OEA Grow

For this last episode of the OEA Grow Podcast, member co-producers Beth Aydelott and Leonne Bannister discuss what the podcast has meant to their own professional growth and that of educators, not only in Oregon, but around the world. With 135 episodes and over 20,000 downloads and streams, the podcast has built union member community and addressed educator concerns from conflict resolution strategies to incorporating art and innovation in the classroom; from creating welcoming and inclusive school communities to maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Topics for each conversation have arisen from educators' needs, interests, and expertise, living up to the goal of amplifying educator voice. This podcast has always been by OEA members for OEA members.   This episode also features clips from the following episodes:   Season 1 episode Compassion Fatigue and Burnout with host Jesse Bray and guest Talia Akre Season 3 episode Special Education and Inclusion with host Leonne Bannister and guest Niels Pasternak Season 4 episode What I Wish I Knew During My First Year with host Kayla Potter and guest Malik White Season 5 episode Co-regulation with host Alexis Hennessey and guest Mary Michael Season 9 episode Survival Guide for BIPOC Educators with host Malik White and guest Gregory Dunkin Season 10 episode Challenges of Language Learning with host Sakura Hamada and guest Gaby Aguilar-Lopez Season 10 episode Avid and High School with host Sakura Hamada and guest Ethelyn Tumalad Season 10 episode Supporting Newly Arrived Elementary Students with host Sakura Hamada and guest Jocelin Morales Season 11 episode Educator Wellness with host Amy Yillik and guest Sandi Washburn Season 11 episode Interoceptive Strategies and Co-regulation with host Amy Yillik and guest Katie Diez Season 11 episode Trauma Informed Practices with host Amy Yillik and guest Jessica Reamon Season 11 episode Restorative Justice and Practices with host Amy Yillik and guest Sorahi Harati Season 11 episode Introduction to Culture of Care part b with host Amy Yillik and guests Amber McGill and Erin Taylor Season 12 episode Career and Technical Education with host Toni Myers and guests Nicole Merchant and Bibiana Gifft   

What happens when school design is inspired by students and collaboratively run by a group of teachers? Wendy Salcedo-Fierro, Director of Teacher-Powered Coaching, explains how shared leadership works in the teacher-powered public schools that thrive in 27 states. Equity-minded educators in these schools share power with students, families, and the full educator team. Decision-making is accomplished by those directly affected, resulting in strong relationships and rich learning. Students feel that their voices are heard and become agents of change. Educators become learners as they listen and respond. Educators who are interested in this model of school governance are encouraged to consult the resources listed below. The goal is to create spaces where everyone feels as if they belong and as if they matter.   Resources -  Teacher-Powered Schools and Student-Centered Learning Teacher-Led Schools: They're Here and More Are on the Way When Teachers Take Charge  Steps to Creating a Teacher-Powered Schools

How can schools engage families in their children's education? This episode's guests offer concrete suggestions for supporting dialogue between parents and educators. Rebecca Honig, Director of Content and Curriculum with Parent Powered, and Ilana Steinhauer, Executive Director of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM), explain how both organizations offer educators strategies for partnering with their students' families. At the core of these efforts is building trust through communication in whatever form meets the families' needs.  Rebecca and Ilana stress that parents want to know that their feedback matters. Suggestions for engaging families include contact in different ways throughout the year and asking directly about specific needs. Educators can offer support for families and show them how to partner with their children's school.

This episode examines the connections between schools and the families and neighborhoods they serve. Tiffany Koyama-Lane, a third-grade teacher at Sunnyside Environmental School in Portland, discusses place-based and environmental education, using students' local communities as educational resources. Part of the learning experience happens beyond the walls of the actual school building. Natural spaces and gardens, local neighborhoods, even the students' own school yard - these locations provide a context for the core curriculum and help children make meaning of the world and environmental concerns around them.  As an educator with fifteen years of experience, Teacher Tiffany, as she likes to be called, realizes that the challenges of the surrounding community also show up in the classroom. She extends her role beyond traditional education to support families in the often-complicated processes of life in America. She feels lucky to live in the neighborhood where she teaches, but she suggests ways for all educators to communicate with families and discover how best to meet their needs. Teacher Tiffany is taking her passion for engaging the community to a new level this year by declaring her candidacy for Portland City Council.    Resources -  Sunnyside Environmental School Place-Based Learning: A Multi-Faceted Approach Close Your Textbooks and Go Outside OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

What can alternative education programs teach us about welcoming and engaging students with diverse experiences and needs? This week Lauren and Angela discuss programs serving students whose ways of learning might not fit the traditional school structure. Their guests are Gretchen Mollers, Janine Weir, and Eric Passes from the Merlo Station campus in the Beaverton School District. All three educators advocate listening to students as they express their needs and silencing the din of what education “should” be. The Passages Re-Engagement Program for high school students and the UpGrade Program for middle school are based on centering the student voice and recognizing that it's impossible for a single model of education to work for everyone. Both programs work toward helping students gain confidence in themselves, navigate non-academic barriers, and rebuild their trust in education. The question is how can educators help students where they are, rather than how can the students be fitted into the system. The result may look messy on the surface, but the programs are removing barriers to accommodate different ways of learning and to give students the time and respect to develop their individual plans for the future.    Resources -  Passages Reengagement Program UpGrade Program William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick, Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change   

Playful Inquiry - that's the student-centered approach discussed in this episode about re-imagining curriculum. Angela and Lauren welcome Soobin Oh, Co-Director of Teaching Preschool Partners (TPP), a nonprofit that engages with schools to nurture inclusive, inquisitive, and collaborative school communities. In the playful inquiry promoted by TPP, educators are encouraged to let go of control and instead to be flexible and listen, responding to each child's interests, aspirations, cultural background, and linguistic capabilities. Classrooms become places for curiosity, joy, and possibility to thrive. Families are ideally involved in this concept of curriculum with the cultural wealth that they can bring in dialogue with the classroom. The result is a curriculum that revolves around collaboration, a culturally relevant curriculum for all grade levels.  Resources -  Teaching Preschool Partners Soobin Oh Discusses Anti-Bias Education in Early Childhood  Soobin Oh, an Early Childhood Teacher Nerd on YouTube Funds of Knowledge, Norma Gonzalez, Luis C. Moll, and Cathy Amanti, editors Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy, Gholdy Muhammad

How can a school become a community school? Hosts Angela Vargas and Lauren McCartney talk with Christine Schuch and Karen Alford of United Community Schools, who work with interested schools in New York City and offer suggestions for schools everywhere. United Community Schools is a teacher-inspired nonprofit that seeks to expand the traditional sense of a school as merely a place for students to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. Christine and Karen explain how community schools arise out of a collaboration of educator, parent, and community stake-holders to provide health and wellness resources, extended learning time with a seamless after-school component, educator and academic support, and educational justice - equity, access, and possibility. Learn from this episode how schools across the country are using the community school model to support student success, teacher retention, and community engagement.    Resources -  What are Community Schools? United Community Schools  Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) in Portland Transforming a School, a Neighborhood, and a System in Cincinnati OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Does your school focus on the whole child, emphasizing not only academic learning, but also wellness and community engagement? Tune into Season 15 of our OEA Grow podcast to learn about Community Schools in Oregon, public schools that provide integrated services and support to meet the needs of students, families, and communities. Our hosts for the season are Angela Vargas and Lauren MCartney, both educators in the Beaverton School District and leaders on state and national levels in racial and social justice efforts in education. Angela is an Early Learning TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment), who partners with teachers to develop a practice of student-centered inquiry. Lauren teaches Humanities and Social Studies at Meadow Park Middle School.  In the coming weeks, Angela and Lauren will talk with a number of educators whose efforts lead to strong connections between schools and the communities that they serve. Listeners will learn ways to serve our students both in and outside the classroom.  Educators interested in learning more about community schools are encouraged to consult the resources below. They may contact Dave Greenberg at dgreenberg@new.org and Angelia Ebner at aebner@nea.org for more information.  Resources: Angela Vargas, OEA Member Spotlight  What are Community Schools? 5 Steps to Kickstarting Community Schools in Your District Institute for Educational Leadership Community Schools Coalition  NEA Community School work  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

How exactly does art fit into the classroom, and how can educators make this happen? Host Colleen Arriola wraps up this season's podcast with ideas and suggestions for expanding the classroom curriculum through art. Summing up Season 14 guests' observations, Colleen reminds us that art provides students ways to communicate thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences that might otherwise be difficult to articulate. Art can complement the standard curriculum by allowing students alternate ways to show what they know. Colleen notes that we don't experience life in separate subjects, and our learning can also be a mixture of forms of understanding and communicating. Educators who don't consider themselves artists should not be discouraged. Colleen describes several simple ways to engage students through art - maybe commenting on a painting related to a subject, sketch notes instead of written notes, collages to pull together aspects of a topic. Educators can access a number of resources for support in these efforts. As Colleen and her guests this season remind us, art massages the brain, helping students learn how to think, not merely what to think.  Resources -  Oregon Arts Education Standards “Goodbye ‘Core Subjects,' Hello ‘Well-Rounded Education'”   What Does a Global Arts Classroom Look Like?  Local art museums are usually great resources for educators. The Portland Art Museum offers a number of educator resources for schools across the state.  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Art education can create a space for excitement and joy in learning according to Colleen's guest, Shannon Johnson, Arts Education Specialist at the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). Colleen, a visual artist herself, explains the crucial role that art plays in Transformational Social-Emotional Learning (TSEL) by playing to individual strengths, building confidence, and encouraging students to express themselves in their own unique ways.  Among the many resources discussed in this episode, Shannon highlights the Arts, Care & Connection Project for elementary grades in which teaching artists provide videos integrating the Core Art Standards in dance, music, theater, and visual arts with Oregon's TSEL standards. Educators, regardless of their own artistic experience, become co-learners with their students as they incorporate various ways of self-expression in their explorations. Integrating art into the curriculum involves finding connections between various art forms and subject content. Shannon points out multiple sources where educators will find ideas and support for adding an artistic aspect to their classroom. Resources -  Arts for Learning Northwest - connecting teaching artists with schools for educational arts programming, workshops, performances, and artist residencies   Arts, Care & Connection Program - arts integration lessons and professional learning for educators   Young Audiences Arts for Learning - the nation's oldest and largest arts-in-education learning network     Oregon Department of Education resources -  Arts Education Resources Oregon Open Learning Hub Chronicles of Oregon Open Learning - a monthly newsetter Arts Access Toolkit Arts Education Newsletter       OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Makerspaces offer support and encouragement for educators who want to incorporate art into the curriculum. Colleen's guest is Dr. Erin Beard, the Programs Director for Talent Maker City, who describes a makerspace as a community learning lab that furnishes materials and equipment in arts and technology to make learning a hands-on experience. Imagine a place with a 3D printer, a wood-working shop, a ceramics studio, and people to help you use them all.  With twenty previous years of experience as a middle and high school teacher, Dr. Beard emphasizes the importance of STEAM-based adventures (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) to guide student inquiry and critical thinking. She offers several suggestions for using all forms of art to revive the inherent love of learning that may have been shut down through traditional methods.  Educators are encouraged to find a nearby makerspace for learning opportunities, use of equipment, and advice for adding a tactile dimension to their teaching. In a makerspace they will find camaraderie and shared knowledge to turn their ideas for the classroom into reality.    Resources -  Talent Maker City What is a Makerspace and where is one near me?   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Art can complement any academic subject. That's the message from Collen's guest, Jeanne Lauck, a Visual Arts teacher at Alice Ott Middle School in the David Douglas School District. Speaking from twenty-seven years of experience as an educator, Jeanne discusses how art can appeal to several of the different learning styles, with, for instance, students making posters or flip books to illustrate their learning. Jeanne tells of a math instructor who cuts up pictures for his students to reassemble using grids and measurements.  Art by itself encompasses many subjects: the mathematical use of compasses, exploring symmetry, and learning about different countries and cultures through their art and music. Jeanne views art classes as an arena where students can discover their own creativity and learn along with their teachers. The experience can strengthen their performance in core classes.    Resources -  Visual Thinking Strategies - the nonprofit discussed in this episode that encourages the thoughtful, facilitated discussion of art, leading to transformational learning accessible to all.  What Does a Global Arts Classroom Look Like? - integrating cultural competencies through art  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Not an artist yourself? No budget for art supplies? Students who aren't aspiring artists of any kind? This week's episode explains how and why to integrate art into the classroom under any circumstance. Colleen's guest is Abigail Steichen of the Corbett Program with Spanish (CAPS), housed in the historic Springdale School in Corbett. CAPS is not an art academy, but the school encourages the infusion of art into the regular curriculum. Students may dance their understanding of cells or perform a skit about punctuation marks. The goal is not a finished performance or artwork to be displayed, but rather a joyful means for students to communicate their understanding of a subject in their own unique ways. The emphasis is on the process rather than the product.    Abigail urges educators in all school settings to incorporate art into their curriculum. She does not consider herself an artist, but she is convinced that students value learning more when it ceases to be merely passive and when they are encouraged to create. Tune into this episode for a treasure trove of suggestions that require neither expertise nor funding to keep the joy in learning.    Resources   Corbett Arts Program with Spanish   Arts Education Newsletter from the Oregon Department of Education    Encouraging a Growth Mindset Through Art  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Art in the classroom helps to keep learning active - that's the subject of this week's conversation between Colleen and her guest, Ben Minnis, Arts Education Program Coordinator with the Lane Arts Council in Eugene. With fifteen years as an early childhood educator, a BFA in Theatre Performance, and ongoing work in ceramic sculpture, acting, and playwriting, Ben speaks from experience when he explains that art in all forms allows students to approach school work as participatory rather than passive memorization. Drawing on his experience with the inquiry-based Reggio-Emilia approach to learning, he advises educators to explore the different ways that students can communicate knowledge and understanding. Students are able to construct their own unique ways of learning by using art as well as the usual oral and written formats.    Ben explains how the Lane Arts Council supports Lane County educators in these efforts to integrate art in their curriculum. Artists are paired with educators not only to teach specific art forms, but also to augment classroom learning with hands-on creative work. Educators are urged to contact the Arts Council for more information about the Creative Link, the Artist Residence, and the Design Arts Apprenticeship programs.    Resources   Encouraging a Growth Mindset Through Art    Lane Arts Council   The Reggio-Emilia Approach - an educational philosophy discussed in the episode  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

How important is Art in a school curriculum? Colleen Arriola, host for OEA Grow's fourteenth season, feels that art plays an essential role in education at all levels. A fifth-grade teacher at Guy Lee Elementary in Springfield, Colleen brings her experience as both an artist and an educator to discuss how art can enhance the traditional courses of study, provide alternative ways of learning, and celebrate the individuality and uniqueness of each student. Her guests this season are Oregon educators from a variety of disciplines and grade levels who will share the ways in which they integrate art in their classrooms and school environments.    Tune in to this season as we reevaluate the role of art in the educational experience and discuss how it can be used to engage students in any subject area.     Resources -  A Snapshot of K-12 Arts Education in Oregon   More Than Drawing and Coloring: Art (and Art Teachers) Has Power  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Blaine ends this season with veteran educator Brad Rogers, who shares what he has learned from his years of teaching, first in Alaska and for the last seventeen years at Stanfield Secondary School. Summing up the wisdom of all of this season's guests, Brad offers three key suggestions for educators at all stages of their careers: Maintain a healthy work-life balance. As a new educator, Brad spent long hours at school in addition to his normal teaching schedule, until he realized that no one can do it all in one day. The best advice he received was to make time for family and friends. Recognize that life as an educator is like a roller coaster with its ups and downs. We learn and grow from our mistakes.  Realize the lasting impact that you as an educator have on your students. Establishing a relationship to help a student succeed in a single class can spread to that student's entire educational experience. It matters. Students remember and express gratitude sometimes years later.  Brad draws on his years of experience to share insight on each of these areas. This is definitely an episode for all educators, regardless of how long they have been in the field.    Resources -  Little Steps Toward Big Change (and Less Stress)    Make Educator Well-Being a Priority Now  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Who better to discuss the importance of separating home from work than Blaine's guest this week, Lucas Tynkila, whose home life actually overlaps his school life - three children who have all been his students at Stanfield Secondary School and his wife who teaches at the same school. It makes for an easy carpool, says Lucas. And he has enjoyed having his children as students; he gets to spend more time with them as individuals. Having his wife, Tracy, as a first-grade Stanfield Elementary teacher adds the benefit of a spouse who shares his educational ideologies and can relate to the stress of the job.  Even with the strong connections between his home and school life, though, Lucas stresses the importance of a healthy work-life balance. The best advice he received early in his career was simply to go home at the end of a work week, spend time with family and friends, and avoid being a perfectionist at school. He suggests that new educators take care of themselves to avoid burnout. The job gets easier and the rewards greater, he promises, as relationships are formed with students, who are able to learn only when they feel safe and comfortable asking questions. Advances in technology may have affected the education process in the sixteen years that Lucas has been teaching, but student-educator connections and trust remain essential to student success.    Resources 5 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance   Life Outside of the Classroom   Importance of Self-Care as a Teacher  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Two different views on careers in education? Blaine welcomes Michelle and Travis Reeser from the Stanfield School District for this especially delightful episode about differing approaches to lives in education. These two guests, while married, are at opposite ends of the education spectrum with Michelle early in her career of teaching kindergarten and Travis nearing retirement as a high school PE teacher. Travis began coaching at 18 and teaching right after college, whereas Michelle didn't become a teacher until after their children were born. But even with the contrast of grade level and years of experience, the two learn from each other and advise educators to ask questions and listen to the ideas of others in the field, regardless of where they are in their career lifespan. Being open to various points of view is key in the education field. From their differing perspectives, Michelle and Travis agree that education is a difficult career path, requiring hard work and learning how to meet students where they are. The reward can be watching a student succeed at something the student didn't know was possible and realizing that your work doesn't go unnoticed. Students remember and sometimes reach out after years have passed to say thank you.  Resources: Travis Reeser named 2023 Intermountain Regional Teacher of the Year   When Teachers Marry Teachers    OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Blaine discusses educator experiences from a mid-career perspective this week with his guest Sarah Burke, a middle-school science teacher at Stanfied Secondary School. In her tenth year of teaching, Sarah is still in awe of the impact educators have on students and their lives. She admits that the work can be frustrating, especially when students don't seem to appreciate the demands of the job, but she encourages educators to take students' sometimes negative attitudes as challenges rather than personal insults. After all, this might be the year when you help that resistant student discover an interest in learning.  Sarah advises educators to take care of themselves, too, with a healthy work/life balance. She has learned over the last decade that the old adage is true - you can't fill anyone's cup if yours is empty. She credits OEA for helping our state's educators maintain healthy work hours, and she counsels educators to be careful of extra time commitments that take them away from home, family, and friends. Sarah's personal self-care includes a special memorabilia box where she keeps emails and letters from students and parents, a reminder of why she continues her career as an educator.    Resources 6 Ways to Create Work-Life Balance OEA Introduction to Mindfulness webinar on May 1st with Talia Akre (Multnomah ESD EA) OEA Self-Paced Module Stress Management: Using Body Wisdom to Calm the Stressed Brain OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

This episode offers the wisdom of a seasoned educator as Blaine welcomes Anna Halsey from Stanfield Secondary School as his guest. Anna brings a wealth of experience to this conversation, having begun her career as an elementary teacher and now, twenty-four years later, thoroughly enjoying her role as a math teacher for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (she admits to loving her days with quirky middle-schoolers). Anna discusses frankly how her life as a teacher has evolved as her own life circumstances have changed. In her decades as an educator, Anna has also seen the profession grow to include more than simply the classroom exchange of information from teacher to student. Educators value connections with students' lives both in and outside of school, involving entire families and social/emotional learning. We realize that students need to trust us before they can learn anything from us. And they need to be convinced of the value of that knowledge. Anna's advice to educators at all stages of their careers - we learn to educate by actually educating. Students teach us how to teach them. Don't worry if some days, or even years, are not as successful as others. Remember that the career path you have chosen is difficult and so very important. And the most sobering realization - always assume that you will be the topic of someone's dinner table conversation.  Resources -  Support for Early Career Educators OEA Professional Learning Opportunities to help educators grow in their professional practice  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Season 13 of OEA Grow examines the life of educators at every point in their careers, from aspiring educators to veterans nearing retirement. Our host this season is Blaine Ganvoa who earned his Master of Education degree from Eastern Oregon University and is currently a social studies teacher at Stanfield Secondary School with nineteen years of experience in that position. Blaine brings a depth of perspective as host for this season with his varied school and district roles as Head Volleyball Coach, District State Testing Coordinator, Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network board member, and the current Stanfield Education Association President.    For the next several weeks, Blaine will be talking with Oregon educators at all stages in their careers about their challenges and successes as they progress in the education field. We'll hear why people choose this profession, how they feel about their preparation, what they have learned from colleagues and their own experiences, and advice they might offer to others. It will be an exciting season full of ideas and insights for all of us, no matter where we are in our own career path. OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

This episode originally aired October 26, 2022 in Season 5: Behavior.   To kick-off the Behavior season, member host Alexis Hennessey talks with educator Mary Michael about co-regulation, social emotional learning, and trauma informed behavior approaches. Mary has been an educator for over 30 years, has taught every grade level from Kindergarten to ninth grade, and is currently a certified trauma-informed mental health and behavior specialist. Mary and Alexis pack a wealth of helpful information into 30 minutes. Their conversation centers on the importance of regulation for both students and educators and how we can bring co-regulation into schools and classrooms. Many students enter school lacking the skills to co-regulate. Often, those students are impacted by trauma and/or the trauma experienced by their parents/caregivers. How can we support these students in managing their own behavior and give them agency in the process? Through teaching social emotional skills, including regulation, social skills, problem solving skills, and communication skills, academic outcomes are also increased. Alexis and Mary acknowledge how difficult it is for educators to be in school situations making decisions about behavior in the moment. Mary states, “We want everyone to walk away with their dignity”. Their conversation also demonstrates the value of behavior specialists to schools.    Resources:   OEA Becoming a Trauma Informed Education Series Permission to Feel - Mark Brackett Teachers Guide to Trauma: 20 Things Kids with Trauma Wish Their Teachers Knew - Dr. Melissa Sadin and Nathan Levy What Happened to You - Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing - Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey Co-Regulation video recording - (56 minutes; access for OEA members only) - https://tinyurl.com/OEArecordings  Zones of Regulation handouts The Neurobiology of Emotion Regulation Development and the Role of the Early Environment - UC Davis MIND Institute, Dr. Nim Tottenham Development of human amygdala-prefrontal cortex circuitry and the role of the caregiver - UC Davis MIND Institute, Dr. Nim Tottenham OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Our final episode of Season 12 focuses on a statewide program for teaching about Oregon agriculture, the environment, and natural resources. Toni's guest is Jessica Jansen of the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, dedicated to helping K-12 educators use agriculture to add to their existing curriculum in science, math, history, and nutrition. This nonprofit organization, housed at Oregon State University and funded by Oregon's agricultural community, offers resources at no cost through its lending library, educator workshops, and virtual field trips. Jessica suggests that educators visit the foundation's website to access these resources, noting in particular the kits mailed by the lending library to Oregon schools. Each kit is intentionally user-friendly with materials and clear instructions for a class project. Educators can choose kits in such varied subjects as spinning wool or growing and tasting microgreens. Toni recounts her own success with the foundation's resources, making mozzarella cheese with her students and taking a virtual field trip to Christmas tree farms. With 220 different agricultural commodities in Oregon, even rural students will be unfamiliar with products from other parts of the state. Oregon educators in both rural and urban areas are encouraged to take advantage of this resource.    Resources:   Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom    Monthly Subscription Boxes for grades 3-5 (only 20 subscriptions are available each year, so apply as soon as applications are accepted in August)  “Jessica Jansen: ‘I love agriculture, and I love teaching people about it'” July 6, 2023. Women in Ag 2023, a Capital Press annual special section highlighting the contributions women make in the agricultural sector

This week Toni discusses the community college experience in rural areas with her guest Jessica Breidinger, a Social Science instructor at Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) in Ontario, Oregon. Rural community colleges offer the interpersonal benefits of most community colleges with their small class sizes (usually 13-25 students at TVCC) and instructors with advanced degrees leading courses. TVCC's location in a small town offers an additional advantage because interactions between students and educators extend beyond the classroom. Toni and Jessica laugh about seeing students in the grocery store and around town on a regular basis. Students profit from this extra level of empathy and connection, having what amounts to a team of cheerleaders for their entire academic journey. Adding to this community spirit at TVCC is its on-campus housing, a rarity among community colleges. Students have a sense of belonging and know that they have continuing support as individuals with the encouragement to test their limits in their road to success.    Resources Treasure Valley Community College OEA supports Community College Faculty and Staff Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Hachette Books, 2005  Maggie Berg and Barbara Seeber, Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy. University of Toronto Press, 2013.  James M. Lang, Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons From the Science of Learning. Jossey-Bass, 2016  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

How does an educator find support in a school so small that there might be few colleagues or administrators available to form a sense of community? This episode offers suggestions to overcome this challenge, common to many rural Oregon educators, with a conversation between our host Toni Myers and her guest Cindy Dougharity-Spencer, the teacher of History and Economics at the Grant Union Junior/Senior High School in John Day. Cindy assures rural educators in Oregon that they are not alone, even in small schools, because they have access to Regional Educator Networks (RENs). Cindy works with the Eastern Oregon REN (EOREN), serving Harney, Grant, Malheur, Lake, and Wallowa Counties. EOREN reaches out to educators through common-interest teams, lesson plan banks, tutorials, and regularly scheduled professional development events. Especially useful for new educators in rural schools is the mentorship program in which an experienced educator offers support for each of these newer educators as they navigate the often unique experience of teaching in a small school in a small town. Both Cindy and Toni encourage listeners to contact their school's REN to find their community. No teacher in Oregon should ever feel alone. As Cindy says, “You are not an island.” Resources -    Find your Regional Educator Network  Eastern Oregon Regional Educator Network (EOREN) Ayla Olson, the guest for last week's Episode 3 of Season 12, works with the Oregon Trail Regional Educator Network (OTREN) OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Networ

This week's episode addresses some of the concerns of educators who seek resources not available at their own schools. Our host, Toni Myers, discusses the support offered to rural educators by Education Service Districts (ESDs) with her guest, Ayla Olson. Ayla is an Instruction Coach with the InterMountain ESD, serving twenty-one school districts in Morrow, Umatilla, Union, and Baker counties. Through ESDs, educators have access to support in four areas: programs for children with special needs, school improvement, technology support, and administrative services.  ESDs are especially designed to meet the needs of educators in rural areas who may have difficulty traveling to distant meetings and workshops. Instruction Coaches in the different areas travel regularly to each school and reach out to educators through newsletters, virtual meetings, and professional development summits. Listeners are encouraged to contact their region's ESD for support (find your school's ESD on the map linked below). The website for each ESD will include a calendar for professional development events and lists of free educator resources. Ayla assures us that all ESDs are open to questions and suggestions for future trainings   Resources: Education Service District  map (Find which ESD serves your school)     InterMountain ESD Instructional Coaches website   InterMountain ESD Calendar of Events    OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Season 12, focusing on Rural Education, begins with a close look at the recent surge of interest in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and its benefits for students in urban and rural areas. Host Toni Myers welcomes Nicole Merchant and Bibiana Gifft, longtime teachers of Agricultural Sciences and Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisors at Baker High School, who explain what CTE can offer all students, not just those planning to enter the work force immediately after high school. They describe the breadth of CTE courses, extending far beyond the four walls of a classroom, into greenhouses, welding shops, construction shops, whatever fits the needs of the surrounding community.  The two educators view CTE courses as a balance for the entire curriculum, showing students the practical applications of what they learn in other classes. The skills and habits they acquire in the CTE curriculum, such as learning how to be good employees, will transfer to any career path they follow. These courses are ideal for students who may not feel comfortable in a traditional classroom by giving them a purpose and building a community of learners. As all three educators this week agree, CTE courses create a sense of family that endures: “You never get rid of your Ag teacher.”    Resources Nicole Merchant and Bibiana Gifft awarded 2021 Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Award  Baker FFA Greenhouse Plant Sale will take place on May 10th this year (it sold out in one day last year, so come early!)   The National FFA Organization OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Season 12 of the OEA Grow podcast takes us to the less populated regions of our state, focusing on the Rural School Experience for Oregon students and educators. Our host, Toni Myers, teaches third through sixth grades at Keating Elementary, a rural two-room school in Baker City. Drawing on her eighteen years of experience in education, Toni will speak with educators around the state who work in rural communities. What are the particular concerns of these rural schools and the families they serve? How can educators state-wide support all our schools?  You may recognize this season's host, Toni Myers, for her work as president of the Baker Education Association in making Baker School District one of the highest paying districts in the state, raising the salary floor for certified teachers from $38,000 to $60,000. Listeners from both rural and urban school settings will definitely want to hear the ideas and suggestions posed by this long-time advocate for educators and students. She and the other educators of this season have helped change the landscape for the rural school experience. 

Joe Burns, “Reviving the Strike” Conference for Bargaining and Organizing, October 27-28, 2023 Newport, Oregon In his talk, “Reviving the Strike,” labor lawyer Joe Burns traces the history of union strikes in the U.S. and discusses their impact on current labor negotiations. Based on his thirty years of bargaining experience, Burns feels that today's public employees are just now rediscovering the power of the strike that was evident in the 1960s and 1970s when strikes played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement as powerful acts of civil disobedience (witness the Memphis Garbage Strike of 1968).    Burns argues that public sector strikes are fundamentally political in nature and therefore must be based on a concern for the public good. If a union is transparent with its demands and concerns, Burns promises that members will support the efforts and show up when needed.    Books by Joe Burns Joe Burns. Class Struggle Unionism. Haymarket Books, 2022.   Joe Burns. Reviving the Strike: How Working People Can Regain Power and Transform America. Lg Publishing, 2011.    Joe Burns. Strike Back: Using the Militant Tactics of Labor's Past to Reignite Public Sector Unionism Today. Lg Publishing, 2019. 

Keynote Address - Alex Caputo-Pearl Conference for Bargaining and Organizing, October 27-28, 2023 Newport, Oregon Alex Caputo-Pearl, practitioner-in-residence at the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center, delivered the keynote address at the Oregon Conference for Bargaining and Organizing. Drawing on his twenty-two years of experience as a teacher and nine years as a full-time elected union leader, Caputo-Pearl traces the hard work and subsequent victories of the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) during his presidency of the organization. His question now - what comes next for the Educator Upsurge and Red for Ed? In his talk, Caputo-Pearl explains five efforts that he feels are necessary to overcome the adversaries of the labor movement:     1) Broaden involvement in the effort by including parents and students;     2) Ensure lasting ideologies through campaigning, training, and actually doing;     3) Increase the role of rank and file caucuses;     4) Leverage key compression points, such as campaigns and elections; and     5) Build power and expand resources.   Caputo-Pearl applauds his audience for the union accomplishments in Oregon and expresses his confidence for continued success. 

Our host Dr. Amy Yillik ends this season's discussion of Culture of Care with a close look at Tier 3 needs and services. Her guest is Ryan Harding, Behavior Specialist with the Redmond School District, who explains that the Tier 3 program is more long-term and individualized than Tier 2, with a focus on providing students with whatever each one needs for success. Continuing repercussions from the pandemic have made these services even more critical with students' increased difficulties in socializing and self-regulating, often most evident on the playground, according to Ryan. He stresses the importance of including parents to achieve the goal of integration back into the classroom. This is an episode promoting empathy, trying to understand the needs and perceptions of others engaged in the efforts to support our students.    Resources -  Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) - sometimes called a Behavior Plan or a Behavior Support Plan (BSP) Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) Oregon Senate Bill 819 concerning abbreviated school days OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Our season on Culture of Care continues this week with a discussion of academic and social/emotional support for students, specifically the Tier Two level of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) rubric. Tier Two is a particularly difficult level to address, coming between Tier One, which all students receive, and Tier Three, which requires one-on-one help. Host Dr. Amy Yillik's guest for this conversation is Jamie Gunter, a counselor for LaPine High School and Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the entire Bend/LaPine district, who suggests various approaches for Tier Two support when adequate staffing and funding are lacking.  This episode offers many options for schools who struggle to support these Tier Two students in terms of substance usage, suicide prevention, and other social/emotional and academic needs. Suggestions range from a Graduation Coach who works with students beginning in their freshman year, to a designated Focus Room for any student who needs space and time to self-regulate, learn skills, or talk to a counselor. Schools without these resources could still utilize Youth Truth Surveys and host social/emotional campaigns throughout the year. Individual educators can help students with calming and self-regulating measures, such as grounding and breathing exercises.  Oregon was one of the first states to mandate programs of suicide prevention in schools, but funding is insufficient to implement these programs. This episode is vital listening for educators wanting to support students in need.  Resources -  Jamie Gunter named 2017 Outstanding Support Staff Person of the Year Sources of Strength Teen Intervene Upshift  Youth Truth Surveys Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

This week, Dr. Amy Yillik welcomes Julie Patton, Student Success Coordinator at Elton Gregory Middle School in Redmond and a member of the Family Engagement Team with Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT). Their conversation centers around family engagement and the importance of educators establishing solid lines of communication with the families of their students. Children are more successful in school when their teachers work in partnership with their parents or guardians.  In order to develop this relationship, Julie recommends that educators reach out to parents or guardians as soon as possible so that positive connections are already in place if more serious communication is needed in the future. She stresses the need to find the form of communication that each family finds most comfortable and to realize that parents may have varying experience and views of the educational system. The key is to withhold judgment and offer any needed resources. Parenting can be acutely isolating, and educators can help families find support. Julie also offers information about the BRYT program, designed to partner with schools and families to promote healing, wellness, and academic success for students. The program is currently available in Oregon only in Redmond, Portland, and Bend/LaPine. She suggests that listeners consult the program's websites for more support in engaging families in their students' success.  Resources: BRYT Program in the Redmond School District  BRYT Program for Students in Transition  BRYT Caregiver Events 

Dr. Amy Yillik continues Season 11, Culture of Care, with a discussion of the concept of equity. Her guest, Steve Wetherald of Bend High School, defines the term as the assurance that all students have whatever they need to succeed. As a Graduation Coach, Steve works to encourage students, whatever their needs, to graduate and attend college, and as the faculty advisor of the school's Cross Cultural Club, he supports students in their efforts to build a mutually supportive and inclusive community. Much of the conversation centers around this Cross Cultural Club at Bend High School that grew out of students' request for a place where they feel absolutely safe and know that they belong. Steve affirms that all high schools might benefit from similar clubs, just as many colleges do. He offers suggestions for finding allies in this work of empowering students, whatever their needs.    Resources -  Steve Wetherald named 2022 Central Oregon Regional Teacher of the Year  OEA Commitment to Equity Center for Equity and Inclusion OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Confused about the concept of restorative justice? This week, host Dr. Amy Yillik talks with Sorahi Harati, Program Director of the Restorative Justice and Equity Group (RJE) in Bend. The two educators agree that restorative justice is often mislabeled as a misguided approach to discipline, “giving everyone a lollipop” to solve problems. Sorahi explains that, in reality, efforts of this kind involve peaceful problem-solving techniques to fit each situation. Also helpful are proactive restorative practices that preclude harmful interactions in the first place by building community and a sense of belonging.  This episode offers simple suggestions for building circles of communication and teaching students of all ages how they might handle contentious situations. The message to educators: this is a practice that you've probably already begun as a thoughtful, reflective educator. Reach out for support and more information through Culture of Care and the Restorative Justice and Equity Group.    Resources Restorative Justice & Equity Group  OEA Restorative Practices Solution Circle Culture of Care recommended reading on Restorative Justice Katherine Evans and Dorothy Vaandering. The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education. Good Books, 2016.  Howard Zehr. The Little Book of Restorative Justice. Good Books, 2015.  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Each of the episodes so far in Season 11 has centered on how educators might support the wellness of students. And in each week's discussion, our host Dr. Amy Yillik and her guests have acknowledged that the suggested strategies for students work best when educators are themselves calm and mindful. This week, Dr. Yillik turns her focus to ways that educators can achieve this level of wellness with her guest Sandi Washburn, Behavior Specialist with the Greater Albany Public Schools and author of two books on resilience and mindfulness. In their conversation, the two educators discuss how to deal with stress and avoid burnout, describing several exercises suggested in the two books.  Educators might include in their schedules a daily activity that is simple, yet calming to combat the stress inherent in education careers. These activities would ideally include movement, expressions of gratitude, and/or positive connections. If educators take the time, however limited, for self-care, they will in turn have the resources to model self-regulation and mindfulness for their students.    Resources “Self-Care, Wellness, and Joy”  Sandi Washburn, Better by the Letter: Educator Edition. BookBaby, 2020 Sandi Washburn. Better by the Letter: Family Edition. BookBaby, 2022.  Kelly McGonical. The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection, and Courage. Avery, 2021. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. Flatiron Books, 2021.   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

This week, Dr. Amy Yillik discusses trauma-responsive practices in education with Jessica Reamon, Autism Consultant for the Northwest Regional Education Service District. The two educators emphasize the importance of creating an environment where students feel safe and connected, a necessity for any learning to take place. They suggest achieving this goal through co-regulation, the process of modeling and teaching self-regulation skills with supportive responses and a warm, calming presence. Co-regulation, of course, cannot be effective if educators don't also feel safe and in control, an ideal that is often difficult to achieve with the stress that is endemic to the field of education. This episode suggests a variety of strategies to maintain your equilibrium and sense of calm (have you ever heard of dance church?). The benefits for yourself and your students are within reach.    Resources Autism Resource Site, compiled by Jessica Reamon Trauma-Informed Education Dance Church   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Do you know the term “interoception,” the perception of the internal state of one's body? Tune into this episode for ways to help students refine their sense of interoception and gain awareness and self-control over their emotions and behavior. Dr. Amy Yillik's guest this week is Katie Diez, an occupational therapist in the High Desert Education Service District who explains the importance of students becoming mindful of their body sensations and how these sensations are linked to emotions in particular. She suggests that educators encourage students to recognize physical sensations without judgment, link them to specific emotions, and develop strategies to deal with them.  Educators can use these same methods, even as simple as deep breathing, to handle their own stress. This episode offers an array of helpful suggestions for achieving mindfulness and self-control as we help students self-regulate their behavior.      Resources -  The Significance of Interoception Mindfulness in the Classroom Resources for Educators  Katie Diez demonstrates a mindfulness exercise, bead breathing Katie Diez's “Katie Calm Time” - working with students on turn taking, impulse control, and social skills  Using Body Wisdom to Calm the Stressed Brain - OEA self-paced module Applied Educational Neuroscience Program OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Dr. Amy Yillik continues her conversation this week with her Culture of Care colleagues, Amber McGill and Erin Taylor. In this episode they explain in detail how the program, focusing on trauma-responsive, restorative, and equitable practices, supports schools in the High Desert Education Service District with workshops, coaching, and other pedagogical services that individual educators often have neither time nor resources to provide for their students. This episode offers simple, yet practical suggestions for helping students feel secure and empowered. The three coaches also discuss ways for educators to focus on their own wellness and avoid burnout. The conversation is overall an optimistic one - despite overworked educators and understaffed schools, there is an upsurge of commitment to these areas of restorative and equitable practices in Oregon, and listeners are encouraged to reach out to make connections and find support.  Resources  Tim Feeney Script Guides to simplify restorative practices    Michael Grinder, ”Master the Science of Nonverbal Communication” with ENVoY Coaches and Trainers   Katharine Manning. The Empathetic Workplace: 5 Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident Response to Trauma on the Job. HarperCollins Leadership, 2021.  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

In this first episode of Season 11, our host Dr. Amy Yillik, discusses the importance of supporting the adults in the school system in order to foster trauma-sensitive, restorative, and equitable environments for students. Dr. Yillik's guests this week are her colleagues Erin Taylor and Amber McGill, who work with her in Culture of Care, a program created by six Oregon school districts in the High Desert Education Service District. The three women bring their experience and expertise in school psychology to hold workshops and learning opportunities for adults who work with students so that they can support students' needs to feel safe, seen, known, and valued. Tune into this episode to gain insights into the challenges faced by students navigating a system that may not always meet their needs. The problems are increasingly acute when overworked educators are often on the verge of burnout, with overcrowded classrooms, understaffed schools, and lack of time for self-care. The three Culture of Care coaches offer suggestions for school districts facing these hurdles.    Resources -  Culture of Care program    Dr. Amy Yillik's TED Ed Talk    Erin Taylor's TED Ed Talk    Matthew R. Morris on Teacher Burnout    Herbert J. Freudenberger. Burn Out: The High Cost of High Achievement. Bantam, 1983.  OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

The Oregon Education Association welcomes you to Season 11 of the OEA Grow podcast series in which we will discuss the growing problem of trauma in our schools. Our host this season is Dr. Amy Yillik from Culture of Care, a program in central Oregon that offers coaching and consultation for schools in trauma responses. In this season's episodes, Amy draws on her more than twenty years' experience as a school counselor, psychologist, and counselor educator, as well as her position as professor in the School Counseling Master's Program at the University of Southern California. Amy will speak with educators around the state this season who have developed trauma-sensitive, restorative, and equitable practices to take care of our students, ourselves, and each other. 

In this last episode of Season 10, our host Sakura Hamada expands the discussion of newly arrived students to include the community college level. Her guest is Kathryn Long from Clackamas Community College, who explains that adult newly arrived college students may not be actually newly arrived in this country because of registration timelines. They often differ from K-12 students, too, because of financial and work-related challenges. Educators should be aware of the students' wide variety of backgrounds, some with previously earned degrees from other countries and others lacking any higher education experience. Even though she is a teacher of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), Kathryn teaches much more than English language skills, also helping her students to navigate American conversation, including cultural norms surrounding questions, compliments, and requests. She suggests several ways to converse with adults from other cultures with respect and understanding.    Resources Immigrant Students in Oregon Higher Education  ESOL at Clackamas Community College Kathryn suggests OER (Open Educational Resources) texts to reduce financial hardships on students. Also see the Open Textbook Library.OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Host Sakura Hamada focuses this week on trauma experienced by newly arrived students and how educators can create safe spaces for them. Her guest is Franky Collins, who is experienced in working with both elementary and middle-school newcomers. She explains that these students can often come from traumatic backgrounds and family situations, so educators must be prepared with individualized lessons, spaces to retreat for de-stressing, and a variety of modalities for learning.  She emphasizes the importance of collaborating with colleagues and reaching out to families to focus on what's best for each student.  As a bonus, Franky divulges her secret of using music and dancing, usually at the beginning of each day, to create an atmosphere of casual community building and socio-emotional learning. Of course, the students contribute to the class's playlist, often from their homelands, and Franky shares with us the musicians from around the world who are currently popular with her students. She adds that she finds it useful to read migration literature to understand her students more thoroughly. Her goals are three-fold: that her students are unafraid to ask for help, that they have organizational skills for success, and that they get to know themselves and their friends.    Resources -  Trauma Informed Education Franky Collins recommends this memoir for educators of newcomer students - Javier Zamora. Solito. Hogarth, 2022.   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

In this episode host Sakura Hamada focuses on the challenges of language learning for newcomer students with her guest, Gaby Aguilar-Lopez, from Twality Middle School in the Tigard-Tualatin District, who teaches ELD (English Language Development) and AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination). The two educators discuss how crucial language is as a connector for students, and how difficult it can be for newcomers to master the academic and grammatical use of language, in addition to the more basic intercommunication skills (BICS).  This episode offers practical suggestions about how to welcome our newly arrived students and encourage their language acquisition, and also their socio-emotional learning. These newly arrived students should be praised for their achievements and the knowledge they already possess, instead of being reminded of any limitations.    Resources Newcomer Students' English Language Development Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)   Newcomer Tool Kit OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

This week's episode offers additional suggestions for supporting newcomer students with Sakura's guest, Beyoung Yu from the Portland Public Schools. As an English Language Development (ELD) educator, Beyoung builds a base for the English language with his students, but he sees his job in a broader context as well. He offers suggestions about how to connect with students' cultural identities and first languages to make them feel seen and heard instead of being the “other.” Beyoung explains how he also reaches out to students' families to form strong communication channels.   Beyoung's suggestions include working to create a more inclusive curriculum for all students. He encourages educators to grow their own curriculum by using other teachers as resources, applying for grants, and building a relevant collection in the school library. This expanded curriculum counteracts the limitations of standardized testing and assessment that focuses on only one aspect of a student's achievements. The goal is to be mindful of students' identities and their backgrounds.    Resources ELD Department Main Page, Portland Public Schools   K-5 English Language Development, Portland Public Schools    NEA Foundation Grants and Fellowships   Exploring Young Immigrant Stories   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

In this very special bonus episode, we hear from a variety of educators from the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) on the conditions that led to the historic vote to authorize a strike. With nearly 99 percent of their members voting to authorize a strike, PAT educators explain why they are on the precipice of their first strike since the formation of PAT as a union in 1966. Portland educators and students have been asked to do more with less and are impacted by large class sizes and caseloads, a lack of special education resources and support, buildings in need of repair and renovation, and historical defunding issues. Learn about Bargaining for the Common Good and how Portland educators demanding, “The time is now!” will increase expectations across the state of Oregon for safe, sustainable, and equitable schools for our students.   https://www.pdxteachers.org/ OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Host Sakura Hamada turns our attention this week to ways in which educators can support newly arrived students in middle school. Her guest is Rena Jan, a seventh-grade counselor for  the Beaverton School District, who acknowledges that middle school is often a bewildering time of change and transition, even for students without language or cultural challenges. Rena suggests that extra care be taken to ensure that the newly arrived students feel supported and gain a sense of belonging. To that end, she spends a great deal of time with new students, especially on their first day, to get to know them as individuals. She checks in with them throughout that first day to be sure that they can navigate the lunch line, the changing of classes, and even the school buses at the end of the day.  Rena's concern extends to the parents who might have difficulty communicating with the school through the various apps that can be confusing for anyone. Outreach to parents is crucial, she believes. Rena feels that her role as counselor is to help with any obstacle that stands in the way of students' learning and becoming part of the school community.    Resources Oregon's Migrant Education Program Immigration and Racial Equity for Immigrant and International Students  Multilingual and Migrant Education   OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Sakura's guest this week is Jocelin Morales, a school counselor with the Beaverton School District, who shares ways in which she supports newly arrived students and their families in her school. Drawing on her own experience as the child of Mexican immigrants, Jocelin is sensitive to students' needs as they find themselves in a new and different environment. She works to create a safe space for them in the school, collaborating with interpreters and classroom teachers and even doing her own research into each new student's culture.  She suggests that educators reach out also to families, in ways that are comfortable for them, and locate resources in the community that they might need. The overall goal, Jocelin explains, is to build trust with the students and their families and welcome them into the school community.   Resources -  Supporting Immigrant Families and Students   Educator Training for Supporting Newly Arrived Students   NEA Issue Explainer: Immigration    OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Welcome back to Season 10 of the OEA Grow podcast, in which our host Sakura Hamada explores how we as educators can support newly arrived students. In this first episode of the season, Sakura speaks with Ethelyn Tumalad from Clackamas High School about her work with the AVID program (Advancement Via Individual Determination). This program supports students throughout all four years of high school to prepare them for college as first-generation students. Ethelyn tells us that the goal is twofold - to help students discover their authentic selves and feel confident that they belong. Sakura and Ethelyn discuss from personal experience how terrifying the classroom can be for newly arrived students. They explain how educators in any classroom can support students by really listening to each student and celebrating accomplishments rather than focusing on deficits. This week's episode will suggest ways to incorporate student-centered learning to help students respect one another and see the strengths in each other's differences.    Resources -  OEA Member Spotlight on Ethelyn Tumalad Ethelyn Tumalad named Oregon Teacher of the Year, 2022 AVID program   Books recommended by Ethelyn -   Tony DelaRosa. Teaching the Invisible Race: Embodying a Pro-Asian American Lens in Schools. Foreward by Liz Kleinrock. Jossey-Bass, 2023.   Lori Desautels. Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline. Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, 2020.    Christopher Emdin. Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success. Beacon Press, 2021.   Gholdy Muhammad. Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Scholastic Teaching Resources, 2020.  Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez. For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts: A Love Letter to Women of Color. Seal Press, 2021.    OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network  

Welcome to Season Ten of the OEA Grow Podcast, a member-led production of the Oregon Education Association. This season's topic is “Supporting Newly Arrived Students,” with an in-depth look at how educators can address the needs of students who have recently come into the school system, a group that includes migrants, refugees, and children of migrant workers. Our host is Sakura Hamada, school counselor for the Portland Public Schools District and a leader in local and state-wide initiatives for cultural awareness. In the coming weeks, Sakura will speak with educators who work with newly arrived students of all grade levels, from elementary school to community college. Tune in each week to learn how we can support these students and their families. 

Malik continues Season 9 with a frank discussion of how BIPOC educators can survive burn-out and thrive in what is still a predominantly white environment in Oregon schools. Malik's guest is Gregory Dunkin, a culinary arts teacher for twenty years in the Eugene 4J school district, who shares his wisdom with new educators and with the administrators who would like to retain them. He strongly advises BIPOC educators to find their community outside the school environment, in places where their feelings can be understood and validated. Within the school environment, Gregory and Malik discuss the frustrating expectation that educators of color will be spokespeople for their culture. Gregory offers suggestions for finding spaces without an imposed agenda. And he upholds this priority in his role as mentor and teacher, letting young people grow their own mindsets, develop critical thinking skills, and form their own connections with each other. Community and recognition of culture is key for educators and students, both within and outside of the classroom.   Resources -  OEA Members Speak Out About Equity Issues Finding Community - Affinity Spaces and Equity SPARKS Retreat OEA Fall Professional Learning Catalog OEA Grow is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network