Teaching and Leading with Dr. Amy and Dr. Joi

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Marlon Cummings about meeting students’ individual needs by recognizing their cultural spaces. Dr. Cummings discusses ownership of our strengths and recognition of our weaknesses as we develop into culturally-responsive leaders. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 1 Episode 25.Referenced in this podcast:StrengthsFinder 2.0 - To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in 2001 which ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents. In its latest national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much more. While you can read this book in one sitting, you'll use it as a reference for decades.The White Architects of Black Education: Ideology and Power in America, 1865–1954 - A historical investigation into the political and ideological foundations of the "miseducation of the Negro" in America, this timely and provocative volume explores the men and ideas that helped shape educational and societal apartheid from the Civil War to the new millennium. It is a study of how big corporate power uses private wealth to legislate, shape unequal race relations, broker ideas, and define "acceptable" social change. Drawing on little-known biographies of White power brokers who shaped Black education, William Watkins explains the structuring of segregated education that has plagued the United States for much of the 20th century. With broad and interdisciplinary appeal, this book is written in a language accessible to lay people and scholars alike.Mike Schmoker - School and District Improvement, Assessment, Curriculum and Staff Development - Dr. Mike Schmoker is a former administrator, English teacher and football coach. He has written several bestselling books and dozens of articles for educational journals, newspapers and for TIME magazine. His most recent ASCD bestsellers are the expanded second edition of FOCUS and Results NOW, 2.0. which was a "#1 New Release" on Amazon. The first edition was a finalist for "book of the year" by the Association of Educational Publishers.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Drew Hines about STEM education and the mission of Greencorps Chicago. Dr. Hines discusses Greencorps’ project-based model to provide job training, support regional sustainability, and build partnerships with higher education. We also talk about theory versus practice in the practical application setting.Note: As of this rebooted release in February 2024, Dr. Drew Hines is now the Community and Private Land Conservation Field Chief for the Missouri Department of Conservation.Referenced in this podcast:City of Chicago :: Greencorps Chicago - Greencorps Chicago is the City of Chicago’s green industry job training program for individuals with barriers to employment. Greencorps Chicago - Greencorps Chicago’s mission is to empower residents from Chicagoland’s underserved neighborhoods to create change in their lives and communities through training, service, and career opportunities in environmental fields.

In this episode, we go live on Radio Jaguar with Mr. Jahmal Cole, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of My Block My Hood My City. Mr. Cole shares the history of his inspiration for community organizing and for raising youth's awareness of the world and opportunities beyond their neighborhood. Mr. Cole talks about the impact he wants his organization to have on youth in Chicago and what success looks like to him. He provides ways to get involved with and support My Block My Hood My City.Referenced in this podcast:MY BLOCK MY HOOD MY CITY - MISSION STATEMENT: To inspire youth, empower communities, and build a better world one block at a time. We believe in providing opportunities for others to step outside their comfort zone and explore new communities, cultures, and cuisines in an effort to gain a greater understanding of the world.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Phyllis West, Director of the Social Justice Initiative at Governors State University. Dr. West discusses the importance of listening for opportunities, being curious, and doing what may seem most challenging. She talks about staying connected with friends, family, and teachers from her youth and shares the lasting power of words, particularly from her 3rd and 4th grade teachers, that shaped who she would become. We also discuss the mission and vision for the Social Justice Initiative with its first tremendous step to coordinate a legal clinic.Referenced in this podcast:Social Justice Initiative | Governors State University - The SJI’s mission is to transform vulnerable populations, racial and economic injustice, and structural and social barriers of underrepresented individuals, families, and communities in the Southland and in the State of Illinois. SJI’s goal is to address these social conditions through the utilization of research, policy, advocacy, restorative justice, and experiential learning.Legal Clinic | Governors State University - The GSU Self-Help Legal Assistance Clinic (GSU-LC) provides free self-help legal assistance and non-legal resources to low-income Illinois residents using the court system without legal representation, understand and navigate the legal system. At the clinic, a team of attorneys, social workers, and volunteers work together under the supervision of a licensed attorney and social worker to increase access to legal services in underrepresented communities.

In this episode, we talk to Mr. Nicholas Neal about bridging the gaps for young adults leaving the foster care system and becoming independent. Mr. Neal discusses the services his organization provides and the needs for mentoring older youth. He also shares ways the community can support these efforts. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 1 Episode 28. Referenced in this podcast:National Youth Advocate Program - We are National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP). We have a non-negotiable commitment to do what is best for children, youth and their families and have an abiding faith that every person has an innate ability to learn, grow and develop. We provide opportunities and resources to youth and families through our innovative programs and services, and we strongly support and offer guidance to our dedicated foster parents. We work hard to build community support and advocate with public agencies and officials on behalf of youth and families. We are united by our humanity and enriched by our diversity and are committed to supporting and protecting youth and families and to strengthening the communities we are proud to serve. We are NYAP.Benchmark Family Services Therapeutic Foster Care - Benchmark Family Services is a network of professional, therapeutic foster homes and committed staff across two states with the goal of providing stable out-of-home placements for children in need. We work alongside child welfare agencies to provide stable care to youth in the least restrictive setting possible as they work toward their goals. The results we see in the youth that pass through our care encourage us to carry on in our mission to give even the most traumatized and troubled children a safe and stable home.Indiana DCS: Foster Care - Indiana Department of Child Services resources on foster care.

In this episode, we honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a special guest presentation from Ms. Judith Altmann, a Holocaust Survivor. At 99-years old, Ms. Altmann continues to make it her life's work to share what hate and discrimination can do. She shares her story of survival and resilience with the strong message to love and show kindness .Referenced in this podcast:Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center - Judith Altmann was born in Jasina Czechoslovakia, which was invaded by the Nazis in 1939. In 1944 she was arrested and transported to Auschwitz concentration camp with her niece where they were selected for work. From there she was sent to Essen and Gelsenkirchen Labour camps where she remained until March 1945. She survived the "death march" that ended in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp. Sick with typhus, Judy was barely alive when she was liberated by the British Army in 1945.

In this episode, we talk to Ms. Meagan Washington-Sims, a doctoral candidate in Governors State University's Interdisciplinary Leadership program and foster youth advocate. Ms. Washington-Sims shares her story as a child in the foster system and her current work with foster youth programs. We discuss the obstacles that may seem insurmountable hurdles for children without the supports and services provided by organizations such as Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness’ Interim Care Center. Ms. Washington-Sims shares advice for the teenager approaching emancipation as age-out foster youth.Referenced in this podcast:Community Health and Wellness at Aunt Martha's - Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness boldly commits to supporting the well-being of our communities, ensuring equity in access and delivering exceptional care inspired by a culture of innovation.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Adelfio Garcia, a retired public school administrator who consults on English language and bilingual professional development. Dr. Garcia discusses the importance of building community within and beyond the school building and the ways he connected with families as an administrator. We discuss the need for learning the school culture as a new teacher or administrator. Dr. Garcia also shares a number of professional texts that he has leaned on for research and professional development. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 1 Episode 6.Referenced in this podcast:Books by Marcia FarrAngela Valenzuela - Angela Valenzuela is a professor in both the Educational Policy and Planning Program within the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Austin and holds a courtesy appointment in the Cultural Studies in Education Program within the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. She also serves as the director of the University of Texas Center for Education Policy.Angela Carrasquillo | Teachers College Press - Angela Carrasquillo, the Claudio Aquaviva Distinguished Professor of TESOL at Fordham University Graduate School of Education, retired 3 years ago but continues her involvement as an educational consultant and program evaluator. She is nationally known in the area of second language and bilingual education and has published extensively on these topics.Donna Ogle - Donna Ogle, EdD, is Professor Emerita at the National College of Education of National Louis University, where she co-directs the Reading Leadership Institute. She serves as a consultant to arts integration projects funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and is senior consultant to the STEP intermediate reading assessment development project at the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute. Sonia Soltero - Sonia W. Soltero is professor and chair of the Department of Leadership, Language, and Curriculum and former director of the Bilingual-Bicultural Education Graduate Program at DePaul University in Chicago, as well as a former bilingual education teacher and dual language coordinator.Kathy Escamilla | School of Education | University of Colorado Boulder - Kathy Escamilla is a professor of education in the division of social, bilingual and multicultural foundations. Dr. Escamilla's research centers on educational issues related to Spanish speaking language minority students in U.S. schools. She is specifically interested in issues related to the development of bilingualism and biliteracy in early elementary grades for this Spanish speaking population.Patricia Gandara - Patricia Gándara has been a bilingual school psychologist, a Social Scientist with the RAND Corporation, she has directed education research in the California Legislature, and since 1990 she has been a Professor of Education in the University of California system. Ofelia García - Ofelia García is Professor Emerita in the Ph.D. programs of Urban Education and of Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Cultures (LAILAC) at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She has been Professor of Bilingual Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Dean of the School of Education at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University, and Professor of Education at The City College of New York.María Luisa Parra-Velasco - Dr. María Luisa Parra has a B.A. in Psychology, a Ph.D in Hispanics Linguistics and fifteen years of experience in the fields of Second Language Acquisition and Child Bilingual Development. Guadalupe Valdés' Profile | Stanford Profiles - Dr. Valdes' research explores many of the issues of bilingualism relevant to teachers in training, including methods of instruction, typologies, measurement of progress, and the role of education in national policies on immigration.

In this episode, we talk to Mr. Emmanuel Lopez, the Director of Governors State University's Latinx Resource Center. Mr. Lopez clarifies the nomenclature that has brought us the more inclusive "Latinx" and continues to evolve to better represent the Spanish-speaking community. We discuss Governors State University as an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution and what it will mean to achieve the government status as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Mr. Lopez shares the importance of awareness and intentionality when planning cultural events and offers suggestions for being inclusive.Referenced in this podcast:Latinx Resource Center | Governors State University - The mission of the Latinx Resources Center (LRC) is to intentionally serve Latinx students by creating an intersectional and empowering space where they are supported, appreciated, and culturally represented.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Darrell Griffin, Senior Pastor, Spiritual Director, Published Author, Certified Ministry Coach and Enneagram Trainer. Dr. Griffin explains the difference between Myers-Briggs Personality Test and the Enneagram and how the Enneagram analysis can help us discover purpose, direction, balance, and healing. Dr. Joi and Dr. Amy completed enneagram profiles prior to the show, and Dr. Griffin performs an on-air analysis of our test results. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 3 Episode 12.Referenced in this podcast:Dr. Darrell Griffin - Rev. Dr. D. Darrell Griffin is a highly sought-after speaker, author, and leadership coach. He helps individuals and organizations grow and thrive through change. Dr. Griffin is the author of two books, "Building a Better YOU: Using the Enneagram to Find Purpose, Healing, and Success in Relationships" and "Navigating Pastoral Leadership in the Transition Zone: Arriving in the Middle of the Movie."

In this episode, we talk to Mr. Aaron West about his experiences as a college student. Mr. West shares his jagged pathway from high school to community college to a four-year university. We also discuss ways in which students can prepare for success in college by being involved in campus activities, developing relationships with peers and mentors, and seeking help from professors - starting with office hours.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Luther King, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at Governors State University.  Dr. King shares his story finding the profession that became his true calling. We discuss the disproportionate gaps in race and ethnicity representation in occupational therapy and the efforts to expose middle and high school students to this healthcare career field. Dr. King also shares about exciting new initiatives at Governors State University to build a driver rehabilitation program to serve the Chicago Southland community.Referenced in this podcast:Governors State University Department of Occupational Therapy - The Department of Occupational Therapy is dedicated to preparing the Occupational Therapists who will shape and lead the profession in the years to come. Our graduates are first and foremost Occupational Therapists, well-versed in the sciences and skills that enable clients to restore function and adapt to the new realities and limitations that follow life-altering events. The following programs are offered through our Department: Master of Occupational Therapy, MOT entry-level OT program. Doctor of Occupational Therapy, DrOT - post professional advanced degree.Illinois Occupational Therapy Association - The Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA) is the official representative of the occupational therapy profession in the state of Illinois. ILOTA acknowledges and promotes professional excellence through a proactive, organized collaboration with occupational therapy personnel, the health care community, governmental agencies and consumers.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Dawn Brown, Assistant Professor in the Governors State University Department of Physical Therapy, about what it means to belong.  Dr. Brown defines the difference between belonging and fitting in. We discuss how climate survey data provide the starting point for developing initiatives for belonging and wellness.  Dr. Brown also warns of the assumptions we can make about college students' sense of belonging and how to check these assumptions. Originally published under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 3 Episode 20.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Tina Curry and Ms. Camille August about their passions as educators.  Dr. Curry and Ms. August how we can and should honor students’ identities. We discuss Illinois Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards and what we hope their intended effects will be on teacher education curriculum and preparedness. Dr. Curry and Ms. August leave us with the importance of being colleagues who can enter brave spaces together to do right by our children.Referenced in this podcast:Building Brave Spaces - Brené Brown - Brené Brown's podcast episode "Building Brave Spaces" is referenced in our conversation.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Tim Pedigo about mindfulness practices and their implementation in teacher education. Dr. Pedigo explains the difference between mindfulness and meditation and walks us through a mindfulness exercise. We also discuss tips for adding calm to our days when we do not think we have time. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory Vs Practice Season 1 Episode 24.

In this episode, we talk to Ms. Jennifer LaChonce, a middle school English language teacher in the southwest Chicago suburbs. Ms. LaChonce shares her research in professional development, as well as her own learning and development with English Learners. We discuss the urgent need for both ESL and Bilingual teachers and the difference between the two. Ms. LaChonce shares trauma-informed practices and strategies for creating a community of learners.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis about her work with Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.  Dr. Ellis discusses how to identify healthy and unhealthy positive and negative emotions with tips for taking control of our emotions.  We also discuss specific applications to education and teacher burnout. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 1 Episode 35.Referenced in this podcast:Dr. Debbie Joffe Ellis - Dr Debbie Joffe Ellis is a licensed psychologist (Australia) and mental health counselor (New York), adjunct professor at Columbia University TC, and is affiliated with several major psychological associations and societies − including being a Member of the Australian Psychological Society, and an International Affiliate Member of the American Psychological Association. She has a doctorate in alternative medicine (MDAM) from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine in affiliation with the World Health Organization, from whom she also received a gold medal (1993) in recognition of her service to the field of alternative and holistic medicine.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Kim Major-Ford, the Interim Director of the Counseling and Wellness Center at Governors State University. Dr. Major-Ford discusses the evolution of mental health on college campuses, especially in post-pandemic academia. We consider partnerships that have expanded in-person and online access for students needing mental health services. Dr. Major-Ford also shares the importance of mental health check-ins and the efforts to de-stigmatize counseling and other wellness services. Referenced in this podcast:LivingWell@GSU | Governors State University - With a variety of new mental health resources for students through LivingWell@GSU, find support options that works best for you. It is free and confidential.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Alli Cipra about her research on bullying behaviors and resilience. We share our experiences with bullying in adolescence, discuss identity development, and explore how social media complicates the roles of bully, victim, and bystander. Dr. Cipra also shares strategies for parents and teachers for dealing with emotional behaviors. This episode was originally released under Teaching and Learning: Theory vs Practice Season 2 Episode 19.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Nicole Terrell-Smith, Superintendent of Pembroke School District, as well as Ms. Chiquita Thompson and Ms. Katherine Kiger, two long-time teachers at the elementary school. Ms. Thompson and Ms. Kiger share their experiences working in a small school district with its family atmosphere and close ties to nature and farmlife.  We also talk about the opportunities for cross-grade collaboration and home connections.  Dr. Smith discusses mentor programs, innovation, and community partnerships.

In this episode, we talk to Ms. Angela Sebastian, Chair of the Governors State University Board of Trustees. Our discussion about mentoring and coaching took a different but insightful direction of mentorship by experience. Chair Sebastian talks about her experience as a first-generation, nontraditional college student who finished what she started at community colleges after coming to GSU. We discuss GSU’s mission to be a catalyst for economic growth in the Chicago Southland and how we are uniquely positioned to meet students where they are.