Know-It-All: The ABCs of Education
72 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 10 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingBecome a Know-It-All about all things education with Allison R. Brown, former attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division's Educational Opportunities Section and currently President of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC). With Allison's extensive experience, Know-It-All will inform listeners about education issues relevant to students, educators, families, community members, and others.
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Episodes
Pedro Noguera and The Trouble with Education Reform
April 16, 2013 14:00 - 30 minutes - 6.7 MBDr. Pedro Noguera is the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University. He is a world-renowned sociologist, researcher, and prolific author of several publications, including the seminal book, "The Trouble with Black Boys...and Other Reflections on Race, Equity, and the Future of Public Education." Dr. Noguera will expound on his critique of current approaches to education reform that are too focused on privatization, high stakes testing, and punitive student discipline. We wi...
Children and the Brain - Mapping, Music, Montessori, & More
April 09, 2013 14:00 - 44 minutes - 9.88 MBOn Tuesday, April 2, President Obama announced his proposal to spend $100 million on a human brain mapping initiative that would financially support brain-related research and efforts to combat Alzheimer's, autism, epilepsy, and paralysis, among other things. Our guest, Dr. Jessica Phillips-Silver, is a neuroscientist whose specialty is the science of young brains. She will talk to us about what the President's brain mapping initiative means for students, and she'll also talk about the impa...
Mississippi School-to-Prison Pipeline to Meet an Epic End
April 02, 2013 14:00 - 34 minutes - 7.7 MBOn March 22, the United States Department of Justice announced an historic settlement with the school district of Meridian, Mississippi, that seeks to end the disproportionate exclusion of black children from school for disciplinary infractions and the arrest of black students for minor offenses. Our guests, Ryan Wilson and Zoe Savitsky, are the Department of Justice trial attorneys (and my former colleagues) who investigated complaints of discriminatory student discipline in the district, ...
Let's Take It Outside - Learning Outside of the Classroom
March 26, 2013 14:00 - 38 minutes - 8.58 MBResearch has shown that, more than an achievement gap between students of color and white students and between low-income students and upper-income students, there exists an opportunity gap between students who are exposed to summer and out-of-school learning opportunities and those who are not. Our guests are Chitra Subramanian, Executive Director of MOMIEs TLC, and Dr. Malcolm Woodland, co-founder and Director of Young Doctors DC. They will describe the work they do to enhance students' ed...
Disabled Does Not Mean Unable - Educating Special Needs Kids
March 19, 2013 14:00 - 29 minutes - 6.55 MBSpecial education is a veritable alphabet soup of legal requirements. Sometimes, we all can lose sight of the ultimate goal - to educate students with special needs and prepare them for life, college, and career. Our guest, Donovan Anderson, is an attorney with over twenty years of experience serving students with disabilities and their families. He'll explain the rights of students and families and discuss how schools can best meet the needs of all of their students, even their exceptional...
No More Kids in Jail: A Holistic Look at School Discipline
March 12, 2013 14:00 - 38 minutes - 8.65 MBJuvenile correctional facilities are dumping grounds for discarded children. Harsh discipline in schools often lights their path. Our guest, David Domenici, has made it his life's work to change the circumstances for children who have been cast aside by society. Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings, Mr. Domenici has seen how school discipline can exacerbate otherwise difficult circumstances that children face. We will talk about modi...
Dr. Gabor Maté - What's Really Wrong With Our Kids? Us
March 05, 2013 17:00 - 51 minutes - 11.6 MBAttention Deficit Disorder, Peer Pressure, Bullying, Suicide, Violence ... Stress. We are ailing, and our children seem to be the worst afflicted. Strong adult/child attachments are key to raising healthy children. The adults in that equation have to be us - their parents. Not their teachers, daycare providers, social workers. Us. But, instead of keeping our children close, we push them into the unwitting arms of their peers. Think Lord of the Flies. Our peer-oriented children are more focuse...
Superintendents' Roundtable
February 26, 2013 15:00 - 57 minutes - 13 MBSuperintendents all over the country are under mounting pressure to ensure high academic achievement for their students, provide safe and nurturing school environments, and treat students equitably. Our guests, all superintendents, will divulge the insider secrets to keeping their heads under such pressures. Dr. Eugene White, Superintendent of Schools for Indianapolis Public Schools in Indiana; Dr. Maria Ott, recently retired Superintendent of Schools for the Rowland Unified School District...
Django and More Unchained: Black History Mash-Up
February 19, 2013 15:00 - 55 minutes - 12.5 MBWe're celebrating Black History Month with what promises to be a lively and wide-ranging discussion about recent events that have generated headlines. We'll talk about Django Unchained, the President's State of the Union address, Christopher Dorner, and more. We'll have a panel of guests - media expert, community organizer and youth advocate, student activist, and parent empowerment expert - to weigh in on the news items of the day and talk about their significance to Black America.
Ensuring Equity for LGBT Students
February 12, 2013 15:00 - 1 hour - 13.7 MBLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children all over the world face unique challenges in life....and in school. Our guests will discuss the challenges LGBT students in this country face, explain what progress has been made to ensure equity for LGBT students, and share what must be done to move the ball even further. Aisha Moodie-Mills is the Advisor for LGBT policy and racial justice at the Center for American Progress (CAP), where her work with the FIRE (Fighting Injustice to Rea...
Not Grown Yet - Emotional Wellness of Adolescents
February 05, 2013 15:00 - 57 minutes - 13 MBTeenagers and pre-teens may think they're grown, but they do still need adult guidance. And they have different emotional needs than they had as infants and toddlers and will have as adults. Educators must be responsive to the intricate design of the adolescent mind. Special guests Dr. Kamal Wright-Cunningham, Dr. Quentin Graham, and Danielle Moodie-Mills, will discuss strategies for schools to be proactive rather than reactive to student behaviors, the importance of building partnerships w...
The Positive Student Engagement Model for School Policing
January 29, 2013 15:00 - 58 minutes - 13.2 MBLow-level student discipline referrals from schools to police clog the juvenile justice system and slow down police response time for other, real criminal offenses. Juvenile court judges have taken a stand. Judge Steven C. Teske is their leader. Judge Teske is the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court of Clayton County, Georgia, and has worked with the Annie E. Casey Foundation to create the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). Judge Teske brings together key stakeholders, includin...
International Best Practices for Safe and Secure Education
January 22, 2013 15:00 - 58 minutes - 13.2 MBStudents and schools all over the world must continue to operate even in crisis zones and after natural disaster. Special guest, Dr. Lori Heninger, will discuss how we can replicate best practices in international education to preserve the safety of schools and sanctity of education in this country. Dr. Heninger is the Director of the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE), a network of more than 5,700 member organizations and individuals who work together to ensure the ri...
Mental Health Support for Kids and Teachers in School
January 15, 2013 15:00 - 59 minutes - 13.5 MBSocial-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a viable strategy for supporting the mental health needs of students and teachers. Our special guests will explain what SEL is and how educators can use SEL to help children and to help themselves develop the social and emotional tools necessary to be successful. Dr. Hector Montenegro is a former superintendent and is a district systems development senior advisor at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Rob Schamberg is a...
Are There More Black Men in Prison Than in College? No.
January 08, 2013 15:00 - 30 minutes - 6.83 MBThere is a long-held belief that has been perpetuated by media channels and well-meaning individuals that African American people, and men in particular, are in crisis. An example of one of the myths told to support that belief is that there are more black men in prison than in college. Our guest, Dr. Ivory Toldson, has conducted extensive research that debunks this myth and many others about black men and black students. Dr. Toldson is an associate professor of education at Howard Universit...
Celebrating Student Voice!
January 03, 2013 15:00 - 30 minutes - 6.76 MBWelcome the New Year with Students! Join us in starting 2013 with a celebration of students and student voice! Discussions about education and education reform involve stakeholders from all parts of the spectrum - educators, parents, social service providers, law enforcement, judiciary, private sector - but do not often include students. We'll hear from a panel of students about their educational experiences and what equity in education means to them.
Black Male Educators - Why Equity Requires Them
December 27, 2012 15:00 - 30 minutes - 6.87 MBOnly about 2% of teachers are Black men. Our panel of Black male educators will discuss how we get more Black men to work as educators and why it matters. Low pay, gender stereotyping, fear of abuse accusations - these things and more have kept Black men out of the schools. As we hear discussion about the unique academic needs of Black and brown children in schools, one area of concern is the low numbers of Black men in the schools. Join us as we talk to Joseph Isaac, Raymond Pulliam, and...
Policing Education: Police in Schools
December 18, 2012 15:00 - 57 minutes - 13 MBDo police in schools contribute to a "school-to-prison pipeline"? Does it have to be that way? Join us for a candid discussion with Mr. Mo Canady, the Executive Director of the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). We'll discuss if and when police presence is necessary in schools and how school resource officers can be community liaisons and models for children rather than a law enforcement extension of punitive school discipline measures. * - In light of Friday's horr...
Poverty and Education
December 11, 2012 15:00 - 30 minutes - 6.85 MBWhy is it important to talk about poverty in education? How do we do that in a way that is respectful and meaningful? Many times, discussions about education reform intentionally conflate race and class. There are a few reasons for this, including that the federal courts have slowly closed the courthouse doors to claims of race discrimination in education. Courts also have almost completely prohibited voluntary efforts to create racial diversity in schools. As a result, equity proponents...
Special Education is a Civil Right. What Does That Mean?
December 04, 2012 15:00 - 29 minutes - 6.48 MBWe are going to decipher the family of laws that pertain to special education in schools. Students with special needs have numerous legal protections. The IDEA, ADA, Section 504...oh my! Understanding what those protections are, what that looks like in the classroom for educators, and what parents and families should know about their rights and obligations under the law can feel overwhelming. No need to fear. What better way to make it easy and accessible than to talk about it? Join us as we...
Engaging Parents - "democratic" Discussion in Education
November 27, 2012 15:00 - 28 minutes - 6.33 MBHow should YOU be engaged in a meaningful way in the educational process? Students, educators, parents, family members, and community members all have plenty to contribute when it comes to educating our children. Host, Allison R. Brown, and guest host, Alexis J. Smith, welcome Dr. Natalie A. Hopkinson to the show. Dr. Hopkinson is a fellow with the Interactivity Foundation, which has partnered with Allison Brown Consulting (ABC) to bring democratic discussion to schools. We will explore w...
Fiscal Cliff: What It Means for Education
November 20, 2012 15:00 - 30 minutes - 6.85 MBAre you worried about the "fiscal cliff"? Unclear about what in the world a "sequestration" is? Well, before the U.S. economy takes a dive over the edge of the "fiscal cliff," let's talk about what these deep cuts to the federal budget will look like in the classroom. Fiscal expert John Roussel of EdOps will make sense of things and turn us into Know-It-Alls about the potential impact of the fiscal cliff on education. Guest host Alexis J. Smith of Entitled to Educate will help explore wha...