We continue our conversation with Grace Alli Brandstein, a school improvement and instructional coach supporting struggling high schools in the Bronx. This week, Ms. Brandstein focuses on humane, antiracist education, and explains Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s construct of literacy as identity, skills, intellect, criticality, and joy. She also speaks about the conditions for successful adult learning, giving teachers the training they need to lead one another and the space to coalesce around a shared vision, expectations, and protocols.

Overview

00:00-00:58 Intros

00:58:-03:59 Coaching: whom, theory of action, teachers’ feelings

03:59-09:56 Key elements of school improvement

09:56-13:12 Adult learning

13:12-15:04 Self-reflection and culturally-responsive teaching: importance of knowing the “why”

15:04-21:30 Culturally responsive education in practice; Dr. Gholdy Muhammad

21:30-29:36 Examples: a biology lesson on testosterone;  Project Soapbox; Facing History; 1619 Project; NY Times writing curriculum

29:36-34:00 Bettina L. Love: We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom

34:00-35:35 Culturally responsive education: Adult learning, classroom level work, systemic change

35:35-37:45 Outro

Transcript

Click here to see the full transcript of this episode. 

References

• Book “We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom” by Bettina Love
• Book “Meeting Wise: Making the Most of Collaborative Time for Educators” by Kathryn Boudett and Elizabeth City
• Facing History
• New Visions for Public Schools
• NYTimes “Teach Writing With The New York Times: A Free School-Year Curriculum in 7 Units”
• NYTimes 1969
• Dr. Gholdy Muhammad Linktr.ee

Soundtrack by Poddington Bear