Change the Narrative

Wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts caused by climate change are finally starting to get our attention in mainstream media and the public consciousness. But these changes in climate are even more extreme in Antarctica, a fragile and diverse ecosystem that the entire planet relies upon, even more than the Amazon rainforests. But what can we DO about it? While in Antarctica, host Michael Hernandez t...

Each of us has to decide which battles are worth fighting. After speaking with Chilean journalist and naturalist while on expedition to Antarctica, host Michael Hernandez discovers what it means to defend --rather than "protect"--Antarctica, and by extension, the rest of the planet. This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teac...

Join host Michael Hernandez as he kicks off Season 4 to get a glimpse of life at the bottom of the world, and insights about his expedition to Antarctica as part of his Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship. See episode notes and resources at www.changethenarrative.net

Sometimes words just don't cut it—especially when you’re making fun of the president. That’s where Lalo Alcaraz comes in. I sat down with the Pulitzer recognized, Herb Block-winning editorial cartoonist about visual storytelling, taking on corrupt politicians, taking heat from haters, and how working with Pixar got him accused of selling out. And: What happens when you call BS in a world of extrem...

Whose story gets told and how do the stories we hear affect our understanding of the world and other people? What if we reclaimed the stories of our families and culture, and used story as a way to build empathy? In this episode, I talk with James Beard and Telly award-winning writer, director and producer, Erick Galindo , about his work at the New York Times and LA Taco, his podcasts WILD , and I...

Throughout this season of the podcast I’ve been talking with storytellers about their craft, and the potential they have to make positive change in the world.  Now that we’re struggling to get access to reliable facts about COVID, climate change, and even our own history, it seems like it's time to change the narrative of how we develop knowledge, and ask ourselves: who owns a story and who g...

Maybe you made mix tapes in high school. Or maybe you make Spotify playlists for your boo. But what goes into curating a good musical story, and can it actually help us to think of ourselves and the world differently? In this episode, jazz advocate and KCRW DJ LeRoy Downs (AKA The Jazz Cat) shares secrets about how he performs for radio audiences around the world, how to balance the avant garde wi...

It's an easy career change to go from being a biologist to becoming a National Geographic photographer, right? Only if it involves your dad's camera, some anime episodes, and a few insect parasites... On this episode of Change the Narrative, we talk with National Geographic photographer, Anand Varma, who works at the intersection of art and science. What role do art, storytelling, wonder, and pass...

These days, everyone calls themselves a storyteller: CEOs, marketing experts, even roller coaster designers... But what makes for a truly good story, and how can we use story to build community, process the world, and find our identities? It's a good thing we spoke with the former Director of Education at The Moth, Micaela Blei, because she helped us wrap our heads around it, and shared a few tips...

If there's anything the past two years have taught us, it's that story is everything. From disinformation campaigns to the freak out over CRT and mask-wearing, nothing matters more than who controls the narrative. I’m coming out of pandemic hibernation with a new season of Change the Narrative. This time, I’m excited to explore one of my favorite topics: storytelling. The stories we tell ourselves...

Host Michael Hernandez turns the mic around to record his entire day teaching remotely. Originally recorded for NPR's It's Been A Minute With Sam Sanders Podcast, listen to Michael's day in all its digital glory: What happens in a Zoom class? Michael's daughter drops the hammer on worksheets. And what it's like to teach in your underwear. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Are kids wasting time and falling behind during remote learning? Turns out all this flex time has strengthened family bonds, and given them time to find new passions. In this interview, recorded in May 2020, I spoke with Arun Balaji and Nakul Nayak, high school juniors in Northern California who have used their windfall of non-academic time to start a non-profit business and a national journalism...

How are students managing classes during remote learning, and how have teachers helped or hindered that learning? What expectations do teachers or school administrators have of students, and is that realistic or healthy? My conversation with Lily Bessler was recorded in May, at the beginning of the pandemic and the end of her Freshman year of High School, but her insights are just as poignant toda...

What do students REALLY think about remote learning? A high school freshman from Los Angeles talks about the advantages of flexible schedules, the time she's had to learn about herself, and her advice about how to move forward.

What's missing from all conversations about remote learning and school re-openings is the main stakeholder--students. In this episode, I talk with two  Silicon Valley HS students about what academic pressure looks like in the age of remote school, what happens when they see their teachers in the wild, the rediscovery of self-care, and how their perceived privilege keeps them from talking abou...

All the conversations about remote learning and school re-openings has left out the most important stakeholders--students. In this episode, I talk with a high school Junior in North Carolina about what remote learning has meant for her independence, owning her learning, and the flexibility she has to spend time with her family.

How do you keep a kindergartener engaged in remote learning? How does technology and a calendar change help social emotional learning?  Jill Maza, Director of Libraries and Research at Montclair-Kimberly Academy, reveals the secrets to innovation in the time of COVID, story time playlists, and more.

Tampa, Florida science educator Jaraux Washington has found many silver linings in remote teaching, even while teaching at a Title I school. Also: How students are more successful than we think, and why the old education system may just be a way to keep kids in poverty.

Alaska State Teacher of The Year and National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council member Ben Walker talks about the intersection of society, schools, and the Education Industrial Complex. He talks about how our system of  'surveillance pedagogy' has led to so many problems, shares his ideas about the future of schools, and his secrets for surviving remote learning (Spoiler: It involves Legos)...

Remote teaching has forced teachers to learn a lot in a short span of time. But with standardized tests taken off their backs, and flexible schedules, Middle school science teacher Therese Arsenault has found time to rekindle her excitement for learning. Also in this episode: Bison in San Francisco?

How can we rekindle curiosity in our students so that they actually care about learning? Veteran journalism and AP English teacher Mitch Ziegler talks about project-based learning, and how remote learning has helped us make time and space for student passion. Also: Are standardized tests a form of class warfare?

Remote teaching has made many things clear to Elementary Principal Beth Schwartz. Freeing up time to build relationships with our students and creating truly personalized learning means the end of standardized tests, and more flexible schedules. 

Veteran high school English teacher, Christopher Bronke, has high hopes for school once the pandemic is over: to have high hopes for our students. He shares ideas about why we should allow our students more flexibility and time to complete work, and how this can lead to more honesty and respect. But this idea isn't new--his school has been using this model for two years.

High school English teacher, Marisa Thompson, shares her concerns about inequity in education and lack of access to the internet for so many learners. School closures have challenged us to reimagine school. Will we rise to that challenge?

The flexible schedules of remote teaching have helped Ohio middle school science teacher, Leah LaCrosse,  tailor her instruction to meet the needs of her students in ways that face to face learning never could. Also, why is she so upset about standardized tests?