The differences between equality and equity in education are significant, and they matter on many levels. Equal treatment is insufficient. This discussion points out the common confusion between equality and equity among teachers and the importance of providing the necessary resources for each student to succeed. The group advocates high standards in curriculum, critical peer evaluation among teachers, and the provision of tools and resources to genuinely achieve equity over mere equality. Follow on Twitter: @mriceboothe @jehan_hakim @j_b_cardenas @DrNelms @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Dr. Shaun Nelms is an author and prominent figure in the field of education and school transformation. He is the Vice President for Community Partnerships at the University of Rochester. One of his notable achievements was creating and implementing a school transformation model for the lowest-performing school in the lowest-performing district in New York State. Shaun C. Nelms, EdD Vice President of Community Partnerships Director, William and Sheila Konar Center for Urban Education Success. Mary Rice-Boothe, Ed.D., joined The Leadership Academy in 2015 with more than 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, principal, principal coach, and curriculum designer and currently serves as Executive Director, Curriculum Development and Equity. She is the author of Leading Within Systems of Inequity in Education: A Liberation Guide for Leaders of Color and can be found on Twitter @mriceboothe or by reading her newsletter. Jehan Hakim a second generation Arab-American Muslim woman, and mother of four. She is a Bay Area native that was born and raised in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, California – and graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Though she’s been a community organizer and educator for decades. The depths  of her experience span from program management & coordination within school districts, to interfaith coalition building, community outreach, foreign affairs, and diversity. Jennifer Cárdenas M. Ed. is a WIDA fellow and a multilingual learner program specialist in Columbia, SC. She is pursuing her Ed. D. in curriculum studies, focusing on equity for language learners.

Four teachers share their personal experiences and challenges as teachers of color in predominantly white educational settings. They cite specific examples of bias, micro-aggressions, and the feeling of being both invisible and hyper-visible in the educational system. They confess to not feeling truly valued or acknowledged for their contributions. Turning to solutions, the group pointed to the need for districts to take more proactive steps to support teachers of color. This includes more robust recruiting and retention processes, increased leadership diversity, training on implicit biases, and the significance of fostering a genuine culture of inclusion and appreciation. The conversation wrapped with reflections on questions white administrators can ask themselves to support educators of color better. Follow on Twitter: @janicewyattross @RachelEdohoEket @Laleh114000 @klrembert @larryferlazzo@jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Read related article on Edweek Dr. Janice Wyatt-Ross has a Bachelor’s in Special Education from the University of Central Arkansas, a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Cincinnati. Presently she is employed as the Program Director for Success Academy of Fayette County Public Schools. Laleh Ghotbi Salt Lake City School District // 4th grade – Utah Teacher Fellow since 2021. Laleh started her teaching career in 1992 in Iran, where she taught in middle and high school for 7 years and worked as an academic coach at the school district for the next two year. In August 2000, she came to the United States with her husband and their 8-year-old son. Since then, she has worked as an Academic Enhancement Coordinator at Indian Hills Elementary for two years and earned two masters’ degrees; Master of Science and Technology-Biotechnology from the University of Utah, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Westminster College where she graduated with honors and was chosen as the student speaker for the 2017 commencement. Keisha Rembert is a passionate learner and fierce equity advocate. She is an award-winning educator who taught middle school ELA and United States History teacher for many years and now instructs future educators. She hopes to change our world one student at a time. Dr. Edoho-Eket has been a public school educator for 18 years and currently serves as Principal of a top ranked elementary school in Maryland. She is the author of the newly released book titled: The Principal’s Journey: Navigating the Path to School Leadership.

Differentiating instruction can be a loaded term for many teachers. Some think it means creating a separate lesson plan for each student. Join us as we provide specific examples of differentiated instruction done well and what we need from each student to make differentiated instruction work Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo@jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork @IsabelitaBec @teachbk Isabel Becerra is the Multilingual Consultant for Region 10 in Richardson, Texas. She was born in Bolivia and has been an educator since 1992. She is a passionate advocate for Bilingual Education and is actively supporting equity for all learners. Andrea Castellano serves as an elementary teacher in New York City’s public school system. She also supports teachers as an Instructional Coach and PBL curriculum writer and staff developer.

Restorative practices are promising ways to manage disruptive student behaviors and recover broken relationships. The principles and strategies are sound. The challenge is implementing them well. Here’s what works. Follow on Twitter: @Upeguijara @DrMarieMoreno @2WardEquity @CShawR10 Read related article on Edweek David Upegui, EdD, serves as a science teacher at his alma mater, Central Falls High School (RI) and as an adjunct professor of Education at Brown University. He completed his doctoral degree in education at the University of RI, focusing on science education and social justice. His latest book, Integrating Racial Justice Into Your High-School Biology Classroom: Using Evolution to Understand Diversity, is scheduled to be released this September. Angela M. Ward, PhD is an Antiracist educator with over 25 years of experience in education. She is a professional learning connoisseur focused on creating identity-safe schools and workplaces. Follow her @2WardEquity on Instagram & Twitter and visit http://2wardequity.com/blog/ to subscribe to the 2Ward Equity newsletter. Chandra Shaw has more than 24 years of experience in education, as a teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and now a Literacy Consultant at Region10 Education Service Center providing professional development, planning assistance, and instructional coaching services to more than 120 districts in the DFW area. Whether as a TEDx speaker and amateur YouTuber Chandra loves to find creative ways to share her passion and love for teaching and learning with educators everywhere. Dr. Marie Moreno is a newcomer specialist focusing on strategies and social-emotional learning. She supports administrators, staff, and teachers from across the country in ensuring programming, structures, and resources are implemented to see academic achievement among all students. She is the CEO and founder of Newcomer Success LLC.

Research confirms that students learn better in environments where their teachers and classmates recognize and validate their identities. In this discussion, we exchange proven ways to encourage students to constructively express their uniqueness and create a classroom climate that supports learning. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork @CrystalMWatson @doctorasilva @drcourtneyrose @identityshaper Courtney Rose, Ed.D. is a professor, educational consultant, culturally-relevant/responsive educator, founder of Ivy Rose Consulting and author of the upcoming book, Woven Together: How Unpacking Your Teacher Identity Creates a Stronger Learning Community. She currently serves as a Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor in the Educational Policy Studies department at Florida International University. Crystal M. Watson, Ed.M is an innovative, passionate, and authentic mathematics educator and life long learner who you can count on to always ask “What do the students think?” Her work is centered around providing space for voice and identity development in order for everyone, particularly those most marginalized, to experience high quality, deep, and personal mathematics. Crystal has worked alongside other scholars to develop culturally responsive, reflective, and/or anti-racist curricular resources that center young people in every lesson. You might catch her at both local and national conferences, on podcasts, developing and leading professional development sessions, or having conversations about how we are cultivating youth-centered spaces. Kwame Sarfo-Mensah is the founder & CEO of Identity Talk Consulting, LLC., an independent global educational consulting firm that provides professional development and consulting services to K-12 school districts, educators, colleges & universities and educational non-profit organizations. A proud graduate of Temple University, Kwame holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. Throughout his sixteen-year career as a math educator, author, and consultant, Kwame has earned numerous accolades for his work, including being honored as the 2019 National Member of the Year by Black Educators Rock, Inc. and being recognized as a Top Education Influencer by brightbeam, Inc. in 2021 and 2022. Kwame‘s work has also been featured on The Tavis Smiley Show, Edutopia, Ed Post, Teaching Channel, WGBH News, The Educators’ Room, LLC., and Medium. Dr. Erica Silva leads professional development with schools and districts across the country to advance racial equity. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at USC and a former elementary/middle school teacher and instructional coach.

In this discussion, we acknowledge that some efforts at self-care hit the mark and are well received.  Other efforts at self-care miss the mark and create more stress and angst.  Join us as we aim to adjust our approach to self-care around what we've learned actually works. Follow our PLN: @MorganeMichael @8amber8 @larryferlazzo @JennyGRankin @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Dr. Jenny Grant Rankin has two doctorates (including a PhD in Education) and is a Fulbright Specialist for the US Department of State. She worked many years in public education as a teacher, assistant principal, district administrator, and chief education and research officer. Most recently she taught a class at Columbia University and has also lectured at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, federal agencies, and TED, and is a frequent keynote speaker. She has written 14 books for educators and writes for Psychology Today. The White House once flew the American flag over its Capitol Building in honor of Dr. Rankin's dedication to students. Jenny is also a Mensan who volunteers as Coordinator of Mensa's Gifted Youth Program in Orange County. Morgane Michael is the author of the book From Burnt Out to Fired Up: Reigniting Your Passion for teaching, the host and producer of the Kindsight 101 podcast, and a kindergarten educator. Since 2008, Morgane Michael has been an elementary school educator with the Greater Victoria School District in British Columbia. She is a passionate advocate for social-emotional learning, kindness education, and educator well-being. Amber Teamann is an award-winning assistant principal in Texas, where she is most passionate about being positive, integrating effective technology for student engagement, and making school FUN without compromising academic success for every student.

Despite all of the energy and intellectual horsepower we've applied to solve the big challenges of educating our students, we still have many unresolved issues. What are some of the big remaining questions? Follow on Twitter:  @fromrooma212 @ReadByExample @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork, @Jonharper70bd Dr. July Hill-Wilkinson is a veteran classroom teacher, former administrator, and Adjunct Professor whose work centers around the issues of gifted, kinesthetic, and male students. She presents at various conferences around California to promote research and practices that focus on the needs of 21st century students in the areas of curriculum planning, and best practices that impact academic success. Ann Stiltner is a high school special education teacher. She received a master’s degree in special education from the University of Hartford and a certificate of advanced studies in literacy from Sacred Heart University. She writes the blog from Room A212 (annstiltner.com/blog). Matt Renwick has served in public education for 22 years. He started as a 5th and 6th-grade teacher in a country school outside of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Matt now serves as an elementary principal for the Mineral Point Unified School District. Matt is the author of three books: 5 Myths About Classroom Technology: How Do I Integrate Technology to Truly Enhance Learning? (ASCD, 2016), Digital Portfolios in the Classroom: Showcasing and Assessing Student Work (ASCD, 2017), and Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H.: Five Strategies for Supporting Teaching and Learning (Corwin, 2022). His newsletter is (readbyexample.substack.com).

Even constructive, positive feedback can be difficult to offer and receive. How can we make giving and accepting feedback more palpable and effective? Follow on Twitter: @AnnHC_Champ4All @AshleyCKearney@larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork, @Jonharper70bd Ashley Kearney is an education organizer and award winning secondary mathematics educator with experience as a teacher leader and effectiveness development coach in school-based and alternative teacher development programs. Ashley received her Masters from Johns Hopkins University and currently serves as a 2021-2022 Albert Einstein Distinguished Fellow. Ann Hlabangana-Clay has been an instructional leader, coach, and presenter serving students and adult learners in Delaware and Pennsylvania for 28 years. She is the host of the Coaching You Through All Things Education Podcast and is passionate about providing equitable opportunities for every learner by dismantling barriers, building relationships, increasing capacity, and restoring resilience – one educator and one student at a time.

Getting comfortable speaking a foreign language in public is a hurdle most ELL students must overcome to participate in class. In this discussion, ELL teachers share strategies to help students break through any hesitance or concerns. Follow on Twitter: @Laleh114000 @drivannia @Tools4Teacherss @JodyNolf @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork, @Jonharper70bd Laleh Ghotbi started her teaching career in 1992 in Iran, where she taught in middle and high school for 7 years and worked as an academic coach at the school district for the next two year. In August 2000, she came to the United States with her husband and their 8-year-old son. Since then, she has worked as an Academic Enhancement Coordinator at Indian Hills Elementary for two years and earned two masters’ degrees; Master of Science and Technology-Biotechnology from the University of Utah, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Westminster College where she graduated with honors and was chosen as the student speaker for the 2017 commencement. Dr. Ivannia Soto is a Professor of Education and Director of Graduate Programs at Whittier College, where she specializes in language acquisition, systemic reform for English language learners (ELLs), and urban education. She began her career in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where she taught English and English Language Development to a population of 99.9% Latinos, who either were or had been multilingual learners. Before becoming a professor, Dr. Soto also served LAUSD as a literacy coach, as well as district office and county office administrator. Jody Nolf is a former public school educator and has a degree in English, certification in reading and ESOL, and a master’s degree in leadership and administration. For over twenty years, she has taught English and Reading to middle and high school students. Six years ago, she transitioned into the world of ESOL as a full-time coordinator and advocate for ELL learners. In 2020, she was named a Champion of Equity by the American Consortium for Equity in Education. In June of 2022, she began a new career at Vista Higher Learning as the Florida Literacy and Language Sales Specialist. She continues to share her passion for literacy and advocate for multilingual learners. Anastasia Martinez has worked with Multilingual learners in the United States and abroad for more than 10 years. Currently, she is serving Multilingual learners and their families in Pittsburg, CA as an ELD and AVID Excel teacher.

Tapping into our students’ intrinsic motivation is more important than ever in our post-pandemic classrooms. Join us as we share the insights and engagement strategies that are working and identify the ones that aren’t. Follow on Twitter: @CShawR10@riordan_meg @irina_mcgrath @AndrewSharosAP@larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork, @Jonharper70bd Chandra Shaw has more than 24 years of experience in education, as a teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and now a Literacy Consultant at Region10 Education Service Center providing professional development, planning assistance, and instructional coaching services to more than 120 districts in the DFW area. Whether as a TEDx speaker and amateur YouTuber Chandra loves to find creative ways to share her passion and love for teaching and learning with educators everywhere. Meg Riordan, Ph.D. is the Chief Learning Officer for The Possible Project, entrepreneurship and work-based learning program that works to advance economic equity by supporting young people to develop an entrepreneurial spirit, skills, and networks to launch successful careers. She has been in the field of education for almost 30 years as a middle and high school teacher, ELL instructor, college professor, Regional Director of NYC Outward Bound Schools, and Director of External Research with EL Education. She was a Deeper Learning Equity Fellow and her research focuses on teacher professional learning, equity, experiential learning, and scaling-up school designs. Irina McGrath is an ESL expert and English Language Learner herself. She serves Jefferson County Public Schools as an Education Recovery Specialist. She is a co-director of the Louisville Writing Project (LWP) and a University of Louisville & Indiana University Southeast adjunct who teaches ESL/ENL Instruction as well as Assessment, Literature, and Cultural and Linguistic Diversity courses. Irina was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia. Michelle Shory is a veteran language educator with 24 years of experience in five states. She is currently a district ESL instructional coach in Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY. She is passionate about literacy and high quality (and engaging) professional learning. Michelle helped establish Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Louisville. Andrew Sharos is a current administrator and teacher who lives in Chicago. He is the founder and CEO of the Village Project Consulting Group, which provides professional development to schools to improve their AP programs, their new teacher mentorship programs, and their overall culture of success. Also Amazon best-selling author for All 4s and 5s: A Guide for Teaching and Leading Advanced Placement Programs and Finding Lifelines: A Practical Tale about Teachers and Mentors.

We invited a panel of educators to discuss specific strategies they use to improve their mastery of the teaching craft. Follow on Twitter: @latreseyounger @leaders_black @booked_wellread @mrstowner9 @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Latrese D. Younger has over fifteen years of education experience across several different school districts. She began her journey as an English Language Arts teacher in Dinwiddie County, VA, which she credits with firming her foundation in education excellence. Throughout her career, she has taught ELA for grades 6-12. She possesses a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Virginia State University and a Master of Educational Leadership with a concentration in Technology Education from Strayer University Henrico Campus. Currently, she is pursuing her doctoral degree from Virginia Tech University. She is the content curator for and founder of the non-profit, Black Women Education Leaders, Inc (BWEL). Kayla Towner is a senior technology trainer at the Utah Education Network and a Hope Street Group Fellow. Kayla instructs, guides, consults and helps educators of any level effectively use technology in the classroom. She has used her expertise to present at schools and districts across the state of Utah. She is pumped about sharing Utah’s Online Library with educators and encouraging educators to expand their comfort zones to be innovative creators. Kayla is Advanced Nearpod Certified, Google Level 1 Certified, Microsoft Innovative Expert, and an ISTE Certified Educator. Prior to her work at the Utah Education Network, Kayla was the 2020 Outstanding Young Educator at UCET and a leading educator in Davis School District, where she taught all subjects in elementary school (2nd and 5th grade). Carissa McCray, PhD (she/her), is an English instructor in K–12 education who has worked in the city of Duval County and rural Sumter County, Florida. With insight gained from teaching grades 6 through 12, including teaching corrective to advanced courses, she has refined her craft to focus on redefining the educational trajectory for students of color that addresses equitable education, rural education, and the impact of trauma. Her current book, Equitable Instruction, Empowered Students, provides tools to combat biases inherent in education with pedagogy that encourages students to dismantle the injustices surrounding them. Tackling every angle of the classroom, from instructional practices and curriculum to classroom culture and communication, the book provides opportunities for reflection and inspires readers to ignite change.

We’re now a couple of months into a post-pandemic school year which for many teachers is their first. This week, what would you like to share with all new teachers, especially those starting this school term? Follow on Twitter: @CindyGarciaTX @wilson1sheila @moreruckus2 @ixy_pixy @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Cindy Garcia serves as the district-wide instructional specialist for Bilingual/ESL Mathematics PK-6 in Pasadena ISD. Cindy previously served as a campus mathematics coach and bilingual third-grade teacher in PISD. Cindy writes a monthly blog about ways to support English Learners at www.teachingelementaryels.weebly.com. Sheila Wilson Ed.D. is an educator with over three decades in private and public education working as a classroom teacher and administrator. In addition, she works as a researcher, writer, dissertation coach, conference presenter, and content/curriculum designer. Ruth Okoye, Ed. D., is a 30-year veteran educator. She has taught in private and public school settings and is passionate about literacy, educational technology, and ed tech coaching. She currently serves as the K12 director at a non-profit organization. Ms. Ixchell Reyes MA TESOL, is an energetic Teacher Trainer, Educational Technology Podcaster, and Language Teacher.

Culturally responsive teaching tells students that their life experiences matter and helps students connect to the curriculum. The practice is well suited to teaching English classes, but many communities are rejecting culturally responsive teaching. In this episode, we talk about teaching a culturally responsive English class and responding to those who are critical of the practice. Follow on Twitter: @drbudhai @mrodz308 @JacFab21 @JYooBrannon @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd Stephanie Smith Budhai, PhD, is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Department at Drexel University and co-author of “Culturally Responsive Teaching Online and In-Person: An Action Planner for Dynamic Equitable Learning Environments“. Stephanie is a certified K-12 teacher and has spent over a decade helping pre-service and in-service teachers develop their capacity to use culturally sustaining, decolonized, and anti-racist pedagogies in their teaching. Stephanie is the co-chair of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education (SITE) Culture and Climate committee, and is on the board of the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association of Multicultural Education. Jacquelyn Fabian, a Senior Manager of Candidate Experience focused on DEI at The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, is a former English and Social Studies teacher and school leader. She leads professional development on antiracist practices and culturally responsive teaching and is a member of the Teach to Change Now Collaborative. Marina Rodriguez is a 6th-grade dual language arts teacher at a Title I school, in College Station, Texas. She has taught in a dual language program for 16 years, leads an after-school writing club for multilingual students, and is a former co-author of Two Writing Teachers. She can be reached through her website, marinarodz.com or on Twitter. Jennifer Yoo-Brannon is a teacher and instructional coach in El Monte, California, with over 16 years of experience teaching high school students, mentoring teachers, and designing and facilitating professional learning. Jennifer’s passions include: building collective teacher efficacy, designing meaningful professional learning, and fostering emotional resilience among all educators. She is an Edsurge Voices of Change Writing Fellow and has written for Edsurge and The California Educator.

Join us as we define and clarify what culturally responsive teaching means in a social studies context. Our guests explain why culturally responsive teaching is uniquely well-suited to teaching social studies and address the myths and misconceptions that make the practice more challenging. Follow on Twitter: @klrembert @dmurff5 @Edufacey @sarahjcooper01 @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Keisha Rembert is a passionate learner and fierce equity advocate. She is an award-winning educator who taught middle school ELA and United States History teacher for many years and now instructs future educators. She hopes to change our world one student at a time. Denise Fawcett Facey was an award-winning classroom teacher for more than two decades and now writes on education issues. The Social Studies Helper is one of three books by this author. Dr. Dennisha Murff is an administrator, author, adjunct professor, consultant, and relentless advocate for equitable education. Throughout her career, she has worked to incorporate equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and cultural responsiveness in her work. Dr. Murff has over 24 years of experience in education, including several years as an elementary school principal. She has also served as an assistant principal and elementary teacher. She is currently the Language Assistance Program Curriculum Coordinator in her school district. Dr. Murff has received a variety of awards and recognitions, including 2020 IASP Elementary School Principal of the Year. She is the founder of Murff Consulting Group, LLC, an educational consulting group focused on “cultivating the greatness” within each scholar. Sarah Cooper teaches eighth-grade U.S. history and civics and is Associate Head of School at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada. She is the author of Making History Mine and Creating Citizens.

The ranks of English language learners continue to expand rapidly. Some have no proficiency with the language, but many are intermediate English skills. In this episode, we explore strategies that are well suited for ELLs who have more developed English fluency. Follow our PLN on Twitter: @tchrlgonzalez @maestra_Gonzalez @bhuertas80 @cahnmann @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd Luisana González, serving Dual Language Students in Illinois in a fifth-grade classroom, started her teaching career with multilingual learners in 2005. She has previously taught K-5 MLs in a resource position, 2nd grade sheltered and 2nd grade DL before embarking on her teaching and learning journey with 5th graders in their DL program. Blanca Huertas has taught for 14 years between Puerto Rico and in Texas. She is married and has two beautiful daughters. She proudly served newcomer ELs for 6 years recently working with the general education population as an ELA teacher, but service long-term ELs through this format and is very passionate about helping our language learners succeed. Jane Hill has worked in second-language acquisition and special education for 40 years. As a managing consultant at McREL International, she trains and coaches classroom teachers and ELL specialists on best practices for helping students gain fluency in English. She is the co-author of Classroom Instruction That Works With ELLs and has published related articles in Language, The Journal of Staff Development, The School Administrator, Leadership Information, Phi Delta Kappan, Principal Leadership, and Educational Leadership. Kathleen Rose McGovern serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Southern Maine. Kathleen has worked as a language educator, teacher educator, and theatre artist for over a decade. She has taught ESL/EFL to children and adults in a variety of contexts in Morocco and the U.S., and serves as an English Language Teaching Specialist for the U.S. Department of State. She is co-author of, Enlivening Instruction with Drama and Improv: A Guide for Second Language and World Language Teachers. Melisa “Misha” Cahnmann-Taylor, Professor of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia, is the author of five books in education, poetry, and the arts. Her most recent book is Enlivening Instruction with Drama & Improv: A guide for Second Language and World Language Teachers (2021). She is the author of a book of poems, Imperfect Tense (2016) and three other books on the arts of language and education: Teachers Act Up: Creating Multicultural Community Through Theatre (2010) & Arts-Based Research in Education: Foundations for Practice, first and second editions (2008; 2018).

The middle school classroom is so unpredictable. In this episode, our guests share what they’ve learned works when teaching middle school students and what doesn’t. Join us for a discussion about what middle schoolers need and what qualities make middle school teachers effective. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd @SerenaPariser @jeremybballer Serena Pariser has twelve years of experience teaching in public schools, including charter schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. She was named Gompers Preparatory Academy Teacher of the Year. She served as Assistant Director of Field Experiences at the University of San Diego and also served as adjunct faculty. Serena is the bestselling author of Real Talk About Classroom Management: 50 Best Practices That Work And Show You Believe In Your Students and Real Talk About Time Management: 35 Best Practices for Educators. Jeremy Hyler was a middle school English teacher for almost 22 years. Currently, he works as a Manager of Educational Partnerships for the Center for the Collaborative Classroom. He is a teacher consultant for the Chippewa River Writing Project, and a Media Literacy Innovator for KQED. Jeremy has co-authored the best-selling book Create, Compose, Connect! Reading, Writing, and Learning with Digital Tools (Routledge/Eye on Education, 2014) with Dr. Troy Hicks, along with From Texting to Teaching: Grammar Instruction in a Digital Age (2017), and Ask, Explore, Write. Jeremy blogs at MiddleWeb

We all know that arts and crafts can just be enjoyable busy work or a tremendous way to activate student learning. In this episode, we explore practical ways to use arts and crafts more effectively. Follow on Twitter:  @larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork @Jonharper70bd @mikekaechele Jerilou J. Moore, Ph.D., Professor Emerita at the University of Mississippi School of Education, has taught art classes for teachers.  She enjoys showing preservice and in-service teachers how to integrate the arts to aid physical and social emotional development of children and enhance learning through creative thinking and problem-solving. Moore developed ideas for children’s art over the years during the time she was an elementary principal, administrator, teacher, art judge, and university professor. She has shared her ideas at numerous early childhood conferences. She was twice awarded Teacher of the Year by students and faculty at the University of Mississippi School of Education. Kerry P. Holmes, Ed.D., is a Professor Emerita of Elementary Education at the University of Mississippi.  Her research and publications are in early childhood education, vocabulary, and early reading. She was awarded The School of Education Outstanding Researcher and Outstanding Faculty researcher. She taught kindergarten and 1 st grade for five years in California, was a substitute teacher in special needs and K-12 classes in Virginia and taught 1st grade in a critical needs school in Mississippi.  She is co-author of The A in STEAM: Lesson Plans and Activities for Integrating Art, Ages 0-8. Mike Kaechele leads Project Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning workshops around the country helping teachers make the shift to student-centered inquiry. His passion is inspiring educators to design SEL infused PBL curriculum for all content areas and age levels. During 20 years of PBL teaching, Mike has taught social studies, math, STEM, and STEAM classes.

New and veteran teachers generally agree that performance observations are just slightly more appealing than a root canal. In this episode, we invite a panel of teachers and administrators to explore ways to make the practice more productive and less distressing? Follow on Twitter: @elvisepps @huels_ryan @Jenschwanke @HarrisLeads @DrYemiS @jonHarper70bd@larryferlazzo @bamradionetwork Dr. Elvis Epps serves as the Principal at Lake Worth Community High School in the School District of Palm Beach. He has been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal for more than 28 years. He is a veteran of the US Navy. Ryan Huels is an Assistant Principal at Oregon Elementary School in Oregon, Illinois in Northwest Illinois. Prior to venturing into administration, Ryan was a First-grade teacher and high school basketball coach. He has a passion for creating a student-centered learning environment in his building fostered on creating positive relationships with students, staff, and stakeholders. Jennifer Schwanke has been an educator for 20 years, teaching or leading at all levels. She is the author of You’re the Principal! Now What? Strategies and Solutions for New School Leaders. In addition to her blog, she publishes frequently on the Choice Literacy and Lead Literacy websites as well as Education Week Teacher, Principal, and Principal Navigator. Dr. Denita Harris is a Curriculum Coordinator for the MSD of Wayne Township, Indianapolis, Indiana. She has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and district-level administrator. She is the recipient of the 2019 INTESOL (Indiana Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Best of the Best in K-12 Education. Adeyemi Stembridge, PhD is an educational consultant specializing in equity-focused school-improvement. He is a coach and thought-partner to teachers and administrators with an interest in the design of culturally responsive systems and learning experiences for students.

We are still struggling to come to grips with American slavery and now the heightened dissonance around the topic has spilled into our classrooms. In this episode, we talk about the challenges of teaching about slavery and how to navigate them with integrity, transparency, and efficacy. Follow on Twitter: @larryferlazzo @sarahsoonling @kproctor1517 @alicemercer @bamradionetwork @jonharper70bd Keturah Proctor has over 20 years of experience in education advocating for students through an Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist lens. Ms. Proctor is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and District Curriculum Coordinator in her district, Regional Equity Professional Development Facilitator, Education Ambassador for the National Public Education Support Fund and Community Activist. Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn is an educator, speaker and professional learning facilitator. She is currently the Professional Development Manager at Learning for Justice. Alice Mercer teaches fourth grade at an elementary school in Sacramento, CA. She started her career in Oakland, Ca, and moved to Sacramento in 2001. She is the parent of a now-adult son with ASD, and is a caregiver to her husband who is medically fragile. Alice is active in her union and on social media.

Art has the ability to be a powerful tool for engaging, differentiating, and humanizing virtually any subject. Join us as we cover several practical strategies for using art effectively in any classroom. Follow on Twitter: @klrembert @wendi322 @demacruz @larryferlazzo @jonHarper70bd @bamradionetwork Keisha Rembert is a passionate learner and fierce equity advocate. She is an award-winning educator who taught middle school ELA and United States History teacher for many years and now instructs future educators. She hopes to change our world one student at a time. Delia M. Cruz-Fernández, EdD has been in education for over 20 years as a Mathematics and Spanish teacher, High School Assistant Principal and is currently working in the Multilingual Education Team as a Secondary ESL Specialist in a School District in Central Texas. She is an advocate for Multilingual Learners Education. She published in the English Leadership Quarterly the article When Live Gives You Lemons… Learning to Learn during a Pandemic. Wendi Pillars, NBCT, has been teaching for more than two decades and has yet to teach the same exact lesson twice. Fueled by curiosity, a desire to innovate, and a slight ability to rock a stick figure, she is on a perpetual quest to make information understandable and engaging for others. She is the author of Visual Impact and Visual Notetaking for Educators.