This Thing Called School

Host, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon, chats it up with Dr. James Pedersen. Dr. Pedersen is the Superintendent of the Essex County Schools of Technology district, in northern New Jersey. The two discuss his journey from the world of Special Education to the proverbial top of the food chain in a school district, and how each step has informed his leadership "preparing the next generation of essential workers." Enjoy and be well.

Host, Dr. Chatmon, speaks with educator and social critic, Tony Clark, about his work empowering our families and communities to start some good trouble as they learn how to advocate for their children’s best interest and blow the system up from the inside. From reasons beyond the scope of show notes, there is a documented difference in the relationship with schools that Black and brown families have as compared to their white and Asian counterparts. The two discuss how educators, administrators especially, can build capacity in their school communities as we all do the work to improve this thing called school. Please keep the conversation going on social media with Tony Clark:The Only T Clark on TwitterTClark617 on InstagramGoodies from the conversation:W. E. B. DuBois Info on W. E. B. DuBoisThe Talented Tenth Definition of the Talented Tenth from BrittanicaBoston busing An Article from History.com on Busing in BostonCSV sheets What is a CSV sheet?Teach for America https://www.teachforamerica.org/Dr. Pedro Noguera Education Sociologist with an emphasis on equity and raceSee Saw Digital platform for student portfoliosBe well.

How do you reconcile liking students and the interaction in the classroom, but you don't like the way your school "schools"? Better yet, how do you manage these feelings in the midst of a global pandemic? Host, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon, and 13 year-teaching-veteran Tiffany Wiley-Grant chat about these feelings, ideal school environments, good ole frustration with the system, but still managing to offer grace to us all. Let us know what you think by connecting on @ThisThingCalled School on Instagram and Facebook.

This week, our host, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon, had the pleasure of talking social unrest, social justice, and social studies with my friend, Tiffany Wiley-Grant, her daughter, who is a recent high school graduate, and my niece, a rising senior at an independent school. The conversation this week touches on how we are all managing in the current times, and how each of us, in our different roles in education, are preparing for an unknown restart in the fall. You can follow Dr. Chatmon on Instagram @ed_dr_mom to learn more about her school leadership, children's books she's working on, and most importantly, mommying her seven year old son.Please follow the podcast on Instagram @ThisThingCalledSchool , and let us know how you're liking the conversation, of if you have a topic you'd love to hear discussed.Music courtesy of https://www.bensound.com/Be well.

This week, our host, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon, speaks with Dr. Abigail Joseph - an educator passionate about the role of Computer Science both in and outside of the classroom. Dr. Joseph shares her experiences as part of an under-represented audience in the Computer Science education space, and how she is working to provide exposure and experiences in Computer Science to that same audience.Below are links to the Computer Science organizations and programs discussed in the conversation, as well as social media for Dr. Abigail Joseph:edstoria.com ( http://edstoria.com )Join the edstoria Educators’ Lounge on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/edstoriaEducatorsLounge/ )About the CSTA Equity Fellowship ( https://www.csteachers.org/page/csta-equity-fellowship )CSTA Equity Fellow Spotlight: Abigail Joseph ( https://www.csteachers.org/Stories/csta-equity-fellow-spotlight-abigail-joseph )Complimentary Origins Towards Demystifying Computer Science for Non-CS TeachersThe Computer Scientist Educator Perspective: Breaking Stereotypes by Abigail Joseph (https://www.csteachers.org/Stories/complimentary-origins-towards-demystifying-computer-science-for-non-cs-teachers-the-computer-scientist-educator-perspective-brea )

This week's conversation is with Leslye Folmar-Harris, elementary school teacher and founder of Changing Narratives, LLC. Changing Narratives is a hub for all things CRT - that's culturally responsive teaching. Leslye is the embodiment of the hashtag - #reprsentationmatters - as she channels her energy and passion into advocating for and academically preparing students through several enrichment programs.Please follow Leslye on Twitter: @LeslyeRFolmar on Instagram: @ChangingNarrativesToo and Facebook: Changing Narratives LLC. Thank you for sharing these moments with us. Please tell a friend, leave a review, or share an episode to help grow the conversation.be well.

This week's episode features a conversation with host, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon, and her now retired mother, Jackie Chatmon - who grew up in the Jim Crow South prior to being the first person in her family to ever attend college. After receiving a full scholarship to Spelman College, continuing on to the Wharton School of Business for MBA, and many years in the finance industry, Jackie Chatmon reflects on the importance of public school in her life, and how she works to give back to the school system where she currently lives. Please leave a review, tell a friend, or share an episode to help grow the conversation about This Thing Called School.

Welcome back. This week, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon chats with Eric Harrield, who currently serves as the Basketball Manager overseeing the basketball program in the 45 school Success Academy network of charter schools in New York City. Charter schools tend to push some buttons, and can lead to heated debates about their function and value, but often don't include people familiar with this particular form of education Here, these two discuss the view from the inside of a high-performing charter school network. Please leave a message, a review, tell a friend, or share the podcast so we can get more folks in on these much needed conversations. Be well.

This week, I chat with Katie Trejo, a mental health counselor for a public high school district, where we both are employed. We discuss the role mental health plays in student success, the ways in which many schools currently support the mental health of students, and suggestions on how to improve those supports. We mention IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) in our conversation, and more information about these supporst are available here: http://www.courts.ca.gov/35398.htm Please leave a review, comment or question. Be well.

On this second episode, your host, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon, checks in with the young people she is under the "safer at home" order with after nearly a month of school closures, and also speaks with filmmaker and writer, Tahir Jetter, about his experiences as a substitute teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

On this first episode of This Thing Called School, Dr. Jennifer Chatmon speaks with two young people she is currently "safer at home with" about school closures and how they're feeling about it all.

This Thing Called Schools is a podcast, hosted by Dr. Jennifer C. Chatmon, that showcases conversations with folks who work in and around education as way to share and create best practices.