Shows
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Transforming Education For A Changing WorldEDTalks: Transforming Education For A Changing World by EDTalksMN
2024-05-0838 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: What High School Debate Can Teach Us about the Power of Abolitionist EducationThis EDTalk features Sandy Bolton Barrientos is community coach for the South High School debate team and member of the Minnesota Urban Debate League (MNUDL) community, where they focus on curriculum design. An abolitionist organizer in South Minneapolis, they are a studio trainer for REP MN, where they teach workshops that build networks of community crisis support, and co-founder of Futures Beyond Criminalization, which hosts events on public safety, harm reduction and policing alternatives. Sandy is an alum of Minneapolis Public Schools and a student in the University of Minnesota’s DirecTrack to Teaching program with a concentration in second la...
2024-02-2720 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Change their Minds, Change Their Lives on the Court and in the ClassroomThis EDTalk features Coach, author and educator Larry McKenzie. Larry is the first coach to win four straight state titles in the 100-year history of Minnesota State Boys Basketball, and the first coach in Minnesota high school basketball history to lead two separate schools to multiple titles. But beyond the trophies and medals, Coach McKenzie has accomplished something even more impressive: coaching and supporting his athletes to increase their academic performance alongside their athletic skills. Using basketball as a tool, he has led his players to 100% high school graduation and a 3.4 team GPA. Coach McKenzie shares stories about his journey...
2024-02-2721 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: What’s Keeping Teachers of Color Out of Minnesota Classrooms and How We Can Fix ItAlthough Minnesota has started to move the needle on teacher diversity, we still have a very long way to go. Over the past few years, policymakers have created a variety of incentives to increase the numbers of teachers of color in our state—along with some changes to teacher preparation and licensure systems—but too many obstacles remain.
This EDTalk features three education professionals who will share insights from people of color who were at one time considering a career in education, but ultimately changed their minds and did not pursue this field. Josh Crosson is Executive Director of EdAllies; Habe...
2023-11-1628 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Shifting the Narrative About the Teaching ProfessionDespite the critical role educators play in shaping our young people, the teaching profession in the U.S. has been losing respect and admiration, with negative messages perpetuating an unflattering and incomplete image of a viable and impactful profession. Increasing teacher diversity is a critical component in the effort to elevate the teaching profession.
This EDTalk features Dr. Rose Chu from Elevate Teaching, part of a state-funded teacher recruitment campaign and movement to shift how we view and talk about the teaching profession to include the profound impact teachers have in our society. Dr. Chu is, among other things, professor...
2023-11-1629 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Confronting a Potential Financial Crisis for Minneapolis Public SchoolsAs a central player in Minneapolis’ vibrant and complex community, Minnneapolis Public Schools serves over 35,000 students each year and requires sufficient resources to create truly welcoming and safe spaces where all young people have the resources and support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom and beyond graduation.
Minneapolis Public Schools has balanced its budget for the past three years with the help of nearly $262 million in federal pandemic funds, nonrenewable revenue that is set to expire late next year in 2024. The district’s most recent five-year budget projection predicts an "imminent financial crisis" due to decl...
2023-10-1129 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Teachers and Parents: An Unstoppable TeamIn this EDTalk, Paula Cole discusses opportunities for educators and families to collaborate, advocate and ultimately hold school districts and legislators accountable for the wellbeing and academic success of young people. She argues that we need to change the narrative around parent engagement, particularly for lower-income and BIPOC families, and provide culturally relevant tools for all families to become powerful agents of change for education excellence.
Paula Cole was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, a place she left to pursue her dream of a college education in the United States. After six years as an Educators for Excellence...
2023-05-1019 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: The Power of Informed ParentsIn this EDTalk, Rosie Lais and Natty B. Hels share information on new guides Great MN Schools developed to help families better understand what their kids should be learning each year in English language arts and math. They share what they have learned from beta testing with nine community organizations and over 250 Minneapolis families. Families who use the guides are better equipped to be learning advocates for their children and more likely to provide support at home, connect with teachers and seek additional learning opportunities.
Rosie Lais is the director of community resources at Great MN Schools, where she blends...
2023-05-1023 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Addressing Ableism in EducationIn education, nonprofit and government spheres there is much discussion today about diversity, equity, and inclusion – but relatively few conversations that address disability or its intersections with race. In her EDTalk, Maren Christenson Hofer identifies how ableist ideas inform our educational systems and discusses the profound impact educational practices and policies have on students with disabilities. She also offers a new vision of education that replaces ableist ideas with models of true inclusion and concrete steps we can take towards realizing that vision.
EDTalks is co-presented by Achieve Twin Cities and Graves Ventures, a project of The Graves Foundation. Learn mo...
2023-04-2719 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Youth Artistic Expression and Social ChangeAs a spoken word artist and educator, Frank Gardner has seen first-hand the power of young people who are harnessing artistic expression as a tool for social change, interpersonal reflection and community building. In his EDTalk he explores how young people are processing the tumultuous years of COVID quarantine and the murder of George Floyd through Spoken Word, poetry, theater, songwriting and activism, such as school walkouts. He shares how he utilizes youth voice and Spoken Word to support young people in tapping into honesty and authenticity and suggests tools for teachers as they navigate our current challenging teaching environment...
2023-04-2738 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks 10th Anniversary EventIn celebration of our 10th anniversary season of EDTalks, Achieve presented this special event where five past EDTalks speakers gathered in conversation around our 2022-23 season theme, “What’s Next? Where does education go from here?" Speakers reflected on their past EDTalks topics in light of the present day: What has or has not changed? What are they more or less concerned about? How has the pandemic or other recent events shifted the way(s) they see their topic? What do they think is in store for us?
Panelists included Dr. Keith Brooks, Former Student Services Director, Anoka-Hennepin School District; Jaso...
2023-03-161h 29
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Teacher-Powered Schools: Sharing Power with Educators, Students and FamiliesThis EDTalks is titled “Teacher-Powered Schools: Sharing Power with Educators, Students and Families” Our featured speaker is Amy Junge. Amy is the director of Teacher Powered School at Education Evolving, a Minnesota-based nonprofit working to improve public education. Amy supports educator teams across the country through teacher-powered governance, collaborative leadership and autonomous school models. A former California elementary and middle school assistant principal and teacher, she began working with teacher-powered schools in 2009.
In her EDTalk, Amy will explore the structures and cultural characteristics of teacher-powered schools, the many benefits of these learning environments for students and communities and the growing move...
2022-12-0721 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Supporting Our Educators in a Post-COVID WorldThis EDTalks is titled “Supporting Our Educators in a Post-COVID World” Our featured speaker is Dr. Tim Brown. Dr. Brown is principal at the American Indian Magnet School in Saint Paul. A member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Dr. Brown has spent 26 years working in Twin Cities public schools. He has also served on the board of regents for St. Mary’s University and taught courses at Augsburg University, Hamline University and Minneapolis College. A father of three, Dr. Brown is a musician and an accomplished visual artist who has always been driven to ask good questions.
In his ED...
2022-12-0718 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Strategies for Rediscovering Our Common HumanityEDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.
Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.
EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.
This EDTalks is titled “Strategies for Rediscovering Our Common Humanity” Our featured speaker is Dr. Jackie Vertigan. In our increasingly polarized cultural and political environment, where it has arguably become much harder to engage in civilized discussion with those we may oppose, Dr. Jackie Vertigan is holding on to optimism.
In her EDTalk, she...
2022-11-0519 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Joy as Catalyst: Utilizing Healing Centered Practices for Adaptive ChangeEDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.
Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.
EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.
This EDTalks is titled “Joy as Catalyst: Utilizing Healing Centered Practices for Adaptive Change” Our featured speakers include Faiza Bharmal, Jason Bucklin, Nikkia Hines, Matthew Myrold and Jewell Reichenberger. When considering the question "what's next in education?”, the founders of The Collaborative Affect agree that healing is the central through-line. These past years have b...
2022-11-0531 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Uncovering Indigenous Models of LeadershipIn 2007, Dr. Jon Peterson began the long and long-awaited journey back to his homeland of Samoa to reconnect with his roots, his homeland, his family and himself. Through this process, he discovered what it means to both love and live leadership, both as an educator and as a human, and developed a theoretical model for Indigenous Leadership that can be applied to work in education and beyond. In his EDTalk, Dr. Peterson will discuss his life’s work, “The Alofa Movement” (the Love Movement) and address the critical importance of honoring our ancestry and our roots as educators and leaders in the...
2022-06-2832 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Kids Changing Education Systems vs Education Systems Changing KidsPresenters: Kyra, Jamya and Octivious, Young Leaders, St. Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN Leadership Institute
As a young person, if you were handed the mic, what would you say to the adults in your life? In their EDTalks, young leaders Kyra, Jamya and Octivious of the St. Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN Leadership Institute will join us to describe their lived experiences with adults in educational institutions and how those experiences have impacted their wellbeing, safety, and ability to achieve their goals as Black youth. They will also address the barriers to youth providing input in designing education systems and offer tools and...
2022-04-2918 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: How Young People Can Co Lead the Education Transformation We NeedPresenter: Walter Cortina, President and Co-founder, Bridgemakers
By the time Bridgemakers co-founder and president Walter Cortina reached the age of 13, he had experienced poverty, trauma, homelessness, the murder of his best friend, and the deportation of both of his parents. In his EDTalks, Walter will draw on his personal and professional experience to speak to how schools, community leaders and policy-makers must engage with the experiences and leadership of young people when reimagining schools and systems, particularly youth who have faced trauma in their young lives. Walter will also discuss the transformative power of developmental, mentoring relationships, and the importance...
2022-04-2914 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Creating Anti Racist Third Spaces In and Out of the ClassroomPresenter: Jeannine Erickson, Writer's Room Manager, 826 MSP
Jeannine Erickson from the arts education nonprofit 826 MSP discusses the importance of creating anti-racist and anti-oppressionist “third spaces” to support students in the classroom and other settings, such as the organization’s Writer’s Room at South High School. The creation of “third space” is rooted in abolitionist teaching practices and requires loving accountability, de-stigmatization of mental health, and de-centering of whiteness to truly support youth people in life and education. In her EDTalk, Jeannine shares how third space that is rooted in community-building, Afro-futurist theories and teachings, and decolonizing the lives, minds, and dreamsca...
2022-03-3115 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Zero Debt College: A New Reality for FostersPresenter: Hannah Planalp, Program Manager, Foster Advocates
People who have experienced foster care face a unique set of education challenges for both K-12 and postsecondary school. Even though only 41% of Minnesota Fosters are able to graduate from high school, over 80% still want to go to college. For Fosters who are moving out of the child welfare system, postsecondary education is especially critical for their transition to adulthood. In this EDTalk, Hannah Planalp from Foster Advocates shares her personal stories of being a Foster and the mentor who supported her journey to college and a full scholarship. She also introduces Minnesota’s...
2022-03-3122 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Reframing Music Education: The Key to Closing Minnesota's Opportunity GapAlmost every area of the human brain is required to engage in music-making. Student musicians do better in school, have higher attendance, graduation and test rates, and learn key 21st century workplace skills. It’s time to stop treating music education as optional and understand its critical importance in every child’s development, especially those from historically under-resourced communities. Musician, evaluator and educator Sara Zara Zanussi presents research on how integrating music from the beginning of every child’s development can actually rewire neurological pathways, increase student engagement and performance, and help close our education opportunity gaps.
EDTalks is presented by Ach...
2022-02-2821 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Exploring the Loss of Language and Identity in EducationPresenter: Laichia Vang, High School Student and Activist, Roseville Area High School
Our cultural identity is strongly intertwined with our native language. So what happens when that language gets lost or diminished? High school activist Laichia Vang (she/they) is a native Hmong speaker who experienced the erasure of her native Hmong language while participating in English Language Learners (ELL) classes. In her talk, she explores this common experience that is shared by many students of color and others for whom English is not their first language. They also identify ways that our education systems must support and advocate for...
2022-02-2822 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: PSEO As a Bridge from High School to CollegeThis EDTalks is titled “PSEO As a Bridge from High School to College” Our featured speaker is Maria Wright. Maria is director of dual enrollment at St. Cloud State University.
Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) – also known as dual enrollment – provides an affordable way for high school students to experience college and earn college credit by completing courses at eligible postsecondary institutions. PSEO has grown rapidly in Minnesota over the past twenty years, but there are wide gaps in participation between white students and students of color, English language learners and low-income students.
A former PSEO participant at South High School, she’s pa...
2022-01-1916 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: How PSEO is a Game-Changer for High School StudentsThis EDTalks is titled “How PSEO is a Game-Changer for High School Students” Our featured speakers are Asiya Browne and Zeke Jackson. Asiya Browne is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, where she’s studying sociology of law, criminology and deviance, and Asian and Middle Eastern studies with a focus in Arabic. She serves on the board of People for PSEO, where she works to connect more students to PSEO through outreach and policy work.
Zeke Jackson is a junior at the University of Minnesota, majoring in finance and political science. He serves as executive director of People for PSEO...
2022-01-1913 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: The Wide-Reaching Impacts of Philanthropy in EducationPresenter: Amal Karim, Impact Officer, The Constellation Fund | December 8, 2021
Philanthropy and education is a complicated mix that has a tremendous impact on education equity and access. More than a quarter of charitable giving by wealthy donors goes to education causes, from childhood to postsecondary, and education is very popular among all donors. As a Constellation Fund impact officer, Amal Karim sees first-hand the interesting dynamics between philanthropy and education and the effects on communities. In her talk, she provides a brief overview of philanthropic giving in education and explore current conversations surrounding education funding, race and equity.
EDTalks is presented...
2021-12-1018 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: How Parent Fundraising Perpetuates Racial Disparities in Minneapolis Public SchoolsPresenter: Sara Spafford Freeman, Consultant, SFF Strategies and community organizer | December 8, 2021
Sara Spafford Freeman is a community organizer, parent and author of "Apartheid in Minneapolis: Racial Disparities in Five Local Systems." Sara has extensively studied PTAs and parent fundraising within Minneapolis Public Schools and argues that current systems perpetuate vast racial disparities. In this talk, she shared insight and data on how antiquated state funding models, school choice and segregation have resulted in stark inequities within districts like MPS, and the myriad ways parent fundraising contributes to widening these gaps.
EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls in partnership with the Citizens...
2021-12-1014 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Youth Perspectives on Reimagining Equitable Youth WorkThese four young speakers from the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) believe in a youth-centered world where young people are excited to learn, be themselves and transform their communities. They will share how creating a youth-centered space through an equity lens requires three things: first, a shift in framework from youth as recipients of services to youth as partners; second, a dismantling of the hierarchical power structures that exist between youth and those in power; and third, a commitment to constant redefining and improvement. By reimagining the ways that we adults think about and work with youth, we can create more...
2021-06-1621 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: How to Lead So Adults Will Listen (and Other Lessons from Young People)Mikisha Nation carries a deep cultural understanding of the wisdom of youth voice that's influenced both by her personal experience of migrating from Jamaica to the U.S. as well as her role in leading youth development programs for low-income students, BIPOC and Indigenous students, and students from immigrant, multilingual and first-generation backgrounds. Elevating these diverse voices is often not prioritized in American culture: adults make decisions about the lives of young people all the time without their input and with far-reaching implications. Mikisha will explore five essential leadership lessons she’s gained from listening to young people and will al...
2021-06-1624 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Education and Technology Access - Jim Crow in the New World OrderPresenter: Ini Augustine, Founder, Project Nandi | May 4, 2021.
Technology was designed by and for white people to the detriment of BIPOC people and experiences in all areas of life. Ini Augustine will discuss white supremacy in the technology field and how it impacts education, particularly for children of color. She’ll share her lived experiences as a Black woman in hostile educational and workplace environments, and her work as founder of Project Nandi, which is restoring educational access to children of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will also map the ways that the digital divide harms children of color by cr...
2021-05-0619 minEDTalksMNEDTalks: The Power of Education in Disrupting Generational PovertyPresenter: Chastity Lord, President & CEO, Jeremiah Program | May 4, 2021.
Generational poverty is perpetuated by an ecosystem of unjust policies and correlating structures that disproportionately impact communities of color. Chastity Lord will share her insights on the connections between generational poverty and systemic racism, and how communities that experience poverty have far less access to quality education and other basic services. She will also demonstrate how education can disrupt the cycle of generational poverty through a focus on career-track college education, high-quality early childhood education, empowerment and life skills training, and supportive communities.
EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League...
2021-05-0615 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Cultural Responsiveness In and Out of the ClassroomDr. Courtney Bell-Duncan, a passionate educator, education consultant and founder of Courtney S. Bell Consulting LLC, works to co-create educational equity solutions with PreK-12 educational institutions. While serving as a classroom teacher, she witnessed the power of caring relationships and high expectations for children. She later went on to become an educational leader and consultant with the goal of spreading her love of education more broadly. A proud graduate of North High Community High School, Courtney attended the University of Minnesota, where she completed her BA in Sociology, her M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction and Ph.D. In Education P...
2021-02-0515 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Let's Talk About Race in SchoolsThis EDTalks is titled “Let’s Talk About Race in School” Our featured speaker is Derek Francis. Derek Francis is a passionate and experienced school counselor who approaches his work from a proactive and equity-based space. He currently serves as the manager of counseling services for Minneapolis Public Schools, where he specializes in helping students and staff build trusting cross-cultural relationships. He has presented at conferences throughout the country including the American School Counselors Association, Minnesota School Counselors Association, Texas School Counselors Association and Wisconsin School Counselors Association. He recently led a webinar for over 20,000 U.S. counselors and educators on “Proactive School Counseling...
2021-02-0524 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Developing an Equity Leadership IdentityThis EDTalks is titled “Developing an Equity Leadership Identity” Our featured speaker is Dr. Lanise Block. Dr. Block is a highly experienced educator who has served as a teacher, program coordinator, content lead for K-12 social studies, technology integration specialist and strategic project administrator. She is currently an adjunct professor at of the University of St. Thomas School of Education, Hamline University’s Center for Excellence in Urban Teaching, Metropolitan State University’s School of Urban Education and Augsburg School of Education. Her research interests include the digital divide, advocacy and inclusion. Dr. Block is also the founder of Sankore Counsulting...
2021-01-1911 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Where is Mental Health in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Work?This EDTalks is titled “Where is Mental Health in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Work?” Our featured speaker is Jamil Stamschror-Lott. Jamil is a mental health professional who practices psychotherapy with individuals, hosts community healing sessions, and works with businesses to incorporate mental health, diversity and inclusion through a therapeutic lens. Jamil and his wife Sara co-founded Creative Kuponya, an organization that focuses on out-of-the-box, community-based and creative methodologies to bring about healing for individuals, communities and businesses. Jamil also teaches diversity and equity courses in Augsburg University’s graduate social work program. He has been named a Mentor of the Year by New Lens Urban M...
2021-01-1421 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Developing an Equity Leadership IdentityThis EDTalks is titled “Developing an Equity Leadership Identity” Our featured speaker is Dr. Lanise Block. Dr. Block is a highly experienced educator who has served as a teacher, program coordinator, content lead for K-12 social studies, technology integration specialist and strategic project administrator. She is currently an adjunct professor at of the University of St. Thomas School of Education, Hamline University’s Center for Excellence in Urban Teaching, Metropolitan State University’s School of Urban Education and Augsburg School of Education. Her research interests include the digital divide, advocacy and inclusion. Dr. Block is also the founder of Sankore Counsulting...
2021-01-1410 min
2020-10-2654 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Learn to Read, Learn to LeadThere’s a clear connection between academic failure, delinquency and crime. Students who aren’t proficient in reading by fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school. And students who drop out of high school are over three times more likely to be arrested in their lifetime. When 85% of children in our juvenile court system are not literate, this is a clarion call to action. Dr. Artika Tyner will share strategies to promote literacy and end the school to prison pipeline, and provide details on her new book and community outreach program, Leaders are Readers, whic...
2020-10-1217 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Changing Outcomes for Black MalesToo often our education systems work to “fix” black male students rather than recognizing the systemic racism inherent in these systems and the tremendous harm they inflict on students. The Minneapolis Public Schools Office of Black Student Achievement (OBSA, formerly Office of Black Male Student Achievement) was created in 2014 to address our city’s wide racial disparities in education and provide targeted support for black students. Director Michael Walker will explore common misperceptions of black males, how these beliefs shape education practices, and how OBSA engages students, families, teachers and community members to provide support, build confidence and change outcomes for th...
2020-10-1215 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: The Stars and The Blackness Between Them - Writing About Queer Young Black LoveAuthor Junauda Petrus-Nasah shares her journey of researching queerness within Black American and Black Caribbean culture for her young adult novel, The Stars and The Blackness Between Them, which is about queer young Black love across the diaspora, mass incarceration, astrology, ancestral magic, Whitney Houston and trusting your sacredness despite oppression and heartbreak. Junauda’s work is inspired by the absence of examples of herself within popular text as a young person and how that has played out in both her life and her work.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Ma...
2020-03-0521 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Creating Pro-Girl EnvironmentsYouth who identify as girls face broad challenges such as sexual harassment, barriers to academic success and unique health disparities, compounded by the intersections of race, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic class. Data shows there is a tremendous need for programming and policies that focus solely on the needs of girls and young women to compensate for the gender stereotypes present in our communities and the gender inequities built into our systems, including the education system. Girls Inc. is a national expert in girls-only and pro-girls programming and inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. In this EDTalk...
2020-03-0526 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: How Debaters Will Save Democracy and Change the WorldThis EDTalk is titled “How Debaters Will Save Democracy and Change the World.” Participation in academic debate improves student test scores, grades and graduation rates – and also fosters critical skills that strengthen civic action and agency. In this EDTalk, Amy Cram Helwich explores how academic debate - historically dominated by white, male and wealthy individuals - has now expanded to a much wider range of participants and can help strengthen critical thinking, listening, empathy, problem-solving and advocacy skills. Amy also describes how students from the Minnesota Urban Debate League's Spanish, East African and Financial Literacy debate teams utilize debate skills to cre...
2020-03-0222 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Igniting Civic Engagement Through Service LearningThis EDTalk is titled “Igniting Civic Engagement Through Service- Learning.”
An informed citizenry is the foundation of a democratic society. Through service-learning experiences, students become informed citizens by researching community needs, identifying projects, connecting with experts on sustainable strategies and applying their academic skills to real-world needs. Service-learning answers the question, "Why do I need to know this?" with students as the drivers of exploration and action.
In this EDTalk, Amy Meuers introduces this powerful teaching and learning approach that not only meets the academic, social and emotional needs of students but also addresses the needs of our communities and the...
2020-03-0226 min
EDTalksMNDave Eisenmann: How to Raise Tech-Healthy KidsThis EDTalk is titled “How to Raise Tech-Healthy Kids.” Tablets, smartphones, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and more... technology is a central part of young people’s lives today. Keeping up can be challenging, but a positive and well-informed approach can have a big impact on a child’s future and in creating new habits that lead to digitally healthy individuals. In this EDTalk, Dave Eisenmann will teach simple tips to help both kids and adults balance the use of technology in our lives.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on January 13, 2020.
EDTalks...
2020-01-2524 min
EDTalksMNErin Walsh: Students, Social Media and Mental HealthThis EDTalk is titled “It’s complicated: Students, Social Media and Mental Health.”
Students spend an average of 53 hours each week on social media and other technology – more than any other activity but sleeping. While many assume technology is inherently bad for student mental health, evidence suggests that it can either boost or undermine what young people need to thrive. As more and more schoolwork goes online, both the opportunities and challenges are magnified, and parents and educators need to learn how to respond.
In this EDTalk, Erin Walsh will describe the key ingredients for digital wellness and share strategies to help...
2020-01-2524 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Washburn Blackbox Theatre - Creating Change In and Out of the ClassroomArtistic expression can be a powerful catalyst for social change and a source of personal power for young people and their families. Since 2008, Washburn Blackbox Theatre has provided a safe space for students from a wide range of backgrounds to make visible the all-too-often invisible voices and stories of urban youth. Student actors engage in a rigorous and unique training program to create, perform and tour original theater that helps break down social barriers and build bridges among themselves and their communities. In this EDTalk, students will speak their truths about public education and how creating original theater can make...
2019-11-2523 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: The Voices Framework - How Student Stories Can Transform SchoolsStudent voice is an essential element for school health, vitality and success. The Voices Framework project team interviews students about key issues such as diversity, race, safety and school culture, and creates videos reflecting these voices and stories. The videos are then presented to school leaders, followed by facilitated conversations that unpack adult narratives and guide participants in examining their pedagogy, beliefs and practices. The Voices Framework is designed to help school leaders get to know their students in a new and authentic way and ensure that they feel valued and respected, which bolsters achievement. Staff from Brooklyn Center Community...
2019-11-2530 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: The Power of Strong Relationships for Student SuccessSalma Hussein, M.S.W., L.I.S.W., is a school social worker at South High School who works with students and families from a wide variety of countries. Drawing on her own experiences as an immigrant and her work with her students and their families, she will share how creating strong home-school partnerships, celebrating diversity and building authentic relationships is absolutely vital for student success.
The Power of Strong Relationships for Student Success by Salma Hussein was part of the May 2019 #EDTalksMN event on Immigrant Voices.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse...
2019-05-3020 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Storytelling as a Tool to Empower and Build EmpathyTea Rozman Clark is co-founder and executive director of Green Card Voices, a nonprofit that utilizes storytelling to share personal narratives of immigrant youth and adults to foster tolerance and establish better understanding between immigrant and non-immigrant communities. Born in Yugoslavia, Tea has interviewed more than 400 immigrants from over 120 countries and is editor of the organization’s six volumes of compelling stories. She will share the power of Green Card Voices storytelling for both the teller and the audience, as well as stories of Minneapolis students from the organization’s collection.
Storytelling as a Tool to Empower and Build Empathy by T...
2019-05-3026 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Creating Gender Inclusive SchoolsThis EDTalks focuses on “Creating Gender Inclusive Schools” Our featured speaker is Jason Bucklin. Jason is the LGBTQA+ Program Coordinator for Minneapolis Public Schools and has served the district’s students, families and staff for seven years. With over 15 years of experience in LGBTQA+ youth advocacy, Jason has overseen the development and implementation of gender inclusive polices both at MPS and across Minnesota. Outside of his work in education, Jason is a photographer supporting queer-identified performers in the Twin Cities. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on March 11, 2019.
EDTalks is presented by Achiev...
2019-03-1426 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Creating Inclusive Classrooms, What Success Looks LikeThis EDTalks focuses on “Creating Inclusive Classrooms: What Success Looks Like” Our featured speaker is Jennifer Sommerness. Jennifer is the Executive Director of Inclusive Schools at Kids Included Together (KIT) and an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas. A nationally recognized leader in disability inclusion, she brings over 25 years of experience and a deep passion for inclusive education to all she does. Jennifer works closely with families, teachers, administrators and community members to create inclusive schools and communities that support students through innovative, diverse learning strategies. This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in M...
2019-03-1422 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Creatively Addressing Workforce GapsHanane Kachman serves as Workforce Development Consultant at Fairview Health Services, where she provides expertise in specialty recruitment, workforce planning, pipeline creation, diversity and inclusion, and building partnership with educators and public officials. Hanane is currently focused on creating career pathway programs that begin in high school and continue through a variety of post-secondary opportunities, including community and four-year college, training programs for working adults, internships and fellowships.
Her talk was part of the EDTalk on the role of career and technical education in the 21st century.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in...
2019-01-2319 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Careers Start Here!Sara Etzel is Director of Career & Technical Education for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) and a national America Achieves Fellow. At MPS, Sara is leading an innovative team of educators in a systems-change effort to expand access to co-curricular STEM experiences, develop career exploration opportunities that align with Minnesota’s World’s Best Workforce legislation, and create experiential learning that better equips students to succeed in a wide range of disciplines.
Her talk was part of the EDTalk on the role of career and technical education in the 21st century.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Iceh...
2019-01-2323 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Are education reporters making the grade?Beth Hawkins was a founding reporter at MinnPost, where she wrote Learning Curve, an education news and analysis blog. She is currently national correspondent for The 74 Million, a nonprofit news site focused on education policy, where she writes about promising policies and practices in schools throughout the country.
Her talk was part of the EDTalk on Media and Public Education, where speakers discussed media coverage of public education and how it shapes attitudes towards (and engagement with) schools.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Oct. 15, 2018, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51...
2018-10-2221 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks: Is working with the media #worththecost?Mauri Chantel Melander Friestleben is the principal of Lucy Craft Laney at Cleveland Park Community School in North Minneapolis. Her school was featured in KARE 11’s year-long profile, “Lessons from Lucy Laney,” where she got an insider’s view of working with the media. Her talk was part of the EDTalk on Media and Public Education, where speakers discussed media coverage of public education and how it shapes attitudes towards (and engagement with) schools.
This EDTalk was recorded in front of a live audience at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Oct. 15, 2018, by Jeff Achen (https://www.callsign51.com/).
EDTalks is presented by Achie...
2018-10-2224 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - The Power of MentorshipDr. Daryl Parks is Associate Professor of English Education at Metropolitan State University, where he prepares pre-service teachers for urban teaching success. A former high school teacher, Parks works closely with urban high schools to support their effectiveness with students, teachers and administrators.
Alexei Moon Casselle, aka Crescent Moon, has been actively involved in the Twin Cities hip hop scene since 1995, penning over 20 albums with various groups and touring the world as a fearless rap and spoken word artist. He is currently working towards his secondary English Language Arts licensure so he can continue inspiring young people in his community.
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2018-05-2223 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Beyond Test Scores: Schools as Vibrant WorkplacesNate Eklund holds fast to the notion that life is too precious to spend it not liking your job. After spending 15 years as a high school English teacher, he authored a book on workplace cultures in schools and founded Eklund Consulting. Today he works in a variety of industries to develop thoughtful leaders, engaged employees and workplace cultures that are vibrant and fulfilling places for all. He summarizes his work as "bringing people and organizations into their uncomfortable truths and realities and then getting us out alive together.” This event was filmed on April 23, 2018 at Icehouse Mpls by Jeff Achen of...
2018-05-2224 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Restorative Practices and Peacemaking Circles in Schools: A Way of BeingJamie Williams is a restorative practices consultant, trainer, teacher and peacemaking circle-keeper. She has worked as a Restorative Justice Coordinator in Wisconsin, supported Project Launch at the Red Cliff Reservation Early Childhood Center and the Amicus Radius Program (a Restorative Justice Program for juvenile girls) and served as a Minnesota Department of Corrections circle-keeper. Jamie is a graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools and earned her master's degree in restorative justice, restorative practices and peacemaking circles.
2018-03-0727 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Engaging Youth to Address Racial Disproportionality in School SuspensionsMaren Henderson is an Evaluation Specialist for Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), where she coordinates the Youth Participatory Evaluation program for the district. Maren uses evaluation to empower underrepresented communities and inform equity-driven decision making. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a concentration in youth and education policy and program evaluation.
Maren is joined by Mayra Rendon, a Minneapolis Public Schools student who has participated in the Youth Participatory Evaluation program for three years. She is passionate about ensuring students have a voice in school policies that affect them.
2018-03-0717 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Nurturing and Responsive Environments That Promote Social and Emotional WellbeingDr. Clay Cook is the John and Nancy Peyton Faculty Fellow in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing at the University of Minnesota and Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program. Clay co-founded the School Mental Health Assessment, Research and Training (SMART) Center at the University of Washington and is a core faculty member within the Institute of Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health at the University of Minnesota. In addition to his research, he consults with several school and community systems throughout the US to improve practices and outcomes for students to meet the demands of civic, work, and home li...
2017-12-1122 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Schools: Cure-All or Over-Hyped Sham?Dr. Candace Burckhardt is a Special Education and English Learner Coordinator at Indigo Education, where she supports special education programs in over 70 charter schools in Minnesota. Candace recently finished a pilot research program on mindfulness-based interventions within special education programs in Minnesota. In 2016 she served as a Research Fellow with the Mind & Life European Summer Research Institute. You can learn more about Candace at www.candaceburckhardt.com or follow her on Twitter at @ateachingnomad.
2017-12-1128 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks -Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Students Experiencing HomelessnessDr. Ann Masten is a Regents Professor of Child Development and the Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Masten has studied resilience in children and families experiencing homelessness for more than 25 years in collaboration with shelter providers and school districts in the Twin Cities. Her research focuses on risk and resilience in human development with the goal of informing and fostering practices and policies that support success for young people who have experienced trauma. She is the author of Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Development, among many other publications, and regularly offers a Massive...
2017-09-2624 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks -A Three Hour Drive: Disability as DiversityBryan Boyce is the founder and Executive Director of Cow Tipping Press, which cultivates writers with developmental disabilities and gives readers a new way to think about this rich form of human diversity. As the sibling of a brother with developmental disabilities, Bryan knows firsthand the value and richness of exchange across neurological difference. He seeks to give others this opportunity—an alternative to presuming deficit and pity—through the often inventive, radically self-representative writing of Cow Tipping authors.
Bryan is joined by Cow Tipping author Shinoa Makinen, who started writing 2008.
2017-09-2627 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Civic Engaged Digital StorytellingPaul Creager is a Curriculum & Media Arts Coordinator at Gordon Parks High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has been an educator for nearly 20 years, during which time he's conducted curriculum research in Japan, UK and most recently India as a Fulbright Scholar. Paul is also an award winning documentary filmmaker, and founder of the Square Lake Film & Music Festival. He lives on the festival property north of Stillwater near Square Lake with his partner Angela and two daughters.
2017-04-2625 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - When do You Stop Being A Refugee?Sambath (Sam) Ouk is the English Language Coordinator for Faribault Public Schools. He and his family survived the Cambodian Killing Fields and immigrated to the United States in 1982. Sam has researched, proposed and implemented a variety of programs for newly arrived immigrants and students learning English and has written about the acculturation experiences of refugees. He hopes that through his work he can further the field of English Language instruction and help students and families overcome barriers he and his family faced.
2017-04-2623 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Engaged Learning through Experiential EducationJenny Wright Collins is Executive Director of the University of Minnesota YMCA. She is a proven non-profit leader committed to transforming Twin Cities communities through youth development, educational equity, cross-sector collaboration, and innovative leadership development. With over 15 years of experience working with youth, she manages programs that engage 8,000+ young people state-wide, including the Beacons Network, University of Minnesota college student development programming, Statewide Youth in Government and the Teen Thrive program in Y branches across the Twin Cities. Jenny grew up in South Minneapolis and attended Minneapolis Public Schools before earning her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of...
2017-03-0722 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - New Lens, New PerspectivesGayle J. Smaller is Executive Director of the New Lens Mentoring Society, which he created in 2014 to close the opportunity gap between students of color and their white peers in Saint Paul Public Schools. Gayle draws on his vast experience as a teacher, principal, and educational consultant and uses a unique multi-generational mentoring and experiential approach to closing the achievement gap. Born and raised in North Minneapolis in a family well-known for its commitment to education and civil rights, Gayle is also a spoken-word artist and poet. He holds a B.S. in Designing K-12 Alternative Learning Environments and Organizational...
2017-03-0720 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Self-Care for Educators and AdvocatesRebeka Ndosi, L.Ac, MSOM Rebeka Ndosi recently left the education and nonprofit worlds to focus on individual and collective healing. A licensed acupuncturist and level II trained yoga and meditation instructor, she is the owner of Healing Illuminated and co-owner of People’s Movement Center. Rebeka was nominated for an Emmy as producer of TPT’s narrative-changing Black Brilliance, which featured five African American high school seniors. She also teaches yoga and meditation to probational youth in St. Paul, and believes that healing takes place when we are seen and heard as who we really are. Rebeka spoke about inco...
2017-01-0626 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Understanding Adverse Childhood ExperiencesDr. Mark Sander, PsyD, LP is Director of School Mental Health for Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Schools, and a Senior Clinical Psychologist for Hennepin County. As a certified Master Trainer in the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES), he helps develop trauma informed organizations and trauma sensitive schools, and publishes and speaks nationally on school mental health. Dr. Sander discussed how understanding adverse childhood experiences can help schools, and all of us, build self-healing communities.
2017-01-0623 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Creating Equitable Classrooms2014 MN Teacher of the Year Tom Rademacher, and one of his students Arieanna Whitley, discuss how students can help lead and create anti-racist classrooms. Former Minneapolis School Board member, and current State Representative Peggy Flanagan talks about how knowing where we come from can determine where we're going.
2017-01-0643 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Honoring the Teacher and Learner in All of UsThis EDTalks focused on storytelling and art and how they can be tools for teaching and learning.
Beverly Cottman, tells stories, myths and folktales rooted in African and African-American traditions. Beverly uses storytelling as a powerful tool to transform lives, pass on values, instill pride, evoke self-love and celebrate culture. She developed her expertise as a storyteller during 30 years as an educator in Minneapolis Public Schools and 15 years as a grandmother.
Lindsay Walz,founder and Executive Director of courageous heARTS, discussed how our roles as community teachers and learners. Lindsay’s background as a youth worker has been strengthened by he...
2017-01-0643 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - Child Nutrition + Early Brain DevelopmentOur February 2016 EDTalks featured Bertrand Weber, the Director of Nutrition and Culinary Services for Minneapolis Public Schools who discussed the importance of high-quality school lunches and his innovative work leading the Farm-to-School movement. Dr. Megan Gunnar is the Associate Director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Development, and the Director of the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Gunnar discussed the importance of early brain development and how we need to start engaging children in learning before kindergarten.
2017-01-0641 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - A Hmong View of Education + Globally Competent TeachingOur April 2015 EDTalks featured Kao Kalia Yang, a teacher, public speaker, writer and author of the award-winning book "The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir. She spoke about her experiences as a Hmong student in public schools. Dana Mortenson, co-founder of World Savvy believes deeply in the transformative power of global education. Dana discussed the importance of globally competent teaching. Our emcee for the evening was Tane Danger.
2017-01-0639 min
EDTalksMNEDTalks - MN's Changing DemographicsWe kicked off our 2016-17 season of EDTalks with a discussion on demographic data - how the demographics of Minnesota and the metro area have changed over time, and what these changes mean for our communities and our classrooms.
Ruth Hamberg, Engagement Specialist from MinnesotaCompass presented "Who Is Minnesota" and gave us a foundation of our community's demographics. KaYing Yang, Policy Director for the Coalition for Asian American Leaders, discussed "Who Are We Talking About? The Importance of Disaggregating Data" and how digging deeper in to data sets can help communities advocate for equity. Javier Morillo was our emcee for...
2016-10-071h 28