Know-it-all: The Abcs Of Education

Teenagers 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 with parents and strategies for doing so, the impact of social-emotional learning for staff and students, and more.  Host, Allison R. Brown, is a civil rights attorney and owner of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC), www.allisonbrownconsulting.com

Low-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, including educators, law enforcement officers, juvenile court judges, and families to implement the protocol, which has been proven to reduce student discipline referrals and even increase academic outcomes such as graduation rates.

Students 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 right to education in emergencies and early recovery. We will discuss how INEE supports students the world over who must persevere after such tragedies as we saw at Sandy Hook Elementary School and how we may do the same for students in this country without reinventing the wheel. This show will be recorded live before an audience of students from Reinhardt College, many of whom come from international backgrounds.

Social-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 also a former superintendent and a senior district adviser for CASEL.  Mr. Schamberg has worked closely with school districts to implement SEL with fidelity.

There 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 University and a board member for the National Council on Educating Black Children (NCEBC). Also joining us will be Diana Daniels, Executive Director of the NCEBC, to talk about the impact of such myths on black students at school and on the perceptions we all have about black boys. Dr. Toldson and Mrs. Daniels will explain to us how to re-create the narrative related to black boys for equity's sake.

Welcome 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.

Only 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 Rennie Taylor, all talented and passionate Black male educators, about Black men in the classroom.

Do 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 horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, this episode has been extended to last one hour rather than 30 minutes and we will be taking questions from callers.

Why 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 have been forced into a difficult position - using socioeconomic status as a proxy for race.  This often leaves educators, community members, and others thinking about poverty only in terms of race.  Our special guest, Dr. Adriane Williams, will equip listeners with the necessary tools to navigate between the overlapping worlds of race and poverty in education.

We 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 talk with a federal government attorney about special education, what it is, and what we all should know.

How 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 with Dr. Hopkinson how schools can (1) invite parents, students, and community members in, (2) establish healthy boundaries to ensure that discussion among stakeholders remains effective, and (3) create meaningful partnerships between educators, students, and parents.

Are 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 what parents can do in the face of these impending cuts.  Tune in to find out what we all - parents, students, educators, and advocates - should know about what's coming down the pike.