Let's K12 Better

Do history, civics, and empathy work together? YES… yes, they work together! And if we allow them to work together, our students gain an appreciation for the act of “doing” social studies and history. We can make history come alive when students have the opportunity to explore cultural, gendered, and racial perspectives within the context of a historical period as part of their own understanding of civic agency. 

In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Katie Perrotta, Assistant Professor of Middle Grades and Secondary Education with an emphasis on social studies education in the Mercer University College of Education. In our conversation, we cover how to make history come alive for students because kids should experience a vibrant, inclusive, truthful history paired with engaging civic experiences that solve real-world problems.

Follow on Social Media: 

Dr. Katie Perrotta on Twitter: @DrKAPerrotta

Find books, resources, and more:

The Elizabeth Jennings Project: https://elizabethjenningsproject.wordpress.com/ 

Dr. Katie Perrotta at Mercer University: https://education.mercer.edu/faculty-and-staff/katherine-perrotta/ 

*In this episode, we mentioned the Texas legislature Senate Bill 3 and how it goes against best practices and stifles agency and creativity in history, social studies, and civics classrooms.  Learn more about that bill here (but also read the actual bill and see if you agree or not for yourself): 

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/872/billtext/pdf/SB00003F.pdf#navpanes=0 

https://www.chron.com/politics/article/Texas-critical-race-theory-law-schools-16678700.php 

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/02/texas-critical-race-theory-law/ 

 
*UPDATE: we fixed a small audio error. Thanks so much for being patient and for sticking with us as we learn!

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Games are not only fun pastime activities, they’re great vehicles for learning. How can we use games to teach civics skills, social-emotional learning, and digital citizenship? How might we use games to teach us how to be together?

In this episode, we sat down with Dr. Kat Schrier, Director of Games/Associate Professor at Marist College. She is also the Founder/CEO of PlatyPlay, LLC, which specializes in designing and researching games for learning and inclusion. 

Follow on Social Media: 

• Kat Schrier on Instagram: @drgamermom
• Kat Schrier on Twitter: @drgamermom
• LinkedIn: Dr. Kat Schrier

Find books, resources, and more:

• We The Gamers: https://www.amazon.com/We-Gamers-Games-Ethics-Civics/dp/0190926112 
• Games for Civics: www.GamesForCivics.com 
• Free Books!!! www.GamesForGrowing.com 

In our discussion, we mentioned John Hunter’s World Peace Game. Learn more about that here: https://worldpeacegame.org/ 

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When executed well, early childhood education (preschool and nursery school) establishes a solid foundation with long-lasting impact on a child's social-emotional and educational journey.  However, many parents (and even educators) do not understand how critical the 0 to 5 years are for establishing long-term success.

How do we best connect the care and learning happening in preschool to the care and learning in K12 classrooms? What should parents look out for when selecting learning environments for their kids? How can educators evolve their practices to ensure they have the tools and skills necessary for supporting the growth and development of every child in their classroom?

In this episode, we sat down with Annette Serwanga M.A.Ed of Serwanga Consulting where she assists parents, early childhood educators, and learning facilities with strategies to teach and support the whole child during the formidable years of birth to 5 years old.

Follow Annette on Social Media: 

• Annette Serwanga on Instagram: @swangcnsults2
• Annette Serwanga on Clubhouse: @eceguru
• LinkedIn: Annette Serwanga M.A.Ed. 

Serwanga Consulting Website: https://serwangaconsulting.com/   

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There are increased benefits for all students, but specifically for Black students, when there are Black teachers in the classroom. How do we build pipelines that increase the number of Black educators in our schools? How can programming and networks support best teaching practices for Black educators as they support their Black students? 

In this episode, we sat down with Hiewet Senghor Founder and CEO of the Black Teacher Collaborative - a social entrepreneurship venture, provides an opportunity to engage in the development of strategies and tools that build the mindsets, skills, and knowledge needed to actualize a new model for Black teacher impact and efficacy.

Follow on Social Media: 

• Black Teacher Collaborative on Twitter: @BlkTeachCollab 
• Black Teacher Collaborative on Instagram: @blackteachercollab
• Black Teacher Collaborative on Facebook: /blackteachercollaborative
• Hiewet Senghor on Twitter: @BTCHiewet

Black Teacher Collaborative Website: https://blackteachercollaborative.org/    

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Our podcast music was created and produced by Garvey Mortley.

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Technology is a tool for innovation,  a medium for self-expression, and an opportunity for us to push the boundary of what we know. Technology and the internet hold the potential to be leveraged for immense good, as well as, extreme ill intent. Often parents and educators are worried about the ways in which young people will use technology negatively. Instead, we should model positive tech habits for our kids, discuss our expectations for them when they're online, and get a lot more curious and excited about kids' lived experiences with technology.

How do we respect our kids’ privacy and digital footprint? How can parents become more aware of the challenges kids face while growing up in the digital era? How do we prepare kids to have the skills, awareness, and empathy they need to thrive in a digital world?

In this episode, we sat down with digital parenting guru, Dr. Devorah Heitner, author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and the founder of Raising Digital Natives. Our favorite takeaway from this episode... remember that there's a person on the other side of the screen receiving your communications.

 Follow Dr. Devorah Heitner on Social Media: 

• Dr. Devorah Heitner on Instagram: @RaisingDigitalNatives 
• Dr. Devorah Heitner on Twitter: @DevorahHeitner
• Dr. Devorah Heitner on Facebook: /RaisingDigitalNatives 

Raising Digital Natives Website: https://www.raisingdigitalnatives.com/screenwise/   

The Challenges of Raising a Digital Native | Devorah Heitner, Ph.D. | TEDxNaperville: https://youtu.be/eRQdAOrqvGg 

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Every parent could use more support and more joy. Did you know that you could be a catalyst for support and for joy not only in your own life but in the lives of others? What are you pouring into the communities you’re part of? How are you sharing your expertise and wisdom with others? How do community members support each other and learn from one another?

In this episode, we sat down with Camille Robinson (Camille Joy), mother of five, host of the Moments of Joy podcast, and founder of The Real Moms Club on Clubhouse. Camille brings joy to her parenting, her entrepreneurship, her podcasting, and her community. We learned a lot about balance, being grounded in your faith, and taking time for self-care. We named Camille the fairy godmother of podcasting because she shares her knowledge with others aspiring to podcast and bring their message to the world.

Follow on Social Media: 

• Camille Robinson on Instagram: @MomentsOfJoyPodcast 
• Camille Robinson on Twitter: @MomentsOfJoyPod
• Camille Robinson on Facebook: /MomentsOfJoyPodcast 
• Camille Robinson on Clubhouse: @MomentsOfJoyPod 

Camille Robinson’s Podcast and Website: https://www.mojpodcast.com/meet-camille 

The Real Moms Club on Clubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/club/TheREALMomClub 

Resources available at the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, Culturally Responsive Parenting resources: https://parentandteen.com/category/culturally-responsive-parenting/

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Does your school have a full-time school librarian? Are you aware of what your school library can do for your students? It’s more than just passing out books and supporting language arts. Our school libraries are at the heart of all subjects and learning at schools… including math and science. How can schools better leverage the knowledge and expertise that school librarians bring? And what can school librarians do to build bridges and a deeper understanding of what they can provide? 

In this episode, we sit down with K.C. Boyd, school library activist, public speaker, social influencer, to learn about the central role school librarians can (and should) play in the school community.

K.C. Boyd’s Website: http://www.kcboyd.com/

Follow K.C. Boyd on Social Media: 

• Instagram: @Boss_Librarian
• Twitter: @Boss_Librarian
• Facebook: /BossLibrarian
• Clubhouse: @Boss_Librarian 

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How can we use stories to bring together people of differing opinions, experiences, and perspectives to create a more nuanced understanding of the human condition? Stories have the power to build bridges, foster community, facilitate understanding, and strengthen bonds. Stories can heal communities. Stories can help us discover collective joy or understand shared traumas. But what we choose to do after hearing another person’s story is what’s most powerful.

In this episode, we sit down with Lee Keylock, Director of Global Programs and Training at Narrative4 to learn about how to intentionally foster empathy and impact through storytelling.

Follow on Social Media: 

• Lee Keylock on Twitter: @leeroykeylock
• Lee Keylock on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-keylock-328061b3/ 

• Narrative 4 on Instagram: @narrative4
• Narrative 4 on Twitter: @narrative4
• Narrative 4 on Facebook: /narrative4

Journal of Care and Caring: Inviting the Human, by Lee Keylock https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tpp/ijcc/2018/00000002/00000003/art00010 

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(We found that there was a bit of a hiss on the kids' mics in this episode.  It's a learning journey and we're working on it! Thanks for understanding.)

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How can we live history, right now, today? History comes to life when we can connect legislation, Supreme Court rulings, and major historic events to real people. When we understand the impact of historic events and decisions on people’s lives, we gain the humility and empathy to dissolve barriers that prevent us from connecting with others and learning from past mistakes.

In this episode, we sit down with filmmakers, podcasters, and content creators, Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu to learn about their film Far East Deep South and how their family journey opened up so many epiphanies about what it means to be an American.

Feeling inspired? Check out our Collective History Family Discussion Questions and Activities: https://www.momofallcapes.com/blog/reclaiming-our-collective-history

Connect with Larissa, Baldwin, and watch the Film:

• Check out the documentary Far East Deep South: https://fareastdeepsouth.com/
• Educational licensing of Far East Deep South available through http://newday.com

Follow on Social Media: 

• Far East Deep South on Instagram: @fareastdeepsouth 
• Far East Deep South on Twitter: @fareastdeepso 
• Larissa on Instagram: @larissalammusic 
• Larissa on Twitter: @larissalam 
• Baldwin on Instagram: @onlywonmc  
• Baldwin on Twitter: @onlywon 

More Larissa and Baldwin Awesomeness: 

• Love Discovery and Dim Sum Podcast: https://fareastdeepsouth.com/podcast/
• Asian Americans Make History: https://youtu.be/Vl_0qdAPUGs

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School should be a place where kids love to go, not a place where kids have to go. But what can educators (and even parents) do to engage students in learning that truly speaks to their interests? How can we bring in outside content experts to expand our lessons beyond the textbook and create lasting memories for our young people?

We sat down with The Expert Effect co-authors Grayson McKinney - a fifth grade teacher, technology facilitator, educational writer, speaker, and Zach Rondot - a fourth grade teacher, presenter, and Oakland County Elementary Teacher of the year.

Follow Grayson and Zach on Social Media: 

• Connect with Grayson on his blog: www.Innovation4Education.WordPress.com  
• Grayson on Instagram @ExpertEffectEdu
• Grayson on Twitter and Clubhouse @GMcKinney2
• Connect with Zach on his blog: www.ZachRondot.com 
• Zach on Instagram @ZachRondot
• Zach on Twitter @MrRondot 

Check out the book The Expert Effect: A Three-Part System to Break Down the Walls of Your Classroom and Connect Your Students to the World: 

• Find The Expert Effect on Amazon in paperback and ebook versions. 
• Find The Expert Effect at Barnes & Noble.com in paperback and ebook versions. 

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