Change the Narrative

Facts and statistics have so far failed to get humans to change our behavior to address the climate crisis. But can beauty?

In this episode, host Michael Hernandez talks with marine biologist Jonny Reid about the importance of noticing, and how the beauty of the world may just save us–if we make time and space to do so.

This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Maybe you’ve tried (and failed) to take photos–of a concert, a skyscraper, or the Grand Canyon–that truly captures the immensity of the object or experience. In this episode, host Michael Hernandez talks with National Geographic photographer Susan Seubert about the limits of photography, especially when trying to convey something as vast as Antarctica, yet at the same time, emphasizing the importance of the photographic record of the impact on animals and the continent brought about by climate change.

In a surprising side conversation, Susan also shares what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated job, and how the opportunities for work and acknowledgements have changed as she ages.  

This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Sometimes words just don't cut it—especially when you’re making fun of the president. That’s where Lalo Alcaraz comes in. I sat down with the Pulitzer recognized, Herb Block-winning editorial cartoonist about visual storytelling, taking on corrupt politicians, taking heat from haters, and how working with Pixar got him accused of selling out. And: What happens when you call BS in a world of extremists and replacement theory nuts?

Throughout this season of the podcast I’ve been talking with storytellers about their craft, and the potential they have to make positive change in the world.  Now that we’re struggling to get access to reliable facts about COVID, climate change, and even our own history, it seems like it's time to change the narrative of how we develop knowledge, and ask ourselves: who owns a story and who gets access to them? In this episode, I talk with Catherine Stihler, CEO of Creative Commons, about the importance of open source resources, and developing licenses that allow for sharing of information while protecting the intellectual property of researchers, artists, and writers.

Maybe you made mix tapes in high school. Or maybe you make Spotify playlists for your boo. But what goes into curating a good musical story, and can it actually help us to think of ourselves and the world differently?

In this episode, jazz advocate and KCRW DJ LeRoy Downs (AKA The Jazz Cat) shares secrets about how he performs for radio audiences around the world, how to balance the avant garde with popular taste, and how he crafts sonic stories that vibrate through our bodies and minds.

It's an easy career change to go from being a biologist to becoming a National Geographic photographer, right? Only if it involves your dad's camera, some anime episodes, and a few insect parasites...

On this episode of Change the Narrative, we talk with National Geographic photographer, Anand Varma, who works at the intersection of art and science. What role do art, storytelling, wonder, and passion play in the scientific process? Hear his origin story about how he became a renowned photographer, where he finds inspiration for his work, and his tips on how to create visual stories that stop readers in their tracks.

These days, everyone calls themselves a storyteller: CEOs, marketing experts, even roller coaster designers... But what makes for a truly good story, and how can we use story to build community, process the world, and find our identities? It's a good thing we spoke with the former Director of Education at The Moth, Micaela Blei, because she helped us wrap our heads around it, and shared a few tips about crafting stories that can move your audience.

Season Three is dedicated to our namesake subject--Narratives: the stories well tell ourselves, the stories we tell each other, and how narratives can be used to affect positive change in the world.

If there's anything the past two years have taught us, it's that story is everything. From disinformation campaigns to the freak out over CRT and mask-wearing, nothing matters more than who controls the narrative.

I’m coming out of pandemic hibernation with a new season of Change the Narrative. This time, I’m excited to explore one of my favorite topics: storytelling. The stories we tell ourselves, the stories we tell others, and how we use narratives to make sense of the world, give us comfort, and inspire others.

Host Michael Hernandez turns the mic around to record his entire day teaching remotely. Originally recorded for NPR's It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders Podcast, listen to Michael's day in all its digital glory: What happens in a Zoom class? Michael's daughter drops the hammer on worksheets. And what it's like to teach in your underwear. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Are kids wasting time and falling behind during remote learning? Turns out all this flex time has strengthened family bonds, and given them time to find new passions. In this interview, recorded in May 2020, I spoke with Arun Balaji and Nakul Nayak, high school juniors in Northern California who have used their windfall of non-academic time to start a non-profit business and a national journalism publication. Not too shabby for a pair of teenage boys who are motivated to learn and work without grades. 

How are students managing classes during remote learning, and how have teachers helped or hindered that learning? What expectations do teachers or school administrators have of students, and is that realistic or healthy? My conversation with Lily Bessler was recorded in May, at the beginning of the pandemic and the end of her Freshman year of High School, but her insights are just as poignant today.

What do students REALLY think about remote learning? A high school freshman from Los Angeles talks about the advantages of flexible schedules, the time she's had to learn about herself, and her advice about how to move forward.

What's missing from all conversations about remote learning and school re-openings is the main stakeholder--students. In this episode, I talk with two  Silicon Valley HS students about what academic pressure looks like in the age of remote school, what happens when they see their teachers in the wild, the rediscovery of self-care, and how their perceived privilege keeps them from talking about depression. And they have some choice advice for teachers...

All the conversations about remote learning and school re-openings has left out the most important stakeholders--students. In this episode, I talk with a high school Junior in North Carolina about what remote learning has meant for her independence, owning her learning, and the flexibility she has to spend time with her family.

How do you keep a kindergartener engaged in remote learning? How does technology and a calendar change help social emotional learning?  Jill Maza, Director of Libraries and Research at Montclair-Kimberly Academy, reveals the secrets to innovation in the time of COVID, story time playlists, and more.

Tampa, Florida science educator Jaraux Washington has found many silver linings in remote teaching, even while teaching at a Title I school. Also: How students are more successful than we think, and why the old education system may just be a way to keep kids in poverty.

Alaska State Teacher of The Year and National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council member Ben Walker talks about the intersection of society, schools, and the Education Industrial Complex. He talks about how our system of  'surveillance pedagogy' has led to so many problems, shares his ideas about the future of schools, and his secrets for surviving remote learning (Spoiler: It involves Legos).

Remote teaching has forced teachers to learn a lot in a short span of time. But with standardized tests taken off their backs, and flexible schedules, Middle school science teacher Therese Arsenault has found time to rekindle her excitement for learning. Also in this episode: Bison in San Francisco?

How can we rekindle curiosity in our students so that they actually care about learning? Veteran journalism and AP English teacher Mitch Ziegler talks about project-based learning, and how remote learning has helped us make time and space for student passion. Also: Are standardized tests a form of class warfare?

Remote teaching has made many things clear to Elementary Principal Beth Schwartz. Freeing up time to build relationships with our students and creating truly personalized learning means the end of standardized tests, and more flexible schedules. 

Veteran high school English teacher, Christopher Bronke, has high hopes for school once the pandemic is over: to have high hopes for our students. He shares ideas about why we should allow our students more flexibility and time to complete work, and how this can lead to more honesty and respect. But this idea isn't new--his school has been using this model for two years.

High school English teacher, Marisa Thompson, shares her concerns about inequity in education and lack of access to the internet for so many learners. School closures have challenged us to reimagine school. Will we rise to that challenge?

The flexible schedules of remote teaching have helped Ohio middle school science teacher, Leah LaCrosse,  tailor her instruction to meet the needs of her students in ways that face to face learning never could. Also, why is she so upset about standardized tests?

6th Grade Humanities teacher, Sam Kary shares his secrets for  work-life balance, and talks about how remote teaching has forced teachers to move away from the 'sage on the stage' lecture-and-note-taking model of teaching, and toward one where teachers are facilitators of learning.

The burden of feeding poor children, providing structure, and ensuring access to internet often falls on the shoulders of the education system. But school closures have made delivering those services nearly impossible. What's next?

The phrase "Distance Learning" strikes fear into the hearts of parents and teachers around the world. But maybe we just need to rethink our relationship between students and curriculum.  And what's a teacher really for, anyway? Veteran educator Christina Torres reminds us that instead of fearing what we've lost with school closures, we should think about what's been gained.

How do you pivot your class to distance learning when your teaching has relied on two file cabinets filled with worksheets for 20 years? Ask AP Chemistry teacher, Teresa Nielsen. Now her curriculum is filled with dynamic digital content, and she's built new relationships with her students and colleagues.

The pandemic has forced us to rethink our education system. This season we talk with teachers and students across the country to find the silver linings in our situation, the lessons we've learned to make school better as we reimagine the education system.

Forgot what it's like to be outside, surrounded by people? I dig through my recordings to share some of the places I've been in the past 9 months. Speaking of quarantine, now that we're at home and free from standardized testing, we're forced to rethink how we teach, and what really matters in education. How did we forget?

Fear of failure often prevents us from embracing change in our lives and workspaces. In this episode we talk with educator and USC Doctoral candidate Sabba Quidwai about how we can overcome fear to create a culture of empathy and a culture of innovation.

School and work expect us to crank out our best work under deadlines. But is that really the best way to get things done? Award-winning animation professor, Jose Garcia-Moreno, talks about managing time for innovative creative projects, and life.

You know the type: people who want to blow out your candle because they think it will make theirs brighter. But it turns out that how we frame our story of innovation is key to creating a culture that supports change. Hear from former Apple Senior Specialist and Learning Engineer Marco Torres about changing the narrative in the workplace, and the impact it can have on education.

Get out from behind your desk and close your laptop. No matter how many figurines you have artfully arranged on your desk or great vacation photos you have taped to your cubicle, the best way to become inspired is to change your routine and put yourself in stimulating situations. This episode is all about finding experiences that inspire your thinking and change your mindset. I talk with design and technology teacher Keri-Lee Beasley about how she keeps her creative edge.

When it comes to professional development, it’s easy to stick with what you know: the same people and organizations that we run with in our professional circles. But that method can keep us stuck in a creative rut that’s hard to get out of. In this episode, we talk with Columbia Professor and Explain Everything co-founder Reshan Richards and his writing partner Stephen J. Valentine to find out how to look for inspiration in people and industries different from your own. 

A recent trip to Guatemala finds Michael questioning what it means to be a teacher, and why school is so boring. Kick off the podcast series by hearing Michael's 'origin story.'