Abstract

Angel never had Mr. Miller as a teacher, but that did not matter. Their mutual passion for diversity and social justice brought them together to help form the Diverse Hands at Work Club at Powhatan High School. In their first year of work together, they helped grow the club to over 25 members while promoting inclusiveness at their school. As the president of the club, Angel attributes much of its success to Mr. Miller, who she describes as “really really dope."

Emily was one of only a few racial minority students in Ms. Sinanian’s 6th grade class at Chickahominy Middle School. Ms. Sinanian believed it was important to talk about issues related to race and culture with her students, and in doing so she helped Emily feel like she belonged. Emily also began to see her own potential for advocacy work, and attributes this to Ms. Sinanian for providing the space for her to learn and grow in unanticipated ways.

On the day that she was supposed to graduate from Goochland High School in 2017, Samantha Martin texted her alternative education teacher Elizabeth Kuhns with a simple but urgent question, "Can I come back?" Now a proud member of the class of 2018, Sam is the only student in Ms. Kuhns' 28 year career who dropped out of high school and returned.

Kamryn Smith met her assistant principal Queen Bailey in her freshman year at Douglas Freeman High School. Now a junior, she believes she can go to Ms. Bailey for anything because she knows that she respects her and will always be ready to listen. Their story shows the kind of impact an administrator can make on a student's life, and how strong relationships begin with trust.

Denay Haist, a teacher at Beulah Elementary School, taught Paola Henriquez when she was in the fifth grade. Paola is now a senior at L.C. Bird High School, and she attributes much of her success today to Ms. Haist, who advocated for her admission to a middle school honors program years ago. Their story captures the long lasting impact of high expectations in public education, and how some teachers just stick with you.

Gregory McCallum has been an educator for close to three decades. When he met Tykeria (TK) Johnson in her 8th grade year, he quickly recognized her musical talent and worked with her for the next four years as her band director at Community High School. Now a recent graduate, TK is on her way to the Berklee College of Music in Boston as a percussionist. She credits this huge accomplishment to Mr. McCallum, her “father in music."

Brian Condit (RPS), David Naff (MERC), and Brionna Nomi (VCU) introduce the Connections Across Education series from Abstract, featuring stories about the importance of relationships in public education from each of our MERC school divisions. Stay tuned throughout the summer and fall of 2018 for good news about students and educators in metropolitan Richmond.

Listen to Adrian Martin from Chesterfield County Public Schools discuss her action research project: The Effects of Specific Vocabulary Instruction in the Mathematics Classroom.

We spoke with Michael Bolling, Joy Beatty, Rebecca Hall, and Gwen Ashworth (pictured left to right) from CodeRVA Regional High School in Richmond, VA. They discussed the mission of the school and reflected on their first year leading this innovative new approach to education in the Commonwealth. Learn more about their work at www.coderva.org.

We spoke with Juan Bonilla-Olmos, Kayla Brown, Hannah Jones, Grady Anderson, and Shamadre Chambliss (pictured left to right) from CodeRVA Regional High School. CodeRVA is an innovative new school in Richmond, VA that focuses on online learning, technology, computer science, and coding. We talked about what led them to enroll in CodeRVA and what they thought about this new approach to public education. You can learn more at www.coderva.org.

Listen to Solitia Wilson discussing her action research project: Teachers Working Together for Early Childhood Transition into Special Education Self Contained Classes

Listen to Patricia Woodberry (Richmond Public Schools) discussing her action research project: Talent Development in Gifted Education: The Road to Equity

Listen to Brandi Walker (Colonial Heights Public Schools) discussing her action research project: Using Multicultural Literature to Improve Student Relationships and Reduce Classroom Distractions

Listen to Cindy Sinanian (Hanover County Public Schools) discuss her action research project: Measuring Prejudice and Promoting Allophilia in a Suburban, Middle-School Language Arts Classroom

Listen to Maria Negron (Chesterfield County Public Schools) discuss her action research project: Empowering Latino Students to Defy Societal Labels

Listen to Lillie Jones (Henrico County Public Schools) discussing her action research study: The Intentional Inclusion of Race and Racism Dialogue in Classroom Discussions

Listen to Debi Carper (Colonial Heights Public Schools) discussing her action research project: Reading is a Critical Skill! Understand and Addressing the Factors Faced by Challenged Readers

Listen to Kim Bell (Chesterfield County Public Schools) discuss her action research project: Diversity in Student Grouping and the Impact on Student Engagement and Achievement.

As a part of the Professional Development for Success in Culturally Diverse Schools MERC study, we spoke with teachers engaged in action research projects in their classrooms focused on culturally responsive practices. Check out our conversation with Cindy Sinanian and Solitia Wilson from Hanover County Public Schools, Jenny Smith from Henrico County Public Schools, and Hillary Parkhouse from the VCU School of Education about how teachers can capitalize on the opportunity of increasing diversity in their classrooms.

Ram Bhagat is the President of the Conciliation Project and a former public educator of over 30 years. Dr. Bhagat works to promote peace and mindfulness through drumming with students in east Richmond. We talked with him about social/emotional learning and his mission of building "massive resilience" in students.

Margaret Kielty, a kindergarten teacher at G.H. Reid Elementary School in Richmond City Public Schools, discusses her action research project, "Developing Number Systems Knowledge."

Leigh Ann Pullen, a special education teacher at Washington Henry Elementary School Hanover County Public Schools, discusses her action research project, "The Need and Impact of Focused Lessons and Reflection in Student Choice Environments."

Marivic Mitchell, a teacher from the G.H. Moody Middle School in Henrico County Public Schools, discusses her action research project, "To Inquire or Not to Inquire, That is the Inquiry-Based Question"

Cheryl Thompson, a teacher from the Blackwell Preschool Development Center in Richmond Public Schools, discusses her action research project, "Preschoolers and Pretend Gunplay: What Should We Do About It?"

Brian Letourneau, a teacher from Hanover High School in Hanover County Public Schools, discusses his action research project, "Improving Reading Comprehension within Content Courses"

Stephanie Biller, a teacher from Ridge Elementary School in Henrico County Public Schools, discusses her action research project, "A Whole Brain Approach to Improving Student Engagement"

Liza Collins, a teacher from Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield County Public Schools, discusses her action research project, "The Evolution of Cavalier Morning"

As an associate professor of leadership studies and philosophy, economics, and law at the University of Richmond, and Senior Policy Advisor for Opportunity to Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Thad Williamson is highly involved in local efforts to address issues related to poverty and supporting Richmond Public Schools. We talked about the intersection of poverty and education and the importance of taking a holistic approach to supporting our students.

As a junior at Monacan High School, Trace Broyles is highly invested in promoting student empowerment. We talked with him about his service to his school, and what his expectations are as an aspiring biology teacher for how public education will look when he enters the profession.

As a senior in the Specialty Center for Education and Human Development at Glen Allen High School, Lauren serves students of varying levels of performance in local elementary and middle schools. We talked with her about supporting the development of students and the importance of communicating high expectations when promoting achievement in the classroom.

Alexis is a freshman at Virginia State University studying pre-veterinary science and a former graduate of George Wythe High School. We talked with her about her experiences as a first-generation college student, her time with Partnership for the Future, and her transition into postsecondary education.

As a senior at Armstrong High School, Asia Jefferson served as the president of her junior class, participated in the Samuel D Proctor Conference on Social Injustices, and supported local efforts to address food deserts in Richmond. We talked with her about the challenges of balancing school with work and service to her community.

As a son, grandson, nephew and great grandson of public school teachers, as well as a graduate of the public school system, Scott Barlow currently serves as the School Board Representative for the second district in Richmond Virginia. We talked about the role of local government in supporting public schools.

As the Director of Student Support and Disciplinary Review for Henrico County Public Schools, William Noel Sr. oversees student discipline for the school division. He previously served as a substitute teacher, alternative education teacher, social studies teacher, and coach. We talked about the evolution of school disciplinary policies and practices.

A product of Richmond City Public Schools, Cynthia (Cyndi) Carney-Robinson serves as an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher for RPS, and formerly served as a high school teacher in the division. Her work includes providing professional development and supporting teachers at Miles Jones, Swansboro, and Greene Elementary School. We talked about the expectations placed on teachers and the gaps that exist in access to technology.

As the Director of Equity and Student Support Services for Chesterfield County Public Schools, Tameshia Grimes supervises CCPS leaders in the areas of school counseling, school psychology, school social work, student health, Title III, Early Childhood Special Education, Head Start, Virginia Preschool Initiative and the Virginia Preschool Initiative Expansion, and alternative education. We talked with her about “building strong children,” and what it takes to promote equity in a large school division.

Entering his fifth year as a teacher of record for Lucille Brown Middle School, Josh Bearman does all that he can to make learning real for his students. Whether he is taking them down to the James River for what he describes as “good old fashioned, hands-on learning,” or bringing his banjo to class, he is committed to his craft. We talked with Josh about how we can be more equitable in public education, and a little bit about bluegrass music.

In his second year as Dean of the VCU School of Education, Dr. Daire is leading a school that seeks to encourage educational researchers to conduct their work with an eye on community impact and equip teachers for service in urban, high-poverty public school settings. We spoke with him about how teacher preparation programs are evolving and the future of community-engaged education research.

As the Superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools, Dr. James Lane is responsible for overseeing the education of 60,000 students in 63 schools. We talked with him about the work that he does for students and educators in Chesterfield and how shifting policies have impacted those efforts.

As researchers in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University and advocates for teachers in the metropolitan Richmond area, Stemhagen and Nomi remain focused on current issues in public education and their local implications. They also work with Richmond Teachers for Social Justice, a collection of local educators focused on issues of justice and equity in our public schools. We talked with them about their research and advocacy work and what they see as the future of public education.

As college students studying to become teachers in local public schools, this discussion with preservice teachers Tyler Arnold, Jessica Shim, and Sarah Hunter covered what they thought about the current state of public education and the profession that they are about to enter. We discussed their reasons for wanting to become teachers, what impact they hope to make, and what they expect the role of a public school teacher to be in the future.

As the Director of the Center for Teacher Leadership (CTL) at VCU, Dr. Dozier focuses on providing high quality training to local educators to make them change agents in their schools. She also oversees the Richmond Teacher Residency (RTR) program within the CTL, which works to equip new teachers with the skills and experience they need to serve in high need, urban public school systems like Richmond Public Schools. We talked with her about the role of teachers in an evolving public education landscape.

As an associate professor of educational leadership in Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education, Dr. Siegel-Hawley’s research focuses on the social and political contexts that lead to racial and socioeconomic stratification in public schools. We talked with her about how this stratification impacts students and what some solutions might be for ensuring a more equitable public education system.

This episode of abstract features a roundtable discussion with Amy Corning and Kate Daly from the MERC College Access Study, as well as Paula Robinson from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SHEV) and Bettsy Heggie from the Great Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRASP). We discussed the importance of higher education, the availability access providers in Region One of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and where the current areas of need are. The MERC study, commissioned by SCHEV, was made possible through funding by Virginia 529.

How can educators be culturally-responsive in their work with an increasingly diverse student body? This episode of Abstract featured a roundtable discussion with members of our Cultural Diversity Professional Development for Teachers study team. The conversation focused on the importance of promoting culturally-responsive teaching, how professional development can help with that effort, and what directions this study may take. We had a great discussion about the opportunity that increasing diversity in our schools presents for educators.

We spoke with four awesome teachers who are conducting action research in their classrooms. We discussed the purposes for conducting action research, who benefits from it, and how to do it. Listeners will learn what can happen when teachers become researchers.

This episode of Abstract features a re-broadcast of an event sponsored by the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. The event focused on racial disproportionality in school discipline, with a specific focus on disrupting the school to prison pipeline. It featured educators, artists, and researchers from the Richmond community who came together to discuss this issue.

This episode of Abstract features a roundtable discussion with members of the Understanding Teacher Morale MERC study team. We talked about national trends in teacher morale, contributing factors, and recommendations for making sure that teachers are treated as professionals. We also shared stories from real teachers captured in the full report, available at http://www.merc.soe.vcu.edu/current-research/teacher-morale-study/.

This episode features a roundtable discussion with the study team for the Achieving Racial Equity in Disciplinary Practices and Policies MERC study. We discussed key definitions, evidence of racial disproportionality in school discipline, themes in the research literature, next steps for this study, local and national implications, and new policy directions in the upcoming presidential administration. This episode featured Adai Tefera, PhD, Jesse Senechal, PhD, William Noel, EdD, Evandra Catherine, and Rachel Levy.