Our Classroom

Episode Summary What does it mean to stand for justice—not just with your voice, but with your refusal? In this episode of Our Classroom , Roberto Germán sits down with author Christy Mihaly to explore the life of Pablo Casals, a world-renowned cellist who used both music and silence as acts of protest. Through her new book, Music and Silence: The Passion and Protest of Pablo Casals , Christy brin...

Episode Summary What if much of what schools label as “misbehavior” is actually a misunderstanding of culture? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Daniel Russell to unpack how student behavior is often interpreted through a dominant-culture lens—and why that leads to disproportionate discipline for underserved students. Together, they explore how behaviors rooted in...

Pushback is part of the work—but how we respond to it matters. In Part 2 of the Leading When It’s Loud series, Roberto Germán explores five common mistakes educators make when facing criticism, tension, or public reaction. From reacting too quickly to trying to “win” the argument, this episode unpacks the habits that can escalate conflict and drain our energy. This conversation is not about avoidi...

What happens when thoughtful, intentional content is met with noise, criticism, or misunderstanding? In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on a recent moment of pushback and reframes it as an opportunity for leadership. Instead of reacting defensively, this conversation explores what it means to lead with curiosity—especially when discussions around curriculum, culture, and ter...

Students today are encountering global events in real time. News about protests, war, political instability, and humanitarian crises travels quickly through social media, and many young people are trying to make sense of it all without much context. In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán explores how educators can approach conversations about global unrest with care and clarity. Instead...

Bad Bunny’s halftime show gave us culture, joy, and conversation, but it also gave us curriculum. In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán breaks down the symbolism behind the performance and explores how it can be used in classrooms as a powerful teaching text. From the sugar cane field imagery to the Puerto Rican flag, from honoring his mother’s maiden name to featuring Ricky Martin and...

Anger is often treated as something dangerous, especially when it comes from the margins. In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on anger not as a problem to eliminate, but as information worth listening to. Drawing connections between poetry, education, and the present moment, this conversation explores how anger is policed, silenced, and misunderstood, and how it can become a...

When we label student behavior as “misbehavior,” whose norms are we actually using — and who gets left out of that definition? In this episode of Our Classroom, Lorena Germán joins to help us explore how behavior, SEL, race, and power intersect, and what becomes possible when educators move from managing behavior to understanding it through an antiracist lens. An Invitation Teach in Truth. Lead wi...

Recorded from Panama City on the day of arrival, this episode of Our Classroom is a quiet, journal-style reflection on what it means to teach while still orienting—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Host Roberto Germán explores the idea of arrival as both a physical and professional experience. Through travel, observation, and humility, he draws parallels between navigating a new place and na...

In this episode of Our Classroom, host Roberto Germán reflects on what it means to teach in truth when the ground beneath education feels unstable. Sparked by a powerful question raised during a Teaching in Truth masterclass, this conversation explores fear, uncertainty, and responsibility in today’s classrooms—particularly for immigrant families and communities of color. Rather than offering quic...

  In this episode of Our Classroom, host Roberto Germán explores how emotion and identity serve as the gateway to authentic literacy engagement . Drawing from his presentation Reading with Purpose, Writing with Passion, Roberto invites educators to rethink what truly keeps students — especially reluctant and multilingual writers — from fully engaging with reading and writing. Through student...

In this episode of Our Classroom, host Roberto Germán explores what it means to boldly serve boys of color—not just academically, but emotionally, culturally, and holistically. Drawing from Roberto’s live session at the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Annual Convention in Denver, Colorado, this conversation centers identity, storytelling, emotional literacy, and high expectations ro...

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán shares a powerful testimony from community member Justin Luttrull about a moment that unfolded in a breakout session at Calvin University. A professor teaching about book bans and the difference between harmful books and books that expose harm cited the work of Lorena Germán — and mentioned that he listens to Roberto’s podcast. This unexpected story...

A librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library went viral after giving one of the funniest and most thoughtful explanations of internet slang ever recorded. But beyond the humor lies a deeper message about curiosity, culture, and why libraries still matter. In this episode of Our Classroom, host Roberto Germán reflects on what this viral moment teaches us about learning in public, bridging generati...

In this follow-up to “ The Difference Between Harmful Books and Harm-Exposing Books ,” host Roberto Germán responds to a public comment on Lorena Germán’s recent post — a comment that reflects a common misunderstanding about book banning and access. In this episode, Roberto unpacks the language used in conversations about “restricted” versus “banned” books, revealing how the distinction is often u...

In this episode of Our Classroom, host Roberto Germán expands on Lorena Escoto Germán’s blog post “ Harmful Books vs. Harm-Exposing Books .” Roberto breaks down the crucial difference between books that perpetuate harm and those that reveal it to inspire empathy and justice. Through this lens, he explores how silence, stereotypes, and unchecked bias shape what students read — and how banning books...

In this episode of Our Classroom, New York Times bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen joins to explore how storytelling can be a dynamic tool for teaching students about artificial intelligence. Diving into her new middle-grade novel, " The Vale ," Abigail shares her vision of a hopeful, creative, and ethical approach to technology—one where young people are empowered, not intimidated, by AI. We&nb...

In this episode of Our Classroom, titled "Shaping the World," Lorena Germán invites us to a vibrant conversation with renowned author and illustrator Yuyi Morales. Recorded as part of the Latinx Kid Lit Book Festival, this episode dives into the transformative power of children's literature and how stories can spark imagination, resilience, and hope—especially in challenging times. Yuyi Morales sh...

In this episode, Eric Royo, founder of Hip Hop Building Blocks , joins to explore the intersection of hip hop culture and social emotional learning (SEL). Eric, a lifelong hip hop artist and seasoned educator from New York, shares the transformative impact hip hop has had on his life and how it inspired him to create an innovative, culturally relevant educational platform. From stories of internat...

In this episode, Roberto sits down with Edgar Palacios, a dynamic advocate for Latino representation in education and the founder of both the Latinx Education Collaborative and Revolución Educativa . Edgar shares his journey from growing up in a vibrant Latino community in Miami to feeling isolated in less diverse environments, and how these experiences fueled his passion for educational equity. T...

AI isn’t here to replace teachers—it’s here to support them. In this episode, Roberto Germán explores how educators can shift their mindset and classroom practice to embrace AI as a powerful partner, not a threat. From grading hacks to real-world projects that outsmart AI misuse, you’ll discover actionable ways to save time, boost engagement, and protect the integrity of student learning. You’ll l...

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto sits down with Jackson Garcia , the dynamic Dean of Students at Renaissance Charter School at Coral Springs . Known for his commitment to equity-driven leadership and culturally responsive teaching, Jackson shares his journey from aspiring political science major to visionary educational leader. Together, they explore what it takes to foster a truly inclus...

Is your school committed to equity but still seeing gaps in student experience, staff retention, or instructional impact? In this episode, Roberto Germán explores why so many well-intentioned school initiatives stall—and what real transformation looks like when equity is embedded across culture, instruction, and leadership. You’ll walk away with: ✅ 3 common mistakes schools make ✅ A vision for s...

In this episode of Our Classroom , we dive deep into what education truly means—beyond just what happens in schools. In this engaging conversation, host Wade Kelly is joined by Lorena Germán, co-founder and academic director of Multicultural Classroom , and author of Textured Teaching: A Framework for Culturally Sustaining Practices . Lorena brings her lived experience as an immigrant and a d...

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto had the honor of joining Penny Kittle  for a powerful, heartfelt conversation about his poetry collection,   Blue Ink Tears . In this episode, they dig deep into the long journey that brought this book to life—over 20 years in the making—and discuss how his experiences as an educator, school leader, and Dominican-American have shaped his writing...