Instruction Discussion
135 episodes - English - Latest episode: 21 days ago -A weekly look at the latest topics and trends in education, affecting schools on Long Island, and around the world. Whether you are a teacher, parent or student, listen for tips and strategies to help you navigate the education landscape.
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Episodes
The Impact of Hearing on Academic Success
October 17, 2022 20:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Janice Trent, Vice President of Audiology Practice at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and Barbara Kelley, Executive Director of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) about the importance of having your hearing checked as relates to overall health and academic success, as well as a few new options available to treat minor hearing loss.
Replacing Animals in Science Education
October 10, 2022 20:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBAs we look for more ways to engage students in science and also teach students to be more empathetic, it seems there are digital and virtual solutions to replace animals in the teaching of science. Join the conversation as Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Samantha Crowe, Manager of Science Education for PETA about some of the digital and virtual resources available that can more effectively teach science concepts and content.
Making History Come Alive
October 03, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAs a way to help students deal with current events and learn history at the same time, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the authors of 'The Thread Collectors,' Alyson Richman and Shaunna J. Edwards, about how they reconciled their family history during the Civil War with the racial violence experienced today.
How do we deal with the teacher shortage?
September 26, 2022 20:00 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dana Bryson, Senior Vice-President of Social Impact at Study.com, about how we can work together to correct an issue that has plagued the country even before COVID - the shortage of teachers, qualified or otherwise, in this country.
Early Literacy Development
September 19, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with award-winning journalist Maya Payne Smart about the research and stories that go into her book, "Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six," so parents and care-givers can learn strategies necessary to help their children become more successful readers.
Six Steps to Planning for College
September 12, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.6 MBCollege planning can be a stressful time in the lives of students and their families. In this episode, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Vincent Alvarez, Associate Director of BigFuture Student Engagement at College Board, to discuss ways to develop a plan of attack to reduce some of the stress as students prepare for their Big Future.
Using SLOs to Evaluate Students and Teachers
August 29, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBFor years school and districts have sought ways to link student achievement to teacher evaluation. Student Learning Objectives, or SLOs, seem to be the way. However, as Kevin Boston-Hill points out in his conversation with Dr. Linda Mayger, Associate Professor at the College of New Jersey, using SLOs may be doing more harm than good.
Math Before Bed
August 22, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26 MBAs a strategy to help improve students’ math skills and our overall perception about math, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Laura Overdeck, President and Founder of BedTime Math, about how focusing on the math involved in some of our favorite bedtime stories can dramatically increase math skills of our elementary level students. Find out how spending as little as 15 minutes a week reviewing math can produce impressive results.
Back to School with COVID-19
August 15, 2022 20:00 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBAs families get set to send their children back to school, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dr. Malika Fair, Senior Director of Equity and Social Accountability at the Association of American Medical Colleges about the importance of getting vaccinated as a defense against the COVID-19 virus. With the number of strains growing and becoming more contagious, Dr. Fair stresses including the COVID-19 vaccine with the other back-to-school health regimen families undertake.
Does college live up to its mission?
August 08, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Pulitzer-Prize winning author Will Bunch about the purpose of college, whether the current system lives up to these expectations, and what can be done to correct this situation.
How do you find a gifted child?
July 11, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBAs parents try to provide the best learning opportunities for their children, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with education journalist Jill Barshay about the state of gifted and talented programs throughout the country as well as in New York. It seems the biggest question is how to come up with a set of criteria that is equitable and gives everyone an opportunity to be recognized.
How To Save For Your Child's Education
June 20, 2022 20:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBWith inflation on the rise and the pandemic looming as large as ever, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Steve Rueschhoff, Principal of Edward Jones financial group, about the importance of choosing the right instrument to save for college. Regardless of where you may be in your education journey, you can make saving work for you.
College Enrollment Numbers on the Decline
June 13, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.6 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Jennifer Lee, Chief Growth Officer of Photomath, about some of the reasons why college enrollment has been declining, how it can be addressed, and some things colleges can do to support all students to be successful. Oh, and they also talk about how educational apps like Photomath can provide students with the skills needed to be employable in this new employment landscape.
Closing the Technology Gap in Employment
June 06, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.6 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with return guest Justina Nixon-Santil, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at IBM to get an update on their SkillsBuild program and to discuss the current employment situation and what can be done to close the technology employment gap.
Turn Your Degree into a Job Using LinkedIn
May 23, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Hiring Manager and Career Coach Jeremy Schifeling about what recruiters look for when hiring. Schifeling also shares his experience at LinkedIn to inform listeners how to format their resumes and other recruiting tips and hacks.
The Charter School Debate
May 16, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Debbie Veney, Vice President of Communications and Marketing at the National Alliance about the current issues and obstacles facing charter schools today.
Teaching Empathy Through Animal Kindness
May 09, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Lisbet Chiriboga, Program Manager for PETA's TeachKind program. In an era of increased bullying and violence, they discuss updates to the curriculum that help teachers, parents and caregivers to teach empathy and caring for one another to students of all ages.
College Comes To The Workplace
May 02, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBIn addressing the growing need for professional learning and employee up-skilling, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the chancellor of the National University System, Dr. Michael Cunningham, about, among other things, the partnership National University has with Amazon to provide tuition free courses to all of its hourly employees across the nation.
Afterschool Programming and Student Mental Health
April 25, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with the Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, Jodi Grant, and the President and CEO of the National 4-H Council, Jennifer Sirangelo about the importance of supporting afterschool programs, especially in terms of the impact on students' mental health in the era of COVID.
Making the Case for Newspapers in Teaching History
April 18, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dovid Efune, publisher and chairman of the New York Sun, a newspaper that has experienced a resurgence in popularity, about the importance of newspapers in recording our history as it unfolds as well as its place as a resource for our students in developing them into critical thinkers.
Teaching Kindness for Self and Each Other Through Poetry
April 11, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBIn recognition of Poetry Month, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with poet and editor of the book, "The Path to Kindness - Poems of Connection and Joy", James Crews, about the importance of connecting with each other. Through the lens of a diverse group of writers, readers of any age learn the valuable lessons of reflection, connection, empathy, and joy.
College Board Warns Against Censorship
April 04, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBAs families prepare for graduation, a new concern may be brewing - their students may not receive the AP credit they worked so hard to obtain because of legislation being passed in response to what may be taught in schools. Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Education Week staff writer Ileana Najarro on what the College Board sees as the implications of new legislation being passed in several states across the country.
Remembering that Science is Fun
March 28, 2022 20:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBIn an effort to make science fun and accessible to all, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with science teacher, author, and developer of the Instagram site - letslearnaboutscience, Dr. Stephanie Ryan to discuss how to create fun activities and turn your kitchen into a simple science lab.
The Art of Talking WITH Children
March 21, 2022 19:30 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Oral and Written Language Specialist in the Neurology Department of Children's Hospital Boston and Lecturer at Harvard University, Dr. Rebecca Rolland as she shares insights into her new book, "The Art of Talking With Children - The Simple Ways to Nurturing Kindness, Creativity, and Confidence in Kids". Dr. Rolland shares strategies on how to communicate with the most difficult force on Earth - our children.
Reading Strategies for All Children
March 14, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBWe know that reading is fundamental, but it turns out that we may have been teaching it wrong. Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Reading Researcher and Educator Dr. Molly Ness about the shortcomings of current reading programs and suggests some strategies on how to improve so our students get the reading support they truly need.
Banning Books in the U.S.
February 28, 2022 21:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBKevin Boston-Hill talks with Editor-In-Chief of the Award-winning Hechinger Report, Liz Willen about the rise in the movement to remove particular books from our curriculum and libraries, and in some cases criminalizing their use in our schools.
The State of Education in the South
February 07, 2022 21:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBThough the title may imply issues and concerns in the South, make no mistake, these are matters being experienced all across the county. Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with representatives from the Southern Education Foundation: President & CEO, Raymond Pierce and Senior Research Policy Analyst, Meagan Crowe. Together they discuss the findings of the latest education report and its implications for all Americans.
The State of Science and Engineering in the U.S.
January 31, 2022 20:30 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with National Science Foundation board members Ellen Ochoa (former astronaut and Director of the Johnson Space Center) and Julia Phillips (primary manager for the global report to Congress) about the United States' place globally in science and engineering and the state of science education in this country.
The TeachKind Curriculum
January 10, 2022 21:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBAs we try to create more empathetic citizens, P.E.T.A. has developed curricula for elementary and high school students to encourage students to be kind to each other and the environment. In this episode, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with TeachKind Program Manager Lisbet Chiriboga and Counselor and Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology Dr. Kimberly Spanjol about how the curriculum can be implemented in K-12 as well as college settings to help create a more empathetic world.
Get Set Up
January 03, 2022 21:00 - 26 minutes - 23.8 MBGet Set Up is a digital education platform that provides people age 55 and over a way to equip themselves with the tools and knowledge to get along in our world. Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with GetSetUp co-founder Lawrence Kosick and platform guide Wade Yarbrough about the benefits of the platform and what senior Americans can get out of the courses offered.
How Do You Define Family?
December 06, 2021 21:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBIncreasingly what we call a family takes on a varied meaning. Ask any of the millions of school children across the country what they consider a family and you will get almost as many definitions. In the quest to develop more empathy and understanding for "non-traditional" families and the impact they have on the children, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with People Español editor and author of the book, "In Search of Emma," Armando Lucas Correa, about his journey as a gay man who wanted a family of...
Keeping Our Kids Safe
November 29, 2021 21:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with former Assistant District Attorney Scott Limmer about his new book, Keeping Our Kids Safe and Out of Trouble, in which he provides practical advice and steps that parents and caregivers can provide their children if they should ever find themselves in difficult situations, whether in school, at home, or anywhere in between.
The World's Most Misunderstood Bird
November 22, 2021 21:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with author and illustrator of the book, "A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching - Getting to Know the World's Most Misunderstood Bird", Rosemary Mosco, to shed light on and dispel myths about the much maligned pigeon. They explore, among other things, the historical and current social impact the pigeon has had on our civilization. You may just change your mind about "the rat with wings".
IBM to Skill 30 Million People by 2030
November 15, 2021 21:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with IBM Vice-President and Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Justina Nixon, about several programs IBM is spearheading to provide technical skills to 30 million people worldwide by 2030.
Kids: Make Your Own Money!
November 08, 2021 21:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with award-winning author and motivational speaker Ty Allan Jackson about the importance of teaching our youth about financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Jackson's book, "Make Your Own Money - How Kids Can Earn It, Save It, Spend It, and Dream Big" provides motivation and worksheets that take the mystery out of making money.
Rigged Justice
November 01, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with one of the people caught in the fallout of the Varsity Blues Scandal, former sailing coach John Vandemoer, about how he was made to be an unwitting accomplice to a scandal that rocked the college world. In his book, Rigged Justice, Vandemoer describes the turmoil he and his family experienced as a result of the influence of purported mastermind Rick Singer.
Running is a Kind of Dreaming
October 25, 2021 20:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with clinical psychologist and author of the book, "Running is a Kind of Dreaming," JM Thompson, about how his own battle with suicidal depression has enabled him to help others confront and work through their own trauma. Thompson provides strategies and resources for those suffering through depression and their families and loved ones.
Keeping Children Safe Online
October 04, 2021 20:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBHow safe are your passwords? During the pandemic, the average person has created 15 new accounts and has increased time spent online. In light of cybersecurity month, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Google Cybersecurity Expert, Grace Hoyt, about how to keep your passwords strong, your accounts secure, and your children safe while living on the internet.
Undocumented Students in America
September 27, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.6 MBOn the heels of current headlines, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Qian Julie Wang, the author of the NY Times best-seller, Beautiful Country, about her experiences as an undocumented person in this country as well as how to advocate for our students and their families who are simply seeking a better life.
The Need to Talk About Climate Change NOW!
September 20, 2021 20:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBIn light of the severe weather that has yielded catastrophic outcomes, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the co-Founder and CEO of the Potential Energy Coalition, John Marshall, and a research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, Dr. Melissa Burt, about the current global situation and why we need to act now if we hope to reverse things.
Afterschool STEP Programs
September 13, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Jodi Grant, Executive Director of The Afterschool Alliance, and Laura Overdeck, founder and president of BedTime Math, about the importance of after school programs. While they are important, a new study shows that these programs are scarce and not accessible to those who can truly benefit from them.
Google Tools for Schools
August 30, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26 MBTechnology use has increased tremendously during the pandemic as everyone looks for efficient ways to educate our students, whether in person or remotely. In this episode, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Google Tools Expert, Marley McAliley, about how Google's technology can help students, families, and teachers to stay organized and increase academic engagement.
Rethinking Education Through the Pandemic
August 23, 2021 20:00 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Josh Thomases, Executive Vice-President of the Great Oaks Foundation, about the lessons learned through the pandemic and what models should be explored to help our students and teachers.
Reskilling Workers During the Pandemic
August 16, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Vice-President and Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility about how people can take advantage of the pandemic to reassess their skills and acquire new technical skills through programs like IBM's SkillsBuild - a platform of over 1000 courses that anyone over 13 can access for free.
Accessible Technology
August 02, 2021 20:00 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBAs we recognize the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Google Accessibility Expert Laura Allen about the latest technologies developed by Google and features added to their Chrome browser and Chromebooks that will help students and others with hearing and visual impairments.
Save our Beaches, Save our Planet
July 26, 2021 20:00 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBKevin Boston-Hill has a conversation with Sustainability Expert Marina Psaros, author of the book - THE ATLAS OF DISAPPEARING PLACES - OUR COASTS AND OCEANS IN THE CLIMATE CRISIS. They discuss the global impact of climate change and how schools can add sustainability studies to the curriculum and encourage the next generation of climate experts.
Expanding the Child Tax Credit
July 19, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBKevin Boston Hill speaks with Jennifer Ng'andu, the Managing Director of Program at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, about the importance of expanding resources like the Child Tax Credit for families as they navigate their way through this pandemic.
Project Yellow Light
June 28, 2021 20:00 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBKevin-Boston Hill discusses the hazards of distracted driving, especially in light of the country re-opening and students getting ready to go off to college. Joining him in this conversation is Julie Garner, the founder of Project Yellow Light and the 2021 College Contest Winner, Katie Saylor.
Soul Therapy - The Art and Craft of Caring Conversations
June 07, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBKevin Boston-Hill speaks with NY Times best-selling author Thomas Moore, regarding his new book, "Soul Therapy", and how teachers, parents and other care-givers can learn to better care for each other by changing their conversation and outlook.
Public Health Funding Trends
May 24, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBKevin Boston-Hill talks with John Auerbach, the President and CEO of Trust for America's Health, to discuss a recent report that outlines public health funding trends in this country as well as recommendations to help correct the situation.