Our Classroom – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of Our Classroom, the talented authors and educators Rebecca Bellingham and Veronica Scott join to dive into the transformative power of art in the classroom as they explore how creativity serves as a pathway to identity and belonging. Their new book, "The Artful Approach to Exploring Identity and Fostering Belonging," acts as a guiding light for educators eager to integrate art into the curriculum to help students meaningfully explore their identities.

Rebecca and Veronica share practical strategies for weaving picture books, poetry, and pop culture into educational practices. They also tackle the challenging yet vital task of teaching honest history and navigating cultural pushback in schools. With an emphasis on self-reflection and the transformative potential of artful moments, this episode offers both inspiration and actionable insights for educators dedicated to creating inclusive, equitable classroom environments. Join us as we uncover the artful approach to nurturing belonging and understanding in the ever-evolving landscape of education.

In this episode, we're joined by distinguished guests Dr. Jacquelynne Boivin and Dr. Kevin McGowan, both esteemed educators from Bridgewater State University. Together, we'll explore the nuanced subject of privilege and how it intersects with race and equity in predominantly white classrooms.

We'll address the discomfort and resistance often encountered when discussing race, and how to navigate these challenging yet necessary conversations. Dr. Boivin and Dr. McGowan provide insights from their book, offering tangible strategies for educators to integrate anti-racist perspectives across all subjects, not just those traditionally associated with social studies. We'll also discuss how educators can find their allies and build supportive communities to sustain these efforts, even amidst pushback.

So, settle in and open your mind as we engage in a candid and thoughtful conversation about making education a truly inclusive and equitable experience for all students. Let's unpack privilege together, right here, in Our Classroom.

Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mcgowan-ph-d-b0ba1732/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelynne-boivin-ph-d-9874a7126/

https://www.instagram.com/jacquelynneboivin/ 

Also on Facebook. Join the group “White teacher, white students” for the book’s readership community.

Today, our host Roberto Germán sits down with graphic novelist Julio Anta and Lowell High School senior Junior Han for a compelling discussion that takes us deep into the world of storytelling, activism, and identity. Julio Anta, known for his impactful works like "Frontera," "Home," and "This Land is Our Land," shares his journey from childhood influences like Archie comics to creating graphic novels that vividly depict culturally rich narratives and social issues.

In this episode, we'll explore how graphic novels can enhance learning through their visual storytelling—a concept that resonates with Roberto's appreciation for multimodal learning. You'll hear Julio speak about drawing inspiration from his personal and historical experiences, tackling themes like immigration and identity to fill gaps he noticed in children's literature.

We'll delve into the educational value of graphic novels, how they help convey complex themes, and Julio's advice for educators on advocating for diverse texts in curricula. There's also a touching conversation about the significance of community, solidarity, and learning from historical figures during challenging times.

Tune in to hear this insightful conversation on how graphic novels can serve as powerful tools for empathy, education, and understanding in our contemporary classroom. This episode promises to inspire, educate, and broaden your perspective on the transformative power of storytelling.

It’s great to learn and journey with others. Thom Gibson is my go-to person for all EdTech related questions. In this episode of Our Classroom, we discussed EdTech and Edupreneurship. We also touched up fatherhood and the challenge of trying to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Thom Gibson is a two-time teacher of the year educator, creative director at New EdTech Classroom, educational consultant, and an Adobe Education Leader. He has taught middle-school math, robotics, and YouTube Video Production

Outside of education, he's a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, an avid runner, a chicken wing (and ranch) connoisseur, and is actively involved in his church.  He, his wife Sara, and daughter Audrey live in Austin, TX.

Listen to this short episode now! 

Follow Thom on IG @gibsoneducation 

Student voice matters! In this episode of Our Classroom, I had my first student guest, Clara Mangali. We discussed how her senior research project led to her creating a Justice & Healing virtual workshop for educators and students.

Clara Mangali (she/her) is a student seeking to affect change through activism, community building, and identity development. She currently resides on the ancestral land of the Kizh people and is a senior at Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, California. After attending the National Association of Independent Schools Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2019, she went on to serve as a co-leader of her school’s Multiracial and Asian American student associations. For the past two years, she has served as the co-chair of Chadwick’s Student Diversity Council.

Recently, Clara conducted her senior research project on how schools can better support educators of color. Through her project, she hosted the virtual Justice and Healing workshop, which offered students and educators of color a space to share their stories and radically reimagine how equity work in schools can more authentically center the humanity and experiences of people of color. 

Outside of school, she is involved in community organizing through GABRIELA South Bay, an anti-imperialist grassroots organization that fights for the liberation of all Filipino women. Additionally, Clara recently joined the writing team at Radical in Progress, an organization that provides free study guides for must-read social justice literature. 

In college, Clara aspires to study sociology, education, and ethnic studies, with the ultimate goal of undertaking research that investigates the relationship between culture and trauma. In her free time, she enjoys running, tending to her army of plants, and reading tarot. 

To learn more about Clara follow her on IG at @Clara.mangali. Clara is also involved with GAB South Bay and they are engaged in two campaigns, the Philippine Human Rights Act and Kontra Day 2022.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann --- a publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers, kindergarten through college.

We Got This by author Cornelius Minor is a book you must have! 

We Got This explores how the work of creating more equitable school spaces is embedded in our everyday choices—specifically in the choice to really listen to kids. 

This book addresses advocacy, Inclusivity and building bridges, while making learning relevant and accessible.

“You can transform your teaching; your team can transform your school; your school can solve real community problems. If you listen.” 

Learn more and purchase We Got This now at Heinemann.com 

For more education resources subscribe to: www.multiculturalclassroom.com

#podcasts #teachersofinstagram #teacherpodcast #abar #education #educationmatters #multicultural #OurClassroom #MulticulturalClassroom #podcast #teachersofinsta #teachersofcolor #inclusionmatters #iteachtoo #pedagogy #advocacy #affirmation #socialjustice #California #Filipina #SDLC #POCC #NAIS #ChadwickSchool 

Since y’all kept stressing me about bringing Lorena Germán back on the podcast, I found a way to do it without giving her an opportunity to turn my interview into a flirt session with me! This is the shortest episode that I have published, yet it is fruitful. This is an excerpt from her Textured Teaching presentation several months ago at the ICTE (Iowa Council of Teachers of English) Conference. In this excerpt Lorena emphasizes the fact that You Have Agency!

Lorena Germán is a two time nationally awarded Dominican American educator focused on anti racist and anti bias education. She has taught English Language Arts from 6th through 12th grades in both public and private schools. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NCTE’s journals, ASCD, and more. She’s a co-founder of #DisruptTexts through which she encourages teachers to work toward an inclusive ELA curriculum. As Co-Founder and Academic Director at Multicultural Classroom she leads professional development for teachers and creates teaching materials with and for leading literacy organizations. Lorena is also the Chair of NCTE’s Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English. She lives in Tampa, Florida.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann --- a publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers, kindergarten through college.

Textured Teaching by author Lorena Germán is a must read book! 

This secondary professional learning guide will help you:

• Implement social justice work while building literacy skills 
• Add layers of “texture” into the English curriculum inclusive of diversity
• Create a framework for teaching and learning centered in love

“In our fight for positive social transformation, we nurture and sustain students’ hearts through the tool of books.”

Learn more and purchase Textured Teaching now at Heinemann.com

For more education resources subscribe to: www.multiculturalclassroom.com

Well… I tried to keep the interview focused on Textured Teaching but your girl Lorena was wildin’ (dropped the “g” because she was out of control)!

Nonetheless, before she snuck in to give me a kiss, we managed to discuss:

    ◦    The impact of Textured Teaching since being published in Sept 2021
    ◦    What has surprised her along the way
    ◦    Textured Teaching can being utilized on the college/university level

I hope y’all enjoy this interview because it might be the last! I ain’t gon’ let Lorena turn Our Classroom into Love & Hip Hop! Sorry, not sorry!

Lorena Germán is a two time nationally awarded Dominican American educator focused on anti racist and anti bias education. She has taught English Language Arts from 6th through 12th grades in both public and private schools. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NCTE’s journals, ASCD, and more. She’s a co-founder of #DisruptTexts through which she encourages teachers to work toward an inclusive ELA curriculum. As Co-Founder and Academic Director at Multicultural Classroom she leads professional development for teachers and creates teaching materials with and for leading literacy organizations. Lorena is also the Chair of NCTE’s Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English. She lives in Tampa, Florida.

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann --- a publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers, kindergarten through college.

Textured Teaching by author Lorena Germán is a must read book! 

This secondary professional learning guide will help you:

• Implement social justice work while building literacy skills 
• Add layers of “texture” into the English curriculum inclusive of diversity
• Create a framework for teaching and learning centered in love

“In our fight for positive social transformation, we nurture and sustain students’ hearts through the tool of books.”

Learn more and purchase Textured Teaching now at Heinemann.com

For more education resources subscribe to: www.multiculturalclassroom.com

All the way from London, UK! Author Marisa Taylor checked into Our Classroom to discuss Using Bilingual Books to Teach Self-Love & Diversity. She touched upon:

-The personal experiences that inspired her book ´Happy within´
-Her observations of how other countries responding to the concepts of bilingualism and diversity
-Steps monolingual families can implement now to learn a new language and connect with people from other cultures

Marisa Taylor lives in London, UK. Her first book ´Happy within´ has been translated into +15 different languages. The idea behind the bilingual books is to create diverse resources that help encourage children to learn a second language, while celebrating multiculturalism.

Marisa is passionate about learning & teaching languages as it is a key element to connecting with people from other cultures.

To learn more about Marisa and her upcoming books, you can also follow her on IG @lingobabies

This episode is sponsored by Heinemann --- a publisher of professional resources and a provider of educational services for teachers, kindergarten through college.

Textured Teaching by author Lorena Germán is a must read book! 

This secondary professional learning guide will help you:

• Implement social justice work while building literacy skills 
• Add layers of “texture” into the English curriculum inclusive of diversity
• Create a framework for teaching and learning centered in love

“In our fight for positive social transformation, we nurture and sustain students’ hearts through the tool of books.”

Learn more and purchase Textured Teaching now at Heinemann.com

#MulticulturalClassroom #OurClassroom #bilingualteachers #bilingualbooks
#booksforblackkids #blackkidsmatter #contraracismo #diversitätinkinderbüchern #gegenrassismus #boybooks #selflovematters #raisingreaders #raisingconfidentkids #happywithin #lingobabies #teachersofinstagram #teachersofinsta #teachersofig #teachersofigau #iteach #teacherpodcast #teacherpodcasts #professionaldevelopment #texturedteaching #education #educhat #tlap #leadlap #teacherlife #teachrgram

It's Women's History Month and fortunately an Extraordinary Latina was the most recent guest .In this episode of Our Classroom we were joined by Isis Ortiz-Belton who is making power moves in the financial services and banking industry.  We discussed Isis':

• Education journey
• Co-authorship of the book Extraordinary Latinas
• Women she admires

ISIS ORTIZ-BELTON is a financial services and banking professional with over 12 years of credit risk, corporate finance, and underwriting experience. She is a Vice President, Portfolio Manager at Eastern Bank where she manages a portfolio of commercial banking relationships with a broad array of middle market and security alarm companies. Prior to joining Eastern, Isis was Vice President, Portfolio Manager at Citizen’s Bank independently managing over 30 middle market client relationships in the public and private sectors. She has also held positions at Santander Bank and at John Hancock Financial Services. Her career began in the non-profit sector at ACCION International, now a pioneer in the fields of microfinance and fintech impact investing.  

Isis is an active community leader and diversity, equity and inclusion champion. She’s a strong advocate for the education and financial literacy of minority students and the rights of women, BIPOC and those identifying as LGBTQ+. Notably, Isis is the President for the Boston chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (“ALPFA”), the first and largest Latino professional association serving over 95,000 professional and student members across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. She sits on the Board of Trustees for Phoenix Charter Academy Network and she is a member of the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club Advisory Council.  

Isis holds a B.A. in Mathematics and a B.A. in Business Management from Emmanuel College, a Master of Science in Finance from the New England Institute of Business at Cambridge College, and a Master of Business Administration from Bentley University. She’s a recipient of the 2014 McCallum Leadership Scholar Award, a 2018 Latinos for Education Board Fellow, a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce 2021 Boston Future Leaders fellow, and a 2021 Leaders Engaged and Activated to Drive System-Wide Change (“LEADS”) Lawrence fellow. Most recently, Isis was recognized as a 2021 Latinx Amplifier and co-authored her first book, Extraordinary Latinas.    

Originally from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Isis lives with her wife in Lawrence, MA.

Follow Isis on LinkedIn or via Twitter @iceychill

New York City represent, represent! Dr. Gloria Rosario Wallace dished out the marvelous as we discussed Liberation Pedagogy including:

- What is Liberation Pedagogy and why should people learn about it?
-The trials and triumphs of co-founding a high school in Brooklyn, NY where she implemented Liberatory and Critical pedagogy to design an inclusive learning community
-Considerations for school leaders getting started on the journey of Liberation Pedagogy

Dr. Gloria Rosario Wallace (she/her) is a Black Dominicana educator-scholar-activist committed to supporting racially conscious, human-centered school and organizational leadership. In her professional and personal worlds, she aspires to center and hold space for Black women and femmes and celebrate Black joy in its many forms. 

As a former Global History teacher, Lead Teacher, Staff Developer, Assistant Principal, and Principal her focus remained on developing loving, safe, affirming, intellectually curious, and culturally reflective communities for our children. She spent thirteen years working in transfer high schools where she co-founded a high school in Brooklyn, NY for overaged, under-credited students. An opportunity that allowed her to use Liberatory and Critical pedagogy to design an inclusive learning community. 

Gloria is a proud graduate of the Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development, the Bank Street College of Education, and the Urban School Leadership division within the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University. She is currently an Executive Director with the Chief Strategy Team of the New York City Department of Education.

Follow Dr. Rosario Wallace via Twitter @GRosarioWallace

#podcasts #teachersofinstagram #teacherpodcast #abar #education #educationmatters #multicultural #OurClassroom #MulticulturalClassroom #podcast #education #teachersofinsta #teachersofcolor #inclusionmatters #iteachtoo #pedagogy #activist #scholar #NYCDOE #NYC