At this week's Round Table, Eliza, Inica, Madeline, and Olivia spoke with Frank Stebbins, Program Associate at Facing History and Ourselves and longtime educator. Frank shared his belief that identity should be the cornerstone of any classroom, and we discussed what students and teachers need to commit to for that work to happen. We agree that asking questions, digging into diverse histories, engaging in dialogue with people different than ourselves, and listening deeply with a desire to find common ground are keys to good teaching and good learning. We also talked about the importance of finding communities where we can extend learning beyond the classroom. Frank underscored the degree to which teachers often learn as much from their students as vice versa and, not surprisingly, engaged us in exploration of what we believe makes an inclusive and focused classroom. Thank you for joining us!

At this week's Round Table, Eliza, Inica, Isaiah, Madeline, and Olivia were excited to speak with our founding podcasters--Julianna Davis, Riya Mehta, and Sara Chough--freshly home for the holiday break after finishing their first semester at college.  Of course, “coming home” is metaphorical for some in COVID--Julianna has been home throughout her first semester at American University, as so many college students have been. It was so good to reunite with the founding team and hear their reflections about what it’s like starting college in a pandemic, lack of diversity--racial, socioeconomic, and political--on campus and the limitations that creates, the need for better communication by administrators, the importance of student voice in decision making, and more.  Our podcast founders also provided some invaluable advice for those of us still in high school.  Thank you for joining us!