Hall Pass Break

Happy New Year! As we reflect on all that has happened in education so far, we look back to August 2021 when schools across the nation were opening before NYC schools did in September.  Just as the school year began,… Continue Reading → The post EPISODE TWENTY-THREE: PANDEMIC STYLE REOPENING OF SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

Many school districts around the country were reopening before NYC Public schools did in September 2021. Mask and vaccine mandates along with Covid-19 outbreaks in the surrounding communities caused many schools to temporarily go remote.  Despite these challenges, one school… Continue Reading → The post EPISODE TWENTY-THREE: PANDEMIC STYLE REOPENING OF SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

NYC teachers completed a year of teaching unlike any other. This is the second part of my conversation with teachers who discussed their fears of reopening schools during the pandemic. Now, with a whole year of teaching completed during the… Continue Reading → The post EPISODE TWENTY-TWO: THE NEW THUNDERDOME-TEACHING IN NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS DURING A PANDEMIC first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

The Homecoming NYC concert series was a gift to vaccinated NYers to celebrate Hip-Hop across the five boroughs ending with a massive concert with all-star musicians on the Great Lawn in Central Park.  In this episode, concertgoers who include, students… Continue Reading → The post SEASON THREE PREMIERE: THE RETURN OF NYC THROUGH HIP-HOP CONCERTS first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

At the end of August, Brooklyn's Commodore Barry Park becomes a space of black joy. AfroPunk, a 2-day festival, celebrates artists from every genre of music. Besides recognizing the diversity in black culture, it offers so much more. In this… Continue Reading → The post EPISODE TWENTY: AFROPUNK ‘NUFF SAID first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

The second episode about Dr. Christopher Emdin, a professor at Teachers College at Columbia University and author of For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…and the rest of Ya'll too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education. He wants teachers to… Continue Reading → The post EPISODE NINETEEN: AUTHENTIC STORYTELLING WITH THE HIP-HOP EDUCATOR first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

There are so many book clubs to join, but as an educator it may be hard to find the time and space to do so.  This was not the case for the elementary school teachers at PS 536 in the… Continue Reading →

We have heard from politicians, the mayor of NYC, the Chancellor, the Union, scientists, doctors, parents and every specialist talk about the case for reopening the largest school system in the country, New York City Public Schools. What do teachers… Continue Reading →

America spent a week paying tribute to Civil Rights Activist and Congressman John Lewis. Before he was laid to rest, I took a trip to our Nation’s Capital,  Washington D.C., to pay my respects and capture voices from around the… Continue Reading →

The Final Part of the American Federation of Teachers 2019 TEACH Conference.  This episode highlights the importance of teachers learning to integrate news literacy into their curriculum, how to be culturally aware of our ENL students, and becoming inspired by… Continue Reading →

The second part of the American Federation of Teachers TEACH (Together Educating America’s Children) Conference in Washington DC.  This episode allows you to be a part of the three day event listening to interviews and speeches from activists, educators, and… Continue Reading →

Last July, the American Federation of Teachers hosted the TEACH (Together Educating America’s Children) Conference in Washington DC. The first of several episodes kicks off with Opening Remarks from various teachers around the country and a speech to educators by AFT… Continue Reading →

Part Two of Episode Eleven continues at Bronx Academy for Software Engineering or (B.A.S.E.). Their teacher-led conference featured keynote speaker, Dr. Marcos Pizarro Professor and Chair of Chicano & Chicana Studies at San Jose State University who sat down to… Continue Reading →

For teachers, conferences usually mean traveling out of state to hear the latest expert explain the most innovative way of teaching. Instead of teachers leaving to travel far, what if they could stay local and learn from other teachers?  What… Continue Reading →

Happy Black History Month! This episode focuses on the National Museum of African American History and Culture exhibit We Return Fighting: World War I and the Shaping of the Modern Black Identity. Listen to learn from the curator, historians, and scholars… Continue Reading →

Season Two continues with Empatico.org, a non-profit organization, helping kids learn empathy through classroom connections from around the country and the world. This time HallPassBreak sat down with rock star teacher Michael Dunlea to learn more about how Empatico has… Continue Reading →

HallPassBreak is back for Season Two! It begins with an interview with Empatico.org; a non-profit organization that links classrooms to other classrooms around the world so kids can learn empathy through cultural awareness. Director of Business Development Kristin Ohnstad and… Continue Reading →

Whenever a classroom teacher is absent, there is a substitute teacher to fill in. Do you ever wonder what they do when they are not in school? Probably not. This episode features Benjamin Verdoes. He not only is a part of the two-man group, Iska Dhaaf, he creates music as a solo artist. The Seattle based musician talked about how the West Coast music scene/lifestyle/education system stacks up against the East Coast. And what it is like to balance being a teacher in the NYC public schools while making music. Hint: It is hard! Continue Reading → The post EPISODE SEVEN: WHOSE THAT MUSICIAN IN YOUR CLASSROOM? first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

What does it mean to be a young teacher in a classroom of students who do not look like you? Two young teachers from Cincinnati, Ohio talk about race and how they are able to connect to their students by being culturally aware of their needs. Continue Reading → The post EPISODE SIX: CINCINNATI TEACHERS AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR ALL first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

The very first episode of HallPassBreak redone for new listeners. Larry Smith, the author of the widely popular Six Word Memoir Series talked about he has been able to get classrooms from all around the country to share their life story in just six words. Continue Reading → The post EPISODE FIVE: THE PILOT EPISODE first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

One of the most popular National Parks in the U.S. is the Grand Canyon. Not everyone is able to visit. What are the National Parks doing to encourage educators and young people to visit? How has this place remained special for so long? My conversation with two Grand Canyon staff members helped me to understand how they are able to link 2.5 billions years of the history of the earth with the classroom. Continue Reading → The post EPISODE FOUR: NATURE'S BEST CLASSROOM first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

This episode features Cadence and Andi, educators of Zion National Park, who work with school groups nearby and far to expose students to the beauty of nature. Continue Reading → The post EPISODE THREE: ZION- A LARGE LANDSCAPE FILLED WITH SMALL DETAILS first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

Ever wonder why the New York City landscape changes so frequently? And the importance of diversity when it comes to making these decisions? This episode features two urban planners who discuss the impact of their projects and the importance of having more diversity within the architecture field. Continue Reading → The post EPISODE TWO: DIVERSITY IN URBAN PLANNING first appeared on Hall Pass Break.

Ever think about taking your students to the Met Museum, but were too afraid? Tune in to learn how one museum educator and three New York City Teachers used the Met to help enhance their teaching and transform the lives of their students. Continue Reading → The post EPISODE ONE: LESSONS AT THE MET first appeared on Hall Pass Break.