In this episode of The Podclass, Dr. Jerome Cranston (he/him), a race-conscious scholar-educator, discusses racial equity in K-12 Canadian schools. With a Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba and decades of experience, Dr. Cranston focuses on uncovering and addressing systemic racism in education to foster equity and racial justice. He has led numerous initiatives, including the development of an equity and racial justice learning program for the Canadian School Boards Association.

In this discussion, he examines the historical and systemic roots of racism in education, including the legacy of residential schools and the Brown vs. Board of Education case. Dr. Cranston emphasizes the need for educators to confront racism in classrooms, advocating for systemic change, deep listening, and collective action to advance justice in education.

Resources:

Cranston, J., Labman, S., & Crook, S. (2021). Reframing Parental Involvement as Social Engagement: A Study of Recently Arrived Arabic-Speaking Refugee Parents’ Understandings of Involvement in Their Children’s Education. Canadian Journal of Education, 44(2), 371–404. https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.v44i2.4439

Kendi, I. X. (2019). How to be an antiracist. Random House.

Cranston, J. (2019). Beyond the classroom walls : teaching in challenging social contexts. Lexington Books.

Cranston, J. (2023). Half-Caste: Decidedly Brown in a Black or White world. Tellwell Talent.

In this episode of The Podclass, Dr. Sunaina Sharma, Lecturer and Practicum Advisor at Brock University, discusses the evolving relationship between digital technology, student engagement, and classroom well-being. She advocates for a thoughtful integration of technology to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and autonomy, moving away from blanket cell phone bans. Dr. Sharma emphasizes co-creating technology use norms with students, using tech for knowledge construction, and teaching responsible tech management. She underscores the importance of understanding student perspectives to enhance engagement and well-being in the classroom.

Sharma, S. (2024). Fostering academic integrity in the digital age: Empowering student voices to navigate technology as a tool for classroom policies. Brock Education Journal, 33(3). 99-121. https://doi.org/10.26522/brocked.v33i3.1180

Shama, S. (2023). Inquire, connect and disconnect: Technology implementation to (re-)engage post-pandemic students. Forum on Public Policy. https://www.forumonpublicpolicy.co.uk/_files/ugd/553e83_1733cf309fed4c8cba447250f9febf9e.pdf

Sharma, S. (2023, July 5). Supporting student engagement with technology. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-technology-support-student-engagement

Sharma, S. (2022, Fall). Cellphones in the classroom. Canadian Teacher Magazine. https://canadianteachermagazine.com/2022/09/27/11426/

Sharma, S., & Parr, M. (2018). Technology and student engagement: What educational leaders and teachers need to know. CAP Journal: Technology Leader or Leading Technology, Fall, 17–20. https://mzpinc.ca/ebooks/CAP/PDFs/CAP-T0318.pdf

Sharma, S. (2018). An exploration of the relationship between digital technology use and student engagement in a grade 11 English class: A classroom ethnography. [Doctoral Dissertation, Nipissing University]. TSpace Repository. https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/100568/1/exploration%20of%20the%20relationship%20between%20digital%20technology%20use.pdf

In this episode of The Podclass, host Jamie Anderson dives into an eye-opening conversation with Cassandra Anastásio and Monica Arnold about body image, weight bias, and the pervasive influence of diet culture in educational spaces. Together, they unpack the critical need to foster weight-neutral, inclusive environments within classrooms and schools, aiming to promote students' mental and emotional well-being.

In this episode, we explore the crucial role of hope in enhancing school health and well-being. Host Elizabeth Tingle and guests Chelsea Hobbs, Natalie Kuhn, and Amy Badger discuss how hope can empower students and teachers. They share personal well-being practices like "hope walks" and creative activities and explain how they integrate hope into their classrooms to build resilience. The conversation emphasizes hope's impact on mental health and its practical application in education, highlighting its importance in fostering a positive learning environment and personal growth.

In this episode of The Podclass, we delve into the crucial need to integrate digital wellness into school curricula while nurturing healthy screen habits. Joining us are Cason Machacek and Sydnie Erlendson, Digital Well-being experts from the Lethbridge School Division, alongside Andrea Halwas Larsen, a Counseling Therapist from Juno House in Calgary. Together, they share insightful strategies for fostering digital well-being, including engaging in physical activity, practicing mindfulness, maintaining sleep hygiene, and fostering social connections. Emphasizing collaboration among educators, parents, and students, they address the imperative to bridge the generational gap in comprehending technology's impact on youth.

Show notes:

Juno House: Juno House - Calgary Counselling for Adolescent Girls and Young Women 

Juno House Presents: Navigating Technology with our Youth on the Alberta Health Services Community Education Service: community.hmhc.ca 

Lethbridge School Division Digital Wellness site: Home | Digital Wellness Team (schoolsites.ca)

Common Sense Media Lessons on Digital Balance and Wellbeing: Search Results for Common Sense Education

The Big Disconnect by Catherine Steiner-Adair: The Big Disconnect – HarperCollins

Training available to Alberta teachers https://everfi.com/

In this episode of The Podclass, Health and Wellness Consultants from Ever Active Schools, Tracey Coutts and Shauna Shaker, emphasize the significance of promoting active transportation within school communities. They underscore the importance of establishing safe and accessible routes, engaging parents and the community, and customizing travel plans to suit each school's specific needs. Additionally, Tracey and Shauna explore the advantages of integrating walking field trips and school travel planning into curricula, highlighting the connection between active school travel and cross-curricular learning. Throughout the conversation, collaboration, creativity, and flexibility are highlighted as essential components in successfully implementing active school travel initiatives.

Today on The Podclass, we're switching things up with an episode from our friends at Physical Education and Health Canada (PHE). Their podcast, launched in January, spotlights guests and topics relevant to phys ed and health. We're featuring their latest episode: "All Gender Physical Education and Health" with Equity and Inclusion Consultant, Andrea Barrow from Limestone District School Board, Ontario.

Politics and leadership influence our education conversations and practices, shaping our school spaces. We encourage educators to prioritize relationship building, creating safe spaces, and advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion. We hope you enjoy the episode.

Stay tuned for our next episode next month! #ThePodclass #PhysEd #HealthEducation #EquityAndInclusion

Resources:

Supporting and Protecting LDSB Transgender-Spectrum And/Or Gender Non-Conforming Students https://www.gegi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LDSB_2020_SupportingprotectingLDSBTransgender-SpectrumAndOrGenderNon-ConformingStudents.pdf 

Flipping the Script on Gendered PHE: https://phecanada.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/flipping-the-script-pamphlet-en.pdf

2SLGBTQI Sports Inclusion: Playbook to breaking down barriers: https://egale.ca/awareness/sports-inclusion-playbook/ in Canadian Sports Network: https://inclusionincanadiansports.ca/

In this episode of The Podclass, we delve into the pivotal role of school trustees in fostering well-being within educational environments. Kristina Larkin, a trustee with the Lethbridge school division, highlights trustees' responsibilities in Alberta's education system, from advocating for schools and students to ensuring alignment with legislative objectives. We explore challenges and opportunities for collaboration, with a focus on policy development and amplifying marginalized voices.

In this podcast episode, titled "Dance, Embodied Movement, and Anti-Oppressive Practice with Dr. Towani Duchscher," Dr. Duchscher shares her expertise on integrating dance into anti-oppressive practices, discussing self-care, the transformative power of movement, the intersection of education and dance, and the importance of dismantling oppressive structures to foster love, connection, and well-being in schools.

Additional Resources:

Creative Dance for All Ages - Gilbert, Anne Green

The Three Curricula That All Schools Teach - Eisner, Elliot

Jagged Worldviews Colliding - Leroy Little Bear

In this episode of The Podclass, Dr. Kimberley Schonert-Reichl, Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership at UBC's School of Population and Public Health, delves into the fundamental importance of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). She defines its core competencies and emphasizes its pivotal role in establishing a secure and nurturing learning environment. Notably, the episode underscores that SEL isn't merely an additional educational component but an indispensable foundation for academic achievement and overall development.

This episode stands as an invaluable resource, weaving together personal anecdotes and evidence-based approaches. It provides educators with a roadmap to seamlessly incorporate SEL into their classrooms, highlighting the significance of prioritizing emotional well-being within educational settings.

Resources:

Roots of Empathy https://rootsofempathy.org/

Mind Up https://mindup.org/

CASEL https://casel.org/  

SEL 3 Signature Practices Playbook: https://casel.org/casel_sel-3-signature-practices-playbook-v3/

Oberle, E., & Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2016). Stress contagion in the classroom? The link between classroom teacher burnout and morning cortisol in elementary school students. Social Science & Medicine, 159, 30–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.04.031

Writing Can Help Heal Us from Trauma https://hbr.org/2021/07/writing-can-help-us-heal-from-trauma 

Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage empathic discipline cuts suspension rates in half among adolescents. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, 113(19), 5221–5226.https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1523698113  

Kindness in the Classroom https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/for-educators

Greater Good in Education https://ggie.berkeley.edu/  

SEL Kernels https://ggie.berkeley.edu/student-well-being/sel-kernels/

We Wellbeing program https://we-org-publisher.netlify.app/en-US/our-work/we-schools/well-being/