IDRA Classnotes

“IDRA CN 60 – School Accountability to Poor Families”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 16 October 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((October 16, 2009) Schools, particularly those that serve low-income students, are required to provide information to parents about the schools’ progress. The intent is for parents to be able to use this data to hold their schools accountable and to be in dialogue with each other and with educators about what areas in their school need more attention. As IDRA prepares to release its latest study of high school attrition in Texas, Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, talks about how parents can work together to hold their school accountable and to examine the big picture of how well their children’s school is doing for all students. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 59 – Professional Development for Secondary Math Teachers”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 29 September 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((September 29, 2009) Expertise in teaching math can mean many things, like knowing the content and pedagogy. It also means understanding how to teach your particular content to your specific students, such as English language learners. Staff development for teachers, then, needs to consider all of these types of teacher expertise. Jack Dieckmann, Ph.D., a former senior math education specialist at IDRA and current doctoral student at Stanford, discusses how teacher training needs to validate teacher experience and address multiple dimensions like content and language development. Jack is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 58 – The Teacher as a Culturally Proficient Coach”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 18 September 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((September 18, 2009) New teachers have a lot on their minds when they first walk in to their own classroom. Among their concerns involves building relationships with students and parents, particularly when the families’ cultures differ from their own. Peer mentoring by more experienced teachers in the school is a powerful way to support beginning teachers. Adela Solís, Ph.D., and IDRA senior education associate, describes IDRA’s unique model of training teacher mentors that incorporates principles of cultural proficiency with cognitive coaching. Adela is interviewed by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 57 – Helping Schools Address Issues of Race”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 25 August 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((August 24, 2009) Public schools are required under the Civil Rights Act to protect students from racial discrimination and harassment. School leaders also are responsible for ensuring that all of their students have an equal opportunity for academic achievement. Despite the progress our country has made, our schools continue to face issues of race. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, describes the kinds of support that the federally-funded equity assistance centers provide to help school leaders and communities look at what’s going on and break down their particular situation into subsystems in order to improve schooling for their students. Dr. Scott is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 56 – The Family Friendly Principal”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 20 June 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((June 20, 2009) Family leadership in education is a key goal of schools, but often the focus of parent involvement work is on fundraising and free labor. IDRA has led many to understand that family engagement should instead bring families into the conversation of creating student success. IDRA senior education associate, Dr. Rogelio López del Bosque, discusses how he created a family friendly school during his recent five-year term as a high school principal in order to bring families into the conversation of creating a school that achieved success for all students. Dr. López is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 55 – Family Friendly at the School Door”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 9 June 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((June 9, 2009) School leaders are using various innovative methods to engage families and communities members, but if people feel unwelcome when they walk into the school, those great plans fail. Some schools are beginning to look at business models of customer service to garner community support for students. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, talks about his customer service training with a school district that began by validating all staff positions as important to the success of students and extended to staff members building ways to support each other in actively welcoming families and communities. Aurelio is interviewed by Laurie Posner, MPA, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 54 – Student Voices on Being Valued”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((May 13, 2009) It’s one thing to have evaluation data showing a school program is working, like the 98 percent success rate of IDRA’s Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. But the success is even more dramatic when you hear the students in their own words describe how their lives have changed. Following a national essay contest among tutors in the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, Linda Cantu, Ph.D., director of this dropout prevention program, shares examples of student’s stories of how the program helped them do better in school and how they had helped their tutees to do better. In addition, the grand prize winner, Gabriella Guajardo, reads her own winning essay. Linda is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 53 – School Change Strategies”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((April 27, 2009) Making changes schools of course requires looking at the fundamentals and elements that need shoring up in each community in order to ensure all students are successful. So the next question to ask is how do we make change happen? In the third of a set of podcast episodes on this topic, IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes how IDRA’s Quality School Action Framework indentifies three strategies for changing schools: capacity of the community to influence schools, building coalitions, and building the capacity of the schools themselves. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 52 – Fundamentals for School Change”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 7 Apr 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((April 7, 2009) Research tells us that certain things must be in place for schools to be successful. These elements are parent and community engagement, engagement of students, quality teaching, and curriculum quality. IDRA’s Quality School Action Framework shows how communities and schools can work together to identify where these elements are weak and strengthen their schools’ capacities to improve their holding power. In order for these to elements to be strong, it is essential that the foundations be in place as well: governance efficacy and funding equity. In the second of a set of podcast episodes on this topic, IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes the two school change fundamentals of governance efficacy and funding equity in the Quality School Action Framework that are required for school success. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 51 – Student Engagement and the Language of the Mathematics Class”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((March 26, 2009) Effective math secondary teachers use words, visual display and gestures to help their students understand symbols and terminology. Just as hypercorrecting toddlers when they say “two foots” can slow language development, hypercorrecting students when they don’t use the precise terminology can hinder their math development. Jack Dieckmann, M.A., a former senior math education specialist at IDRA and current doctoral student at Stanford, describes the importance of using the language of the student and allowing for messy talk to help their students make meaning of math concepts. Jack is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 50 – Busting Myths About Children of Poverty”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((March 12, 2009) As education gaps continue between low-income students and their peers, many school leaders have been looking for effective ways to close the gap. Unfortunately, some buy into myths about children of poverty and their ability to learn that lead to lower expectations inappropriate teaching. In this 50th episode of the Classnotes Podcast, Bradley Scott, Ph.D., and Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., discuss these myths, how they fail to recognize the strengths that students bring and how they lead to inequitable and unsuccessful education. Bradley directs the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, and Aurelio directs the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 49 – The Civil Rights Impact of Response to Intervention”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((February 27, 2009) Schools across the country are examining how they will implement the Response to Intervention (RTI) frame that is intended to provide early assistance to children who are having difficulty learning. While RTI holds much promise, IDRA and others have pointed to its civil rights implications cautioning school leaders to protect children who, for example, may be misplaced into special education programs simply because they are minority or linguistically different. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, describes 11 equity conditions the national network of equity assistance centers believe must be in place for RTI to be successful. Bradley is interviewed by Rogelio López del Bosque, Ed.D., an senior education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 47 – Building Critical Thought through Children’s Literature”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((February 2, 2009) Children’s literature can capture children’s hearts, making their encounters with reading fun and instructive. In addition to building literacy, teachers can use children’s literature to inspire both critical thought and creative thought in their students. Dr. Juanita García, an education associate at IDRA, describes how she uses children’s literature to encourage students to read deeply, analyze, question and make associations with the stories. Juanita is is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 46 – Broadening the Conversation with Parents about Mathematics”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:00:00 PDT

((January 16, 2009) Engaging parents about their children’s math education is not about teaching them how to do math or about teaching teachers how to teach math. It’s about having a conversation around the context in the classroom and about developing parity in the relationship between teachers and parents in order to better support student learning. Jack Dieckmann, M.A., a former senior math education specialist at IDRA and current doctoral student at Stanford under Dr. Linda Darling Hammond, how teachers can converse with parents as peers even though they may have no knowledge of math instruction. Jack is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 45 – What Students Need their School Counselors to Hear”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((December 18, 2008) School counselors are in a unique position to support high school students in navigating the process to get into college. Yet particularly for students in high-minority, under-resourced schools, many things unnecessarily get in the way. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, highlights findings from IDRA research about what students need from their school counselors to help them get into and pay for college. Josie is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 44 – Beyond the Worksheet in the Science Classroom”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((November 21, 2008) What happens in the classroom powerfully impacts students’ perceptions of science. When worksheets are the order of the day, every day, students are likely to miss out on the joy of discovery, problem solving and critical thinking that science activities can bring. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, describes the purposes of using worksheets in the classrooms and engaging alternatives to their overuse. Veronica is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 43 – Families and Teachers Communicating”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 7 Nov 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((November 7, 2008) Engaging families typically is a difficult task for high schools. But it can be done. The school principal is in a crucial role to lead staff to embrace the foundational beliefs that all children can learn and that every student is valuable and to make these cornerstones in the instructional philosophy. After recently serving as a high school principal for five years, Dr. Rogelio López del Bosque shares how he created a culture of engagement among teachers and parents that welcomed and even expected dialog for student success. Dr. López, now an IDRA senior education associate, is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 42 – Action for School Change”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((October 21, 2008) With schools losing one-third of their students on average, dropout prevention programs, even the most effective ones, cannot solve the persistent large scale problem we face. Schools as systems themselves must change to increase their ability to engage and educate students through to graduation. IDRA’s Quality School Action Framework shows how communities and schools can work together to identify weak areas and strengthen public schools’ capacities to improve the holding power of schools. In the first of a set of podcast episodes on this topic, IDRA president and CEO, María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., describes the four elements in the Quality School Action Framework that must be in place for schools to be successful. Dr. Montecel is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 41 – College Access for Low Income and Minority Students”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 14 Sep 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((October 14, 2008) The promise of access to college and to educational technology has not been fulfilled for low-income minority students, particularly first-generation college students and their families. Nationally, children in low-income families are 32 percent less likely to attend college than those in families with higher incomes. Yet the fastest growing professions will require college education. Many families do not have access to information about colleges, how they operate, what is needed to apply and how to obtain financial aid. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, gives examples of how K-12 schools can actively support college access for their students. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 40 – Fostering Student Questions”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((September 15, 2008) The most important questions of all are those asked by students as they try to make sense out of data and information. Enabling students to generate their own content questions increases engagement, improves learning, and can result in purposeful involvement with the content. Yes most of the questions in school are asked by teachers at a rate of one question every two to three seconds. Dr. Juanita García, an education associate at IDRA, discusses ways to foster student questions and describes a specific group memory strategy teachers can use right away. Juanita is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 39 – Supporting First Year Teachers”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 2 Sep 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((September 2, 2008) Becoming a good teacher is a process that requires years of experience and commitment. But from the first day in the classroom, new teachers are expected to assume the same job responsibilities as teachers who have taught for 20 years. And most face this task with little assistance or guidance during their first year of teaching. As we open a new school year, Dr. Adela Solís, an IDRA senior education association, gives practical examples of things schools can do to support their new teachers and some strategies for new teachers during their first days with their students. Adela is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D. director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 38 – Effective Parent Outreach”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((July 23, 2008) School outreach workers often find themselves struggling to get parents to come to the school for meetings regardless of the numbers of fliers they send out. But there is a more powerful way to outreach to parents that involves direct personal contact with families in order to build a network of parent leaders. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, describes this new model and how it can transform the school-parent connection. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 37 – Gender Equity at 36”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((July 9, 2008) The summer marks the 36th anniversary of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination against students and employees in public schools. While we have clearly come a long way in the last 36 years, some issues remain and new ones have emerged. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, discusses where we are now in terms of the advancement of girls as well as gender equity challenges affecting boys today and what the school’s responsibility is under the law. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 36 – Transformational Teaching in Math”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((June 18, 2008) Clearly much of our math instruction is not producing the results we need. Things need to change. But change does not have to mean throwing out everything we know. It does not mean focusing on fixing problems. Kathryn Brown, an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Math Smart! model, describes how teachers are building on what they know to transform their teaching to better guide and empower student mathematical thinking. She says teachers with the active support of administrators can look at the beauty of the progression of their teaching so that all students have access. Kathy is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 35 – Communities Using Data to Improve their Schools”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((June 3, 2008) With schools losing one-third to one-half of their students, schools and communities around the country are looking to new ways to understand the obstacles to school success and to work together to address them. Gathering quality information is a first step. To meet this need, IDRA has developed a prototype school holding power portal that places accurate, high quality information in the hands of people at the leading edge of systems change. Anna Alicia Romero and Hector Bojorquez describe components of this portal, challenges families and others face in accessing useful data, and how communities are using IDRA’s School Holding Power Portal. Anna Alicia and Hector are interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts. Sign up to receive free e-mail notices when new episodes are available.

“IDRA CN 34 – Teaching Opportunities through Discovery in Science”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((May 19, 2008) Teachers actually can strengthen science learning by not giving students the answers. Discovery learning supports and promotes an inquiry-based learning method where children explore questions about the natural world they create using their own knowledge and experience. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, discusses how letting students of all ages facilitate their own learning through discovery to make science more meaningful to them. Veronica is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 33 – Student and Parent Math Conversations”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 29 April 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((April 29, 2008) Students in a large, urban high school came together to survey other students about their math learning at their school. After analyzing the results, this group of low-income, Hispanic students presented the results to parents, teachers and school administrators. As a result, students, parents and educators are taking action together to improve the math instruction at their school, which has not been meeting AYP. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, shares how students who have not been succeeding in math have opened a powerful collaborative dialog with parents and educators. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 32 – Early Literacy Development for English Language Learners”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 17 April 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((April 17, 2008) Teachers have been teaching children to read throughout history. But 10 years ago, the National Reading Panel outlined the essential components of reading instruction: alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, oral language and vocabulary development, and print awareness. José L. Rodríguez, M.A., an early childhood expert at IDRA, describes these components and how they relate to young English language learners. José is interviewed by Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 31 – Latino Parent Engagement in High School Math”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 03 March 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((April 3, 2008) A group of parents were deeply concerned about the math curriculum and instruction at their children’s Texas high school, which was not meeting AYP. They decided to survey parents and students to see what could be done to turn things around. What resulted was parents, students and educators at this large, predominantly Hispanic and low-income school having fruitful conversations to improve math education there. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, tells the story of how this group of parents is affecting student success. Aurelio is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 30 – Creating Leadership Opportunities for Students”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thu, 13 March 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((March 13, 2008) In building a student council and other leadership groups, school leaders generally select students with the best grades and attendance. It is seen as a reward. But middle school teacher of migrant students Jerry de la Garza believes that all students can be leaders. As his school’s teacher coordinator for the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, Jerry discusses how giving leadership opportunities to students who are considered at risk of dropping out leads to great transformations. Jerry is interviewed by Dr. Juanita García, an IDRA education associate. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 29 – Six Goals of Educational Equity”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 29 February 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((February 29, 2008) Every child in each school district, of any background, should have the chance to excel. Schools must ensure that all students are on track to graduate, prepared for college. To help schools and communities look together at these goals and create a plan of action, the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity has outlined the Six Goals of Educational Equity. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA SCCE, gives an overview of the six goals and discusses how school personnel and communities can use them as a yardstick to measure their progress and as a lightening rod to galvanize change. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager.

“IDRA CN 28 – Court Ruling on Compliance with NCLB Mandates”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 15 February 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((February 15, 2008) Recently, a three-judge panel of a federal appeals court ruled in favor of school districts in several states who claimed that the No Child Left Behind Act requires them to pay for testing and other programs without providing sufficient federal money. IDRA’s school policy director, Dr. Albert Cortez, gives an overview of the case and its implications for states, school districts as well as for NCLB reauthorization. Albert is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 27 – Leading a Diverse Campus to Success”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 25 January 2008 13:00:00 PDT

((January 25, 2008) Schools across the country are adapting to their changing populations. One such school in southern Louisiana once served primarily English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students. But now, after Hurricane Katrina it now serves students who speak Urdu, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Spanish and English. In the midst of this change, the school has ranked in the top three Jefferson Parish campuses for three years in a row. Elementary principal, Sandy Dolan, shares how she has transformed her campus to succeed during a time of dramatic population changes. Sandy is interviewed by Hector Bojorquez, IDRA’s technology specialist. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 26 – Dropout Prevention for Students with Special Needs”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 11 December 2007 13:00:00 PDT

((December 11, 2007) Students with disabilities drop out of school at higher rates than any other student group. Working with the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, IDRA has set up a planned variation of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program with an emphasis on serving students with disabilities. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, and Lee Ramos, a San Antonio high school teacher, talk about the dramatic impact of this pilot project and share stories of students it served. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 25 – Professional Learning Communities in Schools”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 26 November 2007 13:00:00 PDT

((November 26, 2007) A growing body of research has found that professional learning communities in schools, combined with mentoring, result in clear improvements in outcomes for staff and students. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, and Dr. Juanita García, an IDRA education associate, join Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, to describe such a community in a middle school in south Texas. Each of the teachers mentored, advocated for and championed three students who needed an educator in their lives who believes in them and their capacity for learning and success. The results were seen in a transformation of adults and improved student achievement. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 24 – Coaching and Mentoring New Teachers”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 9 November 2007 13:00:00 PDT

((November 9, 2007) Although new teachers are expected to assume the same job responsibilities as teachers who have taught for 20 years, most face this task with little assistance or guidance during their first year of teaching. Novice teachers must address the challenges of a new school culture, the emotional ups and downs associated with a new work experience, high expectations of the school and the community, and all the new knowledge that must be acquired about policies and practices of the school district. IDRA’s Dr. Linda Cantu and Dr. Adela Solís discuss how coaching and mentoring programs can give new teachers the peer support and trusted advice they need to succeed from day one. Linda and Adela also share unique features of IDRA’s coaching and mentoring model, which focuses on improving teacher practices that work in classrooms with diverse student populations, particularly low-income, minority and other students with special needs. They are interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 23 - The Watch on Racism Cannot Stop”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 26 October 2007 13:00:00 PDT

((October 26, 2007) Conversations about diversity in schools and in society typically put people in categories based on race, gender, and so on. As a result, the duality that minority girls and minority women live in often is overlooked. Dr. Shirley Nash Weber, former chair of the Department of Africana Studies and Professor of Africana Studies at San Diego State University, presented a keynote this summer on the challenge African American women in particular face in balancing gender and equity. The keynote was presented during the annual conference of the Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education (AGELE), which was co-sponsored by the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 22 - Science is a Key to Life”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 15 October 2007 13:00:00 PDT

(October 15, 2007) Nurturing the budding scientists of the 21st Century to explore, discover and expand our universe is a new way of looking at science education. But this is precisely what is needed to shift from traditional science instruction approaches to a broader paradigm that affirms that all students really can learn science. Veronica Betancourt, M.A., an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Science Smart! model, discusses how minor tweaks in teaching practices can open giant doors for students, particularly for girls, minority students and English language learners. Veronica is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 21 – Engaging Parents in Education”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 28 September 2007 13:00:00 PDT

(September 28, 2007) The U.S. Department of Education recently released a new publication called “Engaging Parents in Education” that profiles five Parent Information and Resource Centers, including the IDRA Texas PIRC. The guide shows how PIRCs are helping to increase parent involvement in education through strong parent-educator partnerships to improve schools and raise students' academic achievement. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, describes how this new guide can provide ideas and specific strategies for engaging parents in schools. Aurelio is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 20 – Science in Early Childhood Bilingual Classrooms”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 14 September 2007 13:00:00 PDT

(September 14, 2007) Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat, points out that it takes 15 years to create a scientist or advanced engineer. And since Hispanics are dramatically underrepresented in science-related careers, and the immediate outlook does not show signs of this changing, experts like Dr. Rosalinda Barrera are calling for more focused attention to science in the early years. Young children's natural curiosity is ripe to be used as a basis for learning, understanding and enhancing science concepts. And science discovery can also further language development among English language learners. In a presentation at the Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Early Childhood Educators Institute, Dr. Barrera, dean of the College of Education at Texas State University in San Marcos, draws a vivid picture of the need for schools to actively integrate science instruction into the earliest grades for second language learners. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 19 – Fostering Student Engagement English Language Learners”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 29 August 2007 13:00:00 PDT

(August 29, 2007) Because of English language learners' different English proficiency levels, teachers often struggle to find ways to have students actively participate in their learning. This is particularly the case for content area teachers who may have had little or no training in teaching English language learners. IDRA is helping teachers learn, reflect and adapt instructional strategies so that all their students are engaged and learning the content and academic language. Kristin Grayson, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate outlines the engagement-based sheltered instruction model that she developed at IDRA and describes its research base. Kristin is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity. Send comments to podcast@idra.org or fill out form online at www.idra.org/Podcasts.

“IDRA CN 18 – U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Race”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 15 August 2007 13:00:00 PDT

(August 15, 2007) The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in late June involving race desegregation in two school districts in Seattle and Louisville. The cases involved specific methods used for voluntary integration of schools, which were stricken down by the court’s ruling, causing schools across the country to wonder whether they must drastically change their own desegregation efforts. Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity, clarifies the issue that the ruling applies only to voluntary desegregation plans and that race can sometimes be used to achieve diversity for the benefit of children’s effective education. Bradley is interviewed by Christie Goodman, APR, IDRA’s communications manager.

“IDRA CN 17 – A Conversation about Single Sex Education”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 31 July 2007 13:00:00 PDT

(July 30, 2007) The U.S. Department of Education recently expanded regulations for single sex education programs. Is single sex schooling really beneficial to students? What does the research say? Kathy Rigsby, assistant director of the Interwest Equity Assistance Center in Denver, takes a moment during a conference of the Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education to discuss this issue that has sparked so much dialogue around the country. Kathy has worked with two desegregation assistance centers, one at Weber State University (Utah) and at Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colorado) where she served as assistance director. She has developed and published materials on Title IX compliance and on the prevention of sexual and racial harassment. Kathy is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity.

“Listener Survey Promo”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Mon, 23 July 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Listener survey promo.

“IDRA CN 16 - Five Dimensions of Mathematical Proficiency”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 13 July 2007 13:00:00 PDT

What does it mean to be mathematically proficient? The Committee on Mathematics Learning was established by the National Research Council in 1998. In its report, Helping Children Learn Mathematics, the committee chose the term “mathematical proficiency” to capture what it means to learn mathematics successfully. The understanding is that all students need to be on the road to mathematical proficiency beginning in pre-kindergarten. Kathryn Brown, an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Math Smart! model, outlines the five dimensions of mathematical proficiency and provides tips on helping students develop their mathematical thinking. Kathy is interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center

“IDRA CN 15 - Learnings from the Coca Cola Valued Youth Program”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thr, 28 June 2007 13:00:00 PDT

The IDRA Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program is a research-based, internationally-recognized dropout prevention program that has kept 98 percent of its tutors in school. This internationally-recognized program creates transformations in students, teachers, and schools. Since its inception in 1984, the lives of more than 220,000 children, families and educators have been positively impacted by the program. Linda Cantu, Ph.D., and Juanita García, Ph.D., discus several things they have learned during more than two decades of experience with IDRA’s highly-successful dropout prevention program, the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. Linda and Juanita are interviewed by Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center.

“IDRA CN 14 - Good Schools for Children Learning English”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 20 June 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Research shows that bilingual education, when well implemented, is the most effective way to teach English to speakers of other languages while also teaching core subjects like math, reading and social studies. Josie Danini Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, outlines an IDRA study of 10 bilingual education programs across the country with high academic success of their students. Researching these programs, IDRA identified the common characteristics and criteria that are contributing to the success of students served by bilingual education programs. This research study, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and the corresponding publication, Good Schools and Classrooms for Children Learning English, highlight some of the practices in schools that enable students to grow academically and socially in their native language as well as English. Josie is interviewed by Bradley Scott, Ph.D., director of the IDRA South Central Collaborative for Equity.

“IDRA CN 13 - Access to Higher Levels of Mathematics”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Latino and African American children are under-represented in advanced math courses. And achievement gaps in math by ethnicity and economic background are sharp divides between minority, low-income high school students and their peers. These divisions show up later on college campuses, the workplace, earnings and life opportunities. Poor math preparation hurts children and leaves the nation behind as well. Twenty three out of 38 countries outperform the United States in mathematics literacy. Kathryn Brown, an IDRA education associate and developer of IDRA’s Math Smart! model, discusses how all students should have access to quality instruction in math that ensures success on all assessments, and enrollment and completion in higher-level mathematics courses.

“IDRA CN 12 - Reflections from Early Childhood Institute Attendees”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:00:00 PDT

The Annual IDRA La Semana del Niño Early Childhood Educators Institute. It is the only institute in the country that focuses on early childhood education of English language learners. In this episode, IDRA’s Christie Goodman interviews three participants from the institute: Toni Rodríguez from Texas, Michel Cristina from Louisiana, and Pam Logan from Michigan. They talk about their experience there, what is happening at their schools and what they learned at the institute that will help them.

“IDRA CN 11 - Valuing Families in Children’s Education”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:00:00 PDT

The underlying assumptions we have about our students have a dramatic affect on our ability to teach. The same holds true among adults. Even with the best of intentions, educators struggle to work with families without realizing that their own deficit assumptions are creating the barriers. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, illustrates the contrast between the valuing and deficit models of thinking and acting, and he provides examples of schools that are valuing families as partners in children’s education.

“IDRA CN 10 - Early Childhood Classrooms of Excellence”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:00:00 PDT

A Classroom of Excellence is a place where all young children thrive and are ready for school. IDRA has developed this model for creating early childhood classrooms of excellence and has been implementing it in several centers in San Antonio. Research is showing dramatic results among participating children. José L. Rodríguez, M.A., an IDRA education associate, and Josie Cortez, M.A., an IDRA senior education associate, share highlights of the model and transformations that have occurred in classrooms for children, teachers and families.

“IDRA CN 09 - Fostering Gender Equity in the Classroom”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Federal law prohibits sex discrimination in schools, yet inequities remain. For example, teachers often treat boys and girls differently when it is not appropriate to do so. Other issues include limiting access and dissuading girls from participating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses, over-representation of boys in disciplinary actions, and the impact of stereotyping on access and inclusion. Frances Guzmán, M.Ed., an IDRA education associate, discusses where gender inequities tend to show up in classrooms and how educators can make changes to ensure equity for girls and boys.

“IDRA CN 08 - Framing Systems Change for Student Success”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 2 Mar 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, IDRA executive director, spoke at a conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, entitled "High Poverty Schooling in America: Lessons in Second-Class Citizenship" in October. The event was held by the North Carolina Law Review; the University of North Carolina Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity; the UNC Center for Civil Rights; and the UNC School of Education. Dr. Robledo Montecel sat on the closing panel which focused on: What are the most promising strategies to improving achievement in high poverty schools. Her presentation is framed around the IDRA Quality Schools Action Framework that shows how we can strengthen public education for all students.

“IDRA CN 07 - Serving Migrant Students”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Migrant students are perhaps the most educationally disenfranchised group of students in our schooling system. They are highly mobile and have diverse linguistic backgrounds, which pose challenges that our educational system is minimally prepared to address. Teachers and schools that integrate students' culture and rich array of experiences into the curriculum find it beneficial to all students. But oftentimes, teachers of migrant students are unaware of the resources available to them. IDRA has created an interactive CD and guide that provide insights about migrant students in classrooms and best practices within migrant education programs. Dr. Adela Solís, an IDRA senior education associate, discusses common misconceptions about educating migrant students and strategies educators need to use to serve them successfully.

“IDRA CN 06 - The Need for Cross-Race, Cross-Sector Dialogues”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Featuring Dr. Rosana Rodríguez and Frances Guzmán join Dr. Bradley Scott.

“IDRA CN 05 - School Holding Power for Every Child”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Thr, 04 Jan 2007 13:00:00 PDT

Featuring Dr. María Robledo Montecel.

“IDRA CN 04 - A Model for Successful Reading Instruction”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 13:00:00 PDT

Featuring Dr. Juanita García and Hector Bojorquez.

“IDRA CN 03 - The Power of IDRA’s Parent Leadership Model”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:00:00 PDT

Featuring Aurelio Montemayor.

“IDRA CN 02 - Using the New High School Allotment in Texas”

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:00:00 PDT

Featuring Dr. Albert Cortez

"IDRA CN 01 - Racial and Sexual Harassment - A School's Legal Obligations"u

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:00:00 PDT

Featuring Dr. Bradley Scott.

Texas School Dropout Problem Podcast

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:16:29 -0500

Hear the “state of the state” regarding school holding power in Texas. IDRA executive director, Dr. María "Cuca" Robledo Montecel, describes why Texas is losing one student every four minutes and what we must do to make graduation a guarantee.

Increasing School Holding Power for All Students Podcast Series-Overview

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:29:39 -0500

Part 1: Overview of IDRA Research on Dropouts and School Holding Power IDRA led the first comprehensive statewide study of school dropouts in Texas over two decades ago. Hear an overview of key findings from this and other critical studies and how they have influenced practice today

Increasing School Holding Power Part 2: Five Characteristics of School Holding Power

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:07:52 -0500

IDRA’s research on strategies for reducing the dropout rate, stemming from research-based effective strategies and IDRA’s experience in schools over the last three decades, shows five components are vital to successful dropout prevention.

Increasing School Holding Power- Part 3: Overview of Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:00:28 -0500

The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, created by IDRA, is an internationally-recognized dropout prevention cross-age tutoring program in schools across the United States and Brazil. This highly successful program includes research-based program support and rigorous evaluation.

Increasing School Holding Power- Part 4: Seven Lessons from Texas About Dropouts and School Holding Power

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:10:20 -0500

Having dealt with this issue so closely for so many years, IDRA offers the following seven lessons from Texas in the hope that many more will take up the call to action. Based on an expansion of a presentation by Dr. Robledo Montecel to the Education Writers Association’s Regional Seminar.

Increasing School Holding Power- Part 5: Quality Schools Action Framework

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/ — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:12:57 -0500

Developed by Dr. Robledo Montecel, this new framework shows how we can strengthen public education for all students by addressing systemic factors that lead to students dropping out.