn more about the large impact out of school time has on adolescent development.

Featuring excerpts with Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance from episode 8, Elizabeth Micci, a Managing Director at Citizen Schools from episode 18, and Nyasha Rusununguko, the former Director of Program Operations at Higher Achievement from episode 16.

In the Lessons in Adolescence podcast we feature conversations with researchers, practitioners, program developers and advocates. Drawing content from our past two seasons of episodes, we are offering a series of Mini Lessons on important topics relating to positive early adolescent development and effective middle level education. This mini lesson is about Racial Identity.

Issues of institutionalized racism and discrimination are roadblocks that school systems nationwide are continuously working through. As young people, middle schoolers can be extremely susceptible to trauma and demonstrations of violence involving race relations. In this mini lesson, we explore how crucial it is to provide students with the accurate language and context to inform their conversations.

Featuring excerpts with Rob Jagers, Vice President for research at CASEL from episode 3, Dr. Joanna Lee Williams, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University from episode 1, and Dr. Daren Graves, an Associate Professor of Education and Social Work at Simmons University from episode 20.