Teaching STEM #4Real

Welcome to another episode of the Teaching STEM #4Real podcast! In this episode, we are excited to speak with Beth Lakretz, Executive Director and Founder of Lakretz Creative Support Services. 

Beth has over 30 years of experience supporting the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings. She started her career as a special education teacher and consultant before founding her own organization focused on inclusive education.

In this conversation, Beth unpacks key issues around inclusion and special education:

- The difference between inclusion and co-teaching models

- Barriers to full inclusion of students with more significant disabilities 

- The problem with the "continuum of services" approach

- Overrepresentation of students of color in special education

- The need for teachers AND administrators to shift mindsets around disability and belonging

Some key insights from Beth:

- Inclusion is a philosophy that all students belong and can learn together in general ed classrooms. Co-teaching is just one service delivery model.

- The "least restrictive environment" clause actually prohibits full inclusion by offering more segregated options when teams struggle.

- Implicit biases about disability lead to lower expectations and removal of students to separate classrooms.  

- Preservice teacher training lacks depth in special ed and inclusive instructional approaches.

- Systems change requires both philosophical shifts AND practical coaching around inclusive instruction.

This conversation brings so much richness and nuance around moving toward more inclusive models. Beth shares touching stories of students from her 30+ years in the field.

To learn more about Beth's organization, visit www.lakretz.com.

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Welcome to the first episode of season three of Teaching STEM #4Real! We are thrilled to be kicking off a new season with Dr. Mark Windschitl.

Welcome back to the season two finale of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are thrilled to be joined by Resego Mooki!

Welcome back for another exciting episode of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today we are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Neil Gupta, superintendent of Oakwood School District in Oakwood, Ohio.

Dr. Gupta has over 25 years of experience in education, starting as a high school math teacher and later serving as an assistant principal, curriculum director, and superintendent. He is passionate about educational leadership, coaching administrators, developing improvement systems, and supporting the whole child.

In this episode, Dr. Gupta shares insights from his unique bird's eye view of the education system. We discuss challenges around creating interdisciplinary learning opportunities, equity and access in STEM, the school-to-STEM career pipeline, and much more.

A few key takeaways:

• On creating interdisciplinary learning: Collaboration across subjects helps students develop thinking dispositions and apply their learning to real-world contexts. Leaders must give teachers permission to teach across disciplines.

• On diversity in STEM: Assume that all students have potential for STEM. Survey students on why they do or don't take certain classes. Give student groups autonomy to lead STEM initiatives, rather than running them top-down.

• On implicit biases: Reflect critically on who is represented in your classroom - posters, quotes, guest speakers. This helps all students envision themselves pursuing STEM careers.

• On systemic change: You can't do it alone. Rally a coalition of educators, students, and community members to drive transformation.

Get ready for an insightful discussion on the state of STEM education!

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Welcome back to season three of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are pleased to introduce Samantha Stickley and Nicky Scott to the podcast!

Samantha Stickley is an accomplished seventh grade science teacher within the San Marcos Unified School District, where she plays a pivotal role not only in the classroom but also as a department chair and mentor teacher. Samantha is particularly dedicated to promoting equitable size, education and grading practices. She strives to create a classroom environment that fosters inclusivity, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to excel in the fields of science. Samantha is a recognized leader in science ed and and a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching.

Nicky Scott is the principal we all wish we had as a teacher. She is supportive, genuine, and willing to learn alongside you. As a woman of color, she grew up in an educational system that was not always understanding or forgiving. As a child, she knew that the rules were unfair, but from a child's perspective, her frustrations and words remained unheard. It wasn't until she became part of a system that she began to witness the immediate urgency for systemic change.

In this episode we will listen in on how these two forces come together for transformative change in science and education. Keep listening to learn more from this dynamic duo!

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Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are pleased to introduce Lindsay Lyons to the podcast!

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to be joined by Whitney Aragaki!

Whitney Aragaki (she/they) is an educator, parent, and learner from Hilo, Hawaiʻi.  She supports students to learn through a lens of abundance that honors place, people and cultures. Her teaching focuses around conversations, practices and systems that sustain the intimate inter-relationship of public education, community and environment. Whitney is the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics, and a two-time state finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

In this episode, we’ll discuss how Whitney became the teacher she is today, the feeling of being othered in STEM, and how Whitney creates an inclusive classroom. Besides this, we’ll also talk about how Whitney brings Aina into the classroom, the way her teaching goes beyond the curriculum, and what teachers can do to create a culturally responsive classroom. Last but not least, Whitney will share her thoughts on what the system needs for teachers to be able to become more adaptable, teaching in colonized spaces, and more! Let’s talk all things science and culture! 

Learn more: 

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Bryan Brown!

Bryan A. Brown is a professor of science education and former Associate Dean at  Stanford University. He holds a BS from Hampton University, a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of California, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the UC Santa Barbara. His work focuses on the role of language in science teaching and learning. Dr. Brown studies how race, technology, language and culture impact science teaching in urban schools. He is the author of a staple text that all STEM teachers should have in their back pocket: Science in the City. STEM4Real has been honored to work with his team on creating culturally relevant lessons.

In this episode, we’ll discuss Dr. Bryan’s journey, why he avoided the phrase, “culturally responsive science teaching” for some time, and the idea of redlining and teaching students about the social meaning of science. We’ll also talk about ways to teach science in a socially relevant way when things are constantly changing and shifting as well as the need to make curriculum more adaptable and diverse. Last but certainly not least, Dr. Bryan will talk to us about the Black tax and what that means in the context of modern schools as well as microaggressions in the science classroom. Keep listening to learn more from Dr. Bryan!

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Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to be joined by Dr. Nancy Nasr!

Dr. Nasr is a science educator and district science specialist for the Glendale Unified School District with over a decade of experience in diverse classrooms. Dr. Nasr has not only taught at the secondary level, but also coaches and mentors secondary science educators across school districts to support the implementation of student-centered, constructivist pedagogies in the contemporary science classroom. Dr. Nasr’s continued research interest is anchored in cultural responsiveness in the diverse science classroom as well as student attitudes toward culturally responsive pedagogy. Additionally, Dr. Nasr has an interest in exploring the ways in which the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) of the NGSS can be used to infuse science learning that is situated in phenomena associated with social justice, and empowering students to overcome social injustices through the use of science. Dr. Nasr received her B.Sc. in Microbiology from University of Alberta. She received her M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from California State University, Northridge and her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of South Carolina.

In this episode, we’ll discuss Dr. Nasr’s educational journey, what it was like for Dr. Nasr, as a chemistry teacher, to implement the NGSS, and dismantling biases against certain diverse learners. We’ll also talk about whether it’s realistic to let go of some of the prerequisites to science education, how we can make chemistry relevant for our students, and what our science departments really need to be addressing. Last but not least, we’ll chat about systems we could put in place in high schools to address inequity in science, our thoughts on tracking systems, and classroom management issues. Keep listening to learn more from Dr. Nasr!

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Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad to the podcast!

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has previously served as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, school district administrator, curriculum director, and school board president. She studies Black historical excellence in education, intending to reframe curriculum and instruction today. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. She has also received numerous national awards and is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She also co-authored Black girls’ literacies: An Edited Volume. Her Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Model has been adopted across thousands of U.S. schools as well as districts across Canada. In 2022, she was named among the top 1% of Edu-Scholar Public Influencers due to her impact on policy and practice. Dr. Muhammad received the American Educational Research Association Division K Early Career Award and was named the 2021 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts. She has led a federal grant with the United States Department of Education to study culturally and historically responsive literacy in STEM classrooms. Her forthcoming book, Unearthing Joy, is the sequel to Cultivating Genius and provides a practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curriculum practice.

In this episode, Dr. Muhammad will share with us how she got to where she is now, the importance of bridging historically responsive education with STEM, and how to better help teachers understand how critical race and identity is when looking at student learning. We’ll also discuss embracing joy in STEM, the colonization of education specifically when it comes to STEM, and Dr. Muhammand’s practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curriculum practice. Last but not least, we’ll talk about the idea of liberation and how this may be difficult for STEM teachers who think they have to stick to content only. Keep listening to hear more from Dr. Muhammad!

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Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Dr. Samara Suafo’a to the podcast!

Dr. Samara Suafo’a is the Assistant Director of Teacher Education and Clinical Assistant Professor at Claremont Graduate University. Her positionality as a biracial, student-athlete born to a Samoan father and White mother on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii uniquely informs both her practice and research. Specifically, she draws upon her own K-16 experiences as a member of a minoritized community who took advantage of athletics to mitigate the lack of access to resources and inequities she experienced along her educational trajectory. Suafo’a holds a PhD in Urban Leadership from Claremont Graduate University, a master’s degree in special education with an emphasis on students with moderate-severe dis/abilities from the California State University at Dominguez Hills, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Linfield College.

Prior to joining CGU’s Department of Teacher Education, Suafo’a’s professional experience comprised 20 years of teaching, leadership, and administrative roles in K-12 urban educational settings in both Hawaii and California. These roles included serving as a special day class teacher for students with moderate-severe dis/abilities, resource teacher, new teacher mentor, special education program coordinator, local district integration support provider, and high school women’s basketball coach. In 2019, Suafo’a was awarded Claremont Graduate University’s prestigious Pamela M. Mullin Dream and Believe Award for conducting outstanding graduate-student research on the Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander community. As a woman of Oceania, she is committed to combating notions of smallness faced by minoritized communities as a result of colonization, particularly the ways in which youth develop ideas of what they believe to be possible for themselves.

In this episode, we’ll chat about how Dr. Suafo’a became an educator, the state of the preservice teaching world, and how new teachers can sustain themselves in such a large ecosystem. Besides this, we’ll also discuss what it looks like to integrate social justice in a classroom, the way in which this is still not the norm, and the idea of cultural humility. Last but not least, Dr. Suafo’a and I will talk about the importance of engaging the needs of the people that you’re serving, whether age is a factor when talking about social justice in the classroom, and the Claremont preservice program! Keep listening to hear more from the amazing Dr. Suafo’a!

Selected Works:

• “College Choice for Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander High School Student-Athletes.” LA Island Radio Podcast, 2021 Co-authored with D. Ganley.
• “Including Samir. The challenges of creating an integrated school culture.” In Case Studies for Inclusive Educators and Leaders, edited by Darrin Griffiths and James Ryan. Word and Deed Publishers, 2018.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Lybroan James to the podcast! While it may not be the legendary basketball player, this Lybroan James is a legend in mathematics education.

Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are honored and privileged to have Mr. Douglas Corbin on the podcast in celebration of Principal’s Month!

Douglas Corbin began his educational career as a substitute teacher at Mt. McKinley School inside the Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall in 2004. In 2005, he was hired as a full-time teacher at Mt. McKinley, which is part of the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Collectively, he served as a teacher in their court & community school program for 12 years. Within a three-year timespan, Mr. Corbin was promoted from a teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, and now principal in the CCCOE’s Court and Community School program. This is his second year as a principal. Mr. Corbin earned his bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies from U.C. Berkeley and he earned a master's degree from Brandman University in educational leadership. Born in San Diego, Douglas’ family relocated to Toledo, Ohio where he attended high school. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served two years before relocating to Northern California which he has made his home since 1996. Mr. Corbin is married and has six children.

In this episode, Douglas will share with us what inspired him to be a principal, his initial thoughts when he began teaching at juvenile detention centers, and what it’s like to know the system from so many different perspectives. We’ll also discuss the misconceptions about teaching in juvenile detention centers, the importance of building relationships with students and staff, and the difficult times as well. Last but not least, we’ll chat about the work Douglas has done with math and science curriculums, what he views as progress, and why he works on anti-bias and anti-racism with his educators. Plus, Douglas will tell us how he sets his school year up so that he can have a good experience with culture and anti-racism. Keep listening to learn more from Douglas!

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Welcome back to season two of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to welcome Principal Baruti Kafele to the podcast!

Principal Baruti Kafele, a highly regarded urban educator in New Jersey for more than 20 years, has distinguished himself as a master teacher and a transformational school leader. As a middle and high school principal, Principal Kafele led the turnaround of four New Jersey urban schools, including "The Mighty" Newark Tech - which went from a low-performing school in need of improvement to national recognition - and was recognized three times by U.S. News and World Report as one of America's best high schools. Did you know that the City of Dickinson, Texas proclaimed February 8, 1998 as Baruti Kafele Day? We had to get him on the show!

He has delivered 2,000+ conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars and student assemblies over his 35 years of public speaking. An expert in the area of “attitude transformation,” Principal Kafele is the leading authority on providing effective classroom and school leadership strategies toward closing what he coined, the "Attitude Gap.” Principal Kafele has also authored twelve books, including his seven ASCD best sellers - Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School & in Life, Closing the Attitude Gap, Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead It?, The Teacher 50, The Principal 50, The Assistant Principal 50 and his newest release, The Equity & Social Justice Education 50.

He is the creator and host of the popular Virtual Assistant Principal Leadership Academy, streamed live every Saturday morning on his Virtual AP Leadership Academy YouTube channel @ 10:55 EST and is the recipient of over 150 educational, professional and community awards!

In this episode, Principal Kafele will share his journey with us including what informed his culturally responsive teaching and the very important question he asks himself as an educator. We’ll also discuss “the attitude gap”, the opportunities given or not given to young Black men, and the way in which Principal Kafele educates on the aspects of history often kept out of curriculum. Last but not least, we’ll talk about how to bring this awareness to the math and science classrooms, the nuances of the assistant principal position, building relationships, and so much more! Keep listening to hear more from Principal Kafeele!

Welcome to the first episode of season 2 of Teaching STEM #4Real! We are thrilled to be kicking off a new season with Jacqueline Lafitte and Barbara Nicewonger. Jacqueline has been an educator since 1992 and instructs in STEM and STEAM, which adds arts to the curriculum. She emphasizes water conservation and water systems infrastructure in her lesson plans. In spring 2019, she received visions from God where she saw water wells being dug and where God was answering prayers of people who had been praying for clean water. Jacqueline immediately started praying and sharing her dream. With gratefulness, she accepted God’s plan for her. God then connected her with Paulette Nonga who founded the non-profit organization, Sayap Africa (sayap means “bless”). She has partnered with Sayap Africa and is now developing STEAM lessons with her own students by studying the systems of real world problems. Prayerfully, this curriculum will be launched in future after-school programs for the youth in Africa. Jacqueline has been recognized as a Youth Mentor in “Marquis Who’sWho in America 2020” 73rd Edition Expanded Biographies, page 2129. In 2021, she was recognized by Marquis Who’sWho as a “Top Educator”.

Barbara worked in high-tech for nearly 25 years at Intel Corporation. After beginning her career as an engineering project analyst, she explored various analyst roles and finally landed in sales and marketing. There, her job included account management, crisis management, and program management for sales training events and strategies. In 2013, Barbara was honored to serve with Intel’s Education Service Corps in Kenya, setting up computer labs and training school teachers on computers to enable more students to learn English and pass national entrance exams required to attend school. This led to two other similar projects in Africa. In 2014, Barbara joined a team of high tech volunteers led by the non-profit, Team4Tech, in setting up a shipping container computer lab in a township outside of Cape Town, South Africa. There she helped train tutors on how to use computers, and to develop computer-based curriculum for after-school STEM tutoring. In 2015, Barbara returned to Kenya with Team4Tech to train teachers and help set up an after school STEM training program. Today, in addition to volunteering at her local church, elementary school and in the cancer community, Barbara is an active volunteer with Sayap Africa, gratefully laboring with Paulette Nonga and Jacqueline to define and build a sustainable education strategy and plan. 

Welcome to the final episode of season one of Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, I am issuing a trigger warning as I will be talking about a very personal experience with pregnancy loss. However, I am so grateful to be in the hands of Parijat! Parijat Deshpande is the leading integrative high-risk pregnancy specialist, somatic trauma professional, and speaker and author who guides women to improve their pregnancy complications so they can reduce their risk of preterm birth. Her unique neurobiological approach has served hundreds of women to manage pregnancy complications and reclaim a safety and trust in their bodies that they thought was eroded forever. Parijat is the author of the bestselling book, Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. She is also the host of the popular podcast, Delivering Miracles®️, that discusses the real, raw side of family-building including infertility, loss, high-risk pregnancy, bed rest, prematurity and healing once the baby comes home.

In this episode, we’ll talk about the need for the teaching profession to be family centered specifically when it comes to pregnancy, Parijat’s challenges with her children and the education system, and the need for a system that is much more flexible. Besides this, we’ll chat about the ineffective way in which health is taught in schools, the need for more basic health education, and how we can better talk about genetic disorders. Last but not least, Parijat and I will ponder how we can better support pregnant teachers and the importance of embracing emotions. Keep listening to hear more!

Welcome back to Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by Stephanie Chrismon, a Black/biracial (Black/German), Queer, Afrofuturist, writer and educator who identifies as masculine of center. She presents and writes on various topics related to issues of race, sexuality, family karma, social justice, as well as generational theory using pop culture, literature, and art as critical tools in exploring social justice and dismantling oppression. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Hamline University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Minnesota, Morris.

Welcome back to Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by the amazing Dr. Honey Sacro Swem, the coordinator for elementary instruction for Fontana USD, a full time Induction Support Provider, and an Instructional Coach. Let’s just say you better get your tissues ready because she had us in our feelings!

Have you met the Creekmores? Talk about #couplegoals!

Nita Creekmore is the founder of Love. Teach. Bless. who currently works as a K-5 instructional coach and believes that the foundation of education is building positive relationships. She is a Black woman of Creole descent and an Elementary Instructional Coach. Nita taught in grades 1, 2 and 5 for 13 years before becoming an Elementary School Instructional Coach. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2002 from the University of South Carolina and also received her Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership in 2013 from the University of Virginia. Love. Teach. Bless. has grown to be a true consulting business where Nita presents, coaches teachers, and collaborates with a variety of educational companies. If you follow Nita, you will see that her passion is diverse books with people and themes that allow you to see the beauty, hear stories, and learn from other races and cultures of our world.

Her other half is Michael Creekmore, also known as the bearded school counselor who I like to call Mr. Love. Teach. Bless. Michael is a Professional School Counselor (4th and 5th grade), a Licensed Professional Counselor, and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor. He earned his Bachelors degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina and his Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Clark Atlanta University. Mr. Creekmore has also served as Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor to community mental health programs and has been an independent consultant for the past 13 years. Mr. Creekmore has always promoted maximizing clinician opportunity through experience and leveraging expertise.

In this episode, we’ll start by discussing what shaped Nita and Michael into the educators they are today. Besides this, we’ll dive into the topic of SEL, how educators can incorporate it in the classroom, and the importance of transparency and fixing our own “check engine” lights. In addition, I’ll chat with the Creekmores about integration in the classroom, parent and family engagement, and how the education journey goes hand in hand with the SEL journey. Last but certainly not least, we’ll talk about the way in which Black and Brown students are falling out of STEM courses and what we can do to create an identity for students to see themselves in. Keep listening as we talk about the power of social emotional learning as a lever for equity in STEM.

Welcome back to Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by the incredible Alysse Castro, a powerful leader of effective and equitable public schools. She is known for building schools that engage students and teachers by rethinking what is possible in school and beyond. Bringing deep knowledge in school finance and systems, Alysse helps educational institutions do more of what matters such as personalizing learning, building systems of support for students and staff, and developing educators to break free from the bureaucracy to spend more time with kids. She completed her Masters in Educational Leadership from UC Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute and began teaching youth on probation in a Continuation High School.

Alysse has gone on to lead a growing portfolio of public schools that break the school-to-prison pipeline by interrupting truancy, re-engaging youth in their schools and their society, and helping students turn their passions into careers and technical skills. She then returned to UC Berkeley as faculty, teaching rising educational leaders to manage their school resources in service of their educational vision. Currently, Alysse applies her expertise in alternative education and effective school administration to ensuring that County schools act as safety nets for all of our children. She is also running to be the next Alameda County Superintendent of Schools in June 2022.

In this episode, we’ll chat with Alysse about alternative education, the value of specialization versus the value of integration, and the power of relevance in our classrooms. Besides this, we’ll discuss what county offices are, the role of county offices in education, and how they can support teachers and administrators. Last but not least, Alysse will talk to us about how we can elevate the roles of county offices, equity at scale, and the idea of your budget being your educational vision. Keep listening to learn more about county and alternative education!

Welcome back to Teach STEM #4Real! Today, we are joined by the one and only Chris Corrales. Chris is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he helps people out of pain through a method known as Structural Integration, and his greatest passion is facilitating men's physical/social/emotional growth through his program Cultivating Chivalry. Chris is also a proud husband and father of six. However, in a previous life, he was actually a gang member and formerly incarcerated.

In this episode, Chris will open up about how his history as a gang member has shaped his identity today and what his schooling was like during that time period in his life. We’ll also discuss what led Chris to becoming a healer, his passion in helping men communicate better through his Cultivating Chivalry program, and how social emotional learning can be powerful in all aspects of life, especially if we approach it as something to break the “system” and not just another checklist. Last but certainly not least, Chris will help me dismantle many stereotypes surrounding gang members and the formerly incarcerated which is vital as we teach every single student. What stereotypes have you heard about gangs and incarcerated youth? Keep listening and bring your wrecking ball so that we can dismantle these together with Chris!

Welcome back to Teaching STEM #4Real! Today, we are excited to have dear friend Dr. César A. Cruz on the show! Dr. Cruz, born in Guadalajara, Jalisco México, migrated to Compton, CA at the age of nine with a single mother and grandmother. He grew up with labels from bastard, to alien, to wetback and was swallowed up by the U.S. educational system to become Caesar - no accent - as he was schooled to purposely not know his roots. César’s mother gave birth to him at the age of 16 and was forced to pause her dreams to raise him. As a result, when he graduated middle school, he was the first in his family to do so. César went on to be a series of firsts - first to graduate high school, UC Berkeley in History, and the first Mexican immigrant male to get a doctorate in the EDLD program at HGSE.

César began working as an educator in 1994 and, 27 years later, he’s shedding his labels and addressing those often placed on kids. He no longer sees himself as an immigrant but as a Mexica(n) on Mexica(n) land, currently known as California. In fact, César’s roots were on ancestral land two grandmothers ago, but two grandmothers later, he is labelled a wetback. In other words, he didn’t cross a border, a historical border crossed his people.

Welcome back to Teaching Steam #4Real! Today, we are absolutely thrilled to be chatting with the one and only Zaretta Hammond. Zaretta, M.A. is author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. She is a former high school and community college expository writing instructor and, for the past 20 years, has supported schools and other institutions in deepening their understanding and application of culturally responsive practices. Zaretta currently runs the Culturally Responsive Education by Design Online PLC, a 6-month intensive, inquiry-based professional learning experience to build instructional capacity to use culturally responsive tools and practices effectively. In addition to all of this, she is a strong literacy advocate who sits on the Board of Trustees for the Center for the Collaborative Classroom and is also a member of the advisory board for the Consortium for Reading Education (CORE).

In this episode, Zaretta will open up about her journey including what shaped her into the educator she is today. Besides this, we’ll talk about how teachers can create a safe space in their classrooms for students, how important it is for educators to understand what belonging means by building their own capacity, and the importance of language. In addition, we’ll discuss how STEM teachers can create this safe environment within a less-advanced system, how harmful it can be to allow a pedagogy of compliance in our schools rather than helping students better process information, and so much more. Keep listening to hear how culturally responsive teaching is more than race, diversity, and social justice.

Books mentioned by Zaretta:

1.  Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation by Ebony O. McGee

2.  Science in the City: Culturally Relevant STEM Education by Bryan A. Brown

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