HallPassBreak

Preschool in certain communities is the start of a great foundation to academic excellence. At least it is supposed to be.  Dr. Casey Stockstill’s book False Starts: The Segregated Lives of Preschoolers shows how the inequities in education at an early age creates an even larger divide of who becomes successful or not in society.

Pets are adorable creatures who require love, patience, and understanding. How does a New York City Public School guidance counselor find the time to run a pet business taking care of our furry friends while working with students? This may come as no surprise, but with love, patience, and understanding.

Teachers face an insurmountable amount of challenges on a daily basis. For educators of color it is worse due to racism and sexism.  Founder of BlackFemaleProject, Precious Stroud and Director of Programs, Dr. E’ rika Chambers not only research and advocate these concerns, but provide teachers a place of refuge to share their experiences to those who need to hear it. The episode is a conversation...

Educators may wonder how they can impact students beyond the classroom. Former educator and principal Liz Dozier is the Founder and CEO of Chicago Beyond. Their work is dedicated to partnering with other organizations and community leaders to help young people in Chicago reach their fullest potential. Her journey from turning a failing high school around using restorative justice practices and bui...

Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama has notable figures such as founder Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Airmen, scientist George Washington Carver, and famed photographer Chester Higgins Jr. There is also the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. What is not well-known is the successful student uprising. Dr. Brian Jones, who is the Director at the Center for Educators and Schools at the N...

Can you tell your story in 6 words? Larry Smith knows you can. The founder of the widely popular 6 word memoir series wrote his 10th book A Terrible, Horrible, No Good Year: Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic by teachers, students and parents. Each story allows those who sat in front of a screen or next to it while learning and teaching to explain their experience as they navigated a global pande...

Hockey, while not known for its diversity with NHL players and its audience, is a widely popular sport. On June 2nd 2021, Dr. Damion Thomas, the curator of sports at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, opened an exhibit to showcase the history and contributions black people have and continue to have in the sport. The exhibit also dedicated a statue to honor the first Black...

After decades of fighting with the state of New York, The Alliance for Quality Education was able to secure $4 billion for NY public education. It was time to celebrate at the Education Block Party! Maria Bautista, the former campaign manager for AQE and NY Senator Robert Jackson talked about their efforts in this historic win for students.

HallPassBreak is back for Season Two! It begins with an interview with Empatico.org, a non-profit organization that links classrooms to other classrooms around the world so kids can learn empathy through cultural awareness. Director of Business Development Kristin Ohnstad and Partnership Manager Erick Roa discuss how Empatico is fun, flexible, and free for teachers to use.

Whenever a classroom teacher is absent, there is a substitute teacher to fill in. Do you ever wonder what they do when they are not in school? Probably not. This episode features Benjamin Verdoes. He not only is a part of the two-man group, Iska Dhaaf, he creates music as a solo artist. The Seattle based musician talked about how the West Coast music scene/lifestyle/education system stacks up agai...

The very first episode of HallPassBreak redone for new listeners. Larry Smith, the author of the widely popular "Six Word Memoir Series" talked about he has been able to get classrooms from all around the country to share their life story in just six words.

One of the most popular National Parks in the U.S. is the Grand Canyon. Not everyone is able to visit. What are the National Parks doing to encourage educators and young people to visit? How has this place remained special for so long? My conversation with two Grand Canyon staff members helped me to understand how they are able to link 2.5 billions years of the earth's history with the classroom.

This episode features Cadence and Andi, educators of Zion National Park, who work with school groups nearby and far to expose students to the beauty of nature.

Ever wonder why the New York City landscape changes so frequently? And the importance of diversity when it comes to making these decisions? This episode features two urban planners who discuss the impact of their projects and the importance of having more diversity within the architecture field.

Ever think about taking your students to the Met Museum, but were too afraid? Tune in to learn how one museum educator and three New York City Teachers used the Met to help enhance their teaching and transform their student's lives.