Warriors of Education Podcast

Episode 24:A Conversation with Principal Sabrina Flamoe On Social Justice In Education In Portland Oregon

On todays podcast I speak to Sabrina Flamoe a principal at a school for social justice in Portland Oregon.  We talk about how she is implementing a social justice curriculum while also dealing with the pandemic and remote learning in Portland, Oregon. She has transformed her experience as a social worker into leading a K-5 elementary school. "I look forward to continuing learning along with students as we create a more just school, neighborhood, state and nation"

Sabrina is principal at Vestal Elementary School in Portland. It's her 24th year in education and 7th year as an administrator. She is most proud of helping establish Vestal as a school for social justice.  Recorded June 30.

Episode 23: Teachers in Texas: Why Are Teachers Writing Their Wills? A Conversation on the Return to Classrooms

On today's episode I talk to four theatre teachers from various parts of Texas: Joshua Hill, Chris Turner, Kyle Nichols and Paul Fillingim.  This is a very frank conversation on the fear of going back, how some Texas teachers have to go back to minimal safety precautions, and the threat of job security if they protest or refuse to go back without safe conditions. " We are rewriting our wills- Our lives, our children's lives and our family's lives are all at risk right now".

 

Kyle Nichols has been teaching for 9 years in the Texas public school system.Kyle has worked at several school systems, but has served as the theatre director at Marshall High School for the past seven years.

 

Paul Fillingim is entering his 8th year of teaching and is currently the Artistic Director of Reagan Stage at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas.  He holds a BFA in Acting from Texas Tech University and a BA in Directing from Texas State University.   Outside of school Paul is raising his children, Quentin and Lyric, with his husband Shawn.

 

Chris Turner is teaching Theater at Wichita Falls High School in Wichita Falls. He was a professional actor/director/ writer in Hollywood and New York. In 2012 he made the transition to teaching and received his masters in theatre education from the City College of New York. He started teaching in New York and has been trying to switch to the more rigorous competitive nature of teaching theatre in Texas since 2018. 

 

Joshua Hill is a teacher with Houston Independent School district, where he has finished his first year of teaching. Mr. Hill holds and MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University, an MS in Theatre Education from City College, City University of New York, and a BA in Directing from the University of Texas at Austin.

 

 

Episode 22: Teachers UNITE! A Conversation About a Safe and Equitable Reopening of Schools With Members of National Educators United

On today's episode I speak to Rebecca Garelli ( Arizona NEU), Carla Okouchi( Virginia NEU), Katie Erlich (Washington State NEU) and Harley Litzelman ( Oakland CA NEU) to discuss the National Educators United movement.National Educators United is part of a national collective of students, parents, educators, and community members  demanding a Safe and Scientific, Racially Just and Fully funded reopening of schools!"We are done waiting for presidents, secretaries of education, governors, state boards, and superintendents. WE are the ones who will create the PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS DESERVE. NEU is building a national movement to enact the three pillars that comprise NEU’s nationwide demands for:

1. Racial Equity and Social Justice

2. Fully Funded Public Education Through Progressive Taxation

3. Pro-Public Education and Anti-Privatization"

To learn more about the mission, vision, and national demands, please visit nationaleducatorsunited.org, and follow us on Facebook (National Educators United), Twitter (@NEUSolidarity), and Instagram (neusolidarity)

 

Harley Litzelman is a social science teacher and site representative at Skyline High School in Oakland, CA. He is the author of “We Cannot Return to Campus this Fall, “Teachers: Refuse to Return,” and the petition to refuse to return to campus until counties report no new cases of COVID-19 for at least 14 days, which has accumulated more than 60,000 signatures. 

 

Rebecca Garelli has been a professional middle school science and math educator for 16 years. She started here career in Chicago and was an active member of the Chicago Teachers Union(CTI) for 11 years. Upon moving to Arizona in 2017, she co-founded the grassroots educator group Arizona Educators United (AEU) in March of 2018 and continues to serve as a Lead Organizer. Rebecca also organizes National Educators United (NEU), and is focused on coordinating national actions and hosting national Town Halls regarding a safe return to school, equitable distance learning, fighting austerity, and building statewide educators groups

 

Katie Ehrlich is a Special Education teacher who has taught Resource Room in elementary and middle school and Life Skills in early elementary in Everett, Washington.

 

Carla Okouchi is a 22 year veteran music educator in Fairfax County Public Schools. She serves as a mentor to high school and college aspiring educators and those entering the profession. Throughout her career she has been a long standing NEA/VEA Union member and organizer with grassroots coalitions. Currently she is a lead organizer with National Educators United, Virginia Educators United, and Vice President of the Fairfax Education Association.

 

Episode 21: Teachers Returning To The Classroom: A Conversation with Aixa Rodriguez and Jia Lee about The Grassroots Movement

On Today's episode we talk to Jia Lee and Aixa Rodriguez from MORE ( Movement for Rank and File Educators) on the pressure on teachers to return to the classroom. Without the help of leaders teachers are gathering in solidarity to come up with safe solutions for students teachers and parents. "We have to turn off the noise and focus on what we can do together by creating a campaign of escalating actions."

Jia Lee is a special education teacher at The Earth School, parent and proud member of MORE. She is also involved in Black Lives Matter at Schools, NYC and NYC Opt Out.

Aixa Rodriguez is featured in the film Warriors of Education. She is a Puerto Rican educator and activist who has been teaching ESL since 2005 with the NYCDOE. She is the founder of Bronx Educators United for Justice recently collaborated with Bronx Power for 3 community meetings called #Vision4BronxSchools bringing together a diverse group of people to discuss public education and envision what the future schools of the Bronx should and could look like if the stakeholders voices were heard, and not the influencing and interfering billionaire philanthrocapitalists. 

Episode 20: What Is Happening With Theatre Education In The Age of Covid: A Conversation With Theatre Teacher Carolyn Messias

 In today's episode with speak with high school theatre teacher Carolyn Messias about how she has managed to teach theatre remotely, what's happening to school productions and speculations on what's to come. In a time where theatre has completely shut down- how are we servicing our drama students?

Carolyn Messias has been teaching Theatre and Public Speaking at Cherry Hill High School West in Cherry Hill, New Jersey for twenty years. Previously, she was the Associate Director of Education for The Shoestring Players, a professional national touring children's theater company in residence at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick. She has directed and performed in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area for over 20 years,  She is currently the co-advisor for International Thespian Society Troupe #1128, of which she was a charter member when she was a student at West. She is also currently the cohost of a new cable access show The Curtain Call.

Episode 19: Teaching on an Island-A Conversation with Kimberly Albertson and Samantha Turcotte from Nantucket,Ma.

On today's podcast we go to Nantucket Island to speak to Nantucket Elementary School Assistant Principal Kimberly Albertson and 1st Grade Special Education teacher Samantha Turcotte to discuss what it's like to teach on a small island, what's happening for the kids in the current culture and the challenges of teaching remotely. Samantha is in her second year in Nantucket as the special education liaison with an emphasis on Sheltered English Immersion( SEI)  and this is Kimberly's 28th year in education, her 2nd year as an administrator specializing in early childhood, special education and SEI. Recorded 6/9/20

Episode 18: A Conversation with Teacher Kristen Meehan, Author,Illustrator of the book "This Is Not Forever"

Today's interview features author, illustrator and NYC public school teacher Kristen Meehan. We talk about being her newly released book https://www.thisisnotforever.com-story is based on her experience in Brooklyn, New York, during this historic pandemic. This children's book is about COVID-19 answers to some of the big questions our little ones are asking.
Her wish is that this book helps children to cope during this confusing time.  We also talk about balancing motherhood with teaching too!

You can also purchase the book on Amazon :This Is Not Forever

There is also the free YouTube read aloud at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AhG0ocpM3w&t=34s it can easily be found there by searching the title.

Episode 17: Bringing Black Lives Matter Curriculum into the Schools: A Conversation With Denisha Jones,Laleña Garcia, and Martin Urbach

Today's podcast focuses on The Black Lives Matter Movement and how the it is leading to bringing BLM curriculum to all schools. We talk about the Thirteen Principles of the Movement for Black Lives into child-friendly language, in order to support classroom teachers beginning this work.The conversation is with national and NYC Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Action steering committee members Denisha Jones, Laleña Garcia and Martin Urback

Denisha Jones is the Director of the Art of Teaching Program at Sarah Lawrence College. She began her career in education as a kindergarten and preschool teacher and a preschool director before spending the last 16 years in teacher education. Currently she serves as co-director for Defending the Early Years, assistant executive director for the Badass Teacher's Association, and is a member of the national and NYC Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Action steering committees.

Laleña Garcia is a kindergarten teacher living in Brooklyn and teaching in Manhattan. A graduate of Yale University (BA, History)  she just finished her twentieth year of teaching in New York City. In 2018, Laleña helped organize NYC’s first year of participation in the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, and created a document translating the Thirteen Principles of the Movement for Black Lives into child-friendly language, in order to support classroom teachers beginning this work.  She’s brought this work to local schools and community organizations, as well as to national conferences.  Laleña also works for the Early Childhood Professional Development Institute as a Gender and Sexuality Trainer, helping early childhood professionals and families to create expansive and supportive understandings of gender, sexuality, and family structure.

Martin Urbach is a Bolivian immigrant, music educator, youth organizer and activist based in Brooklyn, NY. He Teaches music and coordinates the youth led Restorative Justice program  at Harvest Collegiate High School in New York City. He loves boojee coffee, chocolate chip cookies, al kinds of drums and ramen. Martin can be found on soso la media @liberationdrums

Here are some helpful links!

National website: www.blacklivesmatteratschool.com 

National Twitter: @BLMAtSchool

National email: blacklivesmatteratschool2@gmail.com 

New York City BLM At School Link

Our website: https://blmedu.wordpress.com/

Buy T-shirts and stickers: https://teespring.com/stores/blmeduny

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLMEdu/
Twitter: @blm_edu_nyc
Instagram: @blm_edu_ny

 

 

Episode 16: Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students During a Pandemic- A conversation with Megan Welch

On today's episode I speak to Megan Welch a teacher in the Philadelphia School District where she has worked with deaf and hard of hearing students for the past 10 years and working in the field for over 20 years.We talk about the challenges of teaching remotely in the new norm of masks and zoom. If anyone wants info on working with the deaf and hard of hearing go to https://www.pattan.net a source for all info including inclusion,policy,teaching methods and usage of auditory equipment.

Episode 15: A Conversation with Fran Tarr, The Founder/Director of Breaking Walls- an International Youth Empowerment Movement

Today's conversation is with Breaking Walls founder and director Fran Tarr.Breaking Walls is an international youth empowerment movement that uses creative writing and theatrical performance to build global peace and acceptance. Our diverse group of young people from all over the world represent many cultures, religions, socio-economic situations, sexual orientations, educational levels and status as immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Breaking Walls helps them discover their voice to act as peacemakers and leaders, adding gravitas to what scholars call a “voice of poverty” – voices rarely, if ever articulated.Under Fran’s direction Breaking Walls is dedicated to bringing their vision to its rightful place on the world stage. CLICK HERE for more info