All of the Above Podcast

As schools rapidly shift towards remote learning and we all adjust to a new social-distancing, safer-at-home reality, what does this mean for our students’ grades? And, assuming that other states follow Virginia’s path and declare the “brick-and-mortar” school year to be over, how should students’ final report cards and transcripts account for what has happened this semester? History teacher extra...

Schools across the nation are shuttered. Laptops and tablets have been distributed. Distance learning protocols are underway. But in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, should there be a moratorium on teaching and learning? In our first social distancing episode, we explore calls from Dr. Tyrone Howard and others to issue a full time out on the school year given the complex challenges and inequit...

As teachers across the country struggle to keep their students engaged, what should modern “student engagement” even look, sound and feel like? We sit down with our Senior Middle School Correspondent Geneviève DeBose Akinnagbe to explore the ins and outs of student engagement and discuss how schools can ensure every child is engaged and invested in their learning. But first, we explore recent head...

The Day The Schools All Closed - Passing Period #11 by All of the Above

This Week: his campaign came to an abrupt and very expensive end, but his impact is still being felt. We examine the controversial, and more complex than you might think, impact of Michael Bloomberg's policies on schools. From stop and frisk, to the small schools movement, it’s a story largely left out of the National media. Passing Period is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-i...

We spend approximately a gazillion dollars on teacher professional development, yet the results have been... meh. Why do we spend so much money on professional development and what needs to be done to make it a more worthwhile practice? We sit down with two PD specialists - Karin Rinderknecht of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools and Mark Jutabha of WestEd - to discuss the world of profession...

This Week: We're joined by Erin Whalen, Assistant Principal at DaVinci RISE High School, serving some of the most marginalized youth in Los Angeles, many of whom have experienced homelessness, foster care, the criminal justice system, and interrupted education. Erin, with founder of the school Kari Croft, created RISE with a $10M start up grant from the coveted XQ Super School Project. We talk abo...

This Week: Emily Grijalva - Restorative Justice Coordinator, GSA Advisor, guest from E10, and all around badass educator - joins us to talk about the work of creating more inclusive spaces for students in schools, and her own journey to understanding her history that has shaped her career. Passing Period is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss powerful sto...

Our schools have undoubtedly done a poor job of serving our LGBTQ+ students. What are schools doing now to correct this, and what work still needs to be done in order to ensure that our LGBTQ+ students are given the education they deserve? We sit down with two transformative educators - Emily Grijalva and Erin Whalen - to discuss their work and advocacy for LGBTQ+ students. But first, we explore r...

This Week: The demographics of many cities are changing as housing prices continue to impact families. How do these demographic shifts affect school funding? We look at Berkeley Unified School District in California for guidance. Also, Manuel has a spectacular idea for who should succeed Betsy. Passing Period is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss powerfu...

Should I stay in the classroom or should I move on? This is a question that nearly every teacher has had to face at some point in their career. This week we explore the benefits, drawbacks, and complexities of one’s decision to leave the classroom. Literacy Coach and AOTA Sr. Middle School Correspondent Geneviève DeBose Akinnagbe joins us as we unpack this fateful question. But first, we explore r...

This week: In our very first episode of AOTA ever, we talked about teachers bringing their own politics into the classroom. Today we revisit that topic in the current day - the president has been impeached, the ice caps are melting, Australia is burning, wealth inequality is greater than it has been in a century, kids are in cages at the border, and the unending wars keep unending. How does one te...

What should our history classes look like in this political climate, and why do history classes even matter in our STEM era? History teacher extraordinaire Leo Glaze joins us to discuss how he goes about teaching critical history as an unapologetic Black educator in 2020. Please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel! https://youtube.com/AllOfTheAbove DO-NOW HEADLINES: - GreatSchools nudges f...

The end of the decade is here, and what a year 2019 has been. In true, reflective practitioner form, we spend our final episode of the year looking back on the best of AOTA in 2019. From the Teach for America discussion to the College Board debate and all things in between, we take a look back at some of the many guests and powerful conversations that we had on All of the Above this year. Whether...

This week: a crisis is brewing, as enrollment in teacher training programs is down significantly across the country, in one state by a whopping 80%. This, while we currently face teacher shortages in most states. Where are all the teachers going? And where do we go from here? Passing Period is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss powerful stories between o...

Often overlooked in discussions about educational equity and culturally responsive teaching is the role that a teacher’s own personal identity plays in how they approach their practice and interact with others. How do our identities impact our work in education and what can educators do to unpack their identity in the pursuit of educational justice? We’re joined by Heinemann fellow and educator ex...

This week: Georgia from Texas tweets Trump to ask for help in getting rid of all the “illegals” in her city, and then gets fired. But now the state says she should be reinstated and given back pay. Yikes. Passing Period is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss some stories that our full episodes might have missed.

Within the context of phrases like “school to prison pipeline” and “restorative justice,” what do educators need to consider before making that fateful decision to suspend a student? In this episode we take a look at the controversial history of suspensions and the recent efforts to address systemic inequities in school discipline. How do policy changes and ongoing efforts to implement restorative...

This week: Betsy DeVos seeks to incentivise the creation of charter schools in “Opportunity Zones” and Jeffrey needs a thesaurus. “Passing Period” is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss some stories that our full episodes might have missed.

Teachers are expected to wear a smile and carry on, but nearly every educator has hit a low point that nearly drove them out of the profession. How does one overcome that “I’m terrible at this and nothing I do makes a difference” feeling? We’re joined by our new Senior Middle School Correspondent and #NBCT educator extraordinaire Geneviève DeBose Akinnagbe for a discussion about how we overcame th...

“Passing Period” is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss some stories that our full episodes might have missed. This week: new, distressing data emerges about the prevalence of sexual assaults on college campuses.

Who was your favorite teacher? What tend to be the qualities of people’s “favorite” teachers? In this episode we discuss who our favorite teachers were growing up and how their work informs our understanding of teaching and learning today. We also take a look at recent news in education including a huge shortfall in adequate funding for California schools, a report about lead found in school water...

Our full episodes deliver a LOT, so “Passing Period” is an AOTA Podcast Extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss some timely stories that our full episodes might have missed. This week: Hijabs, bootleg binders, and trying to teach about slavery.

How should grading work? What’s fair? In this episode we unpack the dilemmas of grading. Why do grading practices vary so much from teacher to teacher, and what does this all mean for students in America’s schools? We also take a look at recent news in education including a teacher being fired for refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns, the controversy surrounding a new alternative school...

Is it “at-promise” or “at-risk?” Should we say “achievement gap” or “opportunity gap?” In our Season 3 premiere, we unpack the ever-changing language of education. Are we witnessing political correctness gone crazy or is this a worthwhile effort to be more inclusive and asset-minded? We also take a look at recent news in education including the arrest of a six year old girl, the move to push back...